Another drone takes down another helicopter 12

[Sparweb]

Not the first time.
In its report, the NTSB noted that it has now completed three investigations where a collision with a drone has been confirmed, and gathered information on two other collisions where the evidence is consistent with a drone strike.

The drone was operating above 400 feet AGL in airspace that did not permit this, and at night when this is not normally permitted either. The type of drone that probably hit the helicopter (based on the damage) is not the kind that would be equipped with proper anti-collision lights that would make night flight possible.

Here is another example, probably not in the NTSB count - although a much more avoidable one that should not have happened.

http://www.sparweb.ca

 

[dik]

Not really... some of us don't frequent the pub... we're fussy who we drink with.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

The below is just personal opinion

The main thing for light single engine aircraft is to stay out of the sub 1000ft agl level unless your near defined landing airport and your actually landing. You might not do it often but practising forced landings we used to take them down to wheels in the crops. But USA/CANADA may limit you to 500ft. But even 500ft your getting into the yellow zone with drones.

And birds have a habit of making it through the prop.

These small drones are cause of concern for us at tens of tons weight yes we are going a bit faster with 110-145 knts Vref and takeoff speeds. But the machines are just not designed to take a point mass hit. Turbine engines definitely wouldn't like it. They get upset with a 500gram
bird which will cause it to start surging and require a shut down.

And rotary one into the disk would destroy the disk.

We don't have it so bad in europe because we just don't have the density of rotary operating in low level. Yes we have helimeds and the likes. But you maybe have 1 of them operating in the north of london along with 1 or 2 police rotary. US for a similar sized area you would be into double figures of both. And then you could add in 5 or 6 news helicopters as well. Never mind all the private/charter ones. You just have way more potential and conflict for airspace use.

 

[1503-44]

When I had my ultralight, pre-drone days, we never went above 500ft. We preferred flying under the HV lines. Houston is a pancake. 1ft per mile average slope. Canadian geese and buzzards were the only problem back then.

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

this is exactly the traffic conflict which is the issue

pre drone.

RC aircraft sub 100 ft and 30knts. And the vast majority of them if you drop them from back of the car that's them destroyed quiet expensive and actually takes quiet a lot of skill to get even remotely competent. And you need a reasonable space clear of objects to get it up and down.

Ultra lights and rotary up to about 500ft. Both relatively easy to see ultralight about 60 knts max rotary 100knts. Somebody strapped into both who doesn't have a death wish.

Light aircraft single engine 1000ft to 3000ft about 100-130 knts again easy to see.

Everything else that's faster above that and only enters the lower airspace inside 15 nm of an airport.

Now you have things which you can buy in wallmart and charge for an hour which requires very little skill to fly and reuse in the zone that everyone has to go up and down through. They can go vertically up and down and basically only need a sqr meter of flat ground to operate out of. Death of operator doesn't happen if they screw it up. They can just go and buy another one on the way home. And its nearly impossible to see them.