United Airlines Flight 1980 Strikes Drone on Approach to San Diego International Airport

On the morning of April 29, 2026, United Airlines Flight 1980, a Boeing 737, departed San Francisco International Airport at 7:14 a.m. and was on final approach to San Diego International Airport when the crew reported striking a drone at roughly 3,000 feet altitude. The aircraft, carrying 48 passengers and six crew members, landed safely a little before 8:30 a.m. Ground crews inspected the jet and found no damage.

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Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations prohibit unmanned aircraft from operating above 400 feet without specific authorization and ban flights in restricted airspace, including zones surrounding airports. The drone reported by Flight 1980 was estimated to be about 1,000 feet below the jet, placing it near 3,000 feet—well above the legal ceiling for civilian drone operations.

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United Airlines issued a statement confirming that Flight 1980 reported a possible drone strike shortly before landing, that the aircraft touched down without incident, and that a post-flight inspection revealed no damage. FAA spokesperson Ian Gregor said the crew informed air-traffic control of a visual sighting of a drone roughly 1,000 feet below the aircraft while at 4,000 feet, that ATC warned other pilots, and that no additional drone sightings were reported.

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Safety advocates note that operating a drone at the reported altitude directly contravenes FAA limits, underscoring concerns about compliance with airspace regulations. Passengers and crew described the encounter as a “scary moment,” highlighting the psychological impact of an unauthorized unmanned aircraft near a commercial flight.

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• “United Flight 1980 reported a possible drone strike just prior to arriving in San Diego. The flight landed safely, and customers deplaned normally at the gate. Our maintenance team found no damage after thoroughly inspecting the aircraft. United also said that there were 48 passengers and 6 crew members on board during the incident. According to a transmission recorded and tweeted out by TheNewArea51 between the control tower and the aircraft, somebody aboard the aircraft reported hitting a drone at around 3,000 feet.” — United Airlines spokesperson

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• “We hit a drone at around, probably around 3,000 feet," a member of the flight crew can be heard saying.” — United Airlines flight crew member

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• “It was so small, I couldn't tell,” — United Airlines flight crew member

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• “ Later in the day, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor released the following statement: "While approaching San Diego International Airport at about 4,000 feet altitude, the crew of United Airlines Flight 1980 told air traffic control they believed they saw a drone 1,000 feet below them.” — Ian Gregor, FAA spokesperson

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• “ According to FAA regulations, drones can't be flown above 400 feet without authorization from the FAA , nor can they be flown, ever, in restricted airspace anywhere, including near airports.” — Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

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The available reports do not identify the drone’s operator, make, or exact flight path. While the crew described the object as small, red, and shiny, no visual confirmation was obtained. No other pilots reported sightings, and the FAA has not released details of any ongoing investigation, leaving the circumstances of the unauthorized flight unresolved.

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