Video: Near Collision Between Drone and Airbus A300

Bethany Whitfield

Thursday, June 06, 2013 at 08:51 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

A nine-year-old video showing an EMT Luna X-2000 drone nearly colliding with an Ariana Afghan Airlines Airbus A300 (carrying 100 people) has recently gained renewed worldwide attention.
During the close encounter, the drone passed just meters beneath the airliner's wing before crashing due to the aircraft's wake turbulence.
The resurfaced video has intensified debate in Germany over drone safety, particularly regarding the defense minister's decision not to equip the Luna's successor, the Euro Hawk, with anti-collision technology.

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A close call between a drone and an airliner nine years ago is getting renewed attention thanks to an online video showing the near collision.

The footage, taken by the EMT Luna X-2000 drone, shows the unmanned aerial vehicle passing just meters beneath the wing of an Ariana Afghan Airlines Airbus A300 in Afghanistan. The aircraft was carrying approximately 100 people during the close encounter with the 88-pound reconnaissance drone. The UAV crashed after becoming destabilized in the wake turbulence of the A300.