The Significance of Counter-Drone Systems in Airport Security
If you think drones are no security threat, the Gatwick Airport incident will leave you appalled. In December 2018, several drone sightings crippled Gatwick Airport for around 3 days. While airports had previously encountered drone sightings, the magnitude of disruption caused by this incident was unprecedented. The economic impact of the 33-hour closure was substantial, with estimated losses of £50 million for airlines and £1.4 million for Gatwick Airport. If you still underestimate the significance of counter-drone systems for airport security, let us tell you, the Gatwick drone incident is not an isolated event. More Drone Sightings in Airports Before the Gatwick drone debacle, in 2017, at Jean Lesage airport in Quebec City, a drone collided with a passenger aircraft. Incursions into restricted airspace near San Francisco International Airport by drones were also reported, and at JFK International Airport in New York, a worker discovered a crashed drone on the runway du