In
one day alone, August 4, 2015, at one airport, New Jersey’s Newark, four
different commercial airliners on approach for landing reported seeing drones
near or in their flight path.
According
to the FAA, pilot reports of unmanned aircraft have increased dramatically over
the past year, from a total of 238 sightings in all of 2014, to more than 650
by August 9 of this year. 1
Among
those dodging hobbyist drones are pilots of commercial airliners, fire fighters
and air ambulance pilots. The safety implications of these unmanned drones –
being flown by anyone with a few hundred bucks to purchase one –is very
concerning for all of those involved in aviation safety. Do we need to include
drone evasion in commercial pilot training? Will helicopter flight training
have to include drone identification?
For
now, the government is focused on trying to control the behavior of drone
pilots – albeit unsuccessfully to date. While the FAA guidelines, or rules, for
unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are clear, they are in fact not a law (the FAA
can’t make laws).
·
A
small UAS operator must always see and avoid manned aircraft. If there is a
risk of collision, the UAS operator must be the first to maneuver away.
·
The
operator must discontinue the flight when continuing would pose a hazard to
other aircraft, people or property.
·
A
small UAS operator must assess weather conditions, airspace restrictions and
the location of people to lessen risks if he or she loses control of the UAS.
·
A
small UAS may not fly over people, except those directly involved with the
flight.
·
Flights
should be limited to 500 feet altitude and no faster than 100 mph.
·
Operators
must stay out of airport flight paths and restricted airspace areas, and obey
any FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs).
The
public is becoming increasingly aware of the implications of these seemingly
innocuous encounters – like when western fire fighting aircraft were forced to
ground activities this summer over safety concerns of the drones in their
space. It appears, lives literally are on the line.
Drones
have been spotted at altitudes as high as 10,000 feet and at airports
throughout the country , including Newark, JFK, Denver International, Fort
Lauderdale, Allegheny County, Dane County, Burbank, Greenville-Spartanburg
International and Dallas Love Field to name a few.
Will
public pressure – hopefully before a drone-caused air tragedy occurs – lead to
more regulation of drone pilots? Or will we force pilot training institutes to
start including drone awareness training for their commercial pilots – the ones
responsible for the safety of hundreds of air passengers?
At
this point, the answers are not clear. And as drones become less expensive and
more ubiquitous, this challenge will only increase.
The
safety of the passengers must remain the paramount objective of commercial
pilots. It appears many drone pilots are not deterred by the guidelines law, so
in the name of safety, commercial and private pilot training may be a logical
response.