UK investigating reported near-miss between drone and plane

British police say they are investigating a reported near-collision between a drone and a passenger plane near England's Newquay Airport.

Devon and Cornwall Police says the plane, carrying 62 people, was arriving at the in southwest England on Tuesday when it reported a drone flying dangerously close.

Inspector Dave Meredith said Thursday the plane was about 900 feet (275 meters) high and 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the airport "when it reported a near-miss with a drone which flew alongside the aircraft."

He said police had not tracked down the or its "reckless" operator.

In Britain, small private drones must be flown below 400 feet (120 meters) and kept away from airfields.

Britain's Civil Aviation Authority says there were 40 near-misses between drones and aircraft in 2015.

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Citation: UK investigating reported near-miss between drone and plane (2016, August 11) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2016-08-uk-near-miss-drone-plane.html
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