Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety

  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Mission
    • History
    • Work with Us
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Awards
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • GSIP Toolkits
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Podcasts
    • Special Reports
    • Unreliable Airspeed
  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Mission
    • History
    • Work with Us
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Awards
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • GSIP Toolkits
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Podcasts
    • Special Reports
    • Unreliable Airspeed
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety
Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN

FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

  • Front Page
  • Industry Updates
  • Study: Two-Thirds of Manned Aircraft Pilots Failed to Spot Nearby Drones

News, Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Study: Two-Thirds of Manned Aircraft Pilots Failed to Spot Nearby Drones

by FSF Editorial Staff | October 30, 2019

Most pilots preparing to land their airplanes as part of a small study were unable to see small drones approaching their airspace, and virtually all of the pilots were unable to detect stationary drones, researchers said in a report released today.

In 28 of 40 cases, the pilots did not detect “a common type of quadcopter” — a DJI Phantom IV — as it neared their approach path, researchers from Oklahoma State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University said. Their findings were published in the International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics and Aerospace and in a summary from Embry-Riddle.

When the drone was motionless, it was spotted in only three of 22 cases, the report said.

The distances from which drones were detected ranged from 213 to 2,324 ft (65 to 709 m).

Ryan J. Wallace, an assistant professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle, said the findings are examples of an increasing threat to aviation safety.

“Dangerous close encounters between aircraft and drones are becoming an increasingly common problem,” Wallace said. “Statistics on pilot sightings of drones continue to increase year over year, and what is being reported by pilots is probably just the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of the time, unmanned aircraft are not being seen by pilots.”

Matt Vance, an assistant professor of aviation and space at Oklahoma State, said that, in a best-case scenario, if a pilot saw the drone from the study’s maximum detection range of 2,342 ft, he or she would have about 21 seconds to avoid a collision.

“That might be enough time if the drone was hovering in one spot, but not nearly enough it it’s in flight, headed for the aircraft,” Vance said.

The pilots who participated in the study were selected from a college flight-training program, and their flights were conducted in a Cessna 172S. The Cessna pilots were told that they might or might not encounter a drone during their flights.

 

Share:

Print:

Key Safety Issues

  • Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)
  • Loss of Control–In Flight (LOC-I)
  • Mechanical Issues
  • Runway Safety (approach and landing)
  • Sabotage/Intentional Acts
  • Midair Collisions (MAC)
  • Runway Safety (Conflicts)
  • Wildlife Issues
  • Fatigue
  • Cabin Safety
  • Emerging Safety Issues
    • Lithium Batteries
    • Safety Information Sharing and Protection
    • Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Related Content

News, Unmanned Aircraft

Out-of-Control Drone

Three people at a French music festival were injured when a drone dove into the crowd, the BEA says.

by Linda Werfelman

Aviation Medicine, Cabin Safety, News, Unmanned Aircraft

Safety News in Brief

The FAA reports a decline in the rate of incidents involving unruly passengers.

by FSF Editorial Staff

News, Unmanned Aircraft, urban air mobility

The Future Evolution of Drone Safety Systems

A Foundation report on the humanitarian uses of drones highlights future information needs for drone safety management.

by FSF Editorial Staff

Read more articles

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

Flight Safety Foundation on Twitter

The close encounter of an #EMS #helicopter and a Piper Seminole prompted the ATSB to encourage pilots to be more at… https://t.co/9TkW2TAtE4

June 23, 2022

Follow @flightsafety

Projects & Partners

  • Basic Aviation Risk Standard
  • Global Safety Information Project
  • SKYbrary
  • Aviation Safety Network
  • Donate
  • Advertise on our website
  • Sponsor & Exhibit at our Events
  • Work with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Privacy

© 2022 Flight Safety Foundation

Join our group on LinkedIn