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Author Topic: Drones cause Gatwick chaos. 20/12/2018, ongoing.  (Read 8816 times)
broadgage
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« on: December 21, 2018, 02:58:48 »

As well reported in various media, Gatwick airport has been closed for over 24 hours due to illegal flying of drones near the runway.
The disruption is substantial and is likely to continue until Christmas, due to the backlog even if the airport reopens soon.
The armed forces have been called out to assist.

The motives of those behind this are unclear, the local police have stated that it is NOT terror related, but IS deliberate.

I suspect either anti-airport protesters or "deep green" protesters who are opposed to air travel.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
martyjon
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« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2018, 07:02:07 »

BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio 4 Today programme reporting Gatwick runway is open and a limited number of flights will be taking off and landing.

What gets me is that TV detector vans can detect which room in an unlicensed property a TV is operating and yet in this case the authorities can't scan the radio spectrum that these drones use and pin-point the location of the transmitting control unit.

Much more to it than I have mentioned I suspect.

Shoot it down with a, err, drone. 
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2018, 07:26:52 »

...TV detector vans can detect which room in an unlicensed property a TV is operating...

There's a very healthy online debate as to whether TV detection really exists; it doesn't seem to figure highly in evidence given in court cases.
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martyjon
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« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2018, 07:32:00 »

...TV detector vans can detect which room in an unlicensed property a TV is operating...

There's a very healthy online debate as to whether TV detection really exists; it doesn't seem to figure highly in evidence given in court cases.

It maybe that todays flat screen TV are different but with Cathode Tube TV's of the past it was the detection of the pulses emitted by the oscillators in the set that gave the TV away.
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2018, 07:41:06 »


It maybe that todays flat screen TV are different but with Cathode Tube TV's of the past it was the detection of the pulses emitted by the oscillators in the set that gave the TV away.

That claim formed part of the debate I referred to, as did another that it was the aerial on the roof that gave you away...
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2018, 07:49:56 »

The motives of those behind this are unclear, the local police have stated that it is NOT terror related, but IS deliberate.

I suspect either anti-airport protesters or "deep green" protesters who are opposed to air travel.
That was my and I expect most people's initial assumption. However, the Extinction Rebellion people have said it was not them, and they don't seem averse to disruption. No one else has claimed it. I wouldn't rule out a small group doing it just for the lulz, no big point.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2018, 08:44:30 »

yep, or even (anti) Brexit campaigner(s)....frankly right now, it could be a teenage kid getting their kicks.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2018, 08:46:19 »

All we know for sure is that rules governing ownership/use are totally inadequate & this was easuily forecast. It wouldn't take many to bring total chaos to UK (United Kingdom) airports.
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Phantom
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« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2018, 08:56:22 »

Is the drone the latest thing after cyber attacks?
Cause lots of chaos with not a lot of effort.

Does anyone know why suddenly some planes are able to take off and land yet before this morning they weren't and yet the same drone is up in the air still?
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ChrisB
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« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2018, 09:04:04 »

Where did you see that news? It isn't, & hasn't been seen all night. Oblique comments that they have done 'something' to prevent overflying (blocked their frequency?)
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stuving
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« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2018, 09:52:13 »

All we know for sure is that rules governing ownership/use are totally inadequate & this was easuily forecast. It wouldn't take many to bring total chaos to UK (United Kingdom) airports.

I've heard several politicians saying that, and have almost got to the stage of shouting at the TV. Changing the rules - such as licensing, or the size of the exclusion zone - isn't the point; what went on yesterday was already against the existing rules. Changing the law, so as to allow physical intervention to remove an object from the wrong place, may be needed - I don't think there is any such power at the moment (but if they could yesterday they would have, and looked at the law afterwards). Enforcement, in the sense of the equipping the police (or whoever) with that kind of intervention capability, is what is really needed and lacking.

The drone need not transmit even if it is controlled from the ground, and autonomous operation with no controlling transmission (for a whole flight or just parts of it) isn't hard to do, though perhaps not with standard retail kit. And making one work on a different radio frequency isn't impossible either. Ultimately, you just have to go up and grab it (or convert it into an brick, aerodynamically speaking).
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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2018, 14:54:08 »

Is this open again. Done from my phone.
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patch38
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« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2018, 15:00:03 »

Yup - thanks! I've forgotten what I was going to post now... can't have been mission-critical  Grin
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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2018, 15:01:19 »

And after all that!!!.☺
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grahame
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« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2018, 15:48:07 »

And after all that!!!.☺

It's open and we can drone on about flying (or not flying) again.   Grin Grin
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