FONTCOUVERTE (17) 28.08.2018

On 28 August 2018 between 21:03 and 21:10, a witness watched a developing storm over town from an elevated road. A white light moving silently caught his attention. It stopped and he noticed coloured flashing lights. He went home for binoculars and a compass to measure azimuth, but still could not distinguish its shape on returning. It departed in exactly the direction it had come from and disappeared at the horizon. One account was collected (see investigation report). GEIPAN concludes probable recreational drone with navigation lights, flown under unfavourable and possibly unauthorized altitude conditions. The straight flight followed by a stop is typical of drones, and white, red and green lights match common drone and aviation lighting. Probably considerable distance, modest motor noise and the craft’s small size explain the inaudibility and indistinct shape. The report says the operator fitted regulation lighting and observed the prohibition on night flying, but exceeded the then-stated 150 m maximum altitude. It questions operating in such bad weather and comments that some drone owners disregard regulations and take ill-considered risks of equipment damage or injury. GEIPAN classifies B: probable recreational drone.