A NEW threat is wreaking havoc on pilots descending and taking off from major airports across the nation.
Near mid-air collisions between commercial airplanes and drones are occurring at alarming rates at the country’s 30 top busiest airports.
“With enough money, anyone can purchase an advanced drone online capable of reaching heights they shouldn’t be, William Waldock, a professor specializing in safety science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, explained to the Associated Press.
Over the last decade, drones accounted for 51% of reported near misses, according to the outlet.
In 2024, almost two-thirds of commercial flights taking off and landing at 30 major airports nationwide had close encounters with drones, reported the AP, referencing data from NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System.
However, according to the analysis, the staggering numbers only represent part of the close aerial disasters.
Nasa’s Aviation Safety Reporting System relies on voluntary submissions from pilots and aviation workers to record the near mid-air collisions.
A separate program run by the Federal Aviation Administration found that in March at least 160 drone sightings were spotted flying near airports.
“The FAA is aware of the urgency, and it’s clear further steps must be taken to enable airports to effectively detect and handle these situations,” Hannah Thach, the executive director of the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence, mentioned to the AP.
In the years since the popularity of drone flying has boomed for public usage, the FAA has taken steps to protect commercial and private aircrafts.
The FAA has prohibited nearly all drones from flying near airports without prior authorization.
The federal agency also requires registrations for drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds.
Among other steps the FAA is taking to clamp down on drones flying near airports including the testing of systems to detect and counter drones.
The counter system includes using radio signals to jam drones or force them to land, according to the AP.
The outlet also reported that local authorities on the ground are also considering deploying high-powered microwaves or laser beams to disable the drones.
The aggressive steps by the federal agency are efforts to protect restricted airspaces for commercial airline pilots in and around airports as well as to deter drones interfering with emergency scenes.
In January, a small drone collided with a Canadian emergency aircraft called the Super Scooper while it was battling the raging fires in Southern California.
The incident caused the Super Scooper to be grounded for several days after the drone punched a hole in the plane’s left wing.
In late 2024, drones were causing widespread panic in New Jersey and New York and temporarily shut down flight operations at Stewart International Airport, about 60 miles north of New York City.
The sightings led the FAA to impose temporary drone flight restrictions in New Jersey over the Picatinny Arsenal military base in Morris County, and then President-elect Donald Trump‘s National Golf Club Bedminster in Somerset County.
