Gatwick drone chaos latest: Military removes anti-drone hard…

Military hardware deployed to stop drones disrupting flights at Gatwick amid a total shutdown of the airport has been withdrawn.

Sightings of the devices over the busy transport hub’s airfield sparked chaos for hundreds of thousands of passengers just before Christmas.

The army was brought in to help bring an end to the travel disruption, which saw about 1,000 flights affected. 

But the Ministry of Defence has now confirmed the anti-drone “military capability” has now been removed.

A spokesman added that the Armed Forces “stand ever-ready” to assist if support is needed at airports in future.

Between December 19 and 21 the airport was repeatedly forced to close due to reported drone sightings.

The Israeli-developed Drone Dome system is believed to be among the technology used at the airport by the British Army.

The anti-drone equipment can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator and was deployed on a roof at Gatwick.

The system, which is said to have a range of several miles, uses four radars to give 360-degree detection in order to identify and track targets.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Giles York said last week officers received 115 reports of sightings in the area, including 93 which have been confirmed as coming from “credible people” including a pilot and airport staff.

However some reports of drones in the area may have involved the police’s own craft, he said, but added that he is “absolutely certain” a drone was flying near the airport’s runways during the three-day period of disruption.