Sparked by fears of a disaster in British skies, Drones will be intentionally crashed into passenger planes as part of a radical testing program.
Ministers required the tests following a string of near misses, some in the vicinity of major airports.
The ministers have pledged more than 250,000 pounds to pay for a private study. The research would be to determine the results of drone impacting the fuselage or a window of a plane.
Pilots warn that it is only a matter of time before there an accident occurs. At one point, a close call was being reported each week.
Police launched an inquiry just this week (October 10) after two sightings of a drone being flown recklessly near Heathrow Airport.
Senior officers called the move dangerous and illegal. An extensive search, however, failed to identify the culprit.
The classified tests were ordered by the Department of Transport, together with the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Qinetiq is doing the tests, and are given free run of 5,000 square miles of regulated airspace in Snowdonia, Wales.
The decision to conduct the tests is in response to rising concerns from pilots. They stated that drones, having heavy lithium batteries, could smash through a plane’s windscreen.
The tests come as the Department of Transport plans to ultimately publish a long-awaited consultation on the future of drones.
The amount of drones in the skies has come out of control in recent years. Moreover, there is an increasing demand for their use in industry as well as photography and leisure.
Parcel delivery firms, such as Amazon and Royal Mail, are assessing their ability in easing the load on the roads.
Police and immigration officials already use drones for surveillance, delivery emergency supplies, and to monitor remote wildlife.
Ministy of Defense’s Dr. Peter Downer disclosed that the study have been given go signal at a recent meeting of leading industry figures.
More than 2 million drones are now in circulation in Britain according to the National Air Traffic Service.
Good quality models, in which several have been involved in high-profile incidents, are available for as little as 500 pounds.
Too many serious incidents
In just one six-month period, officials investigated 23 near misses between aircraft and drones. Twelve of these incidents were given the most serious rating or risk.
There were several serious incidents over the summer, including a near miss between a drone and a plane transporting 62 passengers arriving at Newquay Airport.
There was also a report of a drone flying just a hundred feet from a Boeing 757 jet while in a ‘critical phase of flight ‘ near Manchester Airport.
Rules that limit the altitude of drones to less than 400 feet (122 meters) and stay clear from aircraft and airports exist.
Aviation experts and airport owners are petitioning the government for tougher regulation and stricter penalties for those who inappropriately use the device.
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