Revisiting the Gatwick Drone Chaos: Lessons Learned and Future Threats

A Disruptive Incident at Gatwick

Five years ago, the UK’s Gatwick Airport, bustling with holiday travelers, faced an unprecedented drone disruption. On the evening of December 19, 2018, all flights were grounded due to a drone sighting near the runway.

Over the next three days, this chaos led to over 1,000 flight cancellations and disrupted the travel plans of 150,000 passengers.

This event caused significant financial losses reportedly estimated at around $63 million and took a heavy emotional toll on passengers and staff.

The Risks Posed by Drones to Aviation

Drones pose a unique risk to aviation safety. While a collision with an aircraft wing might cause damage without critical danger, the real threat lies in a drone being sucked into an engine.

Since drones often contain metallic parts and lithium batteries, it is feared that they could cause an uncontained engine failure, although at this point in time, there is no evidence to support this.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) is expected to test the consequences of such a scenario.

Pilots also express concerns about drones striking windscreens or helicopter rotors, underscoring the severity of the risk.

The Investigation and Its Aftermath

Despite a thorough investigation by Sussex Police, costing nearly $1,3 million, no one was prosecuted for the drone incident.

The police interviewed over 100 credible witnesses, including airport personnel and a pilot, who confirmed multiple drone sightings.

However, the case remains unsolved even after researching and ruling out 96 people of interest.

This lack of closure leaves an unsettling question about airport security and the ease with which such a significant disruption was caused.

Could Gatwick’s Drone Nightmare Repeat?

The risk of a similar incident occurring remains. Just this May, Gatwick experienced another drone scare, which turned out to be balloons, leading to the diversion of 12 inbound flights.

However, advancements in technology and counter-drone measures have significantly improved since 2018, reducing the likelihood of a total airport shutdown.

Sussex Police assert that their capability to respond to and investigate such incidents has been substantially strengthened.

Five years on, the Gatwick drone disruption serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in airport security and the need for continuous vigilance and technological advancement in drone detection and management.

While the aviation industry has made strides in safeguarding against such threats, the incident at Gatwick underscores the ongoing challenge of ensuring air travel safety in the face of emerging technologies.

Photo courtesy of UAVHive.