US: Drone's close encounter with jet spurs call to tighten laws

A video from a drone that flew within feet of an airliner over Las Vegas and prompted outrage on the internet has spurred calls for tighter regulations on hobby drones. Legislation exempting certain hobbyist drone pilots from oversight by the FAA has hampered the agency’s ability to oversee safety of drones, according to a letter from airline groups to lawmakers. "The likelihood that a drone will collide with an airline aircraft is increasing. By providing the FAA with the full authority to regulate all UAS operations, the safety of flights will be protected.” The FAA is investigating the Las Vegas incident, in which a drone with a camera apparently films an airliner flying directly beneath it at close range. The video was posted Feb 1 by the sUASNews website, but the date it was taken isn’t clear. <br/>