Gatwick airport closed by drones

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#2150747 26-Dec-2018 16:55

rb99:

From Huff Post -

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/todd-r-miller/the-freakonomics-of-extre_b_11821634.html

I assume its genuine as I was to lazy to read the whole article, and Kim Kardashian apparently posted it as well, so it must be.

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rb99

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#2150754 26-Dec-2018 17:30

mattwnz:

All this fake news I guess sells papers and gets clicks. How many people have been killed by a drone? Already companies like DJI place restrictions on the height they can fly etc. Maybe if they brought in laws that made it illegal to try to get around those restrictions, that could be a good idea. But there is now a huge phobia about drones led by the media, because it gets clicks. Similar to all these stories about earthquakes, or it is still possible for a 20 year old to buy a first home etc, beucase it gets clicks and sells papers and realestate agents are one of the biggest advertisers in paper.

I am no sure if there have been any planes that have hit a drone to date, and would that likely cause much more damage than hit a bird, such as a albatross, or a swarm of birds? I think there have been some stories where people have claimed they have been hit by a drone, but it was never proven. People need to put these risks into perspective because it is probably more a of risky dying from almost anything else, including just crossing the road, or air pollution from walking down the street, or riding an e scooter

How many people have been killed by a drone is not a good argument for something that has recently evolved (in numbers and abilities) and has a potential danger.

I don't know what that danger is and it's beyond my expertise to comment.

But I totally agree with media selling. Anything that sells papers and generate clicks - PUBLISH.

raytaylor

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#2150795 26-Dec-2018 18:02

Beccara:

Not surprising, mass hysteria is a real thing and drones have been talked up to a fever pitch to both pilots and the travelling public

"I saw that girl casting spells and associating with the devil / flying a drone in the forest the other day. Yes that one, the one I dont like from the village, we should burn her, shes a Witch!"

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#2150798 26-Dec-2018 18:10

Bung: I'd find it more credible if the papers were reporting a Police report that Motts had gone to them with the sighting. I'd be even more impressed if he or his wife had attempted to photograph this mysterious cyclist. As it is I don't think a drone being launched 4 miles away from the airfield makes sense. That's probably maximum range and wouldn't give the operator eyes on what the Police were doing. We'll see if Motts and his wife stick to the same script.

Thats how I would do it. Control it from a distance.

My common DJI Mavic Pro from Noel Leemings has a range of up to 5kms. They claim further - 4.3miles / 6.5kms on the spec sheet. Though people push them further by putting focal reflectors and bigger antennas on the handheld remote.

It wouldnt surprise me if an industrial class of drone could go further with a potentially bigger antenna in one of the legs by its factory standard design.

I use mine for hilltop transmitter inspections - cant be bothered with a 45 minute quad bike ride up a hill when I can fly a drone up in ten minutes. Longest one I do regularly is about 4.8kms line of sight from where I park the car.

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#2150799 26-Dec-2018 18:13

My main takeaway lesson from this fiasco is if a drone registrar were implemented, I would be discouraged from registering my drone purely based on the fact those nice people had their faces planted across the newspapers and on TV when they were innocent, purely because of incompetent police.

Oh theres a drone in the area - mr british policeman will instinctively go and arrest the nearest the nearest registered owner.

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#2150829 26-Dec-2018 20:07

kingdragonfly: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gatwick-airport-drone-suspect-seen-13765840

described how he was packing away two drones measuring 4ft and 2ft into a rucksack.

“It looked like he was packing the drones away ,two minutes later we turned around and came across him cycling away, I expect he wanted to disassemble the drone as quickly as possible and get away as fast as he could."

And then CYCLED AWAY???

I really call BS...

Even if the drones folded to half, with batteries that let the drones fly for the amount of time claimed, possible VR headset or 2 tablets, and 2 remote controls (obviously not using a phone as a controller at that distance), in a rucksack on a bike.... What a load!

And how many "industrial" drones are that easy to strip that small that they would fit in a rucksack?

Would also take the guy awhile, not 2 minutes from "all lit up" to "cycling away"! And it that was the case, you'd think our suspicious witness could take a quick photo.

Mr Witness saw a dude with a mavic pro and a racing drone (after one possibly filming the other) packing up and decided what he "saw" afterwards from media reports.

It's a known fact people make terrible witnesses.

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#2150855 26-Dec-2018 21:11

So looks like a technology breakthrough has been made. Airports worldwide are standing by to employ yoof (football ultra preferred) with rolls of purex:

https://bit.ly/2rT0WdS

Bung

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#2150904 27-Dec-2018 06:16

Before anyone busts a shoulder trying to throw a toilet roll that far, one of the comments says that the local custom is to throw end rolls of register paper. Much better suited to being a projectile.

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#2150912 27-Dec-2018 07:10

mattwnz:

I am no sure if there have been any planes that have hit a drone to date, and would that likely cause much more damage than hit a bird, such as a albatross, or a swarm of birds?

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/737-May-Have-Hit-Drone-231997-1.html

A large drone has a lot more mass than all but the largest birds, so would cause proportionately more damage. Many (most?) airports have measures to get rid of birds because of the risk of bird strike.

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#2150917 27-Dec-2018 07:36

frankv:

mattwnz:

I am no sure if there have been any planes that have hit a drone to date, and would that likely cause much more damage than hit a bird, such as a albatross, or a swarm of birds?

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/737-May-Have-Hit-Drone-231997-1.html

A large drone has a lot more mass than all but the largest birds, so would cause proportionately more damage. Many (most?) airports have measures to get rid of birds because of the risk of bird strike.

And if it hit one of those wing leading edge flap things that could be very bad - maybe even worse than going into an engine.

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#2150921 27-Dec-2018 07:49

amiga500:
frankv:

mattwnz:

I am no sure if there have been any planes that have hit a drone to date, and would that likely cause much more damage than hit a bird, such as a albatross, or a swarm of birds?

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/737-May-Have-Hit-Drone-231997-1.html

A large drone has a lot more mass than all but the largest birds, so would cause proportionately more damage. Many (most?) airports have measures to get rid of birds because of the risk of bird strike.

And if it hit one of those wing leading edge flap things that could be very bad - maybe even worse than going into an engine.

Nice to see expert aviators weighing in.

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#2150923 27-Dec-2018 07:51

amiga500:
frankv:

mattwnz:

I am no sure if there have been any planes that have hit a drone to date, and would that likely cause much more damage than hit a bird, such as a albatross, or a swarm of birds?

https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/737-May-Have-Hit-Drone-231997-1.html

A large drone has a lot more mass than all but the largest birds, so would cause proportionately more damage. Many (most?) airports have measures to get rid of birds because of the risk of bird strike.

And if it hit one of those wing leading edge flap things that could be very bad - maybe even worse than going into an engine.

The Captain Sullenberger / Miracle of the Hudson incident shows that birdstrike can cause calamitous engine failure.

It seems questionable whether a single drone could cause a plane to outright crash. But one sucked into an eleventy bajillion dollar engine is still going to ruin (a) the engine; (b) the airline/its insurer's day; and (c) your travel plans.

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#2150927 27-Dec-2018 07:54

One drone can only ruin one engine, they can fly and land on one engine

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#2150930 27-Dec-2018 08:20

tdgeek:

One drone can only ruin one engine, they can fly and land on one engine

I like your thought process. Only ruin one engine eh. Let's fly the other 10,000 miles with the other engine, no problem ;p

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#2150932 27-Dec-2018 08:25

Batman:

tdgeek:

One drone can only ruin one engine, they can fly and land on one engine

I like your thought process. Only ruin one engine eh. Let's fly the other 10,000 miles with the other engine, no problem ;p

Its not my thought process, its the design of the aircraft. Lose one engine, whether that be 1 of 4 or 1 of 2, land at nearest airport, that supports the required runway length. Its been the safety rule for decades at least.

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