A Lufthansa pilot said he was obliged to dodge three drones while attempting to land his aircraft at Bilbao, northern Spain.
The incident happened on Saturday and the pilot reported it to air traffic control.
The Airbus 320 aircraft was already in protected airspace and had begun its descent. The pilot said that the drones were flying at an altitude of 900 metres which forced the captain into an “evasive manoeuvre” to avoid them.
It has been reported that only a professional type of drone could have reached such a high altitude.
Basque police deployed a helicopter in an unsuccessful attempt to find the drones while ground patrols were similarly unlucky, according to police sources.
It is illegal to fly drones inside the restricted air space surrounding Spanish airports, as well as flying drones higher than an altitude of 120 metres.
The case is currently being investigated by the Spanish Agency for Aerial Navigation.
In March an Air France plane also reported a near miss with a drone when attempting to land at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
Comments
"Drone" now means anything from a toy you can buy at a market or online for 30 Euros, to long range remote weapon systems that cost tens of millions.
The technology is available to self-build as well.
It''s no longe possible to restrict people from obtaining them, so authorities will need to figure out how to trace and identify illicit users.