The drone issues were part of the reason I packed in radio control model building and flying over the winter, after 25 years of technical challenge, enjoyment and fulfilment. I sold or gave away almost everything.
The model aircraft hobby has been well organised and largely without adverse incident for decades. We have our own internal voluntary certification and competency programmes, well taken up. We also had approval from the CAA to build and fly very, very large models (like >100 kg and > 20 ft wingspans), well capable of being a hazard to full size aircraft if flown irresponsibly. But they aren't.
Some of us even flew off active general aviation facilities and clubs like mine, were seen as part of the full-size private aviation scene. We abided by the rules and even trained full-size pilots to fly models (harder, they said).
I did not have to undertake any additional competency tests to comply with the drone regulations, I was already deemed competent by the regulatory authorities. and have been for many years. Even the additional fee was not a real issue. The real issue for me was that I didn't want to be part of a hobby now being subsumed into regulation forced into being by idiots, and largely unenforceable anyway. I exercised my democratic right to opt out.
And no, there were no drones at Heathrow or Gatwick, other than the police ones that it is. Go ahead, Plod and CAA, prove it. No you can't, because they didn't exist and you don't have the honesty to say so.