Pilots report increased near-collisions with drones

Credit: Daily Mail

Air flight is relatively safe. At least, about as safe as flying through the air at hundreds of knots, thousands of feet up, in a fragile aluminium tube, carrying many gallons of flammable fuel, with an on-board ignition sources (electronic system & engine), can be.

Actually, the most dangerous parts are taking off &, most of all, landing. Which is why most air crashes occur at airports.

See image above.

Why is aviation relatively safe?
• participants put their life on the line
• barriers to entry are high: aircraft are expensive, pilot training is both expensive & time consuming
• very tightly regulated
• if you do something wrong, sooner or later you have to come back down, at one of few landing spots, & face the music

None of the above applies to the rapidly growing drone market. Regulations are rudimentary & difficult to enforce. In the USA there is a, “not above 400 feet, not within 5 miles of an airport”, rule. It is not always observed (placing aircraft at risk when they are most vulnerable – see links below), & doesn’t apply to areas such as hospitals, where rescue helicopters have to land from time-to-time. Another at-risk area is fire-bombing sites.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/pilots-report-increased-near-collisions-with-drones-faa-data-says/

http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_101745

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/07/15/drones_pose_new_risk_for_aircraft_in_canadian_skies.html / USA Federal Aviation Authority FAA increase complaints complaint incident pilots air traffic control controllers personnel near collisions with drones small drones came within a few seconds few feet crash crashing collision impact smash much larger aircraft pilot reported report seeing siting site drones drone restricted airspace near collision near airport previously unreported incidents New York Washington DC area regulations governing drones current guidelines hobbyists fly drones fly no higher than 400 feet at least five miles away from airports altitude altitudes over 1,000 feet one incident LaGuardia drone flying at 4,000 feet almost hit a passenger plane descending to land incident passenger planes taking off very close call drone at about 2,000 feet incident US Airways shuttle flight departed Reagan National Airport reported encounter yellow drone four foot wingspan passed within 50 feet aircraft approaching LaGuardia American Airlines jet struck drone flying 2,300 feet Tallahassee Regional Airport Jim Williams manager FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office metal and plastic aircraft big lithium battery high-speed turbine engine results catastrophic medical evacuation helicopters particular particularly particular risk take off and land at hospitals 5 mile radius rule airports tracking down offenders difficult resource consuming intensive time push to get drones in the air approve commercial use case by case basis commercial use of drones case-by-case basis Hollywood production companies hobbyist GoPro announced consumer drones today hot sellers this holiday season selfie self portrait photo dronie /