At first glance, it might seem that eagles, net-shooting bazookas, and “death rays” don’t have much in common. However, each has been proposed as a possible way to deal with errant drones that stray where they’re not supposed to be, including airports. The issues surrounding drones at airports re-emerged earlier this month when a drone reportedly hit an Airbus A320 approaching London’s Heathrow Airport. While it is not absolutely clear that the object that hit the plane was a drone, the incident does raise questions about how lawmakers and regulators should deal with drones buzzing around near airports.
Anti-drone “death ray” machines may sound initially like an effective way to deal with drones hampering flights. Yet, such a device would probably not have been useful in the case near Heathrow. According to the Metropolitan Police, the drone hit the plane at 1,700ft (the legal drone limit is 400ft) above Richmond Park, the largest enclosed space in London. For those unfamiliar with London’s geography, below is a map showing where Richmond Park is in relation to Heathrow Airport.
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