FAA Releases Report Showing Uptick In Drone Incidents

We've previously heard about incidents where drones have gotten too close to aircraft, but the number of incidents is considerably higher than anticipated, according to data from the FAA. Since the first of June, there have been 25 reported incidents where small drones came within a few feet or few seconds of crashing into aircraft, most of which happened during landings and takeoffs. This comes at a time when the FAA is looking to severely restrict commercial drone usage through various regulations.

On Wednesday, the FAA released previously unavailable data related to drone incidents. The now-published report shows a pattern of drone operators violating existing regulations, such as an incident in New York on November 18 when a "suspected small drone" flew under an aircraft's nose at between 1500 and 2000 feet.

Another incident the next day in Pennsylvania involved a helicopter descending at 2400 feet when a drone was spotted flying toward it, forcing the pilot to make "an evasive right bank turn," narrowly avoiding a collision. You can read the full list of incidents via The Washington Post.

The FAA is set to propose regulations for commercial drone usage by the end of the year, and among them will be things like restrictions on flight to daytime hours, a requirement to keep drones below 400ft and in sight of the operator, and a requirement for operators to have pilot certifications and a pilot's license.

SOURCE: The Washington Post