ToplineThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a reported collision between a JetBlue Airways jet and a drone at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday, a rare incident even as drones grow increasingly common in Americas’ skies.A JetBlue Airways passenger aircraft landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. (Photo by Nik Oiko)SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesKey FactsThe crew of a JetBlue Airways flight from Las Vegas to New York reported striking a drone while approaching to land at JFK airport on Monday morning, The Wall Street Journal reported and the airline confirmed to Forbes. The FAA told Forbes it is investigating the incident, adding “a post-flight inspection did not reveal any damage to the aircraft,” in a statement.The incident follows a similar encounter between a drone and United Airlines jet at Newark International Airport on Friday.The FAA receives more than 100 reports of drones near airports each month.CRUCIAL QUOTE“Operating drones around airplanes, helicopters and airports is dangerous and illegal,” according to the FAA, noting “unauthorized operators may be subject to stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time.”Near Misses Are Common, But Strikes Are Rare The FAA has never publicly confirmed a collision involving a drone and a U.S. commercial passenger airliner, unlike between drones and helicopters and drones and private jets. However, commercial airline crews have reported suspected drone strikes and numerous near-misses. Nine near misses between commercial jets and drones were reported in the first three months of 2026, Forbes found in reviewing NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), a program that lets aviation workers file confidential reports without fear of punishment. In 2025, 55 near misses between a commercial passenger jet and a drone were anonymously reported. An Associated Press analysis of the same database found that in 2024, drones accounted for nearly two-thirds of reported near midair collisions involving commercial passenger planes taking off and landing at the country’s top 30 busiest airports. Big Number837,513. That’s how many active drones were registered with the FAA as of early 2026.TangentIn February, the FAA closed the airspace around El Paso International Airport for 10 days due to “special security reasons” and then reversed course hours later. The New York Times reported the shutdown was prompted by the Pentagon’s use of new counter-drone technology and concerns about the risks it could pose to other aircraft in the area. Further ReadingDrone Delivery Needs Air Traffic Control. So The Industry Built Its Own. (Forbes)