Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
So who could be responsible for aerial sabotage?
Carys Kaiser, a professional drone pilot, says the disruption was “more organised” than a hobbyist doing it for Youtube hits.
She said: ”The drones that I fly and that most people fly in the UK have geo-fencing and we can’t get them to take off that close to an airport.”
Richard Gill of dronedefence.co.uk, an ex-army captain, thinks the attacker may be highly educated. He said: “He or she’s causing hell because they want to test their limits. It’s the thrill of getting away with it. To evade radar suggests serious capability.”
Heathrow has been the main target of UK airport protests, in opposition to a third runway, but other airports are not immune from activism and police are believed to be pursuing this line.
Greenpeace denied involvement saying: “The disruption at Gatwick is not us. We always take responsibility for our actions.” And Extinction Rebellion said: “Our actions are always ‘above the ground’ meaning we stand by our actions, are accountable and take the consequences.”
Russia has engaged in a major campaign of cybersabotage, election meddling and assassination and the scale of its hacking was laid bare in October when a report exposed worldwide attempts to use it to target foreign rivals.
Sir Gerald Howarth, International Security Minister from 2010 to 2012, said: “There is a risk that this could be in some way, if not state sponsored, certainly sponsored by a terrorist group.”
Noise pollution from Gatwick has long been a source of contention in the local community.
Architect Liam Young said: “I suspect it is some kind of protest directed at the airline industry, perhaps focused around the environmental cost of flights or noise pollution.”
Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions said it did not condone the drones but welcomed the quiet. It said: “Residents woke to silence on December 20, offering a glimpse of the tranquillity they used to enjoy before Gatwick increased the number of aircraft movements, an early Christmas present for those that suffer aircraft noise.”