Drones have become a part of the sky now as they can be had for under $100 and can be used for some truly incredible images and videos. However, they are still something that operators need to be very careful with and that includes staying outside of the airport safety areas. Unfortunately, it appears that one such operator was not so careful as the story below seems to indicate.
Emirates A380 Hit by a Drone
On August 18, Emirates flight EK077, operated by one of their A380s, apparently collided with “a large drone” on its approach into Nice Airport in France. This is from Aviation Safety Network.
The plane had damage to a “leading edge” and was due to be replaced and repaired as of yesterday, August 20. The BEA (the French investigative board) cannot yet confirm that it was a drone but they are investigating.
If you use a mainstream drone, like from DJI, the software alerts the operator to the zones that are protected around sensitive areas like airports, military installations, etc. Yet, there are still those that either use other drones without such alert systems or just fly anyway near airports. I would not be surprised to find this video from this drone up on the internet one of these days as the person may view it as really “cool” to be so near an airliner like the Airbus A380.
Please, if you do have a drone, make sure you are operating it safely at all times! This instance certainly serves as a reminder that while some people may view them as “toys” they are still vehicles that can severely injure people and damage property.
Thessaloniki, Greece with the iconic White Tower on the edge of the Aegean
Drones can be operated safely and when they are, they certainly yield some great images. I wouldn’t call this image of mine “great” but it was certainly a great perspective (Thessaloniki, Greece – the famed White Tower).
Fortunately, no one was hurt in this, whatever it is that they finally confirm collided with the plane.
