Welcome Inspire Pilots!
Join our free DJI Inspire community today!
Sign up

Unreal close call with helicopter IN THE NEWS

Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
519
Reaction score
107
Age
68
Just what we need, terriblepublicity. SO watch this and judge for yourselves. As far as I've understood (and I live close to the beach, not terribly far from where this happened, if you use "before u fly" it's very obvious that most of the beach is a warning zone, there are heliports everywhere, for hospitals tourism and police, not to mention banner planes. Common sence tells us that we cannot or should not fly 400 feet because of high traffic, traffic that has the right of way, I personally try to stay at 200 feet tops around here doring weekends and bulk of the day, traffic dies at dusk, whisch is my favorite time to fly anyway, also early AM the traffic is manegable. I don't care if he was below 400 feet, unless you have advised the faa of your flight path and altitude, in other words a flight plan, you are NOT in the right with a close call like that. Choppers are loud and easy o see if your bird is within line of sight, hey give you plenty of time to go real low till it pases!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel
Im not one for rules violations at all. But judging by those High Rise apartments (which are about 40 floors if I can count accurately) the drone WAS at about 400 feet.

That heli was flying too low! If they collided, it woouldve been the heli’s fault not the drones. Full scale aircraft are supposed to maintain a 500 ft floor unless transitioning. The statement the reporter made that the drone was above the heli so it ‘must have been flying higher than 500 ft is misleading and inaccurate AND ignorant!

And don’t kid yourself and think a heli can’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. It happens to me all the time. Before you know it a heli can suddenly appear on top of you. Especially when flying low like that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: slim.slamma
I flew in Manhattan for a few years, off the roof mostly. My advantage point was excellent. Had numerous run ins with the NYPD.

Had to stop too many low flying helicopters. Too many times I’d see a helicopter and say to myself yikes I was just in that area.

I’m familiar with blufly and several other apps, that’s me, most drone pilots refuse to read their operations manual. Sooner or later it’s going to happen.

I play cowboy sometimes, in the suburbs now. I posted some NYC pics over the East River and I worked on a building in the area. No excuse I still know right from wrong. But I do my homework on the area. Around 5am it’s not much traffic. So I got my shot. That’s me. Probably won’t do that again.

The Hudson River between NYC and NJ had way too much traffic. My neighborhood, reguardless, I stopped flying over the Hudson and G.W. Bridge, its a no no for me.
I’m familiar with north and south helicopter traffic over the city rivers. Planes fly at 1200’ over the city, no worries. But to be in middle of a accident. I pass, I’ll stick to the suburbs. Would hate to be on news for a toy.
 
I flew in Manhattan for a few years, off the roof mostly. My advantage point was excellent. Had numerous run ins with the NYPD.

Had to stop too many low flying helicopters. Too many times I’d see a helicopter and say to myself yikes I was just in that area.

I’m familiar with blufly and several other apps, that’s me, most drone pilots refuse to read their operations manual. Sooner or later it’s going to happen.

I play cowboy sometimes, in the suburbs now. I posted some NYC pics over the East River and I worked on a building in the area. No excuse I still know right from wrong. But I do my homework on the area. Around 5am it’s not much traffic. So I got my shot. That’s me. Probably won’t do that again.

The Hudson River between NYC and NJ had way too much traffic. My neighborhood, reguardless, I stopped flying over the Hudson and G.W. Bridge, its a no no for me.
I’m familiar with north and south helicopter traffic over the city rivers. Planes fly at 1200’ over the city, no worries. But to be in middle of a accident. I pass, I’ll stick to the suburbs. Would hate to be on news for a toy.
In beach areas helicopters fly lower than the rules seem to dictate, however they still have the right of way, manned aircraft ALWAYS have the right of way, It is common practice in my area, sometimes on weekends, basically only time I have to fly, there are so many and so often I just ground myself. It's a drag, but it's reality. I will not be a party to someone's death because I want to play with my toy. LINE OF SIGHT AND ALWAYS BE AWARE OF MANNED TRAFFIC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel
this is what the FAA map looks like, the area where the near collision occurred is between holywood and Fort Lauderdale, my area is further south North Miami, Miami in general is almost all a warning zone, DJI geo fencing still allows flying, but the re are quite a few airports very closely bunched together and many hospitals all with heliports. National, State AND city parks are NFZs making most of South Florida no go. Neither UAV forecast no the FAA maps take local parks into consideration, but the REAL map is the b4ufly FAA map.The good thing about the app is that you can file a flight plan in it and basically legalize your flight. I believe this method alerts air traffic in the area to your presence, frankly I just look at the map and whatever warnings they have posted just to see if any areas are less safe. It's funny, the UAV forecast map has changed substantially, 6 months ago it was littered with heliports, basically all of the city of Miami pretty much as the b4ufly map..... (I wonder what changed) was covered leaving just the tip of Key Biscayne open to fly, but the tip of Key Biscayne is a State Park, so, no can do there either IMG_2749.PNG
 
Last edited:
There is a case for all UAV's to have a very bright anticollision strobe light ( and all manned aircraft)
(ADS-B out also) - 10-50W omnidirectional (360 Degree viewable) LED "Strobe" may make all the difference between being seen and a collision (in congested airspace).

Flying any aircraft with closing speeds in the range of 200-300 knots leaves very little time from first sight to avoidance manoeuvres, less time when vlewing through a remote FPV or (laggy)video camera screen...


In the USA (I an Australian) I believe that the 500ft lower limit is Advice, not mandatory for manned aircraft when over "unpopulated" areas. Though Helicopters claim that they may always be able to, or preparing to, transition to a landing, meaning that they may fly lower at any time....

In Australia it is a LIMIT (500ft except for extenuating circumstances or direct ATC orders - which a "drone" pilot may not be listening to on the radio.) I have flown in areas where the ATC clearance includes the words "not above 300ft" and this is in areas where people MAY be flying Multicopters at the coast from the headlands or beach. (Check out Stockton beach, and cross-reference aviation maps with the "can I fly there" app (available as webapp also)
https://www.airservicesaustralia.co...t/vtc/Newcastle_Williamtown_VTC_24MAY2018.pdf

For Australian "drone" pilots, ignorance or lack of access to Aviation charts is No defence.
Get familiar with the Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) documents. esp. ERSA and Charts.
Aeronautical Information Package | Airservices
 
  • Like
Reactions: southerndoug
It’s a good point being over water there may not be a 500 ft floor, but it’s still a little crazy flying that low, that close to shore. I’ve seen kites flying that high at beaches.

So, in this case, it’s possible neither pilot was breaking the ‘rules’. But I’ll bet that if they did collide, the drone pilot would still be blamed.
 
So, in this case, it’s possible neither pilot was breaking the ‘rules’. But I’ll bet that if they did collide, the drone pilot would still be blamed.

Of course, it is like when a car hits a pedestrian. the car is automatically "judged" as being at fault (Judge may not agree). Is a manned aircraft collides with an unmanned aircraft, the Unmanned pilot is in the wrong.... Just as if a powered aircraft hits a glider, power is in the wrong. glider with balloon, same story. Priority in the air, manned has priority over unmanned no matter what....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mixchief
Please correct me if I am wrong, looking at Airmap, FAA Arcgis map, B4UFly, the location of the Diplomat Hotel ( 3555 S Ocean Dr, Hollywood, FL) is outside of airspace but not by much and is class g airspace. The pilot was legal to fly there below 400 feet. The Diplomat is 36 stories tall so it is around 400 feet or less. Looking at the horizon of the video it appears the camera was fairly level and it appears the drone could have been below the local towers. So we can assume the drone was around 400 feet or less. It does appear the drone was above the manned helicopter.

Having been in similar conditions with the sound of the manned helicopter echoing off the buildings it could have been difficult to hear which way the copter was coming from and was moving very quickly. The drone pilot did not have much time to react. Having stayed in his location may have been the best thing to do as we can see if he elected to descend, the drone would have been in the direct path of the manned helicopter. I doubt the drone pilot had much time to consider anything.

I believe if the FAA has allowed drones to operate at or below 400 feet they need to have tighter restrictions for other aircraft including manned helicopters to above 400 feet except for emergencies and take of and landings within a certain distance from any shoreline as well as over all land masses. I do not expect that this will ever happen.

It is not a great situation for anyone and I strongly urge anyone who is going to fly in areas like that to file a NOTAM a couple of days before the flight. Just another way to cover your butt.
 
It is not a great situation for anyone and I strongly urge anyone who is going to fly in areas like that to file a NOTAM a couple of days before the flight. Just another way to cover your butt.


Yes but who can file a NOTAM in the USA? Part 107 or hobby fliers??

If the "drone" flier is not a licensed 107 operator, they are still allowed to fly in class G (below 400 ft) for "hobby" purposes.....

OK we are on a "Certified operator blog" so everyone here should be able to have a NOTAM filed on their behalf (by the FAA), for the Things that NOTAMS are issued for (check the fine print), flying off the beach, below 400ft and not within 3NM of a controlled aerodrome/airfield may not be a "NOTAMable" activity... fun...
 
Last edited:
Any drone operator (pilot) can file a NOTAM, it is originated by the drone operator and given to a Flight Service Attendant at 877-487-6867

I have several NOTAMs filed for surface to 400 feet AGL 13 miles from the nearest Class c or D airfield. Some of them have been in place for a couple of months now. I have never been denied the option to file a NOTAM for any of my UAS flights. It is a safety measure telling manned pilots that there is UAS activity. Why wouldn't any one want that published?
 
  • Like
Reactions: slim.slamma
I believe if the FAA has allowed drones to operate at or below 400 feet they need to have tighter restrictions for other aircraft including manned helicopters to above 400 feet except for emergencies and take of and landings within a certain distance from any shoreline as well as over all land masses.
I agree, however we live in a society of people that do not want to be regulated , neither man nor unmanned pilots want the government to tell them what to do. The other day right in front of where I fly there is an island that turns into a "party island" on weekends and holidays, the other day as I flew in that direction an amphibious plane appears, and suddenly dove down circled the island and landed (or whatever the word is for setting down on water) I heard the plane as it was coming, located it saw it was heading in my bird's general direction and immediately lowered to 100 feet and headed back towards home NOT using RTH as that would have brought the bird up tp 200 feet, not too high but high enough to maybe be in the way of oncoming traffic. If I had not headed for home I likely would have been in the way of the manned craft, some might have stayed to film the plane risking other's life and limb LOL. The suggestion of a strobe strong enough for daylight I believe to be a great one as it could permit manned craft to see a UAS from a much farther distance, not to mention keep the UAS pilot from loosing the bird in hazy summer skies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kestrel
The suggestion of a strobe strong enough for daylight I believe to be a great one as it could permit manned craft to see a UAS from a much farther distance, not to mention keep the UAS pilot from loosing the bird in hazy summer skies.

We need more affordable high intensity strobe lights to be available: double sided tape, replacable battery, Easy,,...

The red / green lights that manufacturers put on craft are not only ineffective at distance in daylight, also, not as per aviation regs. (Red Right / Port, Green Left / Starboard.. When I was first indoctrinated in DJI, I was wondering WTF, red for away green for oncoming, not regular maritime / aviation signals...

NB. Wikipedia... (In many GA aircraft this is a very weak red beacon on the tail I +1 for "strobes"..)
All aircraft built after 11 March 1996 must have an anti-collision light system (strobe lights or rotating beacon) turned on for all flight activities in poor visibility.Apr 29, 2015
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mixchief
We need more affordable high intensity strobe lights to be available: double sided tape, replacable battery, Easy,,...

The red / green lights that manufacturers put on craft are not only ineffective at distance in daylight, also, not as per aviation regs. (Red Right / Port, Green Left / Starboard.. When I was first indoctrinated in DJI, I was wondering WTF, red for away green for oncoming, not regular maritime / aviation signals...

NB. Wikipedia... (In many GA aircraft this is a very weak red beacon on the tail I +1 for "strobes"..)
All aircraft built after 11 March 1996 must have an anti-collision light system (strobe lights or rotating beacon) turned on for all flight activities in poor visibility.Apr 29, 2015
Absolutely agree
 
I’d say he was at 600ft to get that perspective down the beach. I flew on Miami Beach before but nvr during regular hours, too much air traffic. Helicopters every 3 minutes. I got up at 6:30am and had peace of mind.
Someone with some sort of perspective, I agree that they are flying over 400 ft, Maybe the UAS pilot is a member here and will chime in, I posted at the DJI forum as well as the Autel forum as I am an EVO owner also, maybe the YouTuber comes out of hiding and gives us some telemetry info to prove he was legal.
 
You can’t see the tops of the high rises, which means he wasn’t higher than those buildings. It’s not a judgement but a fact that he was not higher than the buildings. So however tall those buildings are is about how high he was and typically 40 story buildings are 400 ft.
 
You can’t see the tops of the high rises, which means he wasn’t higher than those buildings. It’s not a judgement but a fact that he was not higher than the buildings. So however tall those buildings are is about how high he was and typically 40 story buildings are 400 ft.

I agree ;)

10x40 is definitely 400’

In Florida I’d say 8x40=320

If my guess is worth fifty cent, I know 600+ when I see it:oops:
 

New Posts

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
22,273
Messages
210,620
Members
34,256
Latest member
EthanV875