The Canadian regulators are rightly investigating the above video, which seems shockingly irresponsible. From Global News:
VANCOUVER – More than five months after a YouTube video was first published, concerns are growing about possible conflicts between drones and aircraft.
Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and are soaring in popularity.
However, a video posted by ‘Quadrotor Dragonfly’ shows a remote-control drone shooting video of a jet landing at Vancouver International Airport. The drone appears to be at about the same altitude as the jet and not very far away.
Transport Canada regulates drone use in this country and is trying to track down the owner of this one.“Air Canada 777 observed a small helicopter, he thought it was a real helicopter,” said Bill Yearwood from the Transportation Safety Board. “But when he got closer he realized it was a remote control helicopter.”
He said encountering something like this on final approach in a jet can be disconcerting, if not outright dangerous.
“Quite a sophisticated toy,” he added. The technology is quite good, it makes it easy for somebody to operate and it can operate far away from that person, so that combination can present a hazard if used by irresponsible operators.”
In an email statement from Transport Canada they said:
“Transport Canada is aware of the videos posted on YouTube showing a unmanned air vehicle (UAV) flying near Vancouver International Airport and Vancouver Harbour.
Transport Canada is very concerned about the operations of this UAV and we have been working with the RMCP to determine the operator’s identity. We are continuing to investigate the incident. We urge anyone with information on the videos to please call Transport Canada or email the Civil Aviation Issues Reporting System to report this or similar incidents.”
Yearwood said even if a jet engine ingested a drone, it probably wouldn’t cause a crash as the jet could keep flying on the other engine, but they do not want to investigate any aircraft / drone collisions.
Comments
There is a remote possibility that he might be outside the class D airspace, but a total failure of class C. He might have had a transponder...he might even have had clearance...(though I doubt it).
Beyond question is his altitude...that's definitely not 400ft AGL...
The video was professionally shot, with a proper zoom camera. At the end of the day, someone should have known better.
For the people on here thinking the this whole story is made up because "that isn't a 777"...Very observant. You're right. That isn't a 777. It is FLIGHT #777. And that is exactly how the article is worded too.,\
I love dat filming team
Chinese minidrones In Vietnam?
lol
It poor but FREE country.
Regarding a pilot's ability to see a UAV I would say it depends on how close it is. Pilots eyes are adapted to spot objects in the sky and I can say from experience if a hawk or seagull gets close to a small aircraft I am in, it certainly has my attention.
Craig Doyle 2 hours ago
Very good postmastaring
Very stupid histeria - half year ago vietnamese tourist make beautyfull footage of vancoover area w dronecam. That's all.
Craig, yeah, I originally thought this was a high performance system like a Sony BOSS handicam on a 3-axis gimbal. But on further review, it's probably just a GoPro with some pretty good post-stabilization and digital zoom.
I totally agree! It is way irresponsible to fly near airports or endangering air traffic!
What I was trying to say is that statement "Air Canada 777 observed a small helicopter.." is way off. Airline pilots have very limited ability to observe on final. That's the reason airports spend millions on controlling birds around them.
Do not believe everything you read. There is no way of telling how the footage was made. Google should release the original video - there maybe a metadata left.
If footage was made by irresponsible RC pilot - he/she should face the consequences as well as if the whole thing was made for political reasons by UAV opposition.
Footage seems to be produced by stabilized platform we see on news helicopters. If that's the case - then the whole story changes and B-777 pilot's statement goes straight to the toilet.
And, YES! It does matter! Who, where, when and why! Until we know all the details it is too early to draw any conclusions and blame anybody. Who says it was some RC helicopter flying near approach?
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next