A 246-seat aeroplane missed crashing into a drone by 20ft over Windsor after taking off from Heathrow Airport. The B787 passenger aircraft was flying at 3000ft in a climb when they saw the drone pass just to its left on July 25 at 7.02pm.
According to the latest report of aircraft near misses, it was considered to be in serious risk of a collision, classified in the highest risk category A. The pilot reported: “It was apparent that whilst it was very close, the drone would pass below and to their left.”
The risk report states that the incident was a case of bad luck: “The Board considered that the pilot’s overall account of the incident portrayed a situation where providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed.”
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Popular Mechanics described drones as “mechanical geese from hell” as they can cause significant damage to aeroplanes. While engines are designed to withstand object and bird impacts, drones could deform or break blades with fragments causing collateral damage to other components.
Drones are hard enough to tear through an aircraft’s nose damaging radar equipment and contain batteries that can catch fire when damaged, risking starting a fire within the plane’s body. It is not just passenger planes and drones at risk, with one military jet nearly colliding with a balloon.
The £98 million fighter plane managed to avoid being taken down by the large red balloon, but “the location was avoided for the remainder of the sortie”. Some balloon incidents can be more serious, with one 525-passenger A380 having a near-miss incident with a white and red weather balloon while travelling from Luton Airport.
The balloon was observed only two seconds before it passed just 10ft to the left and just above the aircraft. The pilot during another night time incident with a drone reported seeing flashing green and red light of what they believed was a drone, before seeing it land in a lit back garden where a person was seen controlling it.
Manchester Airport is conducting its own investigation with Airport Police. According to UK Airprox Board data, drones are a rising menace to UK aviation. In 2014, there were 9 near misses between drones and planes in the UK, but by 2018 this increased to 125, nearly a 14 times increase.
Drones can reach up to 33,000ft and a toy helium balloon could float to a similar height. According to the GOV.UK website it is a criminal offence to endanger the safety of an aircraft, fly within restricted airspace without permission, and to fly over 400ft above ground. You could be prosecuted for not flying safely and within the law.
In 2019, a drone sighting cancelled Gatwick departures for two days between April 19 to 21, cancelling 1,000 flights and stranding 140,000 people. The BBC has suggested that there may never have been a drone, with no culprit or evidence of drones was ever found.
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