Why are drones making headlines now? On Sunday, a British Airways flight was hit by what is believed to be a drone as it came in to land at Heathrow Airport.
Was anyone hurt? No. And the plane was undamaged. "Our aircraft landed safely, was fully examined by our engineers and it was cleared to operate its next flight," a BA spokesman said.
So, much ado about nothing, then? Yes and no. While nothing happened on this occasion, there is growing concern across the aviation industry that a massive proliferation of drones will eventually cause a catastrophic incident. "Frankly, it was only a matter of time before we had a drone strike given the huge numbers being flown around by amateurs who don't understand the risks and the rules," said Steve Landells, a flight safety specialist at the British Airline Pilots' Association.
He added that while “most drones are flown safely, sensibly and within the limits of the law, much more education of drone users and enforcement of the rules is needed to ensure our skies remain safe from this threat.”
Was it an isolated incident? Not remotely. A report published in the UK last month found there were 23 near-misses between drones and aircraft in the six months between April and October last year, including two at Heathrow.
Okay, so what's a drone again? It is an unmanned aircraft and is put in the same category as a model airplane, although most drones can do a whole lot more than the humble planes of days gone by.
More? Many drones can be used out of the box by a novice and can take incredible aerial pictures and videos. This has clearly identifiable commercial value. There is also a huge amount of time, effort and money being pumped into drone technology, with the holy grail being the development of drones which can deliver goods to homes and businesses all over the world.
How much does a drone cost? They can be bought for as little as €35 while the advanced models will sell for anywhere between €1,000 and €2,000.
And how many Irish people have such devices? There are around 5,000 registered drones. What rules govern the use of drones? The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) and Rockets Order 2015 regulates the use of drones outdoors in Ireland. Under the rules, operating a drone is forbidden if it will be a hazard to another aircraft in flight or if its flight path is over an "assembly of people". Drones can not be flown farther than 300 metres from the person operating the drone or within 120 metres of any person, vessel or structure not under the control of the person operating the drone. It is also against the rules to fly a drone closer than 5km from an aerodrome or "in a negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger life or property of other". They can not fly more than 120 metres above ground level or in urban areas or in controlled airspace.
Do I need permission from authorities to fly a drone? No, provided you adhere to the rules outlined above. If you wish to fly your drone outside those limits you must apply for permission from the Irish Aviation Authority. And if you want to be granted a "specific operating permission", you must attend a drone safety training course.
Is there a minimum age for operating a drone? There is no minimum age for operating a drone in aviation regulation, but the IAA advises that age guidelines indicated by drone manufacturers are followed.
Do I need to register my drone with the IAA? If a drone weights more than 1kg it must be registered with the IAA. The weight includes the weight of the battery and all attached equipment. You can register your drone via iaa.ie/drones.
Could drones be used by terrorists? The simple answer is yes. Last year the US Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about the possibility of attacks being carried out with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). "The rising trend in UAS incidents within the National Airspace System will continue, as UAS gain wider appeal with recreational users and commercial applications," says an intelligence assessment. "Adversaries could use UAS to advance terrorist and criminal activities . . . unmanned aircraft systems present detection and disruption challenges," it added. It also emphasised that "potential security vulnerabilities" which could be exploited by using UAS were underestimated. Experts have also said that drones would be capable of carrying chemical weapons and guns.
What can be done? Police in the Netherlands have aligned themselves with Guard From Above, a security firm based in Denmark which uses birds of prey to snatch wayward drones out of the sky. In Japan, drones using nets have been developed, while a team of British journalists have developed a "death ray" for drones that can disable them in flight.
And is privacy a concern? It absolutely is. People using drones to spy on others or invade their space are likely to face stiff penalties under both existing legislation and more serious tailored laws which are coming down the tracks.
