Drone nearly collides with passenger plane near The Shard

[UAV Man]

I've spoke to many commercial UAS pilots and they are all pi$$ed off with the lack of enforcement, all that happens is some idiot with drone and no brain cells ignores the regulations then they ie. the commercial pilots get stung with new rules and courses to pay for.

The mentality of 50% of the new deluxe selfie pilots seems to be one of pure entitlement, not comprehension of regulations and no interest in educating themselves about the potential risks to people and property around them.

NEW UK suggestions to register drones needs to go further and insist pilots have liability insurance and carry out annual auditing of flight logs. The policing of this should be paid for by the drone registration fees that would be liable per annum. Like the US drones should have to display registration marks clearly to enable reporting of incidents.

I know in CANADA they are now introducing new rules to ensure all pilots have to register, have insurance and take a 'flight school safety course' prior to being able to fly. Then they will be limited to airspace zone G ie. the lowest.

This is a contentious issue for all pilots and so many videos show unqualified pilots across the world flouting the regulations. I hear comments like its okay its just Thailand!! It's not!! VLOS is used in most countries now, also altitude restrictions and safe distance from people and property.

Lets put it another way, when a pilot gets upset with your irresponsible flying. The likely hood is if he is qualified he's carried out several courses and paid thousands of pounds/dollars/yen/euros..... So have the respect to acknowledge this and not spew bollX about "my right", "it's a free world", "what could go wrong?"... blah blah blah.


Finally, break the rules today, the likely hood is tomorrow you'll have a Mavic shaped paperweight when the skies are closed to hobbyists.

ps. MERRRRRRRRYYYYYY CHRISTMASSSSS

 

[Spy_Corfu]

I was in London 2 months and i stayed near the Shard.. it is tall very tall building and i would think not many drones can fly that high... in any case i did not see any planes flying in or out of the Shard at that time.. maybe it wasn't coffee time?
Unless you are near an airport or along its landing path there is no way in hell that a drone can fly as high as a place or just hover near a plane.. that is just science fiction!
Like everything in life you have to assume responsibility.. and behave responsibly.
Fortunately DJI has all sorts of safety features for that reason and it is impossible to fly in no fly zones or above the legal hight.
Other DIY drones of course do not have that safety built in..

 

[Helo]

The story sounds like another load of crap. The FAA actually posts all drone encounter complaints online. They go on forever and they're quite entertaining. 99% of them make absolutely no sense. They talk about drones at 15,000 feet, drones that are the size of tires, all different colors etc. etc. most of them end with a notation saying "local PD notified" and then nothing else. It's all hysteria.

Just a reminder the service ceiling for the Mavic is 14,404 ft.

Great post by UAV Man! One correction, the registration number required in the U.S. is not required to be displayed on the outside of the aircraft, you can put it in the battery compartment if you like.

 

[4wd]

Just a reminder the service ceiling for the Mavic is 14,404 ft.

500 metres above take off point.
You can't get near 15,000 feet unless you start on a 13,000 feet mountain.

 

[Helo]

500 meters above take off point.
You can't get near 15,000 feet unless you start on a 13,000 feet mountain.

The service ceiling is the maximum usable altitude of an aircraft. In the case of the Mavic it is limited by battery life but if it were not it would be capable of operating up to 14,404 ft.

I wasn't stating that it could go to 15,000 ft only pointing out that it was certainly capable of the 1,016 ft of the Shard.

Guess I don't understand what you are saying about 500 meters above take off point that is only 1,640 feet, Many have taken it much higher than that.

 

[Helo]

500 metres above take off point.
You can't get near 15,000 feet unless you start on a 13,000 feet mountain.

I see the problem, my bad, you are quoting flight restrictions and I was talking theoretical capabilities. Sorry about that I should have been clearer.

 

[Louie7Oaks]

I work right next to the Thames Barrier and thought that it would be a perfect subject for the Mavic. I then realised that I would be flying within a couple of miles of London City airport. I probably wouldn't even get as high as the neighbouring houses whilst filming but discounted the opportunity straight away. I'm tempted to contact London City airport to ask for permission to fly within certain limits, but with all the negative reports of "rogue" drone pilots I think I probably won't even bother with that either. A little common sense goes a long way........

 

[Dw911]

I work right next to the Thames Barrier and thought that it would be a perfect subject for the Mavic. I then realised that I would be flying within a couple of miles of London City airport. I probably wouldn't even get as high as the neighbouring houses whilst filming but discounted the opportunity straight away. I'm tempted to contact London City airport to ask for permission to fly within certain limits, but with all the negative reports of "rogue" drone pilots I think I probably won't even bother with that either. A little common sense goes a long way........

Info here It you want to fly your drone over the Thames barrier
Filming and Promotions on the Thames

Pretty much as good as says no drones welcome here, go away.
But buy yourself a million pound helicopter and you can fly over it all you want

 

[Louie7Oaks]

Info here It you want to fly your drone over the Thames barrier
Filming and Promotions on the Thames

Pretty much as good as says no drones welcome here, go away.
But buy yourself a million pound helicopter and you can fly over it all you want

Wow! They've really got the whole of the river tied up, haven't they! It's a shame, but I can see the sense behind it. I was only thinking of the airport and hadn't even thought that you might need permission to fly over the bloody river! Well, you live and learn I guess.....

 

[iFlyForFun]

Its going to happen. Its not a matter of if it will happen, but when it will happen. A drone will interfere with an airliner at some point in time. The outcome of drone versus airliner remains to be seen. As gadgetguy points out there is an entire sub group of drone pilots that have risky fling as part of thier mindset and get a thrill out of doing things with thier crafts that are quite illegal.

Will we the responsible knowledgeable legal pilots end up with over regulation and potential loss of our hobby?
Stricter regulations could be passed although the segment of daredevil flyers are not concerned with regulations in the first place.
Criminals have no concern about laws.
With the number of drones and pilots going up exponentially it may be hard to enforce.

I'm not sure how to condemn the stealthy criminal drone pilots. If anyone can point one out to me I will turn on condemnation mode.

/on condemnation
/repeat
/loop mode on
/timer = 30 min

Right on!!! I agree 100%! I will
Even go a step further and say that a drone will inevitable bring down an aircraft! It WILL happen. I fly a piper arrow and my approach speed on base to final is about 90 to 100mph. My windshield is made out of a hard plastic ( think it's called lexan) I don't think it would survive a drone strike! My downwind and Base leg are over residential areas. If I were to go down it would be very very bad. I agree that the chance of bringing an airliner down is slim but it will happen! Just a matter of time!

 

[iFlyForFun]

I work right next to the Thames Barrier and thought that it would be a perfect subject for the Mavic. I then realised that I would be flying within a couple of miles of London City airport. I probably wouldn't even get as high as the neighbouring houses whilst filming but discounted the opportunity straight away. I'm tempted to contact London City airport to ask for permission to fly within certain limits, but with all the negative reports of "rogue" drone pilots I think I probably won't even bother with that either. A little common sense goes a long way........

Nothing wrong with calling ATC and telling them exactly what you want to do, the altitude you want to fly at and they may tell you to go ahead. But the decision not to proceed was absolutely showing good judgment!


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots

 

[Pedro]

Right on!!! I agree 100%! I will
Even go a step further and say that a drone will inevitable bring down an aircraft! It WILL happen. I fly a piper arrow and my approach speed on base to final is about 90 to 100mph. My windshield is made out of a hard plastic ( think it's called lexan) I don't think it would survive a drone strike! My downwind and Base leg are over residential areas. If I were to go down it would be very very bad. I agree that the chance of bringing an airliner down is slim but it will happen! Just a matter of time!

Would your windshield survive a 5kg Canada Goose hit? My point being, the risk of unwanted interactions has been around for ever and yet it is still a very rare occurrence. We can talk these things up or we can be realistic..

 

[iFlyForFun]

Actually, that's a very good question? I'm not sure if it would survive a goose hit. I have no idea what testing piper performed. I will agree, at the moment it is a very very rare occurrence but in 12 months the picture could be very different. My gut feeling is that the Mavic is the game changer for this industry. The Karma will come back strong because of the go-Pro user base but the Mavic is the pivotal product that every manufacturer will now try to copy. I have stayed away from Drones even thou Ive been flying rc planes forever. The Drones were just too big to conveniently transport. Now the Mavic come along and every Tom **** and Harry including myself, is buying them. Just look at YouTube and it seems that every other person is preforming long range flight test( illegal), flying over city's( illegal) and bloody hell, one guy flew his Mavic to an altitude of 14,000 feet!!! ( illegal ). You are correct, the risk is low at the moment but Drones are now flying off the shelf like NEVER before and I'm am very concerned about how our flying future will look!

A little good news, My Mavic arrived at my FedEx distribution center and will be delivered by 10:00am tomorrow!
Bloody Hell, I'm stuck in Germany till Sunday

 

[Pedro]

I am totally with you on this one, something will happen one day that will see draconian measures introduced for all us and the hobbyist drone pastime will die (or go underground). My analogy with the goose was that there are millions of geese and other big birds flying around the world and have been ever since we took to the skies ourselves so the chance of unwanted interactions may increase with the advent of idiots with drones but I suspect statistically only by tiny amount..

Btw, I don't imagine that your windshield wouldn't withstand a 5kg bird hit at 100mph. Mind you it would have to get through your prop first!

 

[GadgetGuy]

Actually, that's a very good question? I'm not sure if it would survive a goose hit. I have no idea what testing piper performed. I will agree, at the moment it is a very very rare occurrence but in 12 months the picture could be very different. My gut feeling is that the Mavic is the game changer for this industry. The Karma will come back strong because of the go-Pro user base but the Mavic is the pivotal product that every manufacturer will now try to copy. I have stayed away from Drones even thou Ive been flying rc planes forever. The Drones were just too big to conveniently transport. Now the Mavic come along and every Tom **** and Harry including myself, is buying them. Just look at YouTube and it seems that every other person is preforming long range flight test( illegal), flying over city's( illegal) and bloody ****, one guy flew his Mavic to an altitude of 14,000 feet!!! ( illegal ). You are correct, the risk is low at the moment but Drones are now flying off the shelf like NEVER before and I'm am very concerned about how our flying future will look!

A little good news, My Mavic arrived at my FedEx distribution center and will be delivered by 10:00am tomorrow!
Bloody ****, I'm stuck in Germany till Sunday

Counterpoint: The Mavic, at half the weight and size of a Phantom, also minimizes the potential damage in all scenarios.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Btw, I don't imagine that your windshield wouldn't withstand a 5kg bird hit at 100mph. Mind you it would have to get through your prop first!

Then, it would only be half a goose, at 2.5kg!

 

[iFlyForFun]

Then, it would only be half a goose, at 2.5kg!

 

[erkme73]

The bigger realistic threat to the hobby is catching a pedo or two hovering over a daycare or elementary school. Let that hit the evening news. Nothing brings out the fear than something that can harm "the children".

 

[Dw911]

The bigger realistic threat to the hobby is catching a pedo or two hovering over a daycare or elementary school. Let that hit the evening news. Nothing brings out the fear than something that can harm "the children".

I'd say the biggest realistic threat is constant scaremongering, especially from the media, dim witted politicians and law makers especially the ones who seem to think these quad coppers are akin to armed reaper drones.
Last year it was Chinese laser pens/pointers crashing planes, year before it was demon dogs killing more children than king herald ever could.
Next year when drones are old news it will probably be something else, maybe snakes, yes probably snakes, as we already now how dangerous they are to aviation, they will probably even wheel out Mr S Jackson to add some weight to their story ;-)


Anyway enjoy your quadcoppters, fly safe, within the rules/laws etc and dont stress stuff you have either no control over - like the few idiots who don't play by the rules, sadly every hobby has then - or things that haven't happened or only have the very slimmest possibility of happening

 

[iFlyForFun]

I'd say the biggest realistic threat is constant scaremongering, especially from the media, dim witted politicians and law makers especially the ones who seem to think these quad coppers are akin to armed reaper drones.
Last year it was Chinese laser pens/pointers crashing planes, year before it was demon dogs killing more children than king herald ever could.
Next year when drones are old news it will probably be something else, maybe snakes, yes probably snakes, as we already now how dangerous they are to aviation, they will probably even wheel out Mr S Jackson to add some weight to their story ;-)


Anyway enjoy your quadcoppters, fly safe, within the rules/laws etc and dont stress stuff you have either no control over - like the few idiots who don't play by the rules, sadly every hobby has then - or things that haven't happened or only have the very slimmest possibility of happening

Well said!!!