Well I've got to chime in here a little.
1) I can see the concern with an UAV near the approach end of an airport. While on approach, even large commercial airliners aren't going 400 -500 mph. At an average they are coming in at 110 - 130 TOPS. Even still, I agree, IF they saw an UAV, I find it hard to believe they'd be able to describe it in any detail.
2) Being a pilot, not having had any close calls with one of these aircraft, I can't speak for the pilots reporting these close encounters.
3) I know if I saw something of some danger in my flight path (in my airplane), I would take evasive action and put my self and my passengers in a safer situation. This doesn't matter if it is an UAV, a large bird, another airplane, an undocumented tower... what ever.
4) FAR's (FAA Regulations) state that aircraft can not descend below 500' AGL over rural areas and 1,000' AGL over urban areas unless they are climbing out of the pattern, descending into a runway or landing area, in an emergency, or they are on some specific mission that requires them to be that low (Medical helicopters, crop dusting aircraft, etc.)
One thing to note is that there is designated airspace around every airport that is 'off limits' to aircraft either not cleared by ATC, or not utilizing a radio to communicate with other pilots, or ensuring they stay clear of other aircraft. Each airport has different airspace clearances. Smaller, 'private' or municipal airports have a smaller 'footprint' than to the larger ones depending on the kinds of approaches authorized for the airport. I can certainly see a problem if an UAV pilot flies his/her craft into the approach path of an airport. ESPECIALLY if that aircraft is on an instrument approach. With some approaches, the pilot doesn't have to 'break out' of the clouds until 150' AGL. Now, put an UAV in that airspace while on approach and it certainly becomes a hazard.
Since I find myself on both sides of the fence, I can only hope that my fellow UAV pilots take into serious consideration the local traffic patterns of airports near them and keep a good buffer zone away from those patterns.
I have seen some videos of UAVs being in and above the clouds. I can't even begin to imagine, myself on an instrument approach, in the clouds 'legally' being assisted on my approach by both my plates and ATC watching over me and all of a sudden meeting an UAV at the bottom edge of the cloud bank! Not only that, but even VFR flights (Visual Flight Rules) must stay clear of the clouds 500' below, 1,000' above, and 2,000' horizontally in most classes of airspace. UAV pilots should adhere to those clearances as well! I don't think we have any business being above a cloud deck by any means.
We as a flying community need to make sure we police ourselves and not put our aircraft in these situations. I am sure the FAA is going to come out with some very clamping rules for us in the near future. I have followed the topic in all the aviation magazines, read the different proposals, and am waiting to see what they come up with. Often in the aviation world, you'll hear pilots say, "The FAA, We're not happy till your not happy!"
Lets not give them the fuel they need to slam us (UAV Pilots) in the press. Fear mongering is a popular tactic to cause panic and knee jerk rules/regulations. I won't even get started on the permanent TFR over Washington DC!
So as I step off my soap box, let me just say to my fellow UAV pilots. Please, use common sense and stay away from known areas of aviation traffic! Don't give 'them' what they need to kill our hobby!
