Operations at Kansai International Airport were suspended for about one hour on Saturday after a drone was seen flying over the airport. It was the second such incident in three days after a drone sighting caused arrival and departures to be delayed twice on Thursday.
According to airport officials and the transport ministry, the drone was observed hovering near Terminal 2 and then heading out over the runway at around 8 a.m., Fuji TV reported. Runways were closed from 8:13 a.m. and reopened at 9:24 a.m. No trace of where the drone went to was found, airport officials said.
Drone sightings also disrupted operations at the airport on Oct 19 and twice on Thursday night. One of Thursday’s sightings was made by crew aboard an incoming aircraft.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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nandakandamanda
Need to develop the ability to shoot these down pronto, and maybe then sell the technology around the world.
sourpuss
Agree. Fly a drone in restricted space? Lose your drone.
englisc aspyrgend
Easily said, but as Heathrow found out, not so easily done safely. The existing technology for this is both very expensive and not that effective as yet. Probably the most effective and cheapest solution I have seen is used by the French who have trained hawks to bring them down.
Luddite
Just ban them.
flydigital
Coincidentally I was filming with my drone at Kansas on the same day. I have a DJI Phantom which is very good quality. Got some very cool take off and landing footage for my showreel. Shame I didn’t spot the other drone as I could have got some shots of it for the news and hopefully caught the guy too.
kohakuebisu
This sounds well dodgy. Near the runway? All the rigmarole passengers have to go through for security and there are two drone incidents in three days? If a bird strike can take out an engine, I bet a drone can.
Dango bong
bunch of drone dorks
Peter Neil
Apparently the punishment for getting caught flying a drone near an airport isn't a strong enough deterrent.
Drones operate now within a wide band of frequencies that are also used for other communications. If manufacturers were required to build drones that operate within a different frequency, frequency blocking devices could used within an area to restrict operation. Cell phone frequency can be blocked now within a theater or other area.
Sometimes you have change the technology because you can't change the stupidity of people.
JJ Jetplane
@flydigital
So you are the one out there delaying flights.
All jokes aside, an airport is one of the places you shouldn't mess around with a drone. Delayed flights and human error can't make situations go badly very quickly.