Drone at 5,500 ft nearly collides with passenger jet after Heathrow takeoff

The briefing

Pilots of a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg reported a white drone passing about 16 ft from the aircraft at roughly 5,500 ft over Woking, far exceeding the usual 400‑ft legal limit. The near‑miss underscores ongoing safety risks from unauthorized high‑altitude drone flying.