2 hours ago2 hr Big increase in drone encounters with commercial aviation. On Monday a Jet Blue flight hit a drone on approach to JFK, a helicopter reported one in the area on the same day, and a United Flight reported a near miss (100'). I personally have had two encounters in the last year:1. About six months ago I was flying from the PCola area down to Boca in my airplane. Passing just north of Tyndall I encountered a medium-sized drone mostly stationary north of the base at about 5000'. A friend was with me and she saw it first. No ADSB and not talking to anyone. I called approach and they did not have it on radar, a plane in trail of me reported it as well.2. About 8 months ago departed Charleston Exec Runway 9. Approach turned turned me north then west and climbed me through the Class C. Passing 5000' My passenger and I both saw very large drone 1000' below us and clearly inside the Charleston Class C. It clearly had a gimbal payload. I called and they were not tracking it...they clearly got very worked up.Whether it is hobbyist or something more nefarious, there does seem to be an increase and it seems like a easy asymmetric attack vector towards the airline industry. What are you airline folks seeing out there?
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