NEW YORK CITY — What happens if an unmanned drone collides with a passenger airplane? That's a question that never crossed many people's minds until a pilot for an Italian airline, spotted one flying over Brooklyn while he came in for a landing at JFK International Airport.

The pilot of Alitalia Flight 608 reported seeing a black quadcopter about 1,500 feet up as he flew in to land. An FBI statement said the aircraft came within 200 feet of the aircraft.

"We saw a drone, a drone aircraft," the pilot told flight traffic controllers.

The FBI puts is at three miles from the airport and roughly 1,750 feet up.

The plane landed safely and never took evasive action, but it puts the danger of drones flying near airports into perspective. Even a very small unmanned aircraft pulled into the engine of a commercial airline could prove to be catastrophic.

So far, no one has claimed ownership of the craft, or been able to pinpoint who was flying it. Both the FBI and the FAA are investigating the incident, along with New York's Joint Terrot Task Force.

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It seems that unmanned aerial vehicles — more often called drones — are everywhere these days. The U.S. makes use of drones extensively in its overseas operations for both surveillance and attack. On Tuesday, it was revealed that the U.S. makes use of drones flying out of a secret base in Saudi Arabia, though whether the base was really that much of a secret is a bit of a dispute.

"The FBI is asking anyone with information about the unmanned aircraft or the operator to contact us," said Special Agent in Charge John Giacalone in a prepared statement. "Our paramount concern is the safety of aircraft passengers and crew."

It is possible the craft was simply a remote controlled toy being used for recreational purposes. As one Gizmodo reader pointed out, Floyd Bennet Field, a popular spot for RC enthusiasts, is nearby.

The FAA has been very restrictive with the number of drones that it allows to legally fly in the United States, rejecting applications from dozens of universities and police agencies, including Ogden Police Department. Many have expressed concern about the possible invasion of privacy that would come with more drone flights.

Commercial drone flight is generally illegal throughout the U.S., with the military and a few other entities legally allowed to send their craft up into the air. Utah State University is among those who conduct regular flights for studying Utah's waterways.