Drones shutting down Gatwick Airport

[Inky_Wretch]

For three days, drones have been flying over and around Gatwick and chaos for the flights into and out of it.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-england-sussex-46564814

I'm fascinated/worried by this for a couple of reasons. One, they didn't catch the drone pilot(s) the first time and, two, the possibility of terrorists using a cheap drone to take out an engine of a jumbo jet on takeoff.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

One, I'm surprised Gatwick moves so much traffic on a single runway.

Two, a plane isn't moving so fast on takeoff and landing that a drone collision would cause catastrophic damage. E=1/2mv2, etc.

 

[justgladtobehere]

This article reviews some of the studies of possible damage.

How can a drone cause so much chaos?

I heard this morning that the drones were not off the shelf, hobbyist types, but I cannot find that online.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Two, a plane isn't moving so fast on takeoff and landing that a drone collision would cause catastrophic damage. E=1/2mv2, etc.

Birds have nearly taken down airliners in the past. You'd just have to get the drone close enough to be sucked into an engine.

 

[Iron_chet]

Take off and landings could survive one engine being taken out, 2 would be a different story altogether.

 

[britwrit]

Gatwick has all the ambiance of a bus station that hasn't been refurbished for a long, long time. Dingy and cheap.

To spend two or three days trapped there... wow.

 

[Starman]

Take off and landings could survive one engine being taken out, 2 would be a different story altogether.

COULD.

 

[Azrael]

UK police arrest man and woman over Gatwick drone disruption

 

[Vombatus]

UK police arrest man and woman over Gatwick drone disruption

Now, repeatedly fly drones into their numbskulls until they die.

 

[Azrael]

released

Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects'