ERAU Study Confirms Drones Pose Risks To Aircraft

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Daytona Beach, FL - A recent study on unmanned drones confirms that they do pose risks to aircraft. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science Dr. Ryan Wallace said there were some surprising findings saying there are a lot more drones flying out of backyards than he had anticipated.

Wallace said in the course of one month in a ten-mile radius of Daytona Beach, the study found a little over 1,000 drone flights. He said while many follow the rules of where and how to fly, some people are coming very close to some aviation operations, which could cause issues.

There are a couple of concerns that come with flying drones to close to the airport, such as they are very hard to spot. Wallace said air traffic controllers can see very few of the drones. For pilots, the fear is what a pilot will do once they see a drone and what kind of reaction they have.

Wallace said that an important thing to remember is even though drones are sold as toys, they need to be respected as tools. Ultimately, Wallace said before someone flies a drone, they should educate themselves on the rules.

Authors of the study suggest that drone manufacturers should more frequently incorporate a technology called "geofencing," which creates a virtual barrier using a combination of hardware and software. They also proposed that the FAA could consider making more information on drone activity available to aircraft pilots.