Drones Over Massachusetts: New Numbers Show Sightings on the Rise

Boston, MA - On New Year's Day, a JetBlue pilot making the final approach to Boston's Logan International Airport spotted what's becoming a more common sight -- a white object with flashing strobe lights hovering 700 feet off the ground. It wasn't unlike the 24-inch, red and black "quad-copter" another pilot spotted flying 500 feet below his aircraft outside Boston last fall, or a contraption that sailed just 200 feet below a pilot approaching the Norwood Memorial Airport in October.

The Federal Aviation Administration has received more reports of drone sightings nationwide in the past six months than in the previous nine months combined, newly released numbers show. In Massachusetts, too, sightings appear to be climbing. As those numbers rise, so do officials' worries.

Since the FAA started collecting data in November 2014, pilots, air traffic controllers and citizens have reported 41 drone sightings near airports in Massachusetts, from Boston's busy Logan airport, to hubs in Norwood and Beverly.

That's considered restricted airspace, and the uptick in reported sightings has officials on alert.

The FAA prohibits drones and model airplanes from flying higher than 400 feet or within five miles of an airport.

Nationally, the administration has collected more than 1,300 reports of possible drone sightings in those unauthorized areas. From November 2014 through July 2015, the agency reported 649 sightings. In the six months that followed, August 2015 through January 2016, that number was 697.

In Massachusetts, those first nine months of FAA data detail 24 drone sightings. The next six months saw 17. Based on 2015 numbers, drone spottings will keep climbing as New England weather gets warmer.

As those sightings rise, so do cases of pilots deviating from their routes to avoid drone collisions. The FAA numbers, updated March 25 to include reports from August through January, cite multiple close calls between planes and drones. The FAA calls them UAS's, or unmanned aircraft systems.

In the vast majority of the reports, no evasive action was required. None of the Massachusetts pilots reported changing course to avoid collisions. But as more and more drones populate U.S. airways, officials are urging operators to register their UAS and to be aware of no-fly zones.

In Massachusetts, state troopers are the first to address many of the reported sightings. If a drone is reported flying in restricted airspace or appears to pose a public safety risk, state troopers will respond to the scene.

Speaking on behalf of the Massachusetts Police Department, State Trooper Paul Sullivan said officers will ask for a permit and identification, and call on operators to stop the illegal flight. Most people comply, Sullivan said. If they do not, troopers may arrest the drone operator for disorderly conduct.

"Most people (flying drones near airports) don't have nefarious intent," Sullivan said. "They just got a new toy, and they want to take it out and play. They don't know the rules."

In a press release, the FAA said it "wants to send a clear message that operating drones around airplanes and helicopters is dangerous and illegal." Unauthorized operators are subject to fines and possible criminal charges, including jail time.

The agency offers an app with information on where drones can fly safely. Its drone registry is also available online, meant to identify owners and educate amateur operators. Registration is $5 and must be renewed every three years.

>> Photo credit rawdonfox, Richard Unten via Flickr/Creative Commons