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Drone closes Heathrow

Discussion in 'News from the UK, Europe and the rest of the World' started by Markham, Jan 8, 2019.

  1. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Despite anti-drone technology being purchased by both Heathrow and Gatwick, the UK’s largest airport has suspended all flights due to an alleged drone sighting near the runway.

    According to a spokesman for Heathrow: "We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow and are working closely with the Met Police to prevent any threat to operational safety. As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience."
  2. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Wont be long before the ransom demands start.
  3. Mattecube
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    Mattecube face the sunshine so shadows fall behind you Trusted Member

    Do you reckon the drones are being controlled from the isle of man?
    • Funny Funny x 1
  4. KeithAngel
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    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

  5. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Something not mentioned in the last thread on this, there is zero difference between these drones and the model helicopters and planes that hobbyist's have flown for probably the last 60 to 70 years, my pal was flying things just as dangerous as drones 48 years ago as an irresponsible 13 year old.

    So why has this never been an issue before, it is all being blown out of proportion.
    • Agree Agree x 2
  6. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    According to my older brother-in-law who flew drones and helicopters in the Philippines (for photographic purposes), drones are far, far easier to fly and they provide a more stable platform. And they can be cheap - Amazon sells a simple model for about a tenner.

    I believe the reason they've become an issue is down to fairly frequent press reports of their use in delivering drugs and contraband to prisoners. This publicity, coupled with their easy availability has led to some flying them irresponsibly and endangering life; geo-fencing is clearly not going to work as it can be easily circumvented by re-programming. Or simply put the drone in the boot of your car, drive to the airport and park on the roof of a multi-storey car park from where you launch your drone. The drone won't be affected by geo-fencing since you are within the protected perimeter.

    But you don't need to even own a drone to create havoc at an airport: simply telephone the airport anonymously and report a drone sighting at the end of the runway.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  7. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    as i wrote on the previous thread--it is the perfect ransome opportunity---no threat to life--no fingers in the post. just a commercial hostage. give us money or we launch a drone over an airport. no one gets hurt--just airport chaos.

    its just so bleedin obvious.
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Funny Funny x 1
  8. Anon04576
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    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    Just as dangerous in that if either hit an aircraft the consequences could be deadly.

    Drones are somewhat of a resurgence of the old RC aircraft but I’m guessing when learning to fly that old tech things was done under supervision. A drone doesn’t require any mentoring from an experienced hand, you just fly it straight away and the GPS/glonass makes up for the deficiency. That means almost any Tom, “dick” or Harry now flies drones. Hence the pillocks ruining the hobby for everyone else.
    • Agree Agree x 2
  9. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    no mate--youre missing my point. no one needs to launch--or even have a drone--just a phone call will do it. the airport cant ignore the threat.

    and who's to say this current incident isnt just that ?
    • Agree Agree x 4
  10. Anon04576
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    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    I agree but a tenner drone flies like a bag of poo. I’d say a half decent drone is at least a few hundred quid.

    I watched a YouTube vid the other day. A guy flying a DJI F550 up to an altitude of 3500 ft and losing control of it. He couldn’t reconnect to it after it hovering for 5 minutes above the clouds and the battery running dangerously low. You couldn’t make this stuff up!
  11. Anon04576
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    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    This one...

  12. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Exactly Malcolm! I don't know about the Heathrow incident but I've a hunch that at least one of the Gatwick sightings was deliberately faked.
  13. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Yeah that's my point, we have had the issue for decades but only now are the politicians getting their oar in.

    The folk I knew built the models and crashed them often while learning so it was probably a bit more expensive in those days and yes the drones are easier to control than the older generation of devices but the actual threat is the same now as it has been for decades.
  14. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    I had another friend about 20 years ago, an Oracle and SQL Server DBA who was also a Scottish champion model Helicopter flyer, he was so good he started a side line business doing aerial reconnaissance and photography.

    He spent a fortune on his hobby and business.

    I read the guys explanation in that video Paul at least he realised he had made a big mistake.
  15. OTT
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    OTT Active Member

    It’s idiots like that that get the responsible users a bad name . The drone laws set an altitude limit of 400 ft or 120 metres .

    Any normal person doesn’t need telling what and where is safe to fly .
    Why has this issue with drones at airports only just begun I wonder ? They have been around for years now .

    All DJI drones are registered to their owner by a serial number, and should be easy to trace back to the owner .
  16. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    Are you sure about that? I doubt that Amazon or eBay records who bought what from where and verifies their ID.
  17. OTT
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    OTT Active Member

    No that is true , but It’s not down to Amazon or eBay though . The DJI app needs to be downloaded , and that can’t be done without registering the drones serial number and the owner on the DJI database .
    It is also necessary to take an online safety test now as part of the process.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  18. Anon04576
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    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    The DJI is also a bit more responsible in that normal operations are ringfenced in areas such as airports/airfields/areas of aerial aviation/military etc etc. There are other drone manufacturers who give free reign. A responsible UK drone owner should be logging pre-flights in the NATS drone assist app.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  19. Anon04576
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    Anon04576 Well-Known Member

    I think a lot of people who buy drones are initially curious and want to try height or distance “tests”.
  20. Bootsonground
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    Bootsonground Guest

    Drones? What drones? Any pictures or other evidence apart from a possible malicious phone call?
    If an international airport anywhere in the world cannot deal with toys like these then God knows how they propose to deal with a REAL serious terrorist threat.
    All or any previous confidence in UK airport security(or otherwise) is gone for me personally.
    • Agree Agree x 1

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