WASHINGTON (AP) — There have been at least 241 reports of close encounters between drones and manned aircraft that meet the government’s definition of a near midair collision, including 28 in which pilots maneuvered to get out of the way, according to a report released Friday.
Ninety of the close encounters involved drones and commercial jets, the majority of which had the capacity to carry 50 people or more.
Two aircraft must fly within 500 feet of each to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s definition of a near midair collision. In 51 of the incidents, the drone-to-aircraft proximity was 50 feet or less, according to the report by Bard College’s Center for the Study of the Drone in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York.
The report is based on an analysis of government records detailing 921 incidents involving drones and manned aircraft between Dec. 17, 2013, and Sept. 12, 2015. Researchers cautioned that when flying at high speeds it can be difficult for a pilot to judge the distance between themselves and another object.