A drone was in yet another incident with an aircraft, where a fatal accident might have occurred.
The UAV was reported to have flown incredibly close to an ASK21 glider aircraft that was nearby. According to the pilot on board, the drone in question came within 20-50 meters from the plane.
The drone, which was described as grey in color, was not spotted sooner because of the weather. The near-collision occurred at a town in England where luckily, nobody at the airfield ended up with injuries.
The pilot noted still that had the drone been in direct path to colliding with the plane, it would have been too late to evade it.
A cloudy incident:
Pointing at factors like weather, or any other environmental cause is still not enough though. That still does not excuse a drone flying dangerously close to an aircraft, however, especially in an airfield.
The drone was spotted near the plane that was about 550 feet in the air. Take note that the regulations for drones only allow them at a maximum of 400 feet.
The glider itself was on a course to the town of Dunstable, in Bedfordshire England.
This is but another incident that managed to avoid casualties by mere luck. This adds the tally in the increasing number of drone-related aircraft incidents over the past few years.
Rules and regulations surrounding drones have been emphasized repeatedly, yet events like this still happen on a regular basis. Either it’s because of lax effort created by drone associations, or recklessness on the part of the drone operator.
Drones are a marvel to behold and the technology has become more available and affordable the past few years. That still does not make it a simple toy that anybody can operate without regard for the surrounding areas.
Managing a drone is just as serious as managing a car or a motorcycle. You as the driver are responsible for the vehicle and its effect on its surroundings.
Whether following road rules to make sure passersby are safe, or staying within drone height limits; every guideline is there for safety. Not just for the driver, but for people around them as well.
