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MUMBAI: The pilot of a GoAir aircraft , approaching to land at Mumbai airport on Saturday morning, spotted a drone flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The white drone reportedly had four rotors and was flying at a horizontal distance of about two kilometres from the aircraft.

While there have been at least three sightings of flying objects in the past two years by pilots and airport ground staff, it’s the first time that an object has been spotted at such a height.

The incident took place when the A-320 aircraft operating flight G8-141 from Nagpur was on a descent to land in Mumbai airport. “The pilot was surprised to see the drone with rotors flying at such a height,” said a source. A GoAir spokesperson confirmed the sighting and added the airline informed the air traffic control (ATC) about the “flying object”.

The airline hasn’t filed a police complaint. The Mumbai ATC couldn’t be reached for a comment. O P Singh, director-general, CISF said: “We have been informed by the ATC and requested other stake holders to investigate.”

Though drone flying is banned in India, the prohibition is rarely enforced. Drones are widely used for photography during weddings and other events. Last April, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global airline body, revealed aviation safety authorities worldwide had reported a significant number of near-collisions with unmanned objects. IATA said hazards involving manned and unmanned aircraft operating together in the same airspace require education of the drone operators.

The Indian aviation regulatory body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had called for a ban on drones till relevant rules were put in place. Last year, it released draft guidelines that dictated all unmanned aircraft intended to be operated in India will require a ‘unique identification number’ issued by the DGCA . It also mandated ground training for remote pilots, who should be not less than 18 years of age. “Irrespective of weight category, the unmanned aircraft systems operator shall intimate local administration, air traffic service unit, airport operator and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security before commencement and after termination of operation. In the event of cancellation of operations, the operator shall notify the same to all appropriate authorities as soon as possible,” the draft said.

