How close is too close when it comes to drones and commercial flights? An alarming drone incident involving a British Airways jet over London raises eyebrows and questions about the accuracy of the pilot’s account.

On May 14, a British Airways flight from Mumbai, cruising at a speed of around 230mph and laden with up to 256 passengers, was on its descent to Heathrow.

The pilot reported that a drone, “white in color and professional-sized,” nearly collided with the aircraft, stating it had “passed within a wing’s length off the left-hand side.” He described the heart-stopping moment to the NATS air traffic control service saying, “Yes. I literally thought it was going to hit the windscreen”.

However, here’s where doubt surfaces. Flying at 230mph, could the pilot really have identified the drone accurately?

Moreover, the aircraft was at an altitude of 5,200 feet, around 13 times the standard Legal height for drone flights. While it’s true some drones can…

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Source: dronexl.co