Plane and Small Drone Near San Diego

Apr 29, 2026, 21:18
USTechnology

Introduction

A United Airlines plane saw a small drone on Wednesday. The plane was flying to San Diego airport.

Main Body

The plane had 48 passengers and 6 crew members. The pilots saw a small red object in the sky. The plane was 3,000 feet above the ground. Some people thought the drone hit the plane. But the airline checked the plane after it landed. They found no damage. All people were safe. The FAA makes rules for drones. People must ask for permission to fly drones near airports. Now, more people use drones for fun. This is a problem for plane safety.

Conclusion

The plane is okay. The FAA is still checking the event.

Learning

🛠️ The 'Action' Switch: Now vs. Before

Look at how the story moves between past and present.

1. The Past (What happened) Most of the story uses the simple past to describe the event:

  • saw → saw
  • was → was
  • hit → hit
  • found → found

2. The Present (General rules) When the story talks about rules and facts, it switches to the present:

  • makes → makes
  • use → use
  • is → is

💡 A2 Shortcut: If you are telling a story about yesterday, use the Past column. If you are talking about a fact that is always true, use the Present column.

Vocabulary Learning

plane (n.)
aircraft / 飛機
Example:The plane landed safely.
small (adj.)
tiny / 小
Example:She bought a small house.
drone (n.)
unmanned aircraft / 無人機
Example:The drone flew over the park.
saw (v.)
observed / 看見
Example:I saw a cat on the street.
flying (v.)
moving through the air / 飛行
Example:The birds are flying.
airport (n.)
air transport hub / 機場
Example:We arrived at the airport early.
passengers (n.)
riders / 乘客
Example:The passengers boarded the train.
crew (n.)
team / 工作人員
Example:The crew fixed the issue.
pilots (n.)
airplane operators / 飛行員
Example:The pilots were experienced.
red (adj.)
color / 紅色
Example:She wore a red dress.
object (n.)
thing / 物件
Example:The object was heavy.
sky (n.)
atmosphere above earth / 天空
Example:The sky is blue.
feet (n.)
measurement unit / 英尺
Example:The plane was 3,000 feet high.
above (prep.)
higher than / 在…上方
Example:The bird is flying above the trees.
ground (n.)
earth surface / 地面
Example:The plane touched the ground.
people (n.)
humans / 人們
Example:People enjoy music.
thought (v.)
considered / 想到
Example:I thought it was funny.
hit (v.)
struck / 撞擊
Example:The ball hit the wall.
airline (n.)
airline company / 航空公司
Example:The airline offers flights.
checked (v.)
inspected / 檢查
Example:They checked the luggage.
landed (v.)
arrived at the ground / 着陸
Example:The plane landed on time.
found (v.)
discovered / 找到
Example:She found a key.
damage (n.)
harm / 損壞
Example:The car had damage.
safe (adj.)
secure / 安全
Example:The kids are safe.
FAA (n.)
Federal Aviation Administration / 聯邦航空管理局
Example:The FAA regulates flights.
makes (v.)
creates / 產生
Example:She makes music.
rules (n.)
regulations / 規則
Example:The rules are strict.
permission (n.)
authorization / 允許
Example:He asked for permission.
fly (v.)
travel in air / 飛
Example:They will fly tomorrow.
near (prep.)
close to / 在…附近
Example:The store is near the school.
more (adj.)
additional / 更多
Example:I want more time.
use (v.)
employ / 使用
Example:Use the phone.
fun (n.)
enjoyment / 樂趣
Example:The game is fun.
problem (n.)
issue / 問題
Example:There is a problem.
safety (n.)
protection / 安全
Example:Safety is important.
okay (adj.)
fine / 好的
Example:Everything is okay.
still (adv.)
yet / 仍然
Example:He still waits.
event (n.)
occurrence / 事件
Example:The event was exciting.