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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/08/heathrow-airport-departures-suspended-after-drone-sighting
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| Heathrow airport 'drone sighting' leads to brief runway closure | Heathrow airport 'drone sighting' leads to brief runway closure |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow, has been forced to ground departures for about an hour because of a reported drone sighting – less than three weeks after a series of similar reports at Gatwick affected about 1,000 flights. | |
| A Heathrow spokeswoman said the runway closure was undertaken as a precautionary measure shortly after 5pm, as staff worked with the Metropolitan police to investigate the report. At about 6pm, the runway had reopened. Inbound flights were not appear to be affected. | |
| While the disruption at the west of London airport on Tuesday evening was less severe than that caused in the run-up to Christmas, when 140,000 people were affected by repeated closures at Gatwick, the latest incident raises further questions about the UK authorities’ preparedness to protect vital infrastructure from the devices. | While the disruption at the west of London airport on Tuesday evening was less severe than that caused in the run-up to Christmas, when 140,000 people were affected by repeated closures at Gatwick, the latest incident raises further questions about the UK authorities’ preparedness to protect vital infrastructure from the devices. |
| The military, which helped deal with the Gatwick incident, was immediately put on standby to go to Heathrow shortly after Tuesday’s reported sighting. And the parliamentary undersecretary of state for transport, Liz Sugg, was already scheduled to meet the heads of the UK’s large airports on Thursday to discuss their plans to deal with drones. | The military, which helped deal with the Gatwick incident, was immediately put on standby to go to Heathrow shortly after Tuesday’s reported sighting. And the parliamentary undersecretary of state for transport, Liz Sugg, was already scheduled to meet the heads of the UK’s large airports on Thursday to discuss their plans to deal with drones. |
| On Monday, the government announced that police were to be handed extra powers to combat drones near airports. The proposals will give police the power to land, seize and search the devices, while the Home Office is due to begin testing and evaluating the use of counter-drone technology at airports and prisons. | On Monday, the government announced that police were to be handed extra powers to combat drones near airports. The proposals will give police the power to land, seize and search the devices, while the Home Office is due to begin testing and evaluating the use of counter-drone technology at airports and prisons. |
| Last week, Heathrow and Gatwick said they had invested significant sums of money in military-grade anti-drone technology. | Last week, Heathrow and Gatwick said they had invested significant sums of money in military-grade anti-drone technology. |
| While it would not offer details on exactly what equipment had been installed, Gatwick said it had purchased a system that offered a similar level of protection to that offered by the armed forces during the pre-Christmas disruption, while Heathrow was understood to have invested in similar equipment. | While it would not offer details on exactly what equipment had been installed, Gatwick said it had purchased a system that offered a similar level of protection to that offered by the armed forces during the pre-Christmas disruption, while Heathrow was understood to have invested in similar equipment. |
| Also last week, Grayling chaired a meeting of defence chiefs, the police and Home Office officials to discuss the issue. | Also last week, Grayling chaired a meeting of defence chiefs, the police and Home Office officials to discuss the issue. |
| The Liberal Democrats’ transport spokeswoman, Jenny Randerson, said the Heathrow incident meant “more travellers will be delayed due to the government’s incompetence”. | |
| She said: “Yesterday, the government finally conceded on introducing some legislation to regulate the drone market. However, what was proposed was scant in detail and there was little sense of urgency … The government must move swiftly to pass this drone legislation with sufficient resources behind it to avoid future disruption.” | She said: “Yesterday, the government finally conceded on introducing some legislation to regulate the drone market. However, what was proposed was scant in detail and there was little sense of urgency … The government must move swiftly to pass this drone legislation with sufficient resources behind it to avoid future disruption.” |
| The disruption at Gatwick occurred over a three-day period in the run-up to Christmas. Sussex police faced criticism over its handling of the incident after a senior officer said there may never had been any drones. | The disruption at Gatwick occurred over a three-day period in the run-up to Christmas. Sussex police faced criticism over its handling of the incident after a senior officer said there may never had been any drones. |
| But the head of the force later said he was “absolutely certain a drone was flying throughout the period the airport was closed”. Giles York did, however, admit that the contradictory statements had “amplified the chaos”. | But the head of the force later said he was “absolutely certain a drone was flying throughout the period the airport was closed”. Giles York did, however, admit that the contradictory statements had “amplified the chaos”. |
| York also apologised to two people who were arrested and detained for 36 hours before being released without charge. | York also apologised to two people who were arrested and detained for 36 hours before being released without charge. |
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