Drone risks come to fore as aircraft collides with UAV in UK
In what represents a stark warning to the insurance industry of the risks of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), a plane approaching Heathrow Airport is reported to have hit a so-called drone before it landed safely, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.
The British Airways flight from Geneva was struck as it approached the London airport at approximately 12:50 BST with 132 passengers and five crew on board.
Aviation police based at Heathrow have launched an investigation. Police said no arrests have been made.
If confirmed, the incident is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.
Stephen Landells, flight safety specialist at the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), predicted such an incident last month in an interview with Intelligent Insurer available here.
He said drone usage has been growing in the UK and the US and that many were being used dangerously close to airports.
Landells said BALPA wants the British Government to look at registration of drones in order to trace the owners should any incidents happen and says that it would be helpful if as a part of that registration process new owners could be given training and safety information.
Joshua Down, reinsurance broker at Willis Re, also said in the article that, in the US, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is exploring options and developing regulations around drones, mentioning that the key items for discussion will be security, privacy, insurance and liability.
Laurence Baxter, head of policy and research at the Chartered Insurance Institute, also commented on the incident, saying although no damage or injury was caused, it highlights the need to address the issues surrounding drone use safety and how to prevent future collisions that might be far more serious.
"There are growing numbers of drones but unfortunately relatively little progress in thinking about better safeguards, despite the fact that they could pose a threat to not just jet airliners but smaller aircraft and helicopters. Many experts consider it can only be a matter of time before a major accident occurs,” he said.
