Drones Near Airports: A Rising Threat to U.S. Airliners

Drones are becoming an increasing concern for aviation safety in the United States. According to an Associated Press analysis, drones now account for nearly two-thirds of reported near-midair collisions at the nation’s 30 busiest airports, the highest rate since the pandemic-era slowdown in air traffic.

Between 2014 and 2024, more than half of all reported near misses involved drones. Out of 240 incidents reviewed, 122 were linked to drone activity.