Shortly after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) collided with a commercial aircraft last week in Canada, the national chairperson of the Canadian Federal Pilots’ Association described the airport drone incident as “just a matter of time.” At SCI Technology, we can help with that. After all, we developed AeroGuard to deal with situations just like it.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, the incident occurred last Thursday near the Jean Lesage airport in Quebec City, Quebec. As a small Skyjet plane approached the airport for landing, it was struck by a UAV) The plane landed safely, per an airport spokesperson, but this airport drone episode drew attention to the potential danger UAVs can pose to both people and property.

“There are a lot of drones flying, and there are a lot of people flying drones thinking they’re toys,” said CFPA chairperson Greg McConnell, noting that a drone could cause a “catastrophic event” similar to a bird hitting an airplane engine.

“This should not have happened,” said Marc Garneau, Canada’s Transport Minister. “That drone should not have been there, and it’s important to point out that aircraft are particularly vulnerable when they’re on final approach.”

The 3D Threat

Both McConnell and Garneau right. Drones are everywhere in modern life. Hobbyists fly them at home. Meteorologists harness their mobility to monitor the weather. Corporations utilize them at industrial sites and in agricultural areas. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has estimated that 1.1 million civilian drones were in service in 2016 (h/t Reuters). By 2021, the FAA expects that number to triple.

Unfortunately, not everyone abides by the rules when flying drones. So while this incident should not have happened, it could happen again anywhere. At any time. Right now, there is a real need to protect airspace against this emerging 3D threat. From innocent mistakes to nefarious activities to acts of terrorism, some unauthorized UAVs are already disrupting society.

Here is just one example, as reported by the New York Post. In September, a civilian drone hit a Blackhawk helicopter flying over a New York City neighborhood. Now, imagine if the drone had caused the helicopter to crash.

We Stop Drones

Incidents like these are why SCI developed AeroGuard. A fully autonomous, rapid-response Drone Interdiction System, AeroGuard captures and disposes of any UAV threat described under FAA Part 107 regulations. With an intercept and towing capacity of greater than 55 pounds, AeroGuard is ideal for protecting against large threats that could impact airports or outdoor gatherings. In addition, AeroGuard is fully capable of preventing contraband smuggling in places like prisons and border protection areas.

Unlike other counter-drone methods, AeroGuard automatically captures intruding drones in-flight and disposes of threats away from civilian-occupied areas. This approach virtually eliminates the possibility of collateral damage. Additionally, AeroGuard features an extremely quick response time and an ultra-high top speed to stop any civilian drone threat.

For further information about AeroGuard, visit SCI’s website or www.WeStopDrones.com.