Statistics show there have been 650 drone sightings by pilots this year, that’s compared to a total of 238 sighting in all of 2014.
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According to the US forest service, drones had already interfered with aircraft fighting at least 13 wildfires so far this year. On August 9, four crews flying airliners into Newark’s global airport reported seeing drones at between 2,000 and 3,000 feet of altitude.
The U.S. also faces a challenge with drone safety as incidents in which the unmanned vehicles fly too close to traditional aircraft rise swiftly.
Given that drones are becoming more popular, hardier and cheaper, aviation authorities across the world will have to confront risky use head on if safe air travel is to be maintained.
“The FAA encourages the public to report unauthorized drone operations to local law enforcement and to help discourage this unsafe, illegal activity”, the statement said. It’s threatening fines, criminal charges and even potential jail time. Also, a high-speed collision with a drone might damage the surface of a plane, changing the airflows in a way that makes the plane hard to maneuver.
The FAA added that it has “levied civil penalties for a number of unauthorized flights in various parts of the country, and has dozens of open enforcement cases”. Unmanned aircraft, or drones, are tightly regulated by the FAA, with only about a thousand entities approved for commercial operations nationwide. “When aircraft are grounded because an unmanned aircraft is in the vicinity, lives are put at greater risk”.
Google has though filed a license for commercial drone use with the FAA, but only a week ago. Until that rule becomes a reality, there are only two ways non-recreational/hobby drone flyers can fly above restrictions. As of now, there have been 1,201 petitions granted, mostly for movie production, agriculture and real estate photography.
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With numerous wildfire aviation resources, there are TFR’s (Temporary Flight Restrictions) in place.
