Since their rise in commercial popularity, drones have been divisive: They can help us "visit" Cuba and prevent shark attacks in Australia, sure, but they can also be potentially dangerous for their interference in airspace around airports. Recently, the head of the International Air Transport Association warned that drones flown by the general public are "a real and growing threat." On Sunday, the latter was confirmed when an object—which the pilot reported to be a drone—struck the front of a British Airways flight as it approached London's Heathrow Airport.

The Airbus A320 from Geneva, which had 132 passengers and five crew on board, landed safely, was fully examined by engineers, and cleared to operate its next flight. An investigation by aviation police at Heathrow has begun, though no arrests have yet been made. It isn't the first time that drones have encroached upon U.K. airspace: A series of Category A incidents—the most serious—were reported at Heathrow, London Stansted, London City, and Manchester airports last year.

In the U.S., drone operators must now notify authorities if they plan to fly within five miles of an airport, and receive permission from air traffic control before doing so. (They are also not supposed to fly above 400 feet.) Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration has released registration requirements that ensure any drone recovered from an accident can be traced back to its owner. And though commercial airplanes are built to withstand being struck by birds, drones pose a serious threat to larger aircrafts, where they can be sucked into the engine or crash into the cockpit window.
