Yesterday a British Airways passenger plane was struck by a drone as it approached London’s Heathrow airport. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but the incident brings home the real danger of something feared by the aviation industry for some time.

This was said to be the first such incident in the UK and it is unlikely to be the last. There is always the possibility of a carelessly-operated drone accidentally colliding with a plane and usually there is unlikely to be any life-threatening damage, but what if terrorists decided to use an explosives-filled drone to target aircraft? What can be done to keep aircraft safe?

Firstly, the aviation authorities and forces of law and order have to maintain and probably increase vigilance. Secondly, we have to copy the US and make it illegal to own a drone unless it is registered with the police and marked with an official number making it traceable. Thirdly, whilst the use of a drone near airports is already punishable by imprisonment we have to look at further ways to extend criminal aspects of drone use.

None of the above will stop a determined terrorist however and all we can do is hope that our military and police intelligence services are good enough to prevent disaster. That and prayer.