Drones over gatwick..

Malevolence · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:40

Yadda said:
They've been laughing since the EU referendum. They can't possibly laugh any harder.

platinum87 · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:47

LOAM said:
There was a paper released today that highlights a 24% increase in homeless deaths in the last 5 years and the average lifespan of someone homeless is 44 years. It's likely a conservative MP trying to bomb the news with something less embarrassing.

This drone situation is far more embarrassing, addicts and mental health individuals who cannot look after themselves on the one hand, and a police and government who are powerless to do pretty much anything on the other.

Goberpiles316 · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:47

So should someone strap a bomb to a drone, we actually have no way to defend against the attack?

ultralaser · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:48

The problem is that they'll have to do something more drastic soon if this continues. We can't have the UK's second largest airport closed indefinitely.

Meddling-Monk · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:49

Goberpiles316 said:
So should someone strap a bomb to a drone, we actually have no way to defend against the attack?

In short. No.

From the way it's being handled now, unless there is 100% proof positive or enough of a belief that a drone is carrying an explosive, the forces, police or otherwise it appears will not fire into a civilian area.

So yeah. Looks like there's going to be a need for a disaster before the rules are changed over how things are handled.

Resident · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:49

Firestar_3x said:
You cant deploy off the shelf jamming equipment around an airport (for fairly oblivious reasons).

There was a news item on earlier that showed a jammer manufacturer who displayed a jammer in operation. It only affected the drone & would only require 2 units for the size of Gatwick (3 for Heathrow)

200sols · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:51

Apparently been spotted again in the last hour, so continuing Army or not. The way they are speaking, sounds like it will be closed tomorrow as well.

Participant · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:51

Meddling-Monk · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:52

Resident said:
There was a news item on earlier that showed a jammer manufacturer who displayed a jammer in operation. It only affected the drone & would only require 2 units for the size of Gatwick (3 for Heathrow)

Although you then require the services of security that can be trusted to man these stations, otherwise we could end up with anyone on them who could end up causing all sorts of other mischief. Just don't see an easy way to solve everything for this at this moment.

itchy · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:53

Dunks said:
Yeah, deploying something that blocks all GPS and mobile phone frequencies around an airport with planes that rely on all sorts of sensitive electrical equipment sounds like a great idea!

It would only need a few min burst and all drones would fall out the sky.

Warning incoming planes when deploying, 5 min top and every drone would fail.

5min is nothing compared to hours of delays.

ultralaser · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:55

ultralaser said:
The problem is that they'll have to do something more drastic soon if this continues. We can't have the UK's second largest airport closed indefinitely.

I must have a crystal ball - now they're saying firearms might be used

Randomface74 · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:56

itchy said:
Its all bull.
What is the cost of these to an airport.
https://www.jammer-store.com/drone-jammers/
Something is not right about all this and it stinks.

Nah they just want to get the guy, downing the drone isn't the objective.

Resident · 20 Dec 2018 at 21:58

Meddling-Monk said:
Although you then require the services of security that can be trusted to man these stations, otherwise we could end up with anyone on them who could end up causing all sorts of other mischief. Just don't see an easy way to solve everything for this at this moment.

Cheaper than shutting the entire airport for 24+hrs.

I can't remember the manufacturer of the jammer but it looked like set and forget hardware. Obviously it needed to be powered which you could in theory use as a control method and therefore have it remotely switched.

Meddling-Monk · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:01

Resident said:
Cheaper than shutting the entire airport for 24+hrs

True, not going to dispute that.

I can't remember the manufacturer of the jammer but it looked like set and forget hardware. Obviously it needed to be powered which you could in theory use as a control method and therefore have it remotely switched.

Anything that is not directly controlled on site can be taken over, therefore for security reasons, especially something like the device in question, better still to have it manned to prevent issues arising from it being "taken over" however temporarily and used for nefarious reasons. Something like this only needs one time for it to become serious. So can't be too lax over it.

ColdAsIce · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:03

Alright guys i'm not one for conspiracy theorist crap but wtf is going on? No way this is a simple drone for Gatwick to still be down and Army called in. Battery life on these things isn't bloody 12 > 24 hours.... Something isn't right with this bs story.

Randomface74 · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:04

ColdAsIce said:
Alright guys i'm not one for conspiracy theorist crap but wtf is going on? No way this is a simple drone for Gatwick to still be down and Army called in. Battery life on these things isn't bloody 12 > 24 hours.... Something isn't right with this bs story.

They're trying to find the guy, not shoot down the drone.

Secret_Window · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:04

Why don't they have a load of helicopters and security drones flying around searching for the drones ?

ultralaser · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:05

billysielu said:
They're trying to find the guy, not shoot down the drone.

Quite a bold claim, so we're incurring millions of pounds of costs to get some guy and give them 5 years.... unlikely me thinks.

ColdAsIce · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:05

billysielu said:
They're trying to find the guy, not shoot down the drone.

You telling me some guy has been out there for almost a day? Or has the drone not been seen since? Whole story stinks dude.

Randomface74 · 20 Dec 2018 at 22:08

The drone keeps coming and going, just for long enough to stop the airport opening, the trick is finding out where it goes each time.

btw I'm not claiming anything, I read all this stuff on the BBC, you just gotta read it without the assumption that they're trying to shoot the thing.