Gatwick Drone 'Attack'

How long can drones stay aloft? I was under the impression it wasn’t very long judging by the amount for a mates helicopter.

I know from experience what a single seagull can do to the leading edge of a PA28, and that's only doing about 80knots on approach. An airliner is doing typically anything between 150 and 200 knots on climb out or approach, and a sizable drone hit in the right place could, in my opinion down the aircraft. I once had a Marsh Harrier right in front of the screen at about 2000ft which is a bit scary, but they are great aviators and this one did a roll out just in time!

I personally think the the government of the day can be criticised for not having the vision to see the potential danger with these things. There should have been larger 'no fly' zones, including altitude put in place when these things were first marketed. I know criminals break laws, but an astute government together with the CAA might have been a step ahead of these criminals, who knows.

I'm not anti drone, I think they have great value used correctly, but there is always those few who spoil things for the rest of us.

Bill, I think I,m correct in saying that the drone did do some structural damage, didnt they say it put a dent in the wing spar and bent some pipes, what if one of those pipes burst and it was fuel or hydraulic..? Also it is surely not a case of an operator needing to position the drone or fly it into the aircraft, just to put it in hover in a fixed position over the airfield for aircraft to fly into is all that is needed for a potential disaster.

Anyway, nuff said, its Christmas.

Edited By Ron Laden on 22/12/2018 16:48:30

"Surely the authorities are obliged to consider the possibility of malicious intent."

Indeed so, Michael. That possibility, I would suggest, should be based on experience of such things, which, in spite of them being freely available for some years plus the demonstrations of evil intent among the bad guys, has resulted in just how many incidents? Exactly zero - not that that has any guarantees for the future but it does indicate that hiring a van is more 'productive'. Who needs some head-banger, faith-quoting loonies to cause chaos and disruption, when we can self-generate the Gatwick episode?

rgds

Bill

And HERE we have a sensible measured press release from The DroneSafeRegister.

I can't see changing the law would make much difference to malicious intent; after all, murder's still illegal, but it doesn't stop someone being killed.

Bill

That is usually a bit of a political decision. If the suspect is dark complexioned with a foreign name, it's usually declared terrorism. Lily white homegrown types are usually counted as criminals.

The pair they have in custody at the moment don't appear to fit the terrorist bill. In fact, the bloke's boss says he was at work all day, so you have to wonder if the cops actually have the right couple? Or if they were some lame copycats nabbed after the main act had packed up and gone? Possibly a case of face, egg, impact for the authorities?

Like you say, it will be interesting to see how the exact charges play out in time.

Edited By Hopper on 22/12/2018 23:13:37

If they happen to have ever visited Salisbury Cathedral, then they've had it.

Edited By blowlamp on 22/12/2018 23:27:42

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I agree completely, Bill ... and I never suggested changing the Law

In the [now evidently mistaken] belief that the actual culprits using the large Drone had been arrested, I merely expressed the hope that they would be prosecuted for Conspiracy ... Their weapon of choice being almost totally irrelevant.

Dave [SoD] put me right regarding the arrests, but my opinion stands ... when and if they catch the right people !!

MichaelG.

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Ref. my posts at 10:08:48 and 11:12:25 this morning

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 22/12/2018 23:33:09

With all the outrage this event has exposed, I'm sure we're equally appalled when drones are used to deliver actual bombs on people.

Edited By blowlamp on 22/12/2018 23:41:55

Not a dig at you Michael, or anyone else on here, more a reaction to some of the numpties in the press/parliament calling for all sorts of restrictions that would make no difference to anyone who chose to ignore them.

Bill

About five years ago I was marshalling on the Isle of Man at the Manx Grand Prix and raised concerns about the probability of a drone being used to get video footage. The thought of a bike hitting one at 160 mph plus was enough to get an immediate ban on drone flying while the racing was in progress. Having seen the front of the works van after hitting a pheasant at 60 mph was evidence enough for me. Colin

Many years ago (1978) I used to fly r/c 'targets' in front of a line of M60 machine guns, a few 7.62 Bren's and a few AR -15's thrown into the mix. Admittedly they knew that the target was approaching which is more then the Gatwick operators knew.

About 1 in 800 rounds hit the a/c and when one did it usually caused little damage. A drone would be more susceptible to a hit though. **LINK**

I agree with Neil. Track down the idiots and then throw the book at them. Locked up for five years with 'Bubba' should sort out the idiots.

Maybe a bit cynical but a company selling anti-drone devices would see this as a windfall

* Danny M *

What a great link, Danny

Thanks for sharing that.

MichaelG.

Too late: IS has apparently been ordering drones over the internet, strapping explosives to them and using them as “poor man’s cruise missiles” in Iraq. They were used extensively during the recent battles to wrest control of the country back from them. Dave

Is that thing still going on? I thought it had been sorted with the invasion of the country, overthrow of their government and the public execution of Saddam Hussein.

Martin.

It appears that the couple who were arrested, have been released without charge.

Ron

Yes and now they can go home and read the text of their trial by media and feel safe in their bed secure in the knowledge that:-

Some of the locals were apparently happy to slag them off to the press and Keyboard Warriors have burnt out their keypads in anger. Also as a result of actions by others his normal model flying activities are likely to be even further intruded on by authority,

Welcome to innocent unless proven guilty and fair justice in England 2018.

Edited By V8Eng on 23/12/2018 18:04:24

Apparently the Daily Fail published enough in formation to identify their house, let alone their pictures.

Neil

I have the feeling governments everywhere will be dealing more and more with events like this, where cheap, readily available technology is used in an anonymised, decentralised way, to change the status quo.

Althought no drones have been used to my knowledge, the French authorities are finding it difficult to persue the gillet jaune protestors because no person, or group of people have formal control of the movement.

As seen at Gatwick Airport, it'll be a hard thing to fight if things like drones become involved too.

Martin.

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And yet Sky's news-feed quotes Sussex Police piously stating:

"It is important to remember that when people are arrested in an effort to make further inquiries it does not mean that they are guilty of an offence and Sussex Police would not seek to make their identity public."

MichaelG.

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Ref. https://news.sky.com/story/gatwick-drones-50000-reward-offered-as-man-and-woman-from-crawley-released-11589961

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/12/2018 19:13:27