Annual Probability of a Drone-Related Incident
~1 in 10,000
Annual probability in US
About 2,500 drone incidents and close encounters are reported to the FAA each year, with injuries still relatively rare.
The FAA receives approximately 2,500 reports of drone sightings near aircraft and drone-related incidents each year. With over 870,000 registered drones and 300,000+ certified remote pilots in the US, the incident rate relative to the number of drones operating is relatively low, but increasing as drone usage expands.
The most common types of drone incidents include unauthorized flights near airports (about 40% of reports), close encounters with manned aircraft (about 30%), privacy complaints (about 15%), and crashes causing property damage or injury (about 15%). Injuries from consumer drones are uncommon but do occur: the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates about 700-1,000 drone-related ER visits per year, mostly from propeller cuts, impact injuries, and battery fires.
The FAA requires recreational drones to be registered, operated below 400 feet, maintained within visual line of sight, and flown away from airports and other aircraft. Commercial drone operations require a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Emerging regulations address beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, drone delivery services, and urban air mobility. Anti-drone technology (detection and countermeasures) is being deployed at airports, stadiums, and other sensitive locations.
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