A British Airways aircraft was possibly hit by a drone Sunday near Heathrow airport as it was coming to land, which is likely to increase demands for greater checks on the flights of the devices.
The Airbus A320 flight from Geneva, carrying 132 passengers and five crew members, appears to have not been significantly impacted and was cleared for its next flight, according to news reports.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority said it was aware of “a possible incident” with a drone at Heathrow on Sunday, which is subject to investigation by the Metropolitan Police. It reminded drone users of the country’s dronecode, which prohibits drones from flying above 400 feet (about 122 meters) and requires them to stay away from aircraft, helicopters, airports and airfields.
“It is totally unacceptable to fly drones close to airports and anyone flouting the rules can face severe penalties including imprisonment,” the CAA said in a statement Sunday.
British Airways could not be immediately reached for comment. The British Airline Pilots’ Association said in a tweet that “the risk and consequences of drone collision urgently need to be properly understood”.
Drone regulation came into effect in Ireland on 21 December 2015. According to estimates there are as many as 5,000 drones operating in the Republic between enthusiasts, companies and academic researchers. Under the current rules all drones weighing in excess of 1kg must be registered with the Irish Aviation Authority. It is fobidden to fly a drone within 5km of an aerodrome, over 400ft from ground level or 300 metres from the operator.
For more on drone regulation in Ireland visit the IAA website.
IDG News Service and TechCentral Reporters
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