The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Coastguard advice for drone fans
Transport: Airports and police working on long-term solution to incursions
An event in Shetland tomorrow will give drone enthusiasts information on how to use them safely near the operations of the Sumburgh-based Coastguard helicopter.
The safety day will take place at the search and rescue hangar.
It comes after flights at Gatwick and Heathrow, the UK’s two busiest airports, were brought to a standstill after drones were sighted near their runways.
Drones are becoming increasingly popular in Shetland as more people take aerial photographs and videos of the landscape.
It is against the law to fly drones higher than 400ft or near aircraft, airports and airfields.
Chief pilot at the Sumburgh helicopter base Stuart Cunliffe said: “Shetland’s regular drone users have already been in touch with the Coastguard crew.
“We are in regular contact with a local group of drone enthusiasts, who initially sought advice from us and have kept us informed of their activities,” he said.
“This kind of engagement is really important from a flight safety perspective, and we are thankful to this local group for their proactivity.”
Airports say they are stepping up measures to stop drones grounding flights, after the latest incident at Heathrow.
Departures at the London hub were suspended for around an hour on Tuesday night after a drone was spotted.
This came three weeks after drone sightings caused chaos at Gatwick in the run-up to Christmas, affecting the travel plans of 140,000 passengers as the runway was closed.
Aviation minister Baroness Sugg and security minister Ben Wallace will hold a meeting with airport bosses today to discuss plans to crack down on the problem.
The Department for Transport said the UK Government is working with the aviation industry on technical solutions.
A spokesman for the Airport Operators Association, a trade association representing UK airports, said: “In light of events at Gatwick and Heathrow, airports are working together, as well as with government and the police, to see what lessons can be learnt.
“This includes looking at what technology is available and what deterrent action, such as
“Airports are working with government and the police”
increased police patrols, can be taken.”
The group is reviewing whether it wants the Government to introduce legislation which would make it mandatory for drones to be fitted with geo-fencing technology to stop them entering no-fly zones such as airports.
Heathrow would not be drawn on what action it is taking to stop drone incursions, but the airport recently said it is investing millions of pounds in equipment to prevent flight disruption.
Devices which detect, track and ground drones have been installed at Gatwick.
The Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Defence System was developed by three UK-based firms and has been seen in use on the roof of the South Terminal.
The military was brought in on Tuesday night to assist with the anti-drone operation at Heathrow.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “We are deploying specialist equipment to Heathrow Airport at the request of the Metropolitan Police.”
Commander Stuart Cundy of the Met said “significant resources” had been deployed to monitor the airspace and “quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity”.