A growing threat in the skies…
A United Airlines pilot reported a possible drone encounter at roughly 3,000 feet on Wednesday, according to air traffic control audio.
United Flight 1980 departed San Francisco International Airport Wednesday morning when the pilot alerted the tower about a potential sighting.
“I believe I just saw like a red, small object, about 1,000 feet below us to our right,” the pilot said.
The flight continued to San Diego and landed safely without incident.
“United flight 1980 reported a possible drone just prior to arriving in San Diego. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate. Our maintenance team found no damage after thoroughly inspecting the aircraft,” United Airlines said in a statement to KTLA.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the report and said no additional sightings were made that day.
“While approaching San Diego International Airport at about 4,000 feet altitude, the crew of United Airlines Flight 1980 told air traffic control they believed they saw a drone 1,000 feet below them. Air traffic control alerted other pilots but did not receive any additional drone-sighting reports,” the agency said.
The FBI in San Diego is also reviewing the situation.
“While our policy is to neither confirm nor deny investigations, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to evaluate the situation,” the agency said. “If there is a violation of federal law within the FBI’s authorities, we will follow the facts wherever they may lead. As this is an ongoing matter, we do not have anything further.”
All passengers and crew deplaned normally at the gate without injury.
Drones are an increasing safety concern for commercial aviation in the United States, particularly during critical phases of flight such as takeoff and landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) receives more than 100 reports of drone sightings near airports each month, with recent data showing a troubling rise in near-midair collisions. Research indicates that approximately 62% of drone-related incidents occur during takeoff or landing, when pilots have limited time to react.
Most consumer drones are not equipped with transponders, such as ADS-B, making them largely invisible to standard air traffic control systems and onboard collision-avoidance technology.
Safety concerns intensified in January 2025 when DJI, a leading drone manufacturer, removed mandatory geofencing features — which previously prevented drones from entering restricted airspace — and replaced them with advisory alerts.
DJI has been designated a national security concern by several U.S. agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The FCC added DJI and similar foreign manufacturers to its Covered List last year, preventing approval of new products for the U.S. market.
As of early 2026, an estimated 1.5 to 2.4 million DJI drones remain in operation across the U.S., based on federal registration data and market share estimates.
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