Drones over Gatwick

[timmytree]

Just now, Hamster said:

It IS already, hence why we have some controls. 

There are fairly stringent regulations in place for flying drones as well but that doesn't prevent idiots from misusing them.

I may be wrong but I understood there was some kind of electronic control around airfields. Therefore whoever is doing this has managed to circumvent the system.

[Rewulf]

Just now, Lord v said:

Early reports suggested they were crossing at just over fence height - so 10 - 20ft. They seem to be all over the place.

I see, probably climate change 'activists' then.
Probably think theyve saved a polar bear by their antics.
Perhaps if they get caught , they could pay some compensation for all the money lost , and holidays ruined ?

[Lord v]

1 minute ago, Rewulf said:

I see, probably climate change 'activists' then.
Probably think theyve saved a polar bear by their antics.
Perhaps if they get caught , they could pay some compensation for all the money lost , and holidays ruined ?

Definitely my first thought...

They should pay, but they wont. Either because they have no money or because they have 'no fixed abode' so constantly dodge the debt.

[Rewulf]

Just now, Lord v said:

They should pay, but they wont. Either because they have no money or because they have 'no fixed abode' so constantly dodge the debt.

Mmm I hear you, but they managed to buy a decent drone ?
Detachment of future earnings/property then ?

[JohnfromUK]

Most drones can fly too high for a shotgun,  I understand legal drones have full GPS control that has 'ring fenced' areas like airports into which they cannot fly.  These will therefore have been 'hacked' to remove the limitations.  Even a quite small drone going into a jet engine is a risk.

It seems highly likely that this is a 'protest', and it has been suggested it may be by climate change activists.

[timmytree]

6 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

Mmm I hear you, but they managed to buy a decent drone ?
Detachment of future earnings/property then ?

They're not that expensive. One of the shopping channels had a fairly sophisticated drone on last week, quite a good spec, with camera on controllable gimbals and spare batteries for £200, like all technology it comes down in price. Then it ends up in the hands of idiots.

[Rewulf]

33 minutes ago, timmytree said:

They're not that expensive. One of the shopping channels had a fairly sophisticated drone on last week, quite a good spec, with camera on controllable gimbals and spare batteries for £200, like all technology it comes down in price. Then it ends up in the hands of idiots.

True , but with drones, its about flight time.
The bigger the battery the heavier it becomes, and bigger the drone (and usually) more expensive , as the motors are bigger and more expensive.

You can buy a drone for £20 , with a camera even, and go up from there.
But dont expect to have more than a few minutes of flight time.
Your £1500 Mavic Phantom can stay airborne for about half an hour.

What Im saying is , if you can afford a drone that can stay up long enough to shut down an airport, you should , technically be able to afford somewhere to live.
Unless of course someone gave you the drone to specifically cause trouble, which is highly likely in this case.

[Jaymo]

1 hour ago, Hamster said:

I doubt there is a plane alive that wouldn't brush past a civilian drone as if it were a midge, this has manufactured news written all over it. There just must be sooooooo many ways of dealing with this nuisance inside 15 minutes makes you wonder what they're up to. 

Are you having a ******* laugh? The damage caused by us hitting even a small drone at approach speeds can be catastrophic and life threatening.....

Impact on the nose is liable to shatter the Radar dome/ nose cone - leading edge of the wing possible damage to leading edge resulting in loss of anti icing ability or jammed slats- entry into a control surface could lead to loss of control- windshield, possible to penetrate causing life threatening/changing injuries to us - ingestion to the fan or core , possible engine failure - hit an air data probe and there is a loss of Air reference systems that we rely on for things such as airspeed/ altitude and Vertical speed along with many other linked flight control systems

Even the ‘startle’ effect when encountering such an event can cause upset, avoidance action could be severe enough to cause an unsecured object or personnel to fall and injure.

Need I go on? We regularly have bird strikes and the damage that even small birds cause can be significant yet alone some of the damage we’ve received from some larger species 

DO NOT underestimate the threat these imbeciles pose ( along with the same muppets who use laser pens etc to try and blind us) 

Yes, I am rather passionate about the subject- drones are great, but not if misused 

[timmytree]

1 minute ago, Rewulf said:

True , but with drones, its about flight time.
The bigger the battery the heavier it becomes, and bigger the drone (and usually) more expensive , as the motors are bigger and more expensive.

You can buy a drone for £20 , with a camera even, and go up from there.
But dont expect to have more than a few minutes of flight time.
Your £1500 Mavic Phantom can stay airborne for about half an hour.

What Im saying is , if you can afford a drone that can stay up long enough to shut down an airport, you should , technically be able to afford somewhere to live.
Unless of course someone gave you the drone to specifically cause trouble, which is highly likely in this case.

But how long does it take to shut an airport? Just thinking of the circumstances, the drone flies in and out, not always at the same place and not in one area long enough for anyone to track it. I reckon it's someone in a car, moving around and using spare batteries. Even 5 minutes flight time is enough to cause massive disruption. For the authorities it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. I wonder why Gatwick? Easier to get close to the perimeter than Heathrow maybe?

[Rewulf]

26 minutes ago, timmytree said:

But how long does it take to shut an airport? Just thinking of the circumstances, the drone flies in and out, not always at the same place and not in one area long enough for anyone to track it. I reckon it's someone in a car, moving around and using spare batteries. Even 5 minutes flight time is enough to cause massive disruption. For the authorities it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. I wonder why Gatwick? Easier to get close to the perimeter than Heathrow maybe?

Gatwick is indeed surrounded by countryside, but to get from the public rights of way/fences ect to anywhere near a runway, needs minutes of flight time to get there, and presumably , back.
The other factor is wind, a small , cheap drone , simply wont fly in windy conditions, it requires something bigger, heavier and more expensive.

I dont know a huge amount about drones, Ive had my £50 jobby about 2 weeks 😁 but to do what these idiots are doing, I can tell you its not feasible with a cheap one.

[Hamster]

40 minutes ago, Jaymo said:

Are you having a ******* laugh? The damage caused by us hitting even a small drone at approach speeds can be catastrophic and life threatening.....

Impact on the nose is liable to shatter the Radar dome/ nose cone - leading edge of the wing possible damage to leading edge resulting in loss of anti icing ability or jammed slats- entry into a control surface could lead to loss of control- windshield, possible to penetrate causing life threatening/changing injuries to us - ingestion to the fan or core , possible engine failure - hit an air data probe and there is a loss of Air reference systems that we rely on for things such as airspeed/ altitude and Vertical speed along with many other linked flight control systems

Even the ‘startle’ effect when encountering such an event can cause upset, avoidance action could be severe enough to cause an unsecured object or personnel to fall and injure.

Need I go on? We regularly have bird strikes and the damage that even small birds cause can be significant yet alone some of the damage we’ve received from some larger species 

DO NOT underestimate the threat these imbeciles pose ( along with the same muppets who use laser pens etc to try and blind us) 

Yes, I am rather passionate about the subject- drones are great, but not if misused 

I'll take your word for it, but having watched documentaries that show jet engines being designed to withstand frozen chicken being fired into them and air craft surviving bullets and anti aircraft rounds 🤨 my comment was aimed at real world probabilities, not the 1% possibility that a civilian drone may in fact cause noticeable damage. 

[timmytree]

Just now, Rewulf said:

Gatwick is indeed surrounded by countryside, but to get from the public rights of way/fences ect to anywhere near a runway, needs minutes of flight time to get there, and presumably , back.
The other factor is wind, a small , cheap drone , simply wont fly in windy conditions, it requires something bigger, heavier and more expensive.

I dont know a huge amount about drones, Ive had my £50 jobby about 2 weeks 😁 but to do what these idiots are doing, I can tell you its not feasible with a cheap one.

It has to be something with a good range I agree but pricewise I wouldn't know. It could be a homebuilt job I suppose. The kind of person who can circumvent the GPS restrictions isn't going to have a problem building something special. Any guesses as to the type of person doing it?

I reckon an early 20s nerdy type still living at home with mum and dad. Plenty of pocket money/disposeable income, no social life.

[Hamster]

2 minutes ago, timmytree said:

It has to be something with a good range I agree but pricewise I wouldn't know. It could be a homebuilt job I suppose. The kind of person who can circumvent the GPS restrictions isn't going to have a problem building something special. Any guesses as to the type of person doing it?

I reckon an early 20s nerdy type still living at home with mum and dad. Plenty of pocket money/disposeable income, no social life.

Or how about a state sponsored terrorist, Russians are the flavour of the month, perhaps even Iranian ? 

Must      resist     clicking     on       rolleye        emo...............................

[Jaymo]

Just now, Hamster said:

I'll take your word for it, but having watched documentaries that show jet engines being designed to withstand frozen chicken being fired into them and air craft surviving bullets and anti aircraft rounds 🤨 my comment was aimed at real world probabilities, not the 1% possibility that a civilian drone may in fact cause noticeable damage. 

28 years of flying from the ‘driving seat’ - sure seen a few things and mucho mucho damage from bird and hail ( no drone yet but have been subjected to laser attacks) 

You do know that the impact testing for for the engines, is only to see if they are capable of containing their core components and not allow a fan blade to penetrate the exterior core thereby causing a rupture of an hydraulic or fuel line ( even known for a blade to penetrate the cabin too)  Not to allow their continued use.

But as long as your happy watching Discovery channel and not accepting ‘experience’ then I’m happy 🙂

[Hamster]

1 minute ago, Jaymo said:

28 years of flying from the ‘driving seat’ - sure seen a few things and mucho mucho damage from bird and hail ( no drone yet but have been subjected to laser attacks) 

You do know that the impact testing for for the engines, is only to see if they are capable of containing their core components and not allow a fan blade to penetrate the exterior core thereby causing a rupture of an hydraulic or fuel line ( even known for a blade to penetrate the cabin too)  Not to allow their continued use.

But as long as your happy watching Discovery channel and not accepting ‘experience’ then I’m happy 🙂

I did say I'll take your word for it. I didn't seriously think they'd just let flights continue and hope for the best. 

[Scrumbag]

3 hours ago, moose man said:

Surely they could block the signal ? Failing that 40grm 3 ‘s would give it a run for its money ..

I was just thinking 3s would be the thing...

[JohnfromUK]

4 minutes ago, Scrumbag said:

I was just thinking 3s would be the thing...

These things can fly at several hundred feet.  Out of range for a shotgun, but a big hazard to aircraft.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

3 hours ago, Hamster said:

I doubt there is a plane alive that wouldn't brush past a civilian drone as if it were a midge, this has manufactured news written all over it. There just must be sooooooo many ways of dealing with this nuisance inside 15 minutes makes you wonder what they're up to. 

Except if it were to go down one of the engines!

[figgy]

Wonder if they're using vans or cars to keep the drones up. Maybe why plod can't catch them.

Just goes to show the Ineptitude of today's Police farce to be thwarted by a few drones.

All those units rinning around tryi.g to catch the perps and 12 hours later nothing.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 minute ago, figgy said:

Wonder if they're using vans or cars to keep the drones up. Maybe why plod can't catch them.

Just goes to show the Ineptitude of today's Police farce to be thwarted by a few drones.

All those units rinning around tryi.g to catch the perps and 12 hours later nothing.

Airport closed until 19:00, good grief!

[243deer]

surely drone operators should be licenced and they should have to get a GP's letter to say that you are suitable to own one????

[JohnfromUK]

Just now, 243deer said:

surely drone operators should be licenced and they should have to get a GP's letter to say that you are suitable to own one????

I doubt that the perpetrators of this event would worry about licensing.  This has the hallmarks of someone well organised who has carefully planned the operation.  TO have enough batteries, keep appearing at sufficiently frequent intervals, avoid airport GPS restrrictions etc. 

Like those who use guns illegally can (apparently) obtain them easily enough, so it would be with drones.

[243deer]

Sorry JohnfromUK should have put some sort of irony alert in my post

[Scully]

A mate of mine is a professional photographer and currently working in London. He has just posted some pics from one of his drones over an airfield! I’ve just asked him if he was anywhere near Gatwick this morning! 🙂

[JohnfromUK]

15 minutes ago, 243deer said:

Sorry JohnfromUK should have put some sort of irony alert in my post

No problem! 😉