I think the main problem with a drone strike is the battery. This is a dense piece that’s also relatively heavy. I something like a DJI Phantom think of a fist sized rock. I certainly would not want to hit one of those in flight.
I’d rather not try to find out. The drone looked a similar size to a large bird but with almost certainly a greater density I’d think there’s scope for some serious damage and injuries if it hit the screen. It could also potentially hit the prop first and so smaller projectiles could be scattered all over the place.
There was a pilot reported as having lost an eye in a bird strike not that long ago.
In the 80’s when I was a kid in Peru I saw a 40cc glow-engine model aircraft accidentally smash into a military helicopter that flew low over the field. The small RC plane simply disintegrated into confetti.
The helicopter ploughed along like nothing happened. It landed nearby and someone stepped out to check for damage. Then they took off again without even coming over to ask us any questions – no harm no foul apparently.
Not sure if this story helps calm your nerves or makes them worse!
I went on the CAA website to report an airprox and was redirected to airproxboard.org.uk and filled the appropriate information. In the text I have added the following:
The main purpose of this report is to bring to the authority’s attention that a drone was flying above 2200 feet in the area of HEN and BNN. There are notified UAS areas up to an altitude of 1300 feet, not above a height of 500 feet.
If I hear anything I’ll post it here.
UdoR wrote:
However, let’s face it, if it’s not the windshield there won’t happen a lot to the airplane in case of a hit.
The challenge is that it’s difficult to see the drone so you may not be able to avoid a collision with the propeller or the windscreen. Wing collisions have so far not resulted in fatalities (that I could find), but even seemingly small touches between aircraft (such as for instance this incident https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ef7fed915d1371000269/dft_avsafety_pdf_502371.pdf) can result in fatalities if the wing is damaged in the wrong place.
FIS has no obligation to do anything whatsoever…
dublinpilot wrote:
I’m not sure that will achieve anything. It’s your job to report it and I don’t think you can rely on busy FIS doing that for you.
It will, as the radio is recorded. If there happens anything, FIS will be in trouble explaining if they did nothing.
dublinpilot wrote:
I’m not sure that will achieve anything. It’s your job to report it and I don’t think you can rely on busy FIS doing that for you.
Yes that does it here in Germany. I do the same whenever I have a drone encounter and they tell me that they report to the police immediately to maybe be able to do something. They have a GPS position if you tell quick enough. However – we all know it. These drones (in particular bigger ones like the professional DJI Phantom) have ranges of more than 10 kilometers (and an independent GPS mode) so it’s close to impossible to find someone. It is scary when you’re less than 30 meters away. However, let’s face it, if it’s not the windshield there won’t happen a lot to the airplane in case of a hit. And there are maybe trillions of birds out there, still we’re flying relatively safe.
MichaLSA wrote:
reported every on directly to FIS when it occurred,
I’m not sure that will achieve anything. It’s your job to report it and I don’t think you can rely on busy FIS doing that for you.
I recorded 62 flight hours over Northern Europa since January, had 6 close encounters with drones the year so far, all at 3,000ft and above, reported every on directly to FIS when it occurred, never got a notice whether they did anything about it. Let’s face it – chaos is done.
