The likelihood of encounters between small (2 kg [4 lb] or less) drones and other air traffic is increasing as the number of small drones increases, but the potential risk to passengers and crew should a drone and a manned aircraft collide depends on a number of factors, including the size and design of the manned aircraft and the speed at which the vehicles are travelling, according to a new U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) report titled “Drone Safety Risk: An Assessment.”
“CAA’s review of existing risk evidence indicates that drones do pose a potential safety risk to other airspace users, though commercial aircraft are designed and manufactured to high standards,” said the report, which was published in January. “Light aircraft and helicopters are designed and built to different requirements, and therefore, the consequences of a small drone colliding with these forms of aircraft may be different from larger commercial aircraft. Further research is required by aircra…
