RAF jet used to transport royals ‘narrowly missed smashing into drone at 200mph’

A £10,000,000 RAF pitchy utilized to alert VIPs came wrong 100ft of crashing into an amerciable drone, a study has revealed.

Drone flying is often restricted successful large cities and adjacent airports, but occasionally they tin gaffe done the net.

One drone astir caused a catastrophe erstwhile The Vespina pitchy zoomed past an amerciable drone conscionable 100ft distant astatine 200mph.

The Vespina – a erstwhile RAF pitchy converted successful 2016 – is utilized to transportation members of the Royal household and UK premier ministers.

The near-miss happened connected June 19 this twelvemonth arsenic the craft was cruising astatine 2,200ft earlier it was astir to onshore astatine RAF Brize Norton, a study by UK Airprox Board has revealed.

The craft – which outgo £10,000,000 to person to a luxury VIP bearer – is fitted with unafraid outer communications and rocket detection systems, MailOnline reports.

It is not thought to person been carrying immoderate VIPs oregon ministers erstwhile the adjacent miss happened, formation tracker information suggests.

The pitchy took disconnected from the RAF basal successful Oxfordshire for a 4 hr flight. It circled implicit the French seashore for 40 minutes – apt for refueling mid-air which it is susceptible off.

How the incidental unfolded

The study said the drone came truthful adjacent the unit could spot its lights.

It said: ‘The drone was adjacent capable for the unit to spot LED lights. The unit instantly made a study to ATC (air postulation control) implicit the vigor and the attack and landing was completed without further incident.’

The hazard of collision was rated arsenic ‘high.’

The study continued: ‘The Brize Norton ATC Supervisor reports that the attack controller informed them of the incidental arsenic it happened.

‘They rang Fairford to spot if they had approved a drone, arsenic it was implicit their ATZ, but they confirmed that they had nary cognition of immoderate drone activity.

‘In the Board’s sentiment the reported altitude and/or statement of the entity were capable to bespeak that it could person been a drone.’

The incidental was rated arsenic Category B, meaning information had been compromised.

An RAF spokesperson said: ‘The RAF regularly conducts indispensable flying grooming crossed the full of the UK.

‘Drones operating successful the vicinity of our craft tin connection a important menace to their information and tin beryllium highly challenging for our aircrew to spot and instrumentality avoiding action.

‘We proceed to promote users to alert their assets responsibly and legally successful accordance with CAA regulations.’

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