Drone Pilots Warned After Near Miss With Jet

Collisions between drones and planes are becoming "increasingly likely" and could have "extremely serious consequences", the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has warned.

It comes after a series of near misses between unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and passenger jets between May 2014 and March this year.

In July 2014, an Airbus A320 coming into land at Heathrow nearly hit a drone. The pilot of the Airbus said the small remote-controlled helicopter passed 20ft above the plane’s wing.

A subsequent investigation gave the near miss an "A" rating - which means there was "a serious risk of collision". The investigators were not able to identify the pilot of the drone.

The CAA is warning drone operators not to fly close to other aircraft.

Anyone flying a drone must keep it within their line of sight at all times and should keep it 150 metres away from a congested area, and 50 metres away from people, vehicles and structures not under the pilot's control.

Tim Johnson, CAA's director of policy, said: "Drone users must understand that when taking to the skies they are entering one of the busiest areas of airspace in the world - a complex system that brings together all manner of aircraft including passenger aeroplanes, military jets, helicopters, gliders, light aircraft and now drones.

"When doing so, they must be aware of the rules and regulations for flying drones that are designed to keep all air users safe."

Drones have become increasingly popular.

According to US venture capital firm KPCB, consumer demand for UAVs will surge 167% this year, to 4.3 million units sold worldwide, totalling $1.7bn (£1.1bn).