Medevac flight encounters drone while landing at Kelowna International Airport

A medevac flight arriving at Kelowna International Airport had a close encounter with a drone yesterday.

A Carson Air Beech B300 on a medevac flight from Williams Lake to Kelowna reported observing a drone underneath the aircraft while it was on final approach to runway 16 yesterday, Jan. 26, a Transport Canada bulletin reported.

The aircraft was 200 feet above ground when the drone passed underneath the aircraft.

The airport flight tower reported the incident to the RCMP.

No injuries or operational impacts to the aircraft were reported.

RCMP were unavailable for comment this morning.

Drone operators need air traffic control approval to operate in controlled airspace.

Drones cannot be flown closer than 5.6 kilometres, or three nautical miles from any airport listed by Transport Canada as certified.

For further details about where to safely fly a drone, see the Transport Canada website.

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