This Small Device Poses a Growing Threat to Commercial Airline Safety—What to Know

One of the biggest threats to commercial airliners is actually something small.

Drones are increasingly at risk of colliding with commercial aircraft, with 64 percent of all near midair collisions near the 30 biggest U.S. airports in 2024 caused by drones. This is partially due to the increasing number of drones in use. There are over one million registered drones in the national drone registry. 

Commercial aircraft and drones began having close calls in 2014 when drones first started to become popular. The incidents have steadily increased in frequency since. More drones in the air means more potential problematic encounters and near-misses between the drones and planes. 

“Drone operators should avoid flying near airports because it is difficult for manned aircraft to see and avoid a drone while flying,” the FAA website states. “Remember that drone operators must avoid manned aircraft and are responsible for any safety hazard their drone creates in an airport environment. For flight near airports in controlled airspace, drone operators must receive an airspace authorization prior to operation. Airspace authorizations come with altitude limitations and may include other operational provisions.”

In January 2025, the drone maker DJI decided to turn off its automatic geofencing, which prevented drones from flying into restricted airspace, and replaced it with data sets from the FAA that merely alert drone pilots when they are entering restricted spaces. Also complicating the issue is that the FAA does not have a dedicated system that can detect drones without interfering with commercial aircraft.

In March 2023, the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee released 46 recommendations that aim to help with the smooth detection of drones as well as to increase safety, but drone operators have not implemented internal safety measures that can restrict airspace around airports in the U.S. Some airlines, however, have detection systems that can alert pilots to the presence of a drone. 

It is also hard to collect accurate data about the numbers of near-collisions that occur, as the reports of interactions between drones and planes are voluntary and not automatically collated.

“Anyone flying a drone is responsible for flying within FAA guidelines and regulations,” the FAA website states. “That means it is up to you as a drone pilot to know the Rules of the Sky, and where it is and is not safe to fly.”