Airspace at El Altet airport invaded by off-course drone

THE Guardia Civil reported the owner of a drone that flew over the controlled airspace of El Altet airport in Elche on Sunday, June 26. The ‘pilot’ could face a fine of up to €225,000.

Guardia Civil officers passed the complaint to the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) after the drone flew less than eight kilometres from the airport thus interfering in the airspace. The AESA will now decide the penalty to be imposed on the drone’s owner.

The presence of the drone was reported by a pilot flying over Alicante-Elche Airport.

The alert sparked a PEGASO Patrol Team who attended along with Guardia Civil officers based at the airport.

The man flying the drone was located by the officers using a computerised tracking and monitoring system called ‘AeroScope’, which allows drones flying over a certain area to be monitored and controlled in real-time.

The man “did not meet the requirements for flying a drone as he did not have the corresponding licence and insurance in force to carry out the activity,” according to police.

“He was also not registered as an operator and did not comply with the flight altitudes,” officers said.

Civilians’ drones may not be allowed to fly near airport airspace, however, drone use is one area of the aviation industry that has seen increases over the past two years.

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