| Airports

Every year there are numerous cases of drones flying dangerously close to airports and aircraft. Unfortunately, this is an ever-increasing problem, with the number of reported drone-related incidents growing yearly. In 2020 a drone almost collided with a light aircraft over Perth, Scotland. Fortunately, the pilot was able to land at Perth airport. Another incident involved an aeroplane flying over Manchester when the pilot saw a 'football-sized' drone pass down the left-hand side of his aircraft. In January 2021, a helicopter from the Chilean Navy was struck by a drone while out on a routine flight. The drone pierced the helicopter's windscreen and struck the passenger in the face, resulting in an emergency landing and hospital visit.

The fears of a drone colliding with an aircraft or being used for a terror attack are genuine. For the most part, the majority of radars do not have the capacity or resolution to detect recreational drones. Most air traffic control radars have a built-in filter that screens out small objects like birds. Unfortunately, an average drone is very similar in size to a bird and is easily misinterpreted by radar when and if it's detected.

It's become almost a weekly occurrence for some pilots. They regularly have situations where a drone has been spotted too close to an aircraft they are piloting. With 400+ reported incidents a year and rising, and an estimated 100,000 drone users here in the United Kingdom, the inevitable doesn't bear thinking about.