YouTube Video Shows Quadcopter Flying At About The Same Altitude As Airliners

A video posted on YouTube in November of last year has angered both aviation officials in Canada as well as model aircraft operators who say the person flying the UAV gives the hobby a "black eye."

The video ... reportedly shot using a Dragonfly Quadcopter ... shows the UAV apparently flying at about the same altitude as a jetliner landing at Vancouver Airport. Canadian television reports that Transport Canada spokesman Rod Nelson said the department is investigating the incident.

Transport Canada is working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to determine who was flying the quadcopter. The agency regulates UAV operations in the country, and says that even small UAVs present a safety risk should they be ingested into a jet engine or strike the propeller of an airplane.

Meanwhile, model airplane pilots are also concerned. Steve Huges, a member of the board of directors of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada, told CTV that "YouTube is going to be the death of us."

(Image from YouTube video)

FMI: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/air-menu.htm, www.maac.ca