Virgin Atlantic plane narrowly avoids drone near Heathrow

A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner narrowly avoided a collision with a drone shortly after departing from London Heathrow on June 8, 2026. The aircraft, en route to Johannesburg and carrying approximately 260 passengers, encountered the drone at an altitude of roughly 5,500 feet near Woking, Surrey.

The drone was flying at nearly 14 times the legal height limit of 400 feet in the United Kingdom. According to a report from the UK Airprox Board, the object passed within approximately 5 meters (16 feet) of the aircraft. The crew described the sighting as ‘too late and too fast’ to allow for any evasive maneuvers. The Board classified the event as Risk Category A, its highest risk rating, noting that a definite risk of collision existed.

Following the incident, air traffic control warned other aircraft in the area, and a second commercial plane subsequently spotted the drone at 5,000 feet. While police were notified, the operator of the drone has not been identified. Heathrow and its surrounding areas are designated no-fly zones for drones, requiring specific permission from the Civil Aviation Authority for operation.