Gatwick, Heathrow airports to spend millions on anti-drone systems

Gatwick and Heathrow are to spend millions of pounds on anti-drone technology following the disruption at the Sussex airport which grounded about 1,000 flights into and out of Gatwick airport during the Christmas period.

The country’s two busiest hubs have brought in their own military-grade anti-drone apparatus. The owners of both airports invested millions of pounds in the equipment after about 140,000 passengers were affected by the unprecedented disruption to Gatwick.

The equipment, which can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator, was deployed by the RAF on a roof at Gatwick last month. About 1,000 flights were cancelled over three days due to drone sightings.

Gatwick said it had spent £5m to prevent future attacks, and Heathrow confirmed it would be buying systems. The military was brought in by the government and was only stood down on Wednesday this week.

The Ministry of Defence said personnel from the Royal Air Force Regiment were involved in the deployment. Last year it was reported that the MoD had ordered the Drone Dome system developed by Israeli company Rafael.

The system has a range of several miles and uses four radars to give 360-degree detection to identify and track drones. However, it is understood the MoD is still waiting to receive the system and alternative technology was in use at Gatwick.

Gatwick and Heathrow have not disclosed the equipment they plan to use in future. A Gatwick spokeswoman confirmed the airport had invested in new anti-drone defences after the disruption.

A spokesman for Heathrow said: "The safety of our passengers and colleagues remains our top priority.

"Working closely with relevant authorities including the Met Police, we are constantly looking at the best technologies that help remove the threat of drones."

Sussex Police, which is still investigating the disruption, says it was caused by "numerous instances of illegal drone activity".

Referring to the disruption at Gatwick, the chief constable of Sussex police, Giles York, said last week that officers had received 115 reports of sightings in the area, including 93 that had been confirmed as coming from “credible people” including a pilot and airport staff.