FAA investigating drone sightings near New York's JFK Airport
NEW YORK -- Federal aviation authorities are investigating reports of unmanned drones flying close to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The FAA said in a statement that three commercial airline pilots reported seeing drones while trying to land at JFK over the last few days.
"On Sunday, just after 8 p.m., the pilots of Delta Air Lines 838, a Boeing 737, and Virgin Atlantic 9, a Boeing 747, reported seeing unmanned aircraft approximately 10 miles from Runway 22 Left, flying at altitudes between 3,000 and 2,000 feet," the FAA said.
At about 1:50 p.m. on Wednesday, the pilot of a JetBlue Airbus 320 spotted a drone about two miles from a different runway.
None of the pilots had to take "evasive action" to avoid the drones, according to the FAA, and all three flights landed safely.
A law enforcement official told CBS News that the Nassau County police department used its helicopter to investigate Wednesday's sighting but saw no evidence of a drone. The department does not plan to investigate further, turning the case over to the FAA.
It's not the first time pilots have claimed to have had close calls with drones near the airport. In March 2013, an Alitalia pilot said an unmanned or remote-controlled aircraft came within 200 feet of his plane while it was on final approach to JFK.
The FAA is finalizing regulations for the commercial use of drones. On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled that small drones are a type of aircraft and therefore should be subject to existing FAA rules.