Could Drones Pose A Threat To Aeroplanes?

[TuT]

Flightradar24 is 5 to 15 minutes delayed and a lot of GA traffic is not on it. Unless you are in possession of your own primary radar, you simply do not know what air traffic is operating nearby.

I use Flight Radar 24 ( the paid version) on my phone and can tell you the data is not delayed. It even has an Augmented Reality mode where I can point my camera at a plane in the sky and it will tell me which flight it is. I can also watch it going past on the map. No delay here that's for sure.

 

[IflyinWY]

As far as jet engine testing goes, I have a question.
How much metal is in the chickens which are fired into the engines?

As far as watching your phone or whatever to know if there is traffic.
I wonder if the radar is going to be able to see a Piper Cub.

You guys are killing me.
Yes, your drone is a threat to airplanes, aeroplanes, helicopters and anything else it runs into.

To even ask the question, is absurd, unless the purpose is to inform the ignorant.

 

[ianwood]

I use Flight Radar 24 ( the paid version) on my phone and can tell you the data is not delayed. It even has an Augmented Reality mode where I can point my camera at a plane in the sky and it will tell me which flight it is. I can also watch it going past on the map. No delay here that's for sure.

Your mileage will vary. Bottom line, flightradar24.com is not intended to be used in the capacity of avoiding air traffic. Using it as such is a false sense of security.

 

[Turbazz]

I think it's a good thing! A lithium explosion, Will make the jet go faster

Only joking it's really dangerous i think, The small explosion can cause a fire and bring hundreds of people down! Just don't fly high!

 

[TuT]

I personally don't think a jet would be in any danger.

Small planes and especially helicopter rotor blades could be at risk though. A quadcopter in the tail - rotor... Ouch!

 

[johnp44]

Flightradar24 is 5 to 15 minutes delayed and a lot of GA traffic is not on it. Unless you are in possession of your own primary radar, you simply do not know what air traffic is operating nearby.

It is delayed for many carriers but only delayed 5 mins for most. Better than nothing!
Some are very close to real time.

 

[johnp44]

Wow. Seems I touched a nerve. Ok lets dig in shall we?
I don't know where you are but I've lived in serveral places where I was way more than 15nm from a major airport and I had lots of helicopters in the vicinity at low altitude daily. Just because you don't have them where you are doesn't mean they don't exist.

Now this.

You asked a question and I answered it in a truthful and valid way. Nothing in what I wrote suggests I think your intelligence is in question of that I think you should feel guilty about anything. If you choose to take it that way, it says far more about you than it does about me IMO.

I am FAA licensed, FCC licensed and have passed every possible background and safety check the government has. I have been thoroughly trained in Avionics and also hold an A/P license. I worked on CFM's, JT8 and other smaller Jet turbines. I have been trained in every aspect of safety while working on, taxing and performing jet engine maintenance. My company and the government trusts me to make sane and proper decisions while working on and around their aircraft that cost over 80 million dollars. I am pretty sure I have a good idea on what is safe and not safe, I really don't want nor need to be preached to as if I just fell off the banana wagon. I take it as an insult to my intelligence. What does that tell you about me?

Oh BTW, I also have taken flight training lessons and have almost enough instructed time to get a private pilots license but I lost interest and quit. I have flow some hours in muti and many more in single engine private planes. A Phantom would hardly make a dent in any of them. As for a CFM jet engine, it would nick the blade edges some but most likely by the time those titanium razor blades chewed that phantom up, the engine would never know that piece of plastic even went through it. But I do agree, better not to try and find out.

You completely missed my point, didn't you? So yes, lets DIG IN DEEPER.

 

[johan]

I personally don't think a jet would be in any danger.

Small planes and especially helicopter rotor blades could be at risk though. A quadcopter in the tail - rotor... Ouch!

I agree with the small aircraft and helicopter comments, but I disagree on jets. I think its more accurate to say that jets and large transport category aircraft are less likely to suffer a catastrophic event as a result of an encounter with a small UAV. But less likely isn't the same not being in any danger.

Take a phantom to the leading edge of a wing or tail surface and yeah, probably wouldn't even leave much of a dent. But a phantom size UAV could most definitely take a large turbine engine offline if it goes through the intake fan. Depending on circumstances, it could set up an engine failure scenario that ends with the engine departing the aircraft.

And while transport category aircraft are designed to continue flying and land safely in such scenarios, you would still be exposing all onboard to an additional level of risk which they didn't sign up for and which they don't deserve. And of course it goes without saying that if your drone sucks through the fan blades and causes a failure which has the engine departing the aircraft, well that engine then has to hit the ground somewhere. Again, its a risk exposure (however unlikely that may be) that no one signed up for and that no one deserves. My opinions only.

 

[johan]

I am FAA licensed, FCC licensed and have passed every possible background and safety check the government has. I have been thoroughly trained in Avionics and also hold an A/P license. I worked on CFM's, JT8 and other smaller Jet turbines. I have been trained in every aspect of safety while working on, taxing and performing jet engine maintenance. My company and the government trusts me to make sane and proper decisions while working on and around their aircraft that cost over 80 million dollars. I am pretty sure I have a good idea on what is safe and not safe, I really don't want nor need to be preached to as if I just fell off the banana wagon. I take it as an insult to my intelligence. What does that tell you about me?

It tells me you get your feelings hurt easily I guess. I don't really want to turn this into a resume **** fight so I won't. Suffice it to say I've got aviation credentials too along with the logbooks and W2's to prove it.

 

[johnp44]

It tells me you get your feelings hurt easily I guess. I don't really want to turn this into a resume **** fight so I won't. Suffice it to say I've got aviation credentials too along with the logbooks and W2's to prove it.

What a coincidence, I have all the same documents. So what?
I have seen what a cell phone, flashlight and other sizable objects can do to a fan jet. In the case of the cell phone it only required the blades be redressed and bore scope inspection performed. The flashlight required some blades be replaced (believe it or not, titanium can bend) and bore scope inspection. Fan jets can ingest anything and everything, much of which not even leaving a trace that it happened.

I understand that some junk yards are actually using some type of turbine to grind up metal.
In our community a recycling company is using one to grind up recyclables. However, It makes so much noise they are being required to cease operating it at night.

Just to comfort you, I thought I might give you some of my statistics regarding accidents while flying my R/C craft.

1. Fixed wing aircraft struck by my R/C aircraft, heli's or quads = 0
2. Rotor wing aircraft struck by same = 0
3. People struck by same = 0
4. Buildings struck by same = 0 (But I did come in controlled close proximity of our home when
using a quad to blow out the leaves in our rain gutters).
5. Animals struck by same = 0 (not even a little birdie)
But I confess, I have had some insect splatter on the props and top of the quad.
6. Close encounters with other aircraft of any type = 0
7. Close encounters with people, animals, buildings, etc = 0
8. Water craft stuck by same = 0

Pretty lucky, huh...

In conclusion, I believe one would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to cause harm to any other
persons or aircraft if they use common sense.

This is now boring me so I will let you have the last word....

Cheers

 

[johan]

In conclusion, I believe one would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to cause harm to any other
persons or aircraft if th use common sense.

And what if they don't use common sense? Common sense is not all that common and the majority of the FAR's are because of that fact.

There was a time when the FAR's said nothing about the blood alcohol level of pilots. Now they do. Why is that? Because some jackwagon with more money than brains got himself all liquored up and then went flying and people died as a result. If everyone was smart enough and professional enough to keep themselves safe all the time, the FAR's would 5 pages long. Instead they're the size of a boat anchor because far too many people are idiots.

Surely you're not suggesting that because you yourself are responsible and careful that means everyone else will also do the same at all times. Or are you? It seems like you are but I'm reluctant to ask because you get all uppity about your intelligence being insulted.

 

[Bryan Walker]

This article seems interesting and informative...