Drone operators not always rule aware

By Gillian Slade on August 3, 2018.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com  @MHNGillianSlade

A WestJet flight approaching the Edmonton airport encountered a drone the size of a pallet at an altitude of about 1,200 metres, it has been reported.

Police are investigating.

In Medicine Hat, Insp. Joe West says police have responded to 20 calls about drones in the past 18 months.

“They are usually very minor in nature. Somebody is flying a drone annoying a neighbour and so forth,” said West.

If police are able to find the drone operator, they generally have to inform them of the rules that apply, he said. They are easy to buy and fly recreationally, and operators are not always completely familiar with the rules.

A small Skyjet plane with eight people on board was struck by a drone as it approached the Jean Lesage airport near Quebec City in October 2017. The aircraft was able to land safely.

At the time it was reported to be the first recorded incident of a drone hitting a commercial aircraft in Canada.

There are not often issues with drones at Medicine Hat’s airport. Those flying commercially typically follow the rules, said a source at the airport. In one case someone thought it was acceptable to fly a drone near the airport simply because he was not doing so within its fenced boundaries.

Transport Canada reported there had been 1,596 drone incidents in 2017, and of those, 131 were considered to be of aviation safety concern.

Anyone operating a drone for work or research purposes, and/or if it weighs more than 35 kilograms, needs a special flight operations certificate from Transport Canada.

Special permission is not required for flying a drone weighing fewer than 35 kg.

However, there are some rules applying to recreational flying. The flying height of the drone must be lower than 90 metres(about 300 feet), at least 5.6 kilometres from the airport, and at least 1.9 kilometres away from a heliport, such as the one atop the new wing at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

If your drone weighs less than a kilogram you must also be at least 30 metres from vehicles, vessels and the public, according to Transport Canada’s website. Drones up to 35 kg must be at least 76 metres from vehicles and the public.

Flying in prohibited areas could result in a fine up to $3,000. The fine can be as high as $25,000 for flying without a permit. If you endanger the safety of others or put an aircraft at risk, there could be jail time and a fine of up to $25,000.

Investigators looking into the WestJet situation in Edmonton this week say the pilot believed the drone was about the size of a pallet, but it is unclear at this stage how close the drone was to the aircraft.

It is also unclear whether the crew was forced to make any moves to avoid hitting it. The aircraft landed safely and Navigation Canada contacted police, who continue to look for the drone operator.

— with files from Canadian Press

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