Drones over gatwick..

Soldato
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Not really the kind of target that system was designed for though I have no idea of the effectiveness in the hands of the right operator.

If the drone is a big one like they say it should be no problem. The drones they use for target practice arne't that big.
 
Caporegime
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If the drone is a big one like they say it should be no problem. The drones they use for target practice arne't that big.

I wasn't going to amuse you with a reply, but whatever, this fantasy isn't happening, no sane PM is going to launch ******* missiles over London.
 
Man of Honour
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If the drone is a big one like they say it should be no problem. The drones they use for target practice arne't that big.

IIRC the drones they use for target practise are around man size and move at 200+ MPH rather than a typical quadcopter drone profile.

EDIT: OK the Banshee can go as low as ~40mph but the average drone is sub 30mph. I have absolutely no idea what capabilities rapier missile have in terms of engaging a target like that though I only know their intended design parameters.
 
Commissario
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IIRC the drones they use for target practise are around man size and move at 200+ MPH rather than a typical quadcopter drone profile.
Yup.

As the military want their people actually firing at something that is at least close to what they'd be facing in real life and big enough for their equipment to get a target lock on.

I wonder if some people don't realise that a "drone" is a generic term that includes everything from a budgie size toy to potentially a modified 747.
 
Soldato
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As crazy as it sounds we may end up with military choppers, drones and other aircraft looking for it next, simply because the level of disruption is just going on and on with nothing else working...

I'm probably being extreme.
 
Associate
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IIRC the drones they use for target practise are around man size and move at 200+ MPH rather than a typical quadcopter drone profile.

EDIT: OK the Banshee can go as low as ~40mph but the average drone is sub 30mph. I have absolutely no idea what capabilities rapier missile have in terms of engaging a target like that though I only know their intended design parameters.
Trouble with these missiles is they all use fragmentation explosion warheads. There is a high chance of collateral damage at low level in built up areas when shrapnel starts raining down.
 
Soldato
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IIRC the drones they use for target practise are around man size and move at 200+ MPH rather than a typical quadcopter drone profile.

EDIT: OK the Banshee can go as low as ~40mph but the average drone is sub 30mph. I have absolutely no idea what capabilities rapier missile have in terms of engaging a target like that though I only know their intended design parameters.

They will hit anything visible on radar. Moving or not.

But yea, it could be a PR disaster to fire off military equipment in an airport :p
 
Soldato
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Are they really saying they can't track the owners with thermal cameras from a helicopter? 2.4GHz doesn't have a massive range...

If you're worried about stray bullets then either use a drone of your own to follow them, or use a wide spread firearm to take them out?
 
Soldato
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One of the tin foil hat conspiracies I have read is that this a training operation to simulate the type of threats and disruption post-Brexit... A bit out-there but interesting theory I guess.
 
Transmission breaker
Don
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Are they really saying they can't track the owners with thermal cameras from a helicopter? 2.4GHz doesn't have a massive range...

If you're worried about stray bullets then either use a drone of your own to follow them, or use a wide spread firearm to take them out?

All of these points have been covered in this thread.

If it was easy to solve, it would have been solved already...
 
Man of Honour
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One of the tin foil hat conspiracies I have read is that this a training operation to simulate the type of threats and disruption post-Brexit... A bit out-there but interesting theory I guess.

I can't really see it - I find the more out there conspiracy ideas actually more likely that it is covering up for something else (if it was something other than what is reported).

They will hit anything visible on radar. Moving or not.

But yea, it could be a PR disaster to fire off military equipment in an airport :p

I really can't say how efficient it would be against a typical quadcopter type drone but it is one of the areas that resulted in these systems supposedly being replaced in 2019 (looks like it has been pushed back now) and not in the original design parameters.
 
Soldato
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Are they really saying they can't track the owners with thermal cameras from a helicopter? 2.4GHz doesn't have a massive range...

If you're worried about stray bullets then either use a drone of your own to follow them, or use a wide spread firearm to take them out?

If it's using 2.4ghz, can fly remotely via the mobile network. Could be sat at home hundreds of miles away flying it.
 
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