On Monday afternoon, a helicopter pilot near John F. Kennedy International Airport reported seeing a drone nearby. This marks the second such incident at the airport within the same day.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the pilot described the remotely controlled aircraft getting alarmingly close. Just hours earlier, a JetBlue pilot had also flagged a possible drone as their flight approached JFK for landing.
In response to these sightings, JFK Air Traffic Control alerted nearby pilots about an unauthorized unmanned aircraft system operating in restricted airspace. This information came from ATIS.guru, which compiles live updates from airports worldwide.
Earlier, a “red and white” remote control plane was spotted flying around 4:05 p.m. at an altitude of 500 feet—significantly within the flight paths of commercial aircraft heading toward JFK.
Moreover, the drone was reported just about a mile from a crucial navigation beacon at Canarsie, which aids in landing procedures for planes arriving at the airport.
The relationship between the two drone incidents, however, remains unclear at this time.
The FAA has notified local authorities and emphasized that operating drones near major airports is illegal and poses considerable safety risks for aircraft in the vicinity.
Earlier in the day, a JetBlue plane collided with a drone at roughly 3,000 feet, about 16 miles from JFK Airport, according to the FAA.
Audio recordings from air traffic control captured the JetBlue pilot discussing the drone encounter, noting it occurred just above the cockpit. Fortunately, the plane landed safely, and a post-flight inspection reported no damage.
