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
footage looks very clean and professional (stable and smooth pan and zoom) for a UAV hack
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?
I wonder what you would say as a passenger if the copter took out an engine "it's ok we did not see the unfortunate multicopter, never mind" I think my words would not be suitable for this site!
Another story from the 2013 in Beltzville, PA. We are flying duo Grob and below us working Discuss (single seater) about 3500' of altitude. We are directly above the airfield.
Passing traffic single engine did not see Discus in-time and had to take real hard evasive maneuver to avoid head-on collision. I am sure the power pilot was aware of glider operation in the area. I almost had it on video.
It is impossible to see a quad in the air from B-777 period.
It looks like A-320 on a video, definitely not a B-777.
A pilot observed a small R/C helicopter? I'll tell you a small story. On a clear flying day (I flew gliders back then) an An-2 (much bigger than RC plane) requested a fly-by the airport legally declaring the direction, position and altitude to the controller. I was flying in the area and only after a minute of scanning the area I have noticed An-2 aircraft 2000 feet away 1000 ft lower. I knew where to search for it. It is not an easy task to spot the aircraft in the air.
I would doubt a B-777 pilot, busy with landing procedures noticed an RC quad or similar. Something's smells really fishy here.
Just out of interest, I had a quick go at estimating his altitude. If you estimate the aircraft's position when it crosses the horizon, I would estimate it that to be slightly east of the Oak Street Bridge, which is around 11500' away from the 26R touchdown point. On a 3° glideslope that the aircraft was presumably using, this puts him at 11500*sine(3°) = ~600' AGL
Naughty boy, indeed!
I don't get it?
sorry guys...not a 777...
Another swing & a miss from the Canadian movie industry.
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