Who would have thought that a toy could potentially bring down a multi-million dollar military aircraft?

Measures are taken every day to prevent bird strikes, which also have the potential to bring down an aircraft and put lives in danger.

Protecting aircraft from drones is no different.

“Sheppard is home to the busiest joint-use airfield in the Air Force with more than 240 sorties a day,” said Capt. Hollis Troxel, 80th Operations Support Squadron airfield operations flight commander. “That means a lot of landings and any drone use in or around Sheppard could lead to an incident.”

Airfields and airports are a central location where aircraft takeoff and land. Aircraft are predominantly at their lowest altitudes around airfields, making it more likely to be at the same altitude as a drone.

“Drones are restricted to an altitude of 400 feet, but many drones do not come with an altitude indicator, making it nearly impossible for their operators to know how high they are operating,” Troxel said. “Most pilot reports of drone sightings or near missis occur while an aircraft is on approach to an airfield.”

Pilots at Sheppard fly the T-38C Talon or the T-6A Texan II. The rate of speed these aircraft travel makes reaction time to something as small as a drone minimal.

“In my conversations with pilots, it is nearly impossible to see and react to a drone in time to avoid an incident,” Troxel said. “It is very similar to a pilot trying to avoid a bird while in flight and we have many bird strikes every year.”

Rules can’t be enforced to prevent birds from flying in Sheppard’s airspace, but they can be applied for drone use. Before you fly your new drone, make sure you’re familiar with the rules and the danger that not following those rules entails.

“The key to avoiding these incidents is flying in designated drone areas and/or communicating with Sheppard AFB when and where you are flying by following the Federal Aviation Administration rules and regulations,” Troxel said. “Other items that can help are the ‘Before you fly’ app by the FAA or contacting Airfield Operations at 80OSS.sheppard.uasdronerequest@us.af.mil.”

Drones on or around Sheppard should be reported. To report, call the 82nd Security Forces Squadron law enforcement desk at 940-676-2981 or notify local law enforcement.

“When reporting, attempt to keep the drone in view for any changes in direction,” said Staff Sgt. John Syzdek, 82nd SFS NCO in charge of investigations, intelligence, plans and programs. “If a person is caught flying a drone in or around Sheppard, the operator will be arrested and cited upwards of $2,000 in fines.”