United flight from SFO disrupted by 'possible drone strike'

[Omaha Steve]

Source: SF Gate

By Silas Valentino,

April 29, 2026

A flight from San Francisco International Airport to Southern California was disrupted on Wednesday due to “a possible drone strike,” the airline told SFGATE in a statement.

The pilots aboard United flight 1980 reported the strike prior to arriving at San Diego International Airport around 8:30 a.m. The airline said the flight landed safely and the 48 passengers deplaned without interference. A maintenance check found no damage on the aircraft.

According to an audio clip from ATC Air Traffic Control posted on social media, the pilot told SAN air traffic control that they “hit a drone probably at around 3,000 feet.” The pilot described the drone as “small” and “red.”




Read more: https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/united-flight-sfo-22232671.php

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There was more story at pay links.

[regnaD kciN]

1. The only "small red" drone I know of is the DJI Spark...

…which doesn’t require Remote ID, so it won’t be easy to trace.

[ToxMarz]

2. A 'drone strike' generally refers to a drone firing on a target offensively

which is a good headline for news outlets get clicks, but not what occurred here. I don't doubt the drone was was operating illegally but it was more correctly a collision not a 'strike'.

[Mister Ed]

3. If they had hit a bird, it would have been called a bird strike.

The military and civil aviation might each use the term "strike" differently.