• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechDrones

A Drone Crashed Into an Airplane in Quebec

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 16, 2017, 4:09 PM ET

For the first time in Canada’s history, a drone has hit a commercial airplane.

Canada’s minister of transport, Marc Garneau, revealed this weekend that a drone struck a SkyJet Airlines plane while it was nearing the Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec City.

“This is the first time a drone has hit a commercial aircraft in Canada,” Garneau said in a statement, “and I am extremely relieved that the aircraft only sustained minor damage and was able to land safely.”

There were no injuries to the eight passengers on board the plane, according to a report by the CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster.

Garneau elaborated on the drone incident during a press conference. The official said that the accident would have been “much more serious” if the drone smashed into the plane’s cockpit or engine.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“It’s important to note that aircraft are particularly vulnerable when on final approach coming in—the pilot is concentrating on landing properly,” Garneau said at the press conference.

Like the United States, Canadian hobbyists are not allowed to fly their drones in restricted areas like airports. Garneau said in a statement that concerns over drone incidents prompted Canadian lawmakers to issue interim drone guidelines that restrict their use.

Some of these drone guidelines are similar to U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration’s rules, including not allowing hobbyists to fly their drones beyond the line of sight of their operators or at night.

Garneau did not say if Canada’s transportation agency has determined who the drone pilot was or if it intends to punish the person. He said in his statement that anyone who violates the country’s drone rules “could be subject to fines of up to $25,000 and/or prison.”

“Transport Canada is monitoring the situation and is in contact with its transportation partners including Skyjet, the Jean Lesage International Airport and NAV CANADA [Canada’s air traffic organization],” Garneau said. “My department is in contact with the Service de police de la Ville de Québec and we will cooperate with the Transportation Safety Board should they decide to investigate.”

The drone accident comes after the Canadian company Drone Delivery Canada said last week that it’s been approved by the indigenous Moose Cree nation to test a commercial drone delivery system in northern Canada and is waiting approval Canadian regulators. The company wants to use drones to deliver mail and supplies to rural areas in the country without roads and create a sort-of “railway in the sky.”

Although companies like Amazon are excited about the potential to use drones to deliver goods, accidents like the one at the Quebec airport are likely to throw a monkey wrench in getting these big delivery projects off the ground. Both drone rules in the U.S. and in Canada are still in a state of flux, and until they get ironed out to meet the specific needs of companies as well as residents, it’s likely widespread deliveries will not occur as fast as expected.

Update: Oct. 17, 8:40 AM PT. Story updated with more information on Drone Delivery Canada’s drone test.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
C-Suite
OpenAI’s Sam Altman says his highly disciplined daily routine has ‘fallen to crap’—and now unwinds on weekends at a ranch with no cell phone service
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 5, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
After decades in the music industry, Pharrell Williams admits he never stops working: ‘If you do what you love everyday, you’ll get paid for free'
By Emma BurleighFebruary 3, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Ray Dalio warns the world is ‘on the brink’ of a capital war of weaponizing money—and gold is the best way for people to protect themselves
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump is giving the U.S. economy a $65 billion tax-refund shot in the arm, mostly for higher-income people, BofA says
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Tech stocks go into free fall as it dawns on traders that AI has the ability to cut revenues across the board
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Tech

Two young men participate in a meeting.
SuccessCareers
Meet a 27-year-old software engineer who turned a 1.0 GPA in high school into a six-figure career at American Express
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 6, 2026
14 minutes ago
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsFebruary 6, 2026
50 minutes ago
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
SuccessBillionaires
Tech billionaires are watching their wealth free-fall amid an AI-driven slump—Larry Ellison and Jeff Bezos have lost more than $66 billion this year
By Emma BurleighFebruary 6, 2026
1 hour ago
Dario Amodei, Anthropic CEO, speaking.
AIAnthropic
Anthropic’s Claude triggered a trillion-dollar selloff. A new upgrade could make things worse.
By Beatrice NolanFebruary 6, 2026
2 hours ago
Image of Moltbook app logo on a smart phone with another image of the Moltbook logo in the background.
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Moltbook is the talk of Silicon Valley. But the furor is eerily reminiscent of a 2017 Facebook research experiment
By Allie GarfinkleFebruary 6, 2026
5 hours ago
NewslettersFortune Tech
Gemini takes a bite out of ChatGPT share
By Alexei OreskovicFebruary 6, 2026
6 hours ago