The July edition of AIRPROX INSIGHT looks at an Airprox between a drone and a PA28 over the former Boreham airfield in Essex
The article discusses where the majority of drone activity can be expected to take place, the problems associated with the notification of drone activity and the difficulties in seeing drones (from the perspective of the crewed aircraft). It also highlights some occasions where both drones and crewed aircraft can legitimately operate in the same height band.
Appallingly, it starts with an incorrect statement in paragraph 2 unless I am reading it wrong. It seems to clearly state that drones are limited to 400 ft above the ground where the operator is standing, not above the closest point of the earth’s surface.
I only hope someone is going to tell me I have misunderstood it!
– firstly, the 400ft AGL is measured from
where the operator is standing, so we could
find the drone is higher than 400ft above the
ground we’re flying over — for example, we
could be flying over a valley floor while the
drone operator is actually standing on the
ridgeline.
It is sloppily worded but I am reading that the drone can be at 400 feet above the operator who is already higher than the terrain over which the aircraft is flying. The two are not on converging courses.
This is a report about proximity of UAVs and manned aircraft rather than collision.
This is the full airprox report rather than the precis posted above: