More scare mongering ?

[Mazdaman323lx]

I highly doubt they were able to see such a small object travelling that speed

British Airways flight 5ft from disaster after near miss with drone at 10,000ft

The drone was flying 24 times over the legal limit height, report says

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Feek]

Saw this on another news site, I’d be very surprised if a pilot could identify a drone at that speed.

 

[KBF]

Maybe an Agras drone, they're big or maybe a Reaper drone Yeah I'd doubt they'd see a small recreational type drone .

 

[DARKSeifer]

More statements without proofs, a drone at 3.000 meters and you can see it while flying at 900Km/h... yes, of course.

On a very calm day a hacked Mavic 3 or a custom DIY can climb to 3Km, do a panorama and have enough juice to go down again, but it can't "fly" there because even on calm days, it's too windy up there, and definitely can't be seen from a cockpit unless it's already smashing right on it.

All these sights are usually weather balloons from amateur/hobbyist, but everything is a "drone" these days, from a <250g flying camera to a Predator, to even birds (a drone that crashed on a passanger plane that then it was a vulture) or stars (talking about that policeman that was chasing a star thinking it was a drone ).

 

[waynorth]

Seems it's time to post this classic again:

 

[Kuiper Denizen]

Is the atmosphere at 10,000 feet dense enough to support a small drone?

Sounds like there must have been drone's flying around Roswell back in th ‘40s and ‘50s.

Here we are, seventy years later, thinking we’re on the cusp of technology!

 

[mrgadway]

I have flown many times over 10000 ft in elevation. No problems at all. Just not 10000 ft above ground level.

 

[Nanny Ogg]

How long would it take to get to 10,000 feet AGL and how much battery would be left? I bet one could not hover much waiting for a passing airliner.

 

[Kuiper Denizen]

I have flown many times over 10000 ft in elevation. No problems at all. Just not 10000 ft above ground level.

Thanks, MrGadway,

I’m in western Virginia where most mountains don’t get over 4,000 feet, so I’ll not have to worry about thin air.

 

[MotoSavy]

Seriously doubt is was a consumer or prosumer drone. My guess a British Military Drone. But, I'm sure they will never fess up to it.

Or it could be one of those Chinese Spy Balloons

 

[MotoSavy]

I have flown many times over 10000 ft in elevation. No problems at all. Just not 10000 ft above ground level.

Which drone you have that you have flown that high. Wondering out of curiosity.

 

[waynorth]

Which drone you have that you have flown that high. Wondering out of curiosity.

All drones can fly 10000 ft above sea level. A climbing team flew almost 30000 feet, they took from from the top of Mt. Everest with a Mavic 3.

 

[MotoSavy]

All drones can fly 10000 ft above sea level. A climbing team flew almost 30000 feet, they took from from the top of Mt. Everest with a Mavic 3.

After I posted the question I looked at the the reference manual for the Air 3 and it lists the Max Takeoff Altitude of 6000 Meters and the Mini 4 Pro at 4000 Meters. Very impressive for both!

Since I live in Florida, where we are pretty much at sea level, I had never really given it much thought.

I was surprised that they could fly that high.

Although at altitude, not sure how well they will do with strong winds. Normally at those high altitudes you often have strong winds that could wreak havoc on them.

 

[waynorth]

Although at altitude, not sure how well they will do with strong winds. Normally at those high altitudes you often have strong winds that could wreak havoc on them.

The wind is one thing, but when you get up to 4-5000 meters the air is "thinner" (lower atmospheric pressure), meaning less lift from the propellers. Apparently the team that took off from Everest had special propellers on their otherwise stock Mavic 3.

 

[Kuiper Denizen]

Well here's the math. According to the Independent, the British newspaper that reported this, the plane was traveling at 250 miles per hour. That's 1,320,000 feet per hour, 22,000 feet per minute, and 366.7 feet per second. The pilots would have had one second to have seen this "object" at over a football field away before it passed over a wing. Unless they were both simultaneously looking at this, the one who saw it first would have had a second to see it and bring it to the attention of the other.

Time that nudge and "Hey look at that!"

How many times have you been around when the driver of a car, traveling at under 60 miles per hour, missed a street when the passenger riding shotgun said, "Hey there's our road!" with just a second to react?

If you can still fit this into the realm of possibilities, take a look at some of the other stories in the Independent. I'll let you judge for yourself if this is a creditable report on the misuse of a drone.

Not to mention what the instant turbulence over the wing and following the plane would have done to this object.
Sounds like someone in the cockpit may have been enjoying a cocktail, no doubt an "Aviation" with double on the gin!

 

[Pacefast]

Is the atmosphere at 10,000 feet dense enough to support a small drone?

Sounds like there must have been drone's flying around Roswell back in th ‘40s and ‘50s.

Here we are, seventy years later, thinking we’re on the cusp of technology!

I have had the Air 3 up at 8000 feet and I can assure you it still climbs like a bat out of hell and no noticeable handling difference !
Before I get shouted at this was in the Italian Alps at a Ski resort nearly 8000 feet up and the drone complied with the sub 120 metre 400 feet limit from takeoff point !
As for another posters comments on winds ? They were perfectly manageable at 8000 feet on the day I flew but take the point they can be stronger at altitude !
As a semi retired biz jet Captain of 23 years I have seen birds of prey at 12000 feet clearly and infact years ago over the alps in a piston twin nearly collected a Golden Eagle

 

[mrgadway]

Which drone you have that you have flown that high. Wondering out of curiosity.

I have multiple mavic2 Pro and Zooms. Actually, looking back at my logs they have flown over 13k ft above sea level with no issues. I very rarely push batteries past 50% even starting with full charge. You must pick and choose very carefully what the weather (wind) is doing at these altitudes.

 

[Pacefast]

Also worth considering if you are flying legally off a mountain that temperature drops roughly 2 deg C per thousand feet rule of thumb !
Hence if its plus 6 at sea level its likely to be 20 degrees less at 10k or minus 14 C Consider battery life

 

[Pacefast]

Also worth considering if you are flying legally off a mountain that temperature drops roughly 2 deg C per thousand feet rule of thumb !
Hence if its plus 6 at sea level its likely to be 20 degrees less at 10k or minus 14 C Consider battery life

At its service ceiling of 18000 feet the OAT is likely to be Surface temp minus 36 C which in winter would severely impact the battery

 

[Felix le Chat]

Seriously doubt is was a consumer or prosumer drone. My guess a British Military Drone. But, I'm sure they will never fess up to it.

Or it could be one of those Chinese Spy Balloons

Couldn't be a British military drone. If it had been one of those: it would have crashed 20 seconds after take off.