Airport ‘no fly’ zone extended after Gatwick drone disruption

The Government is extending the ‘no fly’ zone around airports following the disruption caused by drones over Gatwick in December and Heathrow a few weeks later.
Police at GatwickPolice at Gatwick
Police at Gatwick

It will be illegal to fly drones above 400ft or within one kilometre of an airport boundary from March 13.

A government statement says: “The highly irresponsible and dangerous disruption caused by drones to flights at Gatwick and Heathrow airports recently highlighted the risks.

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“While the use of drones at Gatwick and Heathrow was already illegal, it is extremely important that regulation provides protection which reduces, as much as possible, the airspace where drones and manned aircraft can come into close proximity with each other.”

However, some people have taken to social media questioning the decision.

One Tweet says: “I don’t understand the logic behind increasing the no fly zone for drones around airports, responsible users already obey the limits in place but users like the idiot(s) who caused the disruption at Gatwick have no regard for these limits as demonstrated previously.”

Police officers conducted ‘extensive’ house-to-house enquiries in an attempt to find the people behind the Gatwick disruption.

So far, the perpetrators haven’t been found.

Officers worked more than 800 extra shifts during the disruption which ruined the Christmas plans for thousands of people.