Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
While on the ILS to 17L in MCO I was the pilot flying. The flight conditions were VFR with a scattered layer at 4;000. I noticed a few large birds just out of our flight path; then the First Officer and I saw what we believed to be a drone. It was not a bird. It was just above our flight path at 2;500 feet. We were on the glide path at 2;350 feet. The drone was just to the right of center line by about 50 feet. The color was silver metallic and it had 4 lobes just like a large hobby kit drone. It was stationary as we passed it at approach speed. It could have been 4 silver balloons attached together but it appeared to be more stationary than drifting with the wind. We did not need to take evasive action; I had the autopilot on until we were at a lower altitude. We reported the event to the tower.
A flight crew experienced a UAV encounter while established on an ILS approach to Runway 17L at MCO.