B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
On approach to MIA runway 9; at approximately 500 AGL; I saw a drone pass our flight path. I pointed it out to the Captain; flying pilot. No avoidance maneuvers were necessary. The drone; black and white in color and a quadcopter design; passed from south to north.
I was flying the RNAV GPS approach to Rwy 9 at MIA. While stable on the glidepath at about 7 or 8 hundred feet above the ground I saw the co-pilot begin pointing at something out of the corner of my eye. At first he didn't say anything; I think because he wasn't sure what he was seeing. After a few seconds I looked to see if I could see what he was pointing at but I didn't see anything. A few seconds later he pointed again and this time I could see what he was pointing at. When I saw it; it was to our left (north of us); it appeared to be at the same altitude which was about 500 feet and it appeared to me to be moving away from us. I only saw it briefly but the object appeared to me to be a drone. It appeared to be very close to us when I saw it; perhaps 1/4 mile. The co-pilot told me later that when he first saw the drone it was to our right or South of our flight path and it then moved across our path. Had we arrived a few seconds sooner or had the drone gone by a few seconds later I think that there is a real possibility that we would have struck it. Obviously I think that there needs to be some restrictions on the areas and altitudes where these craft can fly.
B737-800 flight crew reported a NMAC with a drone at 500 feet AGL during approach to MIA Runway 9. The quadcopter was pointed out to the flying Captain; but no evasive action was required.