State examining ways to 'take down' drones which interfere with planes at Dublin Airport
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Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has said the State is examining ways to “take down” drones which interfere with airplanes approaching Dublin Airport.
Speaking after a meeting with the DAA, the authority which runs the airport, Mr Ryan said shooting drones down is not a straightforward solution, but said they are examining ways to interfere with the systems and disable them.
For a fifth time in four weeks, operations at Dublin Airport were suspended for 30 minutes “due to a drone sighting” on Tuesday night and is the latest in a series of interruptions which has seen thousands of passengers endangered and inconvenienced.
It is illegal to fly a drone within 5km of an Irish airport and the incident came on a day when a second person in less than two weeks was charged with flying a drone near Dublin Airport.
Mr Ryan said: “I have just come from a meeting with the DAA and the authorities and we will do everything as this is a real risk. It is real danger and a real crime. There are justice systems they will be carrying out further investigations.”
Asked can the Defence Forces shoot these drones down, as requested by DAA, Mr Ryan said: “We are looking at other mechanisms by which we can take down drones. But it is not an easy solution. But it is centre stage in terms of Government’s efforts because it is a crime and a risk to passengers and people in the airports. We are going to do everything.
“You have to be careful at airports, you don’t just shoot drones down. We are looking at international systems which can interfere with their systems which can bring them down,” he said.
A Garda spokesman told the that they were alerted to a call on Tuesday to a confirmed sighting of a drone at Dublin Airport.
“Gardaí conducted a search of the area and the matter is being fully investigated,” a spokesman said.
The spokesman said the regulation of drones is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority.
It comes as the Opposition have called for much stiffer punishments and greater police patrols are needed to stop people flying drones near Dublin Airport.
Labour Party transport spokesman and Fingal TD Duncan Smith said such activity is illegal and is “highly dangerous” which could see a plane carrying hundreds of people brought down.
Speaking to the , Mr Smith said there is a need for a much greater level of patrol around the perimeter by airport police and An Garda Síochána.
“This is not a nuisance, this is really serious which could ultimately lead to a plane crashing. If increased fines are needed and if stronger legislation is needed to prevent this, then the Minister for Transport needs to act,” he said.
The DAA said severe punishments must follow for anyone found guilty. It said the State must consider counter-drone technology for use by the Department of Defence to take down drones that threaten passengers and aircraft activity in such a reckless manner.
Earlier, Mr Ryan said there are not any fool-proof mechanisms that will eradicate the problem, aside from ensuring people are prosecuted.
The seriousness of the problem should not be understated and everything is being done to address the issue, Mr Ryan said.
He said:
Aer Lingus has said the recent disruption is unacceptable and concerning. They called for the Plan for Aviation Safety, which addresses the risk of drone infringements, to be progressed as a matter of urgency.
"The severe disruption imposed on passengers, airlines and other stakeholders is unacceptable and measures to address the drone issue must be now expedited in order to prevent any further recurrence of this type of disruption," they said in a statement.
A Ryanair spokesperson said it is unacceptable that more Ryanair flights and hundreds of passengers have again suffered disruptions and delays as Dublin Airport closed for a fifth time in four weeks due to Mr Ryan’s failure to take any action to prevent drone disruptions at Dublin Airport.
“As always Minister Ryan promises stronger enforcement measures but delivers nothing,” the airline said.
“Mr Ryan should explain why other EU Airports have effective drone prevention measures in place but Dublin keeps being disrupted while he is asleep on the job. Sadly, our Transport Minister is all talk and no action when it comes to drone disruptions,” Ryanair said.