Rogue Drone Reportedly Strikes British Airways Jet With 132 Passengers Aboard
It was the pilot who indicated he thought it a drone struck the front of the aircraft. British Airways spokesman Michael Johnson said the Airbus A320 was thoroughly inspected by engineers and deemed safe to continue flying passengers as scheduled. Metropolitan Police added that no arrests have been made.
This latest incident is part of a disturbing trend and the reason why we can't have nice things. For now, it's legal to own and operate drones without much hassle, though there are rules and regulations to follow. In the U.S., drones weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds must be registered online before flying. They also can't be flown with 5 miles of an airport unless the flyer contacts the airport and receives permission from the control tower, the Federal Aviation Administration states.
The rules in the U.K. are similar and mostly lax, as outlined in a cheeky cartoon video, but incidents like this could change things in a hurry.