Seems that way though the police are denying that there was never a drone. The couple arrested are already talking to lawyers for defamation.
Gatwick Airport Vs Drones.
- Thread starter Graeme
- Start date
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I don't blame them. They were held for 36 hours, long after people, including the bloke's employer, had come forward and stated publicly that it couldn't be him because he was at work.
I wouldn't mind a bet that the couple were the only people known to fly a drone who lived anywhere near Gatwick. Sherlock Holmes would be proud of Sussex Police
Cheers
Steve
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
The USMC Is currently testing a real, no fooling laser rifle to use against drones.
I don't blame them. They were held for 36 hours, long after people, including the bloke's employer, had come forward and stated publicly that it couldn't be him because he was at work.
I wouldn't mind a bet that the couple were the only people known to fly a drone who lived anywhere near Gatwick. Sherlock Holmes would be proud of Sussex Police
Cheers
Steve
They've been pretty incompetent to say the least...
The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
This has been a poor show from start to finish. I am extremely annoyed by the keystone coppery of it all.
Thankfully I don't have much faith in our police so I have the luxury of not been surprised.
Thankfully I don't have much faith in our police so I have the luxury of not been surprised.
P-39 Expert
Non-Expert
20 years in the electric chair.
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
Here's the answer. Ugly gun, but much safer than shooting projectiles.
P-39 Expert
Non-Expert
Looks like something from Men In Black.
The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
The good news now is that it wasn't a drone but a UFO.
So my mind is put at rest. Sleep easier.
So my mind is put at rest. Sleep easier.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Now that this has gone full circle, a few comments.
It seems this sighting was initially reported by police. Were they trained to identify and verify rogue sUAVs? Did they defer this to another agency who might have been better educated and prepared to deal with an illegal UAV intrusion? Was anyone in the ATC system contacted to get verification either by visual or radar contact? Yes, even smaller drones will paint a radar signature.
Why this is so disturbing is there was a haphazard knee-jerk reaction and like someone said, "almost like the Keystone Cops." An innocent couple were illegally detained and briefly smeared by the media.
I recognize this happened in the UK but the same situation could have happened in the US or for that matter any country. The whole sUAV industry has grown so rapidly that establishment of regulation has been poorly developed, executed and disseminated to regulators, law enforcement and finally the general public. In the middle of the mess you have the press who just continues to throw gasoline into the fire. Mind you there are many drone hobbyists who operate safely and within the law, but this has gotten so out of hand that I see total regulation on the sale of any sUAV that have the capability or flying into controlled airspace the only way to partially mitigate the situation. I say this as a commercial airplane pilot as well as a commercial drone pilot. (steppin off soapbox)
It seems this sighting was initially reported by police. Were they trained to identify and verify rogue sUAVs? Did they defer this to another agency who might have been better educated and prepared to deal with an illegal UAV intrusion? Was anyone in the ATC system contacted to get verification either by visual or radar contact? Yes, even smaller drones will paint a radar signature.
Why this is so disturbing is there was a haphazard knee-jerk reaction and like someone said, "almost like the Keystone Cops." An innocent couple were illegally detained and briefly smeared by the media.
I recognize this happened in the UK but the same situation could have happened in the US or for that matter any country. The whole sUAV industry has grown so rapidly that establishment of regulation has been poorly developed, executed and disseminated to regulators, law enforcement and finally the general public. In the middle of the mess you have the press who just continues to throw gasoline into the fire. Mind you there are many drone hobbyists who operate safely and within the law, but this has gotten so out of hand that I see total regulation on the sale of any sUAV that have the capability or flying into controlled airspace the only way to partially mitigate the situation. I say this as a commercial airplane pilot as well as a commercial drone pilot. (steppin off soapbox)
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MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
My thoughts exactly! Except they spay painted it OD rather than leaving it chrome silver.
It really is like something from the Keystone Cops.
After the initial reports of a drone Sussex Police launched their own to investigate. many of the reported sightings were almost certainly of those police drones!
Sussex Police:
"Of course, we will have launched our own Sussex Police drones at the time with a view to investigate, with a view to engage, with a view to survey the area looking for the drone, so there could be some level of confusion there."
So, it is entirely possible that one of the busiest airports in the world was shut down for about 36 hours because people reported seeing the police force's own drones which were looking for the original reported drone (which may or may not have been a drone in the first place).
As I said, it makes you proud to be British.
Cheers
Steve
After the initial reports of a drone Sussex Police launched their own to investigate. many of the reported sightings were almost certainly of those police drones!
Sussex Police:
"Of course, we will have launched our own Sussex Police drones at the time with a view to investigate, with a view to engage, with a view to survey the area looking for the drone, so there could be some level of confusion there."
So, it is entirely possible that one of the busiest airports in the world was shut down for about 36 hours because people reported seeing the police force's own drones which were looking for the original reported drone (which may or may not have been a drone in the first place).
As I said, it makes you proud to be British.
Cheers
Steve
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
One of the first scrambles of RAF Fighter Command was like that, with Spitfires and Hurricanes chasing their own noise reports around as spotters under the clouds called in reports.
Wars have started over similar...
The first aeroplane the Supermarine Spitfire shot down in combat was.... a Hawker Hurricane! The Battle of Barking Creek:
Blitzwalkers: The Battle of Barking Creek
The Basket
Senior Master Sergeant
- 3,712
- Jun 27, 2007
My concern in this case is the lack of logic or common sense or anything resembling logic or common sense.
We have to depend on these people. And based on their performance in this operation I aint feeling it.
We have to depend on these people. And based on their performance in this operation I aint feeling it.
Canada passed new laws making it even harder to fly drones for fun
Canada passed new laws making it even harder to fly drones for fun
Canada passed new laws making it even harder to fly drones for fun