1st Aircraft Drone Strike in Canada?

[jwmcgrath]

I'm not familiar with CAA rules, but the FAA no longer requires hobbyist drones to be registered.

There is no requirement for registration... The current requirement by Transport Canada is for your name and address to be on the aircraft. (In unrelated news, Sharpie sales have skyrocketed [emoji6] )

That’s part of the interim order too though and not yet actual legislation. There is push-back on the address part, so we’ll see what comes of it when this all becomes law next year.

I have my info on mine simply for the “Reward for Return” part.

It could also be a home made drone and not have any information on the craft that could lead back to the owner or operator.

And that’s the part that no one will ever stop from happening.

I find it interesting when I see that DJI imposes deeper and broader restrictions because depending on the vast range of legislation you’re flying under, it becomes blatantly clear to me that they aren’t trying to do any more than protect THEMSELVES... they just don’t want it to be a DJI drone that was involved and want to prove they did everything they could to prevent it.

Not a bad idea from a safety perspective, but to me it’s the equivalent of restricting cars to speed limits in all circumstances. Again, merit to the idea, but...

That may not be the most sound business decision in the longer run. They have a very solid product right now, but it may not always be the case that they are the only player.

I had a Walkman when I was younger too.

 

[Darren Roach]

I agree, example, we mostly all have cars that can break the speed limits if we choose to but that's just it. Our actions define who we are and are responsibility's to others, imposing the will of one onto others can only go one way in the end.
The more restrictions put on these machines then, "I think the more harm they will do to themselves in the end". Time will tell. The bottom line is, it's not the machine that's at fault, it's the person in control.

 

[DroneTurismo]

We are lucky right now to have drones which allow a person to fly 5 miles away and 2 miles high etc. We all should fly in legal limits but most of you reading this dont always do so. We also have very few rules for drones compared to other things. We will eventually be regulated to a 100 x 100 square if you let it happen. Theyll go after the drone manufacturer to impose regulations upon regulations. Youll be 100ft off the ground. Hack if you dare but the average person will have no option to get around all of the secure programming the govt forces drone companies to impose on their products.

If you dont read any of that read this. Dont complain one bit about any single new law or registration imposed on us if you dont at least write letters, make calls, get out and take part in organized events to defend drone owners when shtf. Just siging some internet poll or petition wont cut it. Were at a disadvantage to public opinion whether we know better then they do and its going to be time to stand up very soon.

 

[jwmcgrath]

The Transport Minister isn’t replying to my tweet! But he tweeted about other things... I’m so hurt...

(Said in my best “jaded 14yr old” playground voice)

 

[Hammer]

Ya I was pretty upset but not surprised when I saw the front page of the national post saying a drone has struck an aircraft in Quebec . What a moron flying at that altitude

 

[Meta4]

Finally tracked down something official:
Aviation Investigation A17Q0162 - Transportation Safety Board

 

[Hammer]

...currently, under an interim order. More formal legislation is expected to pass next year.

Doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense that we are restricted to 100’ lower than the US.

From what I have heard from our transport Canada inspector in regards to commercial operations was the sfoc is going away. From what it sounded like was they want to implement some type of licensing to pilots rec and commercial. Essentially if you are properly insured and follow the rules then you are good to go, granted you still need tower approval in restricted airspace. The other crazy thing that they said was they were going to allow you to fly over crowd , roads and buildings as long as you stay above a certain height and below a certain speed. Also marking and identifying your drone

I was quite surprised to hear that it seemed like they were finally loosening the crazy restrictions we already have. Let’s hope a bad apple like this idiot doesn’t make them change their minds.

 

[jwmcgrath]

Finally tracked down something official:
Aviation Investigation A17Q0162 - Transportation Safety Board

Nicely done. I'll bookmark that page.

 

[Erised]

First there was the P1 then P2 then P3 then P4 and now the all new P something, and it only made a few minor scratches. So the moral of their story is that if you don't really see it and it happens fast and makes a bang it's a drone, something like hitting a pot hole, my towns streets are full of drones. How about they make a law to have dash (wing) cams in planes in order to prove the story. I am not stating it wasn't a drone it's that they don't seem to even try to prove it.

 

[FlashBuddy]

C'mon now @Erised, If the Quebec City police are investigating and the pilot thinks it was a drone and Minister of Transport Marc Garneau says a drone struck the aircraft and Roger Williams who is chairman of a Model Aeronautics Association of Canada advisory group that works with Transport Canada expresses his concern, and British researchers are looking into what damage a drone could cause, and Graeme Hamilton reports that there have been 1,596 drone incidents, and Chad Budreau, the government affairs director for the Academy of Model Aeronautics stresses the importance of following safety rules when flying drones, and Charles Goyette, the chief instructor at I/Drone Montreal flat out says drone incidents are growing every year; "You should have some kind of a license" he says. Then the very next day an Air Transat Airbus arriving from France reports seeing a drone at 3937 feet altitude - isn't that enough to convince you that it was a freakin' drone that slammed into the aircraft?!

I'm looking at the various aircraft arriving at Denver International Airport and monitoring their arrival speeds. I'm seeing speeds ranging from 175 - 450 MPH. For you "real" pilots out there, if I get my P4 up there, do you think you could see it? What speed would you recommend for the best chance of spotting my drone?

 

[jwmcgrath]

The only positive to be taken from this, is that it seems to be quelling the sensationalistic media approach of proclaiming that virtually any drone strike will most certainly result in the immediate and complete destruction of the stricken aircraft.

I fully support remedial and punitive measures taken against offending pilots, but I’m glad to know that the aircraft haven’t been as vulnerable as would have been made out to be, and I hope very much that a direct windshield or engine strike never has to happen to test the worthiness of those parts.

 

[DroneTurismo]

Im a pics or it didn't happen guy. While i believe a reasonable story with many witnesses, i also believe a bunch of people can fabricate a story to influence their agenda. Id be suspicious of a recreational pilot with a well known anti drone opinion recording him hitting one. Simply because it wouldnt be extremely hard to hit one at just the right camera angle on purpose, with an accomplice flying the drone from below.

I have seen the drone hit an airplane video so im aware and believe it happens, I'm not saying it doesn't and im not saying this to argue for more or less restrictions. I just want to know for sure there are actually that many incidents. Especially when drones are being spotted at almost 4000 feet.

 

[Meta4]

I have seen the drone hit an airplane video so im aware and believe it happens

Perhaps you can share this video because I'm not aware of and video showing a drone hitting a plane and so far the only drone/plane incident that has been confirmed involved a Blackhawk helicopter.
This incident (if confirmed) would be only the second.

If the video is of a drone hitting the wingtip of a jet, seen from inside the plane, that is a well-known fake.
If such a thing had ever happened, you would still be hearing of it.

 

[Meta4]

I'm looking at the various aircraft arriving at Denver International Airport and monitoring their arrival speeds. I'm seeing speeds ranging from 175 - 450 MPH.

Airplanes are not flying at 450 mph at altitudes where they will encounter DJI drones
Civilian airspace rules do not permit speeds above 250 knots unless the plane is above 10000 feet.
At 2000 ft jet airliners are flying at speeds between 200-240 mph. At 4000 ft they would be making 240-300 mph.

For you "real" pilots out there, if I get my P4 up there, do you think you could see it? What speed would you recommend for the best chance of spotting my drone?

At 2-300 mph a pilot's ability to see a drone-sized object will depend on a number of factors but if the object is spotted when it is ahead and at a similar altitude, it is quite possible to see and get a good view of an object.

So far, the only description of the Canadian incident is that one of the pilots "saw something at the last minute and heard a bang".
That may have been a drone, or perhaps it wasn't.
Without evidence it's not possible to be certain either way.

 

[Neon Euc]

I can see what will happen from now on.....

Dji will add a new firmware where you cant fly unless the control centre at the airport will give you permission. I really do believe that in time all drones will be linked to airports and then they can over ride your drone by forcing it to land. Gonna happen sooner or later I bet

 

[penguinmaster]

Getting caught cheating isn’t good for ANYONE.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/canada/drone-hits-commercial-aircraft-in-quebec-garneau-1.3633035

Somebody knows this guy somebody should do the right thing this isn't a prank or dumb stunt this is life threatening and catastrophic for the drone world

 

[DroneTurismo]

Then apparently ive been duped, i thought that as real

 

[ObiDon]

It's still a UFO! Unconfirmed what it actually was.

 

[DiverDan]

Yep...can't fix stupid...not even with duct tape!

But sometimes you can with gaffers' tape. First bind the wrists behind the back, then wrap the head to cover both the mouth and the nostrils. Within a couple of minutes, stupid is fixed!

 

[GadgetGuy]

Ya I was pretty upset but not surprised when I saw the front page of the national post saying a drone has struck an aircraft in Quebec . What a moron flying at that altitude

"Damage was confined to '...a few minor scratches on the left wing.' "
It was "yellow" and "40cm by 10cm".
DJI is off the hook!
...assuming it even was a drone, instead of some other type of unidentified flying/falling object!
The alarmists can relax. This only confirms that minor scratches are the most likely damage to any aircraft, and not the predicted Armageddon. It's like a mosquito hitting a car! Splat!