When a drone hits an airplane wing

[suprPHREAK]

Proper testing done with a Phantom and an actual airplane wing. Turns out the plane would survive, but not without significant damage.

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To understand the end, vs a bird strike: birds are squishy, so while they cause damage, do not penetrate the plane. Drones are not squishy, so they can punch through the skin, causing internal damage.

 

[Spark 317]

Drones are not squishy, so they can punch through the skin, causing internal damage.

Reminds me of the loss of Columbia (shuttle) in 2003 on re-entry.

Wing was damaged by a chunk of foam at launch, left a hole in the wing, and the plasma gases melted the internal structure of the shuttle on re-entry.