Drone hits plane over Canada; operator could face prison time (if caught)

Canada’s Minister of Transport on Sunday released a worrying statement about a drone incident in Quebec City. A commercial plane was struck by a drone while landing in Jean Lesage International Airport in the first such incident for Canada.

The rising popularity of drones has revolutionized inspection & monitoring, mapping, surveillance, precision agriculture, art and, of course, good old entertainment. In fact, the list could go on forever. But because anyone can buy a drone off the shelf and fly it unsupervised, the number of recorded incidents is also growing.

“On October 12, 2017, a Skyjet flight was struck by a drone while inbound to Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City,” said Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau. “This is the first time a drone has hit a commercial aircraft in Canada and I am extremely relieved that the aircraft only sustained minor damage and was able to land safely.”

Transport Canada has teamed up with transportation partners including Skyjet to investigate the issue.

Canada, like many other countries, has strict rules for unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. Transport Canada demands that drone operators:

• hold a pilot permit specific to small drones;
• have liability insurance;
• register and mark their device with a unique identification provided by Transport Canada;
• operate a drone that meets a design standard;
• follow a set of flight rules;
• get approval from air traffic control when flying in controlled airspace or near aerodromes; and
• fly at least 150 m from open-air assemblies of people (i.e. outdoor concerts) unless at least 90 m high
• 30 m from people, vehicles, vessels

Near airports and helipads, the rules are even stricter. According to Garneau, “Anyone who violates the regulations could be subject to fines of up to $25,000 and/or prison.”

Cnet learned that the drone in question had been flying 3 miles (4.8 Km) from the airport at an altitude of 450 meters (cca 1,500 feet), or 150 meters (500 feet) above the legal limit.

But Garneau is not the only one concerned about the hazards of irresponsible drone operation. The U.S. National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) deems drones as “potentially deadly in the wrong place.”

Fighting the catastrophic blaze currently unfolding in California, the NIFC reminds drone users that “Drones can interfere with wildland fire air traffic, such as air tankers, helicopters, and other firefighting aircraft that are necessary to suppress wildland fires.”

The US Federal Aviation Administration (which refers to drones as “unmanned aerial system,” or UAS), has a different set of rules for drone enthusiasts:

• Fly at or below 400 feet
• Be aware of airspace requirements and restrictions
• Stay away from surrounding obstacles
• Keep your UAS within sight
• Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports
• Never fly over groups of people
• Never fly over stadiums or sports events
• Never fly near emergency response efforts such as fires
• Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Drones have been responsible for hundreds of cases of property damage and bodily harm. The machines are also infamously threatening to privacy, as most carry high-resolution cameras. Some even sync their data with remote servers.

However, it is worth mentioning that drones are indeed a marvelous invention in the circumstances, helping with disaster recovery, delivery of goods, even reforestation. It all comes down to the purpose of using a drone, the legal ground on which operation takes place and, perhaps just as important, the operator’s skill. As the video compilation below shows, it’s ridiculously easy to make a mistake flying one of these things.

https://youtu.be/5HNzwvOHK_g