The FAA is testing equipment across the country to protect airplanes and airports from drones. Author: Glenn Farley Updated: 11:13 PM PST March 3, 2021
The Federal Aviation Administration this week named Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as one of five airports nationwide to help it develop drone detection and mitigation equipment.
Drones can pose a danger to planes, both in the air and on the ground. It is an issue that s not uncommon at Sea-Tac, where pilots report seeing five to six drones a year flying close to planes. Just over a year ago, a drone landed on one of Sea-Tac s runways.
Mark Coates, the senior manager for airport operations told KING 5 News that on Dec. 26, 2019, a detection system on the north end of the center runway spotted a drone on the center runway itself.