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Original poster

To wonder about a few things with the LGW drone attack

868 replies

badlydrawnperson · 20/12/2018 11:32

Before I get flamed (and not that anyone will resist flaming if they want to anyway). I know-

-It's not that easy
-Safety First
-People are doing their best

But I can't help wondering and idly speculating about why -

We apparently don't have any counter measures for this.
It can go on so long
We aren't seeing any News footage of the drone(s)

I am 100% NOT a conspiracy theorist but I am very curious about exactly what is going on.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
ElenadeClermont · 20/12/2018 12:43

If you read the police statement, it is a rather big drone.
Also it is not the environmental protesters apparently.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/gatwick-airport-live-updates-flight-delays-latest-drones-airlines-cancellations-christmas-travel-a8691976.html

nickiredcar · 20/12/2018 12:47

This doesnt sound like the same 1k drone you buy from Amazon 🤷

The mail comments are worrying, most liked is about getting a gun at home for if they ever see a drone. That's far more harm than a few hobbyists will ever cause!

Thesearmsofmine · 20/12/2018 12:47

It’s all very odd! I feel sorry for the people working at Gatwick and of corse the passengers.

Ta1kinpeace · 20/12/2018 12:47

Elenade
If you read the police statement, it is a rather big drone.
Where does it say that ?
Define big ?
A 400g 75cm quadcopter is big in drone terms

LonelyandTiredandLow · 20/12/2018 12:49

Yes... but they didn't call the dark money in the referendum an attack either did they?

Wordthe · 20/12/2018 12:51

The drone operator seems to be keeping one step ahead of the authorities here ...some sort of inside job?

olderthanyouthink · 20/12/2018 12:51

There is software to get a drone to fly a predetermined route so you don't need to stand there controlling it. You would need to be in range though but that's pretty far. This software is also handy for getting your drone to come back to you when you've lost sight or control of it.

You're supposed to be able to see your drone from where you're flying but on a clear day that's far or you could just disregard that completely (v easy to do when flying with goggles that show you what the camera on the drone sees). People break the rules all the time unfortunately.

HowlsMovingBungalow · 20/12/2018 12:51

Well a few hobbyists have caused a fuckton of chaos to thousands, costing millions. Good work!

No professional would embrace the fuckwittery that this has caused.

ElenadeClermont · 20/12/2018 12:54

From the Independent blog:
Asked if he thought the drone operator would be caught, Mr Burtenshaw added: "I'm convinced we will. It's a painstaking thing with the new drones - the bigger the drone, the bigger the reach of the operator, so it's a difficult and challenging thing to locate them, but I've got teams now and I've got investigators looking at how we do that, and I'm confident we will." (My highlight)

GrumbleBumble · 20/12/2018 12:55

usernamenotavailable I hope your DH makes it home soon. I got mine back yesterday after 3 months and would cheerfully have strangled anyone that come between DH and DS getting to spend Christmas together. It's despicable and cowardly and I hope whoever is behind it is caught and punished ASAP.

nicoala1 · 20/12/2018 12:56

Chances are this will be copied at every UK airport eventually.

And there we were worried about carrying more than 100mls of liquid in hand luggage. It is quite concerning, and whilst the intent to kill may not be there, the resulting disruption may turn out to be catastrophic if repeated elsewhere.

That is the worry now that airport security airside is so strict, operate from outside the security cordon. I've often wondered about the check in areas of airports too. They are wide open aren't they.

I'm a bit of a worrier, and I don't like the sound of this at all. But I may be overreacting, hopefully am.

Birdsgottafly · 20/12/2018 12:57

" I feel sorry for the people working at Gatwick and of corse the passengers."

My DDs Friend works in Manchester Airport. Planes are being redirected there, so there's a bit of not knowing exactly what's going on or going to happen. There's a lot of unexpected people coming through the Airport, that always causes a bit of a disruption.

There's been increased surveillance when it first happened, incase it was a nationwide plot.

ElenadeClermont · 20/12/2018 12:57

Ta1kinpeace I have no experience with drones, so I cannot define big. Sorry. Superintendent Burtenshaw implied that the sizeof the drones makes it difficult for the police to find the operator.

brizzledrizzle · 20/12/2018 13:02

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was Heathrow soon.

nickiredcar · 20/12/2018 13:02

But how do you know this is a hobbyist Confused

It looks like professional work, they are making the police look powerless seeing how many people are powerless to stop it.

Wonder why Gatwick was chosen? Less advanced than Heathrow for security? It is a busy busy one runway airport.

Lockheart · 20/12/2018 13:03

@Talk1npeace then you should know that it's not just the military that has the ability to do this and that civilians are increasingly modifying their drones to allow them to be controlled over distance. A 5 second google brings up no end of forums with advice on how to do this.

Yes, it may be illegal, but so is flying your drone near an airfield, so I don't think legality is something these pilots are concerned about.

Ta1kinpeace · 20/12/2018 13:05

Elenade
That is the thing wit threads like this.
I do have experience with drones

A quadcopter with a 1km range can be as small as 50cm across
ie the chap wit the small handset sitting in the seat of his car with the window open
could be anywhere within 1000 metres of where the drone was last seen

Sussex Police are on a hiding to nothing (and they know it)

nicoala
Chances are this will be copied at every UK airport eventually.
Already has been.
Drone incursions into airports have been happening weekly for years

This has been one to cause economic disruption

Birdsgottafly · 20/12/2018 13:06

The issue for me is that it will give other groups ideas.

I was at Manchester Markets and they've got security pretty spot on. This is probably because of the three attacks at Christmas Markets across Europe.

That is except for a lone attacker, who goes on a stabbing spree, but the Police were armed.

Or a drone.

nickiredcar · 20/12/2018 13:07

Have shares crashed due to this?

Some made alot during 911..

nickiredcar · 20/12/2018 13:08

How do you know Manchester police have security spot on? They maybe prepared for what happened in the past but who knows what else could be done

VickyEadie · 20/12/2018 13:09

Fucking drones.

They're saying that it's not a "terror attack" - but its effects are similar in terms of the massive disruption (and not a little fear) it's caused.

Ta1kinpeace · 20/12/2018 13:10

nickir
I do not think its a hobbyist
I think it is somebody wanting to cause maximum economic disruption to the UK for the least effort.
But the sort of drone / drones used are commercially available and not expensive.

In Syria ISIS used $300 drones to drop hand grenades into buildings.
Criminals have been using drones to ferry contraband into prisons for years.

The UK should have fallen into line with the EU in restricting them.

LittleLifeRaft · 20/12/2018 13:10

Surely in such a built up area someone would see the drone landing for the battery to be charged? Especially if it has to happen frequently.

Wordthe · 20/12/2018 13:12

No doubt this will be leveraged and linked to brexit

Ta1kinpeace · 20/12/2018 13:12

Surely in such a built up area
What ?
Gatwick is surrounded by countryside.
I know because I had a window seat flying in yesterday afternoon.