Drones over gatwick..

dowie · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:52

Delvis said:
I fly my racer on the weekends, or at lunchtime.

No different than an RC car, or doing some other outside hobby.

Bit different to an RC car, shutting down an airport with an RC car is going to be rather difficult.

If some reckless RC car user drives into say a road then they're more likely to get their car crushed than cause an accident and the road itself isn't going to get shut down.

builder22 · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:52

I suppose they’ll be wary of shooting/taking it down incase it’s full of explosives!

Have there been any other incidents like this with drones spotted over airports?

I have no idea about weight/power of explosives btw

McGray · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:54

Delvis said:
I fly my racer on the weekends, or at lunchtime.

No different than an RC car, or doing some other outside hobby.

Can you close down Gatwick for nearly 24hrs with an RC car? Can hill walking do this?

dowie · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:54

builder22 said:
I suppose they’ll be wary of shooting/taking it down incase it’s full of explosives!

Have there been any other incidents like this with drones spotted over airports?

Yes, IIRC there was an incident at an RAF location not so long ago.

Given the cost of this sort of disruption then the apparent lack of countermeasures seems a bit silly.

Yadda · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:56

Delvis said:
I fly my racer on the weekends, or at lunchtime.

No different than an RC car, or doing some other outside hobby.

I feel sorry for the racers & freesyle flyers. The most skillful drone pilots whose stripped-back drones are least likely to cause a nuisance due to very short flight times (typically 3-4 mins? Maybe 10 at a stretch with a super light with low kv motors?) yet they'll be lumped in with the larger, longer range, auto flying "camera birds". It doesn't seem fair.

wolfie138 · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:58

Kenai said:
It just means the BBC are using meaningless buzzwords to make it more exciting.

Much like 'weapons grade novichok', in case people got confused with the novichok they could buy in Tesco.

mock them if you like but at least they've cleared this up for those who were cowering under their beds:

"What is a drone?
The term "drone" for some prompts images of air strikes but the sophisticated flying robots used on the battlefield are unlikely to be what we are talking about here."

"unlikely". but it MAY be....

vanpeebles · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:59

They should send up a police helicopter and a bloke holding a long pond dipping net

dowie · 20 Dec 2018 at 13:59

Yadda said:
I feel sorry for the racers & freesyle flyers. The most skillful drone pilots whose stripped-back drones are least likely to cause a nuisance due to very short flight times (typically 3-4 mins? Maybe 10 at a stretch with a super light with low kv motors?) yet they'll be lumped in with the larger, longer range, auto flying "camera birds". It doesn't seem fair.

Why do you feel sorry for them?

Yadda · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:02

dowie said:
Why do you feel sorry for them?

Because it's Christmas, Dowie.

GeX · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:04

McGray said:
Can you close down Gatwick for nearly 24hrs with an RC car?

If you got it air side, probably.

lookitsjonno · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:04

As usual the select few ruining it for everyone, not only the law abiding drone users amongst us but the thousands of people stranded at the airport :mad:

dowie · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:07

Yadda said:
Because it's Christmas, Dowie.

You don't suppose that future legislation might categorise this stuff as per current legislation? Or are you also worried that one of the stocking filler drones that can mostly be used indoors will require licensing.

Frankly I don't think licensing for "drones" is necessarily a bad thing.

Yadda · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:08

dowie said:
You don't suppose that future legislation might categorise this stuff as per current legislation? Or are you also worried that one of the stocking filler drones that can mostly be used indoors will require licensing.

Frankly I don't think licensing for "drones" is necessarily a bad thing.

No idea mate.

dowie · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:08

Yadda said:
No idea mate.

With regards to what? As in you don't have any idea about whether you think licensing is a good or bad thing?

GeX · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:15

The thing is, if someone wants to cause disruption - then they will. Tighter controls of drones won't change that, they can just find other ways to disrupt.

Stand on the wrong side of the railings of a motorway, that'll close the road - disruption for thousands. Phone in a hoax at a large building, more disruption.

Delvis · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:15

Can't be bothered replying to everyone to be honest.

It's a hobby, if you're going to be a tit and act irresponsibily, get the book thrown at you.

I have no issues with registering, but my main qualm with that is racer or freestyle drones aren't a set spec, so they'd need to have an option for adding customisation to your registered unit

Yadda · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:17

vanpeebles said:
They should send up a police helicopter and a bloke holding a long pond dipping net

Catch the pigeon? I like it.

Delvis said:
Can't be bothered replying to everyone to be honest.

It's a hobby, if you're going to be a tit and act irresponsibily, get the book thrown at you.

I have no issues with registering, but my main qualm with that is racer or freestyle drones aren't a set spec, so they'd need to have an option for adding customisation to your registered unit

Yes, weight (500g?) and acceleration shouldn't be the only factors to consider when legislating drones IMO. Flight time should also be considered to separate the relatively harmless sport flyers from potentially more dangerous long range flyers.

Liefrich · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:19

Delvis said:
Can't be bothered replying to everyone to be honest.

It's a hobby, if you're going to be a tit and act irresponsibily, get the book thrown at you.

I have no issues with registering, but my main qualm with that is racer or freestyle drones aren't a set spec, so they'd need to have an option for adding customisation to your registered unit

I appreciate there is now going to be massive backlash against drones users and that is unfortunate for many responsible users. But there are relatively few hobbies that can realistically close down a massive airport for the day and have a huge impact on our national economy..

Further legislation will now be incoming (well once Brexit is sorted

)

DarrenM343 · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:20

Well, hopefully the snipers are there to take out the drone flyer

. Tough lesson but hey ho, risking lives of others and doing something so stupid - needs putting down. Dissuade others from doing the same = the majority of hobbyists left alone to enjoy their hobby.

cadmunkey · 20 Dec 2018 at 14:22

Yadda said:
Because it's Christmas, Dowie.

Ahhh that time of the year when every kid on my estate is bought a £10 drone and lose control of it within 5 minutes as it flies off into the distance.
Maybe they're all heading towards Gatwick.