A Lufthansa passenger jet almost collided with a drone near the Los Angeles International Airport on Friday afternoon.
The L.A. police and sheriff's department are now searching for the owner of the unmanned drone.
Details Of The Incident
The commercial aircraft involved is the Lufthansa A380-800 jet, which was then flying about 14 miles away from the airport. It was traveling at 5,000 feet when the drone flew 200 feet above it.
The incident happened at around 2 p.m., when the pilot was just preparing to land the aircraft.
Action Of Authorities
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately called the Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division. The local police are still in search for the one responsible for the incident. The said task has been assigned to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and police helicopters.
Lt. Robert Binder from the LAPD says the quest for the owner of the drone may have very slim chances of success.
Drone Laws
Experts in the aviation industry are particularly fearful of drones because these can cause a plane's engine to stop the moment one gets sucked in.
For this, authorities have banned drones flying higher than 400 feet for the safety and protection of aircraft passengers and the public.
In October 2015, FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker acknowledged in a statement the growing popularity of drones not just for recreational purposes, but for other functions such as infrastructure inspection and agricultural land surveys as well.
Despite the benefits of these unmanned aircraft, officials have detected possible dangers.
"We want people to enjoy this new technology - but we want to make sure they do it safely," he said.
The FAA has partnered with several firms in the industry to launch campaigns that will raise awareness and educate people about the safe and appropriate ways of using drones. Such campaigns include "Know Before You Fly" and "No Drone Zone."
