2023 · Italian airspace: near Milan (FL380), Brindisi (FL340), Olbia, Padova, Turin
Italy 2023: 'drones' at airliner cruise altitude
Part ofThe closed airport
Document: ANSV annual safety report for 2023 (April 2024), printed page 71, from the table of reports of drones or objects taken to be drones. Row 18: Milan, 4 May 2023: an airliner level at FL380 near ODAMO reported a blue, 'probably military' drone about 3 m across on its track at the same altitude, passing very close under the left wing. Row 14 (Padova, FL300-FL320) and row 27 (Padova, 'shiny object' crossing FL130) are on the same page. · Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV)
When2023
WhereItalian airspace: near Milan (FL380), Brindisi (FL340), Olbia, Padova, Turin
Backing1 independent
Evidenceofficial records
Italy's air-safety investigation agency listed 45 drone encounters in 2023. Some do not fit any small drone: a blue, probably military object about 3 m long crossed under an airliner's wing at 38,000 ft near Milan, two 'drones' flew at 34,000 ft near Brindisi with no radar trace, and Olbia's tower saw an unidentifiable flying object with strobes. Later reports have nothing above 25,000 ft.
Evidence, in date order (1)
- Apr 2024ANSV (Italian air safety investigation agency)officialannual report listing 45 drone events, several at airliner cruise levels
How plausible · High
Italy's air-safety agency records airline crews and a tower seeing objects at cruise altitude with no radar trace.
- ●●Access Flight crews at FL340-380 and a control tower.
- ●●No gain sought Official safety reports.
- ●●Restraint Logged plainly as "drones".
- ●●Character record Airline crews and ATC.
- ●●Independent convergence Several separate events across Italy.
- ●●Checkable details check out The ANSV report is public.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
Claims
Level at FL380: 'un drone di colore blue, probabilmente di tipo militare, esattamente lungo la sua rotta ed alla medesima quota', about 3 m, crossing very close under the left wing (4 May 2023, Milan).firsthandOn the recordairline crew, ANSV report 2023, event 18
'Due traffici alla sx, diretti a sud a FL340… due droni, senza però traccia di questi su schermi radar' (21 Oct 2023, Brindisi).firsthandOn the recordANSV report 2023, event 44
The tower saw through binoculars 'un oggetto volante non identificabile' with strobe and red lights; the pilot deviated (22 Aug 2023, Olbia).firsthandOn the recordANSV report 2023, event 33
Where
Italian airspace: near Milan (FL380), Brindisi (FL340), Olbia, Padova, Turin
43.0°N 11.5°E · region only
In The picture
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