RICHMOND — Aircraft pilots say they now have one more thing to worry about as they fly in and out of Vancouver’s busy international airport.
With more than a million drones expected to be sold across North America during Christmas, concern is being raised that accidents will happen if people continue to fly the small unmanned aircraft in and around flight paths at the airport.
“Flying any drone around an airport is unsafe,” said Dylan Thomas, the chief pilot at London Air Services, which operates out of the south terminal at YVR.
“There are a variety of drones flying these days and they can pose a risk to aircraft. The thought of being distracted or having a collision with a drone is terrifying.”
In the last few years, the popularity of drones has gone through the roof.
Vancouver airport officials announced Tuesday that they are starting a campaign to warn drone users of the risks when they fly near an airport. Signs have gone up at parking lots and places where people watch the airplanes warning that it’s a no-drone zone.
Anyone operating a drone is being warned to keep at least nine kilometres away from the airport.
“Drones are not simply toys. They are aircraft and need to be operated safely,“ said Transport Canada’s Shari Currie. Anyone caught flying too close to an airport could face a fine of up to $25,000 and a year in jail. But she admits tracking those responsible can be difficult. “I think the big challenge we face in enforcement is having the correct information to find the pilot.”
Richmond RCMP Cpl. Dennis Hwang agreed. “We have seen cases where the operator can be a great distance away,” he said.
Besides human error, the drones can be blown off course due to high winds, Hwang said. “There have been some incidents where they have crashed into people,” he said.
Steve Hankinson, a vice-president with the Vancouver Airport Authority, said people will be getting drones for Christmas and need to be aware of the risks associated with their use near an airport.
“We are excited to watch how this new technology is evolving, but we want to make sure it is used responsibly,” he said. “There are lots of benefits of drones, but as the world embraces this new technology, we want to remind people to never fly a drone near any airport and flight path.”
Declan Sweeney of Unmanned Systems Canada said commercial users of drones have a clear set of rules from Transport Canada, while the hobby flyer can buy a drone and use it right away without any training. “Take a local drone course,” he said. “And parents buying one, make sure your kids are prepared. Do they understand responsible use?”
In the U.S, the Federal Aviation Administration has recorded more than 700 close calls this year in which a drone has flown into a plane’s air space. Transport Canada reported more than 44 such incidents in 2014.
