Drones - Soon to be killer - Curt Lewis

LAM B737 at Tete on Jan 5th 2017, collision with a drone A LAM Linhas Aereas de Mocambique Boeing 737-700, registration C9-BAQ performing flight TM-136 from Maputo to Tete (Mozambique) with 80 passengers and 6 crew, was on final approach to Tete when the crew heard a loud bang, no abnormal indications followed. The crew suspecting a bird strike continued the approach for a safe landing. A post flight examination revealed a drone had impacted the right hand side of the radome. The airline confirmed the occurrence, a replacement aircraft was dispatched to Tete to perform the return flight. The occurrence aircraft is being repaired.

UK pilots urge action over increasing drone encounters Pilots' representatives in the UK believe the risk of a drone collision with aircraft is increasing, after claiming a doubling of reported encounters. The UK cockpit union BALPA says 69 airprox incidents involving drones were reported in UK airspace last year. BALPA points out that this is more than double the figure of 29 for 2015, and that the increasing interest in drone use - particularly following the holiday season - is likely to exacerbate the issue. "After a significant increase in near misses last year, it seems not everyone who is flying them either know or care about the rules," says BALPA flight safety specialist Steve Landells. He points out that drones should be equipped to transmit sufficient data for law enforcement personnel to trace the operator in the event of transgression. "Owing to the huge numbers of drones being sold, more technological solutions will undoubtedly be required to address this problem, and should be mandated," he says. "If the user has endangered an aircraft, we would like to see the culprit prosecuted."