A Life Aloft
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Keep in mind, any dramatics are coming from the reporters, but: L.A. Times
The pilot of a commercial jetliner said his plane nearly collided with a drone while approaching Los Angeles International Airport on Friday afternoon, sparking a search by L.A. police and sheriff's officials for the owner of the unmanned aircraft.
The near-miss was reported before 2 p.m. about 14 miles east of the airport at an elevation of 5,000 feet and involved a Lufthansa Airbus A380, said Los Angeles police Lt. Robert Binder. The drone flew 200 feet over the aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and police helicopters were headed to the area to try and locate the drone pilot, Binder said, adding that it would be a long-shot search.
As drones have become more prevalent, so have their run-ins with aircraft. Over the last few years, drones have grounded firefighting aircraft in California by flying too close during firefighting missions and have smacked into buildings and taken down power lines.
In November, a Los Angeles man was forced to hand his drone over and promise not to fly one for another three years after interfering with a police search.
Pilots across the country are logging a fast-rising number of near-misses with drones, with 1 out of 5 of those risky incidents happening in California, according to an August 2015 article in the Los Angeles Times. Those conclusions come from an analysis of federal data released Thursday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
The data show nearly 200 reports of close encounters involving drones reported in California since April 2014 — the most of any state.
Currently, hobbyists flying drones have few federal legal restrictions, although they are warned not to fly within five miles of airports or above 400 feet. Drone operators can be fined if they endanger people or other aircraft, the FAA says.
And from one of our local news stations-KABC
LOS ANGELES (KABC) --
A Lufthansa flight on approach to Los Angeles International Airport nearly hit a drone while flying at about 5,000 feet Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The pilot of the A380-800 spotted the drone flying approximately 200 feet above the aircraft, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said in a statement.
The FAA immediately alerted the LAPD's Air Support Division.
An investigation was immediately launched by aviation authorities, who are now searching the air 14 miles east of the airport.
Lufthansa Flight 456 from Frankfurt, Germany landed at LAX Runway 24 around 1:30 p.m. without further incident.
The FAA prohibits drones and model airplanes from flying higher than 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport. Violators could be punished with up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail.
Drones have become increasingly popular with hobbyists. The FAA estimates that 1.6 million small unmanned aircraft will be sold this year, with half during the last three months of the year.
Government and industry officials have expressed concern that drones, like birds, could be sucked into an aircraft engine, smash a cockpit windshield or damage a critical aircraft surface area and cause a crash.
"This is one more incident that could have brought down an airliner, and it's completely unacceptable. A near-miss of 200 feet should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless drone use," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement.
The pilot of a commercial jetliner said his plane nearly collided with a drone while approaching Los Angeles International Airport on Friday afternoon, sparking a search by L.A. police and sheriff's officials for the owner of the unmanned aircraft.
The near-miss was reported before 2 p.m. about 14 miles east of the airport at an elevation of 5,000 feet and involved a Lufthansa Airbus A380, said Los Angeles police Lt. Robert Binder. The drone flew 200 feet over the aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and police helicopters were headed to the area to try and locate the drone pilot, Binder said, adding that it would be a long-shot search.
As drones have become more prevalent, so have their run-ins with aircraft. Over the last few years, drones have grounded firefighting aircraft in California by flying too close during firefighting missions and have smacked into buildings and taken down power lines.
In November, a Los Angeles man was forced to hand his drone over and promise not to fly one for another three years after interfering with a police search.
Pilots across the country are logging a fast-rising number of near-misses with drones, with 1 out of 5 of those risky incidents happening in California, according to an August 2015 article in the Los Angeles Times. Those conclusions come from an analysis of federal data released Thursday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)
The data show nearly 200 reports of close encounters involving drones reported in California since April 2014 — the most of any state.
Currently, hobbyists flying drones have few federal legal restrictions, although they are warned not to fly within five miles of airports or above 400 feet. Drone operators can be fined if they endanger people or other aircraft, the FAA says.
And from one of our local news stations-KABC
LOS ANGELES (KABC) --
A Lufthansa flight on approach to Los Angeles International Airport nearly hit a drone while flying at about 5,000 feet Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The pilot of the A380-800 spotted the drone flying approximately 200 feet above the aircraft, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said in a statement.
The FAA immediately alerted the LAPD's Air Support Division.
An investigation was immediately launched by aviation authorities, who are now searching the air 14 miles east of the airport.
Lufthansa Flight 456 from Frankfurt, Germany landed at LAX Runway 24 around 1:30 p.m. without further incident.
The FAA prohibits drones and model airplanes from flying higher than 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport. Violators could be punished with up to $1,000 in fines and six months in jail.
Drones have become increasingly popular with hobbyists. The FAA estimates that 1.6 million small unmanned aircraft will be sold this year, with half during the last three months of the year.
Government and industry officials have expressed concern that drones, like birds, could be sucked into an aircraft engine, smash a cockpit windshield or damage a critical aircraft surface area and cause a crash.
"This is one more incident that could have brought down an airliner, and it's completely unacceptable. A near-miss of 200 feet should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless drone use," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement.
