Drone flies too close to plane landing at Vancouver Airport, investigation underway (VIDEO)
Transport Canada and RCMP are investigating a video posted on YouTube that shows a quadcopter unmanned aircraft flying close to a commercial aircraft that was landing at Vancouver International Airport.
The video, posted on November 4, 2013 by user Quadrotor Dragonfly, was filmed using a camera attached onto the drone. From watching the video, the drone was at about the same altitude as the commercial jet while it was on its landing approach.
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Investigators are taking the case seriously as the small quadcopters can easily penetrate jet engines or smash into windshield. Attempts are being made to identify the operator of the drone in the video.
Regulations with the use of unmanned aircraft vehicles are already set by Transport Canada, which requires pilots to acquire permission from the federal agency before taking flight. Pilots must submit detailed flight plans as part of the application process in order to receive approval.
Small drones, such as quadcopters, are becoming increasingly popular for commercial and personal use due to their low cost. Their availability to hobbyists has given photographers and videographers a new, cheap way to take aerial shots.
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Featured Image: YouTube screencap
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