麻豆约拍

Small flying objects zooming up alongside passenger jets used to be the realm of sci-fi films. Not any longer; drones are an increasingly common sight these days, and can be bought off the shelf. But there's mounting concern about the danger they pose. Airline pilots are calling for tougher restrictions on the unmanned craft after one reportedly hit a plane as it approached Heathrow airport near London on Sunday evening. 132 people were on the British Airways flight from Geneva, which landed safely. In Britain flying a drone near an airport can already be punished with up to five years in prison, and there are tight restrictions on how high they should fly elsewhere. But should the rules be even tougher, given the potential risks? Stephen Landells is a flight safety specialst with the Britiish Airline Pilots Association. He told Susannah Streeter what the potential impact would be of a drone crashing into a plane. But Keven Gambold, chief executive of the drone consultancy Unmanned Experts said he thinks fears about safety are overblown.

(Picture: A drone in flight. Picture credit: PA.)