Image credit – Sussex Police
A couple who were arrested over the Gatwick drone incident have recently been released without charges, and might be considering suing the newspapers that identified them. According to Mark Stephens, head of media law at Howard Kennedy, he claims that the couple has a strong case should they wish to pursue it.
For those who are unfamiliar with what has happened, basically last week the Gatwick Airport in London was shut down and flights were grounded due to alleged sightings of drones nearby. It was later followed up by an announcement by the Sussex Police who claims to have arrested two people involved in the incident. However it was later revealed that there might not have been any drones after all, and that this was simply due to miscommunications.
The Sussex Police themselves did not identify the couple that was arrested, but it seems that the newspapers managed to do that and revealed who they were, even though it now appears that they were innocent. According to the couple, “Our home has been searched and our privacy and identity completely exposed. Our names, photos and other personal information has been broadcast throughout the world.”
That being said, whether there was a drone or not, this incident does highlight the potential dangers of drones flying around airports and other planes, and makes a compelling reason why drones should be geofenced to prevent them from flying near airports and other sensitive areas.