Pilots union calls for drones technology
Pilots union BALPA has called for drones to be fitted with technology that would stop them being flown in places where they are not allowed to be operated.
Or, it wants them to be fitted with technology to automatically make them move out of the way if they get too close to other aircraft.
As a last resort, pilots believe technology should at least be developed to alert air traffic control and pilots of the presence of a drone to prevent a collision.
The calls came after a report this week highlighted two drone near-misses – one over central London and one at Liverpool Airport – earlier this year.
The UK Airprox Board, which specifically examines near misses in British airspace, classed both incidents as ‘category A’, the highest of all the risk categories.
BALPA flight safety specialist Steve Landells said: "All drone users, especially hobbyists, who often have little training or understanding of the rules of the air, need to be aware of the dangers of flying them in, or near to, restricted areas; these include airports and densely populated areas such as central London.
"Pilots are pressing for better education and compulsory registration, during which the rules are made quite clear, and more high profile prosecutions of offenders.
"Flying a drone in an irresponsible manner puts lives in danger and any offending drone should transmit enough data to allow the police to locate the operator, and, if they have endangered another aircraft, a prosecution should follow."
US aviation authorities are now testing technology designed to detect drones flying close to airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration says a reliable system to track the flight of drones is essential for air safety.
Currently existing radar systems cannot pick up signals from drones due to their size and low altitude.
Under UK aviation law, drones are not allowed to fly above 400ft and must be kept within the sight of the operator.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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