After analyzing 891 drone sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration found more than half of the drones were flying too close to an airport. The reports prompted lawmakers to renew calls to tag the remote-controlled aircraft with electronic collars that would keep them away.
Senators Dianne Feinstein D-Calif., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. want "geofencing software" that works like electronic collars for pets. They would keep drones from wandering in front of passenger planes.
From April through August, the FAA reports that 248 drones came within 500 feet of a passenger plane. California had the most violations with 182, Florida had 103, New York had 89, Texas had 47, and Massachusetts had 35 violations.
Drone hobbyists should fly drones no higher than 400 feet, away from other aircraft, and at least 5 miles from an airport unless they have permission from air-traffic controllers.
Airline pilots approaching the New York-area airports, John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark, have raised alarms about collisions.
The Academy of Model Aeronautics, which represents 180,000 hobbyists, has raised questions about pilot reports to the FAA. They say birds and balloons were sometimes mistaken for drones, according to USA Today.
In spite of all the reports about drones that were flying near airports, pilots rarely reported close calls or taking evasive action, the Academy says.