Man charged with flying an unmanned aircraft at airport
A MAN was due to appear in court yesterday (Tuesday) charged with offences against the Navigation Order 2016.
George Rusu, who lives in Blunts Avenue, West Drayton, was arrested on December 24 after reports that a drone was seen in restricted airspace.
However, the Metropolitan Police say the “drone” in question was in fact a model aeroplane.
The 38-year-old was arrested in Sipson Way at around 3pm on Christmas Eve and taken to a west London police station for questioning.
He was charged later that day with offences contrary to the Air Navigation Order 2016, namely flying an unmanned aircraft without permission of air traffic control.
Bailed over Christmas, Rusu was due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Tuesday) as the Gazette went to press.
Between December 19 and December 21, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled or disrupted at Gatwick Airport after reports of drone sightings shut the airfield for days.
Police in Sussex have since been forced to admit some of the 92 reports of drones near the airfield from “credible people” may have been sightings of the police’s own drones.
The Heathrow airfield was also closed temporarily over reports of drones near the airfield on Tuesday January 8.
Both airports, Sussex Police and Met Police are understood to have invested in anti-drone technology since the Gatwick chaos ruined the pre-Christmas period for 140,000 passengers.