Willis Towers Watson launches 'action plan' to tackle disruption caused by drones

Broker Willis Towers Watson has launched a "action plan" specifically to deal with disruption caused by drones as the incidents have increased sharply in the last two-three years, raising concerns for the aviation insurance industry.

Titled 'Drone Disruption at Airports: A Risk Mitigation and Insurance Response', it outlines the threat to airports by drones which are increasingly being used with malicious intent to cause disruption. Willis said such incidents increased from 35 reported between 2013-2015 to nearly 290 from 2016-2018 in the UK alone.

To deal with this problem the action plan provides strategic risk mitigation strategies. In particular it highlights the need for a single internal reporting point for drone sightings, and early engagement with airline operators during initial drone sightings with emergency multi-agency drills being undertaken on a regular basis.

The guidance also outlines the current insurance solutions available and the multi-stakeholder collaborative approach needed to develop new innovative solutions for the aviation community.

Karen Larbey, director of strategy and planning, transportation industry, Willis Towers Watson, said: “Our Airport Risk Community (ARC) is very concerned about the growing use of drone technology to disrupt and interfere with airport safety. As we have seen with the recent events in Gatwick and Singapore, and the subsequent re-routing of flights, drone technology is increasingly sophisticated and causes extensive disturbance. It is therefore essential that we help our clients to understand what risk mitigation strategies to put in place to help airports handle the disruption caused by drones.”

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