Drone collided with Black Hawk helicopter
David sends us a link to Reuters which reports on a collision between a hobbyist’s DJI Phantom 4 drone and a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter near Staten Island, New York while the Army aircraft was involved in security operations for the United Nations General Assembly;
The helicopter landed safely but a 1 1/2–inch (3.8-cm) dent was found on the leading edge of one of its four main rotor blades and parts of the drone were found lodged in its engine oil cooler fan. The Army said previously that the helicopter was not targeted and that it was struck by a drone being operated by a hobbyist.
The helicopter was flying at about 300 feet (90 meters) when the drone struck its side…The drone operator intentionally flew the drone 2.5 miles (4 km) away, well beyond visual line of sight and did not have an adequate understanding of drone regulations, the NTSB said in a report released on Thursday on the incident. Drones are barred from being flown out of visual range.
The Black Hawk was repaired within about 24 hours and there were no injuries, well, except to the $800 drone.
The Trump administration is considering allowing expanded drone use for purposes such as deliveries, where aircraft would fly beyond the sight of an operator, and in October announced a pilot testing program with states and local communities.
Category: Who knows
“The Black Hawk was repaired within about 24 hours”
And I’ll bet it cost more than $800.
I’d be surprised if it cost any less than several thousand.
Stand by. These civilian drones are going to be an increasing problem on many fronts. As much as I dislike government regulation, this is an area where it is needed. Someone is going to get hurt.
This ought to be a hoot the first time some idiot flies one in the landing/takeoff pattern at a major airport and gets sucked into a jet engine.
FOD, anyone?
That would kinda ruin a perfectly good aircraft engine, wouldn’t it?
Entirely possible it might ruin the entire aircraft – by causing it to crash. I understand that losing an engine unexpectedly during takeoffs/landings is a situation that causes the flight crew extreme APF.
Yeah, drone operations may be one area where some amount of govt regulation is indeed required.
Dangerous.
Add stupid, and I agree.
One of my cousins has a high-end drone with some expensive cameras on it that he sometimes flies around. Of course, he follows applicable regulations to the letter and adds a further dose of common sense, preferring to take it out to remote areas where it’s unlikely to share airspace with any manned aircraft, and setting it down immediately if a manned aircraft shows up. Not just for safety, although that’s a big deal, but he’s also close to $5,000 deep into that drone between the airframe cameras, and other extra crap.
Unlike him, many people who buy the damn things are just idiots.
I have a Phantom 3 Pro and it’s pretty fast, about 45 mph. It would not be a good thing to be hit by it but, so far, the only thing I have run into was the of side of my barn. My skill has improved since then.
Knew a guy that had stumps for legs and would fly one of those gas engine models on a string.
He was pretty good albeit having to “stump” around in a circle.
One day he let a friend try it and the friend flew it right into stumpys fore head.
I must put my foot down in regard to this drone stuff. First of all, it promotes opportunities for voyeuristic pervs in your neighborhood to spy on you and your whosiewhatsie when you are in flagrante delicto. Second, flying drones will put squirrels out of business as pilots. It will annoy the squirrels… and you should never annoy a squirrel.
They make very good targets to hone your wing shooting skills. I use Turkey loads with a modicum of success. I only target the ones that loiter in my airspace and don’t molest any that are just transiting my property.
Us Signal types just jam them.
Ever see one fly upside down?
They only do it for a few seconds then gravity takes over.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that squirrel is a better pilot than Bernath and Wittgenfeld combined.😃
I didn’t know the Witless One was a pilot. I thought he just fell out of airplanes.
Witless lost his license in 1986 when he was arrested for flying under the influence.
Yeah, no shit.
Yep, as I recall he did some crazy shit coming in on approach. The tower called the cops, and they were waiting for him with a Breathalyzer. He’s truly a special kind of stupid. And he’s sitting in the slammer as we speak because he just won’t leave well enough alone. Him and Bernath in jail, it’s a Chrismukkah miracle!
Yes, it makes one believe there truly are Christmas miracles, besides that first one. Both these wackos really belong in a mental institution, but without any internet access.
Is that Rocket J Squirrel and if it is, where is Bullwinkle Moose???
I believe the squirrel is an independent operator. Clever fellow, too. I saw him steal a drone and fly off with it.
One of these days one of these morons will guide his drone into a passenger aircraft …
There have already been very close calls at airports.
The French may actually come up with a solution for the problem.
https://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/eagles-that-hunt-drones-as-members-of-the-french-air-force/
As an FAA hobbyist permit holder, I can tell you that the flight rules are spelled out very specifically. One of them is that you can’t fly over 400 feet high. The other is that it can’t be out of your visual range. This guy should get whatever bill is coming to him, period.
Speaking of drones, apparently they’re popular in the ME as stealth bombers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1410313/Moment-ISIS-uses-drones-drop-bombs-Iraqi-army-tanks.html
I would warn everyone here not to target drones
Even ones that are clearly violating your privacy and photgraphing into your windows
The FAA classifies drones as aircraft
Interfering with one is a Federal Offense
Your only recourse is thru nuisance and stalking laws
Dunno about the sundry People’s Republics of New England, but try getting a conviction in Texas for shooting down a drone peeking in your daughters’ bedroom window.
The only thing the jury might convict you of is not shooting the balls off the pervert.