Drone gets way too close to an airplane in terrifying video
Hey, if you own a drone, maybe don't fly it over an airplane filled with passengers?
The FAA is investigating a video that seems to show a drone's close call with a commercial airliner landing at McCarran International Airport near Las Vegas, according to the local CBS affiliate.
Flying a drone near an airport is definitely not allowed by the FAA. Neither is going above 400 feet. Here's video of the incident shared online, from ABC News:
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Yes, that's pretty terrifying. The FAA released a study last year comparing drones and birds of the same weight, and how they might affect an airplane during a mid-air collision. Surprise: The metal drones were capable of causing way more damage than birds, especially to a plane's windshield and wings.
“No one should be flying in a careless and reckless manner and — importantly — all drone and model aircraft pilots must stay well clear of manned aircraft," the Academy of Model Aeronautics, which represents hobbyists who fly drones, told GeekWire. "We condemn the type of operation depicted in this video."
Criminal penalties for flying unsafely can include fines up to $250,000 and/or three years in jail.
Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.
