06-05-2025
Drone pilots flying at Dublin Airport being caught thanks to detection system
Airhead amateur drone pilots who attempt to fly at Dublin Airport are being caught red-handed thanks to a sophisticated detection system.
The anti-drone technology was launched in 2023 after a spate of idiots disrupted flights.
In the first two months of 2023 alone, the capital's airport was closed six times as a result of the devices.
Air traffic controller Laura Downey said they are still a worry but the new detection system, which can distinguish between drones and birds, works well and is very accurate.
She explained: "Drones are super dangerous …but for Dublin Airport, both AirNav and the daa have a drone detection system in place.
"There are certain areas on the airfield that if a drone is detected, the alarm will go off and we'll stop operations where it is affected.
"We've had departures delayed, people might give out that they were delayed on the runway for half an hour and that could be down to somebody flying their drone where they're not meant to.
"We just have to wait until we know that the drone is officially on the ground."
She explained the technology pinpoints exactly where the drone is being flown and the Gardai are immediately dispatched.
Laura said depending on the location, one runway could still remain operational after the alarm sounds.
She added: "Our two runaways are a kilometre apart, so there's a lot of space there. So if it's on the north runway, we'll just stop everything on the north runway.
"The Gardai are immediately dispatched and they'll arrest whoever is operating the drone."
Laura also revealed that the last reported drone sighting was at Dublin Airport within the last month.
Speaking of that day, she recalled: "There was a drone two weeks ago and we did stop operations on the landing runway. Obviously that causes a backup and we can't land for a while.
"It was a busy lunchtime rush, you initially thought all this traffic was going to be dealt with, all of a sudden we're holding in the air. Pilots are asking us questions but we don't have the information, it becomes quite high pressure."
It is illegal to fly a drone within five kilometers of an Irish airport. The offence could be considered Endangerment under Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 and those convicted of this offence face up to seven years in prison.
It can also fall under Section 43 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1988 which is to cause a false alarm that interferes with the operation of an aircraft, aerodrome, or air navigation installation.
