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   A British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with 242 passengers on board,   
   narrowly missed a drone at Heathrow last summer. The UK Airprox Board   
   announced this on Friday. Drones have been a danger to civil aviation for   
   years, although no major accidents have ever occurred.   
       
   The BA Boeing 787 had just taken off from London Heathrow on July 25 for a   
   flight to Cape Town when the crew, at 10,000 feet, reported the proximity of a   
   drone, estimated to be 20 meters away. The pilots' assessment was that there   
   was no collision course.   
       
   They informed air traffic controllers at Heathrow who in turn alerted the   
   crews of other departing or arriving aircraft. The drone disappeared and   
   authorities have not determined where the device came from.   
       
   According to the UK Airprox Board there was ICAO risk level A: the highest   
   level.   
       
   Unmanned aerial vehicles have been a concern for civil aviation for years. The   
   drones can accidentally fall into the path of an aircraft, or on purpose.   
   Civil aviation organization ICAO has been warning about the danger for some   
   time.   
       
   Although there are strict rules for the use of drones everywhere, especially   
   near airports, incidents still occur. In December 2018, traffic at London   
   Gatwick was severely disrupted for two days by several drones in the area.   
   Despite a lengthy investigation, British authorities failed to track down the   
   perpetrators.   
      
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