In October 2017, a drone has collided with a commercial aircraft in Canada. It was the first such incident in the country, according to the Transportation Ministry. The drone struck one of the plane’s wings, while six passengers and two crew members were aboard. The aircraft sustained only minor damage and was able to land safely, the Canadian transport minister said.

In 2017, Canada announced that it was making it illegal to fly recreational drones near airports. The law prohibited airborne drones within 5.5km (3.5 miles) of an airport and restricted the height of a drone’s flight to 90 metres (300ft). Those breaking the restrictions could face fines of up to 25,000 Canadian dollars ($20,000, £15,000).

Transport minister Marc Garneau said: “Although the vast majority of drone operators fly responsibly, it was our concern for incidents like this that prompted me to take action and issue interim safety measures restricting where recreational drones could be flown.”