Gatwick airport closed due drone reported in area

[Alicatt]

May not be the ones that did the dirty deed though.

Paul Gait’s boss, John Allard, the owner of Allard Double Glazing in Crowborough, told The Telegraph, “Paul normally comes in around 7.45am and I remember on those days he then worked late on site on a fitting job. I don’t think it can be him. He was busy on site working when it was happening.” Allard, who has owned the company for 40 years, told the newspaper he knows Gait has flown drones in the past as a hobby.

Paul Gait & Elaine Kirk: Couple Arrested in Gatwick Drone Attack | Heavy.com

Gait’s boss, Allard, told The Daily Mail, “We can account for Paul’s movements between the hours of 7am and 5pm last Monday to Friday. He’s been part of a three-man team fitting glass doors and windows in the Crowborough area.

 

[Jayfdee]

True. They may innocent in court. However, they were not arrested without probable cause. I’m not going to doubt the police did not find anything and just randomly arrested this customer. Suspected of something and being arrested is completely different. Hopefully you read the article and saw how they were identified. Shame. Well you just can’t teach some people. What is possibly legal does not mean its the right thing to do.

Wait and see,as I say, where I live, the police would be all over me like a rash if there was an incident nearby.

 

[Tony Cowan]

Well now. That is different. I’m in Florida and there is no arrest without evidence. It is ironic since their detention in this case, that the drones have suddenly stopped. I’m not sure how they even operated near an airport with geo fencing. Unless it was the toy type drone. That’s reLly a shame as some people already have negative views of drones. I say, stop calling them drones but call them for what they are. Uav’s ,however, that is a dream.

 

[Starseed1]

Gatwick drones: Two arrested over flight disruption

Arrests over Gatwick drones disruption

 

[landmannnn]

If it is this guy responsible, he is into RC Helicopters in a big way. Perhaps not even a quadcopter after all?

 

[African wildlife]

As suggested above by another poster, the police may possibly have arrested the wrong people. One neighbour had been previously annoyed by the prime suspect's love of flying drones and remote helicopters - so no prize for who might have phoned 999.

The suspect's boss, neighbours, and friends/family are sure it isn't him/them. From what little information has been released, it's hard to see what the motive would have been here; they never complained about airport noise, aren't environmental campaigners, he's a "hard-working family man", and the couple have two young children.

 

[Jayfdee]

Released without charge, no longer suspects.

 

[jpbroomfield]

Yup, also £50,000 reward offered...

 

[soulphantomflyer]

Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects' Gatwick drones pair 'no longer suspects'

 

[Loz]

How embarrassing after naming & shameing them too

 

[Jayfdee]

How embarrassing after naming & shameing them too

Yes indeed. There will be legal firms now chasing various newspapers for libel.
I think the Police were under pressure to find someone fast, and they picked up the first person who was reported to them.
Ironically he was not even a "Drone" pilot, he flew Helis, OK it is a UAV, but the model aircraft guys try to distinguish themselves from us,and his was broken at the time, and anyway he was at work during the incident.His alibi was rock solid, should have been cleared very rapidly.

 

[Videojim]

this is the latest statement from the Pilots - get ready for a Government 'knee jerk' reaction any time now :-(

Pilots' association: 'The new laws don't go far enough'
Brian Strutton, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) told the BBC:
"We have been working closely with the Department for Transport on these issues, and we were pleased to see new drone laws put in place earlier this year, but we said they do not go far enough. The Government was clear to BALPA that they were open to extending the 1km exclusion zone, and it is now obvious that must happen urgently. BALPA is calling for a 5km exclusion zone.
"This incident also reinforces the need for registration of drones and licensing of operators so that the police can track and trace drones which are being flown dangerously or irresponsibly and for the industry to invest in technology which can detect drones and stop them from being flown near airports and aircraft."

It doesn't matter what they pass if someone wants to cause a problem then they will. It's like the gun arguement in the US, more laws infringe on law abiding citizens but something needs to be done to protect all other ctizens.

 

[Ron Dobson]

The answer to all your questions. They couldn't shoot the drone down, couldn't fire a water cannon at it, couldn't follow it with another drone, couldn't jam it with rf/laser, because there was NO DRONE. Have you seen a picture of a drone over Gatwick? Neither have I , despite the fact that there must have been more high definition cameras around Gatwick than in the rest of the world. Maybe they picked up a kids metallised balloon on their ASMI and "assumed" it was a drone? Remember that a British Airways pilot mistook a paper bag for a drone?

 

[Ron Dobson]

Great job, here is the latest.. 2 arrested for drone use in London Gatwick Airport case. I hope they put them in a dungeon where they belong.

Don't be soft! The cops would have picked up a baby in a pram once pointed at a drone and said "Gah", they are so desperate . So the guy has a drone and is a drone enthusiast, doesn't make him a criminal

 

[Deleted member 99081]

Have you seen a picture of a drone over Gatwick?

Yes, I have. there have been videos of drones flying over Gatwick runways all over the UK news programs for the last 5 days. Please don't try to tell me they are faked. They're not.

 

[Jayfdee]

/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6524457/Police-continue-quiz-double-glazing-worker-Gatwick-drone.html

Police suggest possibly never was a drone after all. Shocking if true.

 

[landmannnn]

The Keystone Cops were distinctly more effective.

 

[Deleted member 99081]

/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6524457/Police-continue-quiz-double-glazing-worker-Gatwick-drone.html

Police suggest possibly never was a drone after all. Shocking if true.

It's not true (or at least, not an accurate distillation of what was said). Sussex Police are currently examining a drone that crashed against the perimeter fence at Gatwick airport (6pm UK time). I heard the interview with the Superintendent, and what he seems to be saying is that they are not ruling anything out. Including other forms of UAV's.

 

[Melvoid]

I foresee more restrictions in the near future. Thank you idiot with a drone. Hope you post your amazing footage on youtube and get visited by the police.

Exactly! My first thought was, "How is this going to affect the rest of us?" Although, the news DID say that the authorities are treating this as an organized "attack" of sorts, so maybe the hobbyists won't have to pay the price.... maybe....

 

[Melvoid]

I guess that two drones sort of meets the minimum requirement for an organized protest.

That sounds like sarcasm, but yes, if it was planned... then it IS organized.