The ATSB has been unable to identify an object, believed to be a drone, that passed very close to a Skippers Aviation 50 seat Dash 8-300 turbo-prop just above military airspace near Perth in March. This is its necessarily brief report into what it ranks as a ‘serious incident’. On 19 March 2014, at about […]

The ATSB has been unable to identify an object, believed to be a drone, that passed very close to a Skippers Aviation 50 seat Dash 8-300 turbo-prop just above military airspace near Perth in March.

This is its necessarily brief report into what it ranks as a ‘serious incident’.

On 19 March 2014, at about 0913 Western Standard Time (WST), a De Havilland DHC-8, registered VH-XFX, was on approach to Perth Airport from Kambalda, Western Australia. When about 23 km north-northeast of Perth, at about 3,800 ft above mean sea level (AMSL), the crew sighted a bright strobe light directly in front of the aircraft.

The light appeared to track towards the aircraft and the crew realised that the light was on an unknown object, possibly an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The pilot took evasive action turning towards the west to avoid a collision with the object. The object passed about 20 m horizontally and 100 ft vertically from the aircraft.

The pilot reported that the object was cylindrical in shape and grey in colour. It was at about 3,700 ft AMSL and in controlled airspace. The crew did not receive a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) alert. The airspace below 3,500 ft AMSL was military restricted airspace.

The ATSB was advised that the Australian Defence Force was not operating UAVs and was not aware of any UAV operations in the area at the time of the incident. The ATSB was not able to confirm the details of the object or identify any UAV operator in the area at that time.

UAVs are increasingly available to recreational operators and their operation outside of the regulations may pose a significant risk to aviation safety.

The first point that leaps off the page is the altitude of the encounter. This is much higher that many of the increasingly popular and inexpensive personal drones are said to fly.

It is also unusual in that it was emitting bright strobe lighting, which isn’t something seen at the popular, or what some term, the invasive and nuisance end of the market.

This suggests a somewhat heavier and more capable drone, definitely not one operating as a stealthy object, yet one sufficiently sophisticated to be flown with great accuracy, and costing more than small change.

In short, the operator of this object should have been very aware of where it was, and to have deliberately flown it into controlled civilian airspace, above military airspace, something that ought to be of real concern to defence as well as aircraft operators and AirServices Australia.

Nor is it suggested they are unconcerned. The public, courtesy of the ATSB, has been given reason to share in any such concerns.

The object seems to have been well above the 2kg weight line below which CASA is proposing that it not regulate drones.

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