Flights at Heathrow resume after temporary suspension following reported drone sighting

Flights from the west London airport resumed about an hour after police said a drone had been seen.

An airport spokesman confirmed flights were suspended as a precautionary measure while investigations take place at the site, the latest incident comes on the day fresh police powers to tackle drones were announced in the wake of the crisis that disrupted more than 1,000 flights at Gatwick in December.

A statement from Heathrow Airport said: “We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow and are working closely with the Met Police to prevent any threat to operational safety.

“As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate.

“We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause.”

A spokeswoman from the Metropolitan Police said they were called at just after 5pm to “reports of a sighting of a drone in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport”.

Departures at Heathrow have resumed after being temporarily stopped after a drone was reported to have been sighted.

“As a precautionary measure, Heathrow Airport has stopped departures and officers based at Heathrow are currently investigating the reports with colleagues from Heathrow Airport,” she added.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “We are in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting. I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary.”

The alleged sighting came four days after both Heathrow and Gatwick airports reported they were investing millions of pounds in equipment to prevent future flight disruption.

Between December 19 and 21, Gatwick was repeatedly forced to close due to reported drone sightings, causing mass disruption to passengers, with about 1,000 flights affected.

The Army was brought in to help deal with the travel chaos and was not stood down until after Christmas

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.

Following the end to the initial drone-related disturbance at Gatwick, Security Minister Ben Wallace said: “I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat.”

As part of a more regulated approach to drones the Home Office will also begin to test and evaluate the use of counter-drone technology at airports and prisons.

The exclusion zone around airports will be extended to approximately a three-mile radius, with extensions from runway ends.

Ministers announced that from 30 November operators of drones weighing between 250g and 20kg will be required to register and take an online drone pilot competency test.