Drone collision expert Javid Bayandor says the Gatwick incident shows the dangerous and devastating consequences of irresponsible drone use

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Drone sightings that have wreaked havoc at the United Kingdom’s second busiest airport illustrate the dangerous and devastating consequences of irresponsible use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), says a University at Buffalo expert on drone flight and collisions.

“Irresponsible use of drones, especially near airports and with little regard for aviation directives and restrictions, remains to be one of the foremost areas of concern in aviation today,” says Javid Bayandor, PhD, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. “These restrictions must not be taken lightly and will need to be viewed as imperative guidelines to ensure the safety of crewed and passenger aircraft.”

Bayandor is available to speak with members of the news media. He can be reached by email at bayandor@buffalo.edu.

His CRashworthiness for Aerospace Structures and Hybrids (CRASH) Lab builds sophisticated computer simulations to model what happens when UAVs — as well as birds, hail and other objects — collide with piloted aircraft.

A video example of one of these simulations is available here: https://vimeo.com/144401420.

The lab has built a database of more than 150 UAS models and investigated the potential damage they can cause to a wide range of air vehicles during impact. Bayandor also studies how to mitigate collisions and how to limit the subsequent damage.