Intention was maximum disruption, says ex-pilot

THE CHAOS at Gatwick was the worst drone disturbance seen at an airport and looked to be designed to cause maximum disruption, a former RAF pilot has said.

York-based drone expert Jon Parker said the sighting left airport bosses with no option but to suspend flights on safety grounds.

Mr Parker, an instructor for training company Flyby Technology who flew Buccaneer and Tornado aircraft on operational tours, said: “We’ve seen nothing on this scale before, although Manchester Airport did suspend all flights for a short time back in 2017 after a drone was seen.”

Drones are not allowed within one kilometre - 0.6 of a mile - of an airfield, suggesting the Gatwick incident was deliberate, Mr Parker said.

He added: “This is not a hobbyist who gets confused about the rules and doesn’t understand the implications of their actions. It seems to be a concerted effort to cause serious disruption and close down the airport.”

Mr Parker, who served in the RAF for 17 years after joining in 1986, said drones were usually put to positive use, including in search and rescue operations.

But a sighting at or near an airport meant safety could be compromised, even though the chances of one hitting an aircraft were remote.

Mr Parker said: “The usual practice is to suspend flights for half-an-hour, which is the usual battery lifespan for drones, but it may be in the Gatwick case whoever is responsible for this have had several batteries and may have brought their drones back to the ground to put new batteries on them.”