Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Type 5596
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
General Police / Security Involved
Human Factors
We were on final to RWY 28R at PDX descending through 1;200 MSL when we saw a blue quad-copter drone pass off the left side of the aircraft. We saw the drone just as it passed and did not have to maneuver to avoid. I would estimate that it was within a wingspan distance; so roughly 100 from us at the same altitude. As passengers were deplaning; multiple passengers commented that they had seen the drone and wondered if we had seen it also. One passenger familiar with the area said that it was near the IKEA just east of PDX.
I was the flying pilot (FO) on flight to PDX. On final approach inside the marker I saw something blue on the left side (south) of the aircraft. We were about 3 miles from the runway and 900 ft. My first guess at the time was that the blue object was some balloons and I even brought that up during the approach. After landing and at the gate while the passengers were deplaning two passengers approached the cockpit absolutely convinced that a blue drone came really close to our aircraft during the approach. They themselves were familiar with drones and even stated the type (I believe they said it was a quadcopter). Because we saw something blue and they were convinced it was a drone and also stated the color blue my CA thought it wise to report the incident to Portland tower.
B737 flight crew reported a NMAC with a UAV on approach to PDX.