Tom Burridge
BBC transport correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Although shooting-down a drone is far from straight-forward and potentially very risky, I understand that armed police were poised at Gatwick to start shooting during the incident before Christmas.

I’m also told that some of the drone sightings at Gatwick were in critical parts of the airport, near or in landing and take-off zones, making the threat to aircraft all the more real.

The police are said to have photos of the drone or drones used at Gatwick.

However no credible arrests have been made.

Tom Burridge
BBC transport correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The BBC understands that the government is considering installing military-grade anti-drone equipment at all major UK airports, as well as at other critical infrastructure such as prisons and power stations.

Aviation Minister, Baroness Sugg, is meeting airport bosses this afternoon.

It follows the major disruption at Gatwick before Christmas and the suspension of departures from Heathrow for nearly an hour on Tuesday night following drone sightings at both airports.

Drones were seen in, or close to, Gatwick's takeoff and landing zones in December, the BBC has learned.

Exclusion zones around airports will be extended and drone users will have to be registered under the plans.

Gatwick and Heathrow invest in new technology after the disruption affecting thousands of passengers.

More than 140,000 passengers were affected by cancellations and delays during 36 hours of disruption.

Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk were arrested and released without charge over the Gatwick Airport drone chaos.

The couple arrested over the drone chaos at Gatwick Airport have said they are "deeply distressed".

A government source said Sussex Police accepted that there had been "poor communications".

A man and woman are released as police say 67 reports of drone sightings are being investigated.

The opposition wants to find out "how this was allowed to happen" after days of disruption at the airport.

A man and a woman from Crawley, aged 47 and 54, are in custody as the airport aims to return to normal.

A man and a woman are being questioned as inquiries continue into drone use that grounded flights.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Flights at Gatwick have resumed after being suspended for a short time after a new drone sighting.

Aircraft were left circling above the area during the latest alert, which came at about 17:10 GMT.

Flights resumed less than 90 minutes later.

Thousands of passengers have had their holiday plans disrupted.

Any developments on this story will be reported on the BBC website, as well as on radio and TV.

For now, though, goodbye and thanks for joining us.

• Gatwick disruption: Your stories
• Is this the drone that caused the chaos?
• How will police catch the drone menace?
• What penalty could a drone operator face?

Drones have been causing travel chaos for passengers hoping to fly in or out of Gatwick airport.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

“They couldn’t have cared tuppence to be honest”

Ruth Kent, 80, from West London was forced to borrow $1,000 from friends to buy a flight home from Florida via Dublin after Gatwick grounded flights.

“I was completely and utterly panic stricken when I found out,” she said.

Ms Kent said that she tried getting in touch with both Norwegian Airlines and her insurers but neither responded.

She said that she even told Norwegian Airlines in an email that she was a woman on her own and in her 80s but: “They couldn’t have cared tuppence to be honest.”

“Luckily I had friends here,” Ms Kent said. “I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have friends because to be honest I was in a complete panic because I wanted to get home before Christmas.”

Duncan Kennedy
BBC South of England Correspondent

BBC South of England Correspondent Duncan Kennedy says tonight's events could have a knock on affect with around 12 flights cancelled or diverted as a result of the short suspension.

“It’s already going to take them well into the weekend to rectify all these problems and that may be affected a little bit by this latest emergency which has come to an end," he says.

He has been told delays are expected until at least Saturday and possibly into Sunday.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

There's been an angry reaction to events at Gatwick from business leaders.

The London Chamber of Commerce says tougher laws are needed to tackle the misuse of drones.

Image source, Paul Fowler

Image source, AFP

Police say they are still searching for those responsible for the unprecedented disruption at Gatwick Airport.

But the drones that were flown over the airfield have not been captured.

Endangering the safety of an aircraft is a criminal offence that can carry a prison sentence.

So how will police find those responsible?

Read the full story here.