Drones in Restricted Airspace Cause 22-Flight Delay

June 14, 2016
A drone in the Dubai International Airport airspace shutdown operations for more than an hour, the second drone-related delay the airport has seen in 18 months.

A drone in the Dubai International Airport airspace shutdown operations for more than an hour, the second drone-related delay the airport has seen in 18 months.  

On June 12, 22 flights were diverted because of the unauthorized drone activity in the prohibited airspace of the world's busiest airport for international travel.  

"Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) operators that any and all activities are not permitted unless authorized by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas, including within five kilometers of any airport or landing area," Said Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), told 7DAYS.  

Across the pond, commercial pilots alerted Ottawa air traffic controllers of a drone flying past aircraft in restricted airspace.  

Pilots from two different flights traveling from Toronto to Ottawa, WestJet Flight 366 and Air Canada Flight 458, both made note of the drone as they were making their descent with minutes of each other.  

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dispatched two CF-18 fighter jets from the Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in Quebec exactly an hour after the first reported sighting from the WestJet pilots, a Department of National Defense spokesperson told CBC News. The jets never located the drones.