Passenger Plane in Near Miss with Drone Close to Heathrow
Aviation experts are warning that it is only a matter of time before a drone causes a major accident with a passenger jet in the skies above Britain.
The pilot of an Airbus A320 spotted the drone, which failed to show up on air traffic control systems, at 2.16pm on 22 July while flying at an altitude of 700ft.
The pilot reported the incident to the UK Airprox Board (UKAB), which launchAed an inquiry, but the owner of the drone has never been identified.
The Airbus A320 is a short-haul jet that can carry 180 passengers and is commonly used by European airlines
The UKAB rated the incident an “A”, meaning a “serious risk of collision”.
Investigators were unable to identify the drone, which did not appear on air traffic control radar and disappeared after the encounter.
Earlier this year the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) demanded better protection for the public from the risks of drones.
It wants drones, officially known as remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), which share airspace with passenger and freight airliners, to meet the same safety standards as piloted aircraft. It includes being flown only by operators with pilot-equivalent training.
Balpa’s general secretary, Jim McAuslan, said, ”The UK should become a ‘safe drone zone’ so we can make the most of the major business and leisure opportunities offered by remotely piloted aircraft, while protecting passengers, pilots and residents. ”The technology is developing quickly and we could see remote aircraft the same size as a Boeing 737 being operated commercially in our skies within 10 years.”
Research carried out by intelligence experts for a University of Birmingham policy commission report published in October warned of the misuse of drones.
The commission called for urgent measures to safeguard British airspace to cope with civil and commercial use, which is expected to be more widespread by 2035.
The report said the “hazards presented by inadvertent or accidental misuse of RPAS, or the consequences of their malfunctioning are becoming better understood”. It added that small commercial aircraft, including for taking photographs, are already being flown and often in breach of the rules.
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