Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots

BigAl07 · Jan 17, 2020

Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots
It will help enforce the five-kilometer drone no-fly zone around the airport.

The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.
The one-of-a-kind "Counter Drone" system was designed for Heathrow Airport by Operational Solutions Ltd, with help from manufacturers like Aveillant. In addition to detecting and tracking unauthorized drones, the system will locate the drone pilots, who can face up to five years in prison for flying in a UK Flight Restriction Zone without permission.......

For full details visit:

Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots

The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.

www.engadget.com

Paul Jacques · Jan 18, 2020

As you suggested - “Counter Drone“ is what it should be named / titled rather than “anti Drone”; heaven forbid people would be anti drone . . . . . .

P. J. · Jan 18, 2020

BigAl07 said:
Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots
It will help enforce the five-kilometer drone no-fly zone around the airport.

The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.
The one-of-a-kind "Counter Drone" system was designed for Heathrow Airport by Operational Solutions Ltd, with help from manufacturers like Aveillant. In addition to detecting and tracking unauthorized drones, the system will locate the drone pilots, who can face up to five years in prison for flying in a UK Flight Restriction Zone without permission.......

For full details visit:

Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots

The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.

www.engadget.com

Hi, your sentence, “The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports” and the corresponding link in “Disruptive drones “ seems to suggest you have definitive proof that drones WHERE the cause of the disruption at Gatwick. Otherwise why say that in such a factual manner?

That being the case, would you mind showing us please?

I have heard on countless other sites that, despite there being hundreds if not thousands of people, along with the worlds media, there isn’t a single clear photo of any unauthorised drone at Gatwick (Police did have some of their own being used).

IF these other sites assertions are true then your sentence is far from helpful and is only perpetuating what is becoming a myth.

Donnie Frank · Jan 18, 2020

Don't tempt me to go out there with my Phantom 1 custom fitted with a 900Mhz Rx system. Let's see them track THAT. HA!....<;^)

Disclaimer: This is a joke. Lighten up, Francis.

D

Cat Eyes · Jan 18, 2020

What the hell is the excitement about flying drones near Heathrow or Gatwick airports anyway. There's endless beautiful country side to fly in and around all over the place. These violators are purely just asking for trouble and get what they deserve.

Donnie Frank · Jan 18, 2020

Cat Eyes said:
What the hell is the excitement about flying drones near Heathrow or Gatwick airports anyway. There's endless beautiful country side to fly in and around all over the place. These violators are purely just asking for trouble and get what they deserve.

Agreed. New Mexico is the same way. We have a gazillion miles of scenery that we don't have to fly in Class D and Class C air space. That said, some of my JOBS take me into those areas, but that's all fully above board with no issues.

Here's a frame grab from a video I took while on a mapping job just 2 days ago. If you look carefully, you can see the pilot flipping us off. HA!

Good times.

D

P. J. · Jan 18, 2020

Cat Eyes said:
What the hell is the excitement about flying drones near Heathrow or Gatwick airports anyway. There's endless beautiful country side to fly in and around all over the place. These violators are purely just asking for trouble and get what they deserve.

At the risk of resurrecting a myth, there’s no actual evidence that any drones were flying around either airport.
The whole “Incident “ happened just as Gatwick went up for sale (go figure) and despite all the passengers with mobile phones, all the tv crews with their high power cameras and the collective efforts of the Police and security services with their equipment, NO crisp, clear photos of any drones have been produced! Bit like all the “photos “ of UFOs and the Loch Ness monster.
Having said all that, I do agree if anyone DID ever fly near an airport, I would advocate for them spending time “At her Majesty’s pleasure”.

Donnie Frank · Jan 19, 2020

P. J. said:
At the risk of resurrecting a myth, there’s no actual evidence that any drones were flying around either airport.
The whole “Incident “ happened just as Gatwick went up for sale (go figure) and despite all the passengers with mobile phones, all the tv crews with their high power cameras and the collective efforts of the Police and security services with their equipment, NO crisp, clear photos of any drones have been produced! Bit like all the “photos “ of UFOs and the Loch Ness monster.
Having said all that, I do agree if anyone DID ever fly near an airport, I would advocate for them spending time “At her Majesty’s pleasure”.

A-freakin'-men.

D

Cat Eyes · Jan 19, 2020

Donnie Frank said:
Agreed. New Mexico is the same way. We have a gazillion miles of scenery that we don't have to fly in Class D and Class C air space. That said, some of my JOBS take me into those areas, but that's all fully above board with no issues.

Here's a frame grab from a video I took while on a mapping job just 2 days ago. If you look carefully, you can see the pilot flipping us off. HA!
View attachment 27848

Good times.

D
[/QUOTE/]

Is there any pilots that can respond to this question?: Nice capture by the way. I'm guessing that drones appear like a pesty little mosquito to pilots and the stress levels go up when they encounter any wondering what the hell we're going to do; besides that, what do they need or have to do when they are informed of or encounter drones in the airspace?

Donnie Frank · Jan 19, 2020

To be clear, while C-130's were flying all around us, none came into our work zone. Plus, we flew the entire mission @ 200' AGL, which was well below them.

D

DONBURT · Sep 12, 2021

Airport safety is critical. I do not believe that flying near an airport is smart or wise. It is much better to respect the law. Yes, I can legally fly within an airport boundary in Australia as I have an remote pilot license and operating certificate which will allow me to get permission for such flights from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority for legitimate flights. I have had no reason to do so. If I want photos of aircraft I can get pretty decent images from the ground with a long lense.

Donnie Frank · Sep 13, 2021

DONBURT said:
Airport safety is critical. I do not believe that flying near an airport is smart or wise. It is much better to respect the law. Yes, I can legally fly within an airport boundary in Australia as I have an remote pilot license and operating certificate which will allow me to get permission for such flights from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority for legitimate flights. I have had no reason to do so. If I want photos of aircraft I can get pretty decent images from the ground with a long lense.

While I agree, it's worth noting that *sometimes* work takes on the bleeding edge of Class C or Class D airspace - almost always more than 3 miles from the airport epicenter and sometimes just right on the bleeding 4 mile edge. I would estimate 2% of our jobs (can count on one hand) have been inside controlled airspace. In the case of the C-130's, we were so far outside either that we didn't require special permits. But, for whatever reason, we *were* within a mile or so of some kind of training flight line. This was completely unpredictable and not notated in any NOTAMs. So, while we continued our mission, we kept a close eye on the C-130's, who were not only at least a mile outside our work zone, but were at least 1,000' AGL, which was 800' over and above our mission altitude.

D