Drone comes 'within lorry length' of aircraft leaving pilot with no time to act

A pilot came within 15 metres of colliding with a drone as it took off from Glasgow airport, according to an inquiry report.

It said there was a `high' risk of collision between the Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, which are used commercially, and the drone as it took off on September 8.

The Airprox board report said the plane and the drone were 100 feet (30 metres) apart vertically and 50 feet (15 metres) horizontally.

It said as the pilot took off, he `noticed a small black object moving towards the aircraft'.

The report added: `As it got closer he could see it was a drone; it was black and had an object or device attached below.

`In the space of about three seconds they had narrowly missed it, there was no time to take avoiding action.'

`The drone was being flown in the vicinity of an airfield departure lane such that it was endangering other aircraft at that location and altitude.'

The near-miss bears similarities with an incident at Edinburgh Airport in May when a pilot was forced to take evasive action after a drone came within 20 metres of his aircraft.

The maximum length of an articulated lorry normally allowed on UK roads is 16.5 metres.

In November it was announced that drone users will be required to register and sit safety awareness tests as part of a Government clampdown on rogue operators.

Police will be given greater powers to prevent unsafe or criminal use of the machines while new technology could be used to create no-fly zones for drones.