A shocking new video has emerged showing a drone have a narrow near miss with a passenger plane.
The footage was shot near Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport, and shows the drone coming extremely close to a commercial plane filled with passengers.
The video, shot from the drone’s viewpoint, shows the unmanned airborne vehicle flying more than 400 feet in the air.
When it makes a mid-air turn, a passenger airplane can be seen directly below it.
The shocking footage is now being investigated by Washington’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to the FAA, drone pilots who fly unsafely can face a fine of up to $1,437 per violation.
They can also face criminal penalties including fines of up to $250,000 as well as imprisonment for up to three years.
The Academy of Model Aeronautics, who represent hobbyists that fly drones in the US, have condemned the footage.
Speaking to GeekWire, they said: “No one should be flying in a careless and reckless manner and — importantly — all drone and model aircraft pilots must stay well clear of manned aircraft.
“We condemn the type of operation depicted in this video.”
While Drone U, a service that provides training and resources to drone enthusiasts, blasted the pilot’s actions in a statement.
They said: “Drone U Leadership and the entire membership community want to join with other industry leaders to fully CONDEMN this reckless and criminal act.
“Drone U and its members work tirelessly in making our skies safe for all users of the National Airspace System. This pilot’s actions not only endangered the flying public, but has the potential to discredit an entire sUAS industry.
“It is the opinion of Drone U and its members that the pilot receive swift and just punishment for this example of irresponsible and reckless flight.
“There is no excuse for this type of criminal behaviour.”
Air Transport World also said the drone’s flight was “clearly illegal and reckless”.
The FAA published a study last year comparing the impact of a drone and a bird of the same weight in a mid-air collision with an airplane.
They found that metal drones were capable of causing much more damage than birds, especially to a plane’s windshield and wings.
Commercial aircraft manufacturers design structural components found in aircrafts to withstand bird strikes.
But seeing as drones can inflict far more damage on a plane than a bird, the study said bird-strike regulations aren’t appropriate for unmanned aircrafts.