A Virgin Atlantic flight came only 16ft from a drone being flown far above the legal limit after taking off from Heathrow.
Incident details
Pilots of the aircraft from the UK’s busiest airport to Johannesburg on June 8 spotted the object from the cockpit, flying at about 5,500 ft above Woking, Surrey. The white drone was seen flying at almost 14 times above the legal limit, which is usually around 400 ft.
Pilots saw it while climbing as it passed the right side of the aircraft around 16 ft away, according to a safety report. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet was carrying around 260 people when the incident unfolded.
No avoiding action possible
The sighting ‘came too late and too fast’ for them to take any avoiding action, according to a safety report. Despite the proximity, a crash was avoided, although the risk of collision was reported as ‘high,’ according to the UK Airprox Board report.
The pilots raised the alarm about the drone, which was described as cream or white in colour, and measuring around three feet in diameter. The Heathrow air traffic control and police were informed, and other planes were warned about the drone whizzing in the area. An ensuing flight spotted the drone again at 5,000 ft.
No-fly zone and responses
Heathrow Airport and the surrounding areas are designated a ‘no fly’ zone for drones. Anyone wanting to fly one will need permission from the airport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). However, it is unclear whether the drone had breached the Heathrow flight restriction zone.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told Metro: ‘Virgin Atlantic can confirm that pilots operating flight VS449 from London Heathrow to Johannesburg on 8 June 2026 reported seeing a drone shortly after taking off from Heathrow.
‘The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority, and the pilots immediately reported the incident to Air Traffic Control in line with our procedures.’
A spokesperson for NATS, the main provider of UK air traffic control services, told Metro that flying any kind of drone near an airport or controlled airspace without permission is ‘dangerous and unacceptable.’
‘Drone pilots must remember that the same legal obligations apply to them as to any other pilot. NATS continues to work closely with manned and unmanned aviation industries, the Government, and the Regulator to create an environment that ensures the safety of all airspace users while supporting the legal use of drones,’ they said.
