Helicopter Flies Dangerously Close to Me.

[krodgerson]

I think the heading should be that you were dangerously close to the helicopter. Perhaps you should have landed as soon as you heard it. A drone is very hard to see from an an aircraft. Lucky that he didn't blow you out of the sky with his downdraught.

 

[GregS]

View attachment 143661

Hello Everyone! First time poster here -

So I want to preface by saying - I have my UAS remote pilots license, I file LAANC, and I follow the rules.

Yesterday, I was out flying to plan a photo for this sunset photo so I go next to the tower to scout out a good angle. I wasn't doing anything crazy - I literally just flew up to this tower from the ground - no kind of acrobatics. I hear a chopper in the distance and don't think much of it. My ADS-B then pops up a little while later and tells me there's an aircraft approaching - okay - I thought that was weird...

Then it comes and flies straight for my drone, does a little bit of slow arc about 100-200 feet from my drone (which I had already placed even closer to the tower and lowered slightly so it wasn't above the tower level). It flies away then does the exact thing 2 minutes later.

I always respect other manned aircraft and position myself to avoid them. Why would a manned aircraft specifically seek me out and fly so close to me?

First of all, the helo probably didn't see you. It is your responsibility to stay away from manned aircraft. He might have been inspecting that tower. When you hear an aircraft, decent immediately. Drone pilots are on the bottom of the list as to whom has right of way. Balloons are even above us. Fly safe.

 

[MARK (LI)]

You say you were in close proximity to an airport....were you inside the controlled airspace?.....had you obtained a LAANC?

 

[bricman12]

I had a helicopter, chase my drone once, I was about 60 feet off the ground, flying by a private airport, doing a job for an construction company. I was able to fly my drone low over some water close to some trees, to get him to stop chasing my drone. I looked at the pilot when he did, fly by me and the construction site manager. I think he was messing me and my drone. I did not get upset, just a little disturbed at him. It left wandering why he did it. I could have reported him, but I did not.

Sounds like you should've taken down the pilot's aircraft number and made that a conversation with ATC.

 

[sancap]

Sometimes manned helicopters do not follow the rules. As someone mentioned in this thread about Lee County Mosquito control, this one was no higher than 30 feet flying over the beach (not over the water). I called them out on this and contacted the city and the company flying the mosquito control aircraft. Lee County Mosquito Control said they were flying grids spraying larvicide. I may not know it all but have never seen a 10 mile grid straight down a beach over people. It was clearly a joy ride.

These helicopters come so fast it is hard to determine where they are until they are on top of you. If I were flying a drone at this time and decided to descend I could have flown into it. Sometimes you need to hold your place.

 

[Don Testme]

View attachment 143661

Hello Everyone! First time poster here -

So I want to preface by saying - I have my UAS remote pilots license, I file LAANC, and I follow the rules.

Yesterday, I was out flying to plan a photo for this sunset photo so I go next to the tower to scout out a good angle. I wasn't doing anything crazy - I literally just flew up to this tower from the ground - no kind of acrobatics. I hear a chopper in the distance and don't think much of it. My ADS-B then pops up a little while later and tells me there's an aircraft approaching - okay - I thought that was weird...

Then it comes and flies straight for my drone, does a little bit of slow arc about 100-200 feet from my drone (which I had already placed even closer to the tower and lowered slightly so it wasn't above the tower level). It flies away then does the exact thing 2 minutes later.

I always respect other manned aircraft and position myself to avoid them. Why would a manned aircraft specifically seek me out and fly so close to me?

I had a police helicopter chase my drone at about 9pm at night while I was flying over my neighborhood. It was only 400 feet horizontally away from me. I was only about 200ft AGL. The police came in because I had my anti-collision lights blinking and MAYBE one of my neighbors called them or a police ground car called it in. I was just testing my new anti-collision lights, Either the police or a neighbor got nervous. Why they felt the need to use a police chopper to chase my drone is odd. The cost of launching a police chopper cost more than my stupid drone. What a waist of police resources. When the chopper showed up, I lowered the drone altitude to 100ft, which is the height of the tallest tree in my neighborhood. Because the police heli was flying in circles and in several directions, I just hovered above a tree and waited until I couldn't hear it's engines anymore. I was on the east side of my house, and my drone was in my view, but the police heli came in from the west, so I had no idea where it was or it proximity to my drone, so I just lowed the drone near the trees and hovered. I knew the heli wouldn't take the risk of getting into the trees, that's why I hovered there and waited for the stupid heli to leave. After it left, This gave me the opportunity to fly down my street toward my house, just above the power lines and land. As I was landing the ground police pulled up, as they followed the drone. They just asked me why I was flying at night. I told them I was testing the Collision lights. I showed them the registration (this was before the TRUST exam). They took photos. They Seemed to get embarrassed and all five cop cars left within a couple minutes. This happened 2 years ago.

Funny thing. They asked why I was evading their helicopter. I told them, the FAA required me to stay away or avoid manned aircraft. They looked confused, but they called the heli pilot and he confirmed that's what what UAS pilots are supposed to do.

I never got a ticket or any future harrassment or FAA notices. They just acted as if the event never happened.

 

[crlmjohnson]

You say you were in close proximity to an airport....were you inside the controlled airspace?.....had you obtained a LAANC?

yes...it a private Airport....I know the owner of the airport. he knew I was flying there. I was flying there 4 days a week, at the same time for 3 hours a day for 9 months. The helicopter pilot, knew I was there also. I am pretty sure, he was trying to make a point with me. That's why I did let it brother me.

 

[bricman12]

I had a police helicopter chase my drone at about 9pm at night while I was flying over my neighborhood. It was only 400 feet horizontally away from me. I was only about 200ft AGL. The police came in because I had my anti-collision lights blinking and MAYBE one of my neighbors called them or a police ground car called it in. I was just testing my new anti-collision lights, Either the police or a neighbor got nervous. Why they felt the need to use a police chopper to chase my drone is odd. The cost of launching a police chopper cost more than my stupid drone. What a waist of police resources. When the chopper showed up, I lowered the drone altitude to 100ft, which is the height of the tallest tree in my neighborhood. Because the police heli was flying in circles and in several directions, I just hovered above a tree and waited until I couldn't hear it's engines anymore. I was on the east side of my house, and my drone was in my view, but the police heli came in from the west, so I had no idea where it was or it proximity to my drone, so I just lowed the drone near the trees and hovered. I knew the heli wouldn't take the risk of getting into the trees, that's why I hovered there and waited for the stupid heli to leave. After it left, This gave me the opportunity to fly down my street toward my house, just above the power lines and land. As I was landing the ground police pulled up, as they followed the drone. They just asked me why I was flying at night. I told them I was testing the Collision lights. I showed them the registration (this was before the TRUST exam). They took photos. They Seemed to get embarrassed and all five cop cars left within a couple minutes. This happened 2 years ago.

Funny thing. They asked why I was evading their helicopter. I told them, the FAA required me to stay away or avoid manned aircraft. They looked confused, but they called the heli pilot and he confirmed that's what what UAS pilots are supposed to do.

I never got a ticket or any future harrassment or FAA notices. They just acted as if the event never happened.

What a crazy story.

I can't get over how they thought you were "evading" the helicopter! What a misinformed viewpoint.

 

[bricman12]

Sometimes manned helicopters do not follow the rules. As someone mentioned in this thread about Lee County Mosquito control, this one was no higher than 30 feet flying over the beach (not over the water). I called them out on this and contacted the city and the company flying the mosquito control aircraft. Lee County Mosquito Control said they were flying grids spraying larvicide. I may not know it all but have never seen a 10 mile grid straight down a beach over people. It was clearly a joy ride.

These helicopters come so fast it is hard to determine where they are until they are on top of you. If I were flying a drone at this time and decided to descend I could have flown into it. Sometimes you need to hold your place.

Crazy footage!

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

I agree that giving right of way is proper and legal action to take and was not suggesting videoing the interaction as a course of action. I was more curious if you were already recording and captured any of it.

I fly at a spot near a medical helipad while I winter in Florida and as soon as I hear the whoop whoop of helicopter blades my drone is dropped below building level and on its way back to my landing area. I actually use this area less frequently now that the pad gets used 6 or more times a day now. Flights are now kept below or barely at roof level to stay below the altitude the helicopter would approach pad.

I have the Medivac dispatch number for areas I fly that have medical heliports. I contact them prior to flights in their area. They let me know if there are any in/outbound flights in progress. And while I am flying, they contact me on my phone to let me know if anything new pops up. I then notify them when my flight it over.
This my not be a requirement, but it make for a good relationship with their dispatch, and provides for a much safer flying environment.

 

[Don Testme]

I have the Medivac dispatch number for areas I fly that have medical heliports. I contact them prior to flights in their area. They let me know if there are any in/outbound flights in progress. And while I am flying, they contact me on my phone to let me know if anything new pops up. I then notify them when my flight it over.
This my not be a requirement, but it make for a good relationship with their dispatch, and provides for a much safer flying environment.

I too live in an area where there are a lot of medivac flights. The community is older and they have three hospitals nearby with helipads. My house is kind of in the center of things. I see the medivac copters fly maybe 2-3 times per week. They fly very close to my operating area. No effense, but informing them when I fly or asking them to call me if they are going to fly over my operations area is a little overkill. But I do understand, the comradery you and perhaps they feel between eachother. If they are cool with it, good for you. Sounds like fun being in contact with such an important community service.

 

[Vic Moss]

In the eyes of the FAA, you have the headline of your post wrong.

It should have been "I flew dangerously close to a helicopter".

UAS are the low men on the airspace totem pole. It is our responsibility to make sure we aren't interfering with manned aviation. You mentioned you saw the helo. It's your responsibility to make sure you're staying out of their way if they turn towards you.

If there had been an "incident", you would have been at fault.

 

[twickers14]

A couple of questions, one to you-did you by any chance have strobes on and working? The views expressed above about the chopper not being able to see you makes sense but just perhaps, with strobes, it might have. Second question-you say you LAANC your flights normally. Did you need to on this one, was it controlled airspace? If so would the pilot not have been warned of your presence? Maybe LAANC doesn’t work that way. If not, it perhaps should?

 

[Don Testme]

In the eyes of the FAA, you have the headline of your post wrong.

It should have been "I flew dangerously close to a helicopter".

UAS are the low men on the airspace totem pole. It is our responsibility to make sure we aren't interfering with manned aviation. You mentioned you saw the helo. It's your responsibility to make sure you're staying out of their way if they turn towards you.

If there had been an "incident", you would have been at fault.

You are definitely correct about that.

 

[bricman12]

In the eyes of the FAA, you have the headline of your post wrong.

It should have been "I flew dangerously close to a helicopter".

UAS are the low men on the airspace totem pole. It is our responsibility to make sure we aren't interfering with manned aviation. You mentioned you saw the helo. It's your responsibility to make sure you're staying out of their way if they turn towards you.

If there had been an "incident", you would have been at fault.

Always greatly respect your input, thank you.

 

[BigAl07]

A couple of questions, one to you-did you by any chance have strobes on and working? The views expressed above about the chopper not being able to see you makes sense but just perhaps, with strobes, it might have. Second question-you say you LAANC your flights normally. Did you need to on this one, was it controlled airspace? If so would the pilot not have been warned of your presence? Maybe LAANC doesn’t work that way. If not, it perhaps should?

LAANC is an automated system and does not create a NOTAM.

 

[bricman12]

A couple of questions, one to you-did you by any chance have strobes on and working? The views expressed above about the chopper not being able to see you makes sense but just perhaps, with strobes, it might have. Second question-you say you LAANC your flights normally. Did you need to on this one, was it controlled airspace? If so would the pilot not have been warned of your presence? Maybe LAANC doesn’t work that way. If not, it perhaps should?

To my knowledge, LAANC doesn't let pilots know that you're flying - only ATC (as far as I'm aware). And the ADS-B is for the drone operator and doesn't go to the pilots. When the helicopter came it was in the middle of the day (not from my photo) so I didn't have my strobes on - I put them on when I flew at sunset.

 

[GFields]

Thanks for sharing

 

[mschaffer66]

Sometimes manned helicopters do not follow the rules. As someone mentioned in this thread about Lee County Mosquito control, this one was no higher than 30 feet flying over the beach (not over the water). I called them out on this and contacted the city and the company flying the mosquito control aircraft. Lee County Mosquito Control said they were flying grids spraying larvicide. I may not know it all but have never seen a 10 mile grid straight down a beach over people. It was clearly a joy ride.

These helicopters come so fast it is hard to determine where they are until they are on top of you. If I were flying a drone at this time and decided to descend I could have flown into it. Sometimes you need to hold your place.

That's the same bird. We were sitting on the beach at Cayo Costa and I think he was spraying that pond in the middle of the island. He was close enough that I was able to see his tail numbers and look up to see exactly what it's purpose was in life.

 

[twickers14]

To my knowledge, LAANC doesn't let pilots know that you're flying - only ATC (as far as I'm aware). And the ADS-B is for the drone operator and doesn't go to the pilots. When the helicopter came it was in the middle of the day (not from my photo) so I didn't have my strobes on - I put them on when I flew at sunset.

Sure you’re right. Useful to know when I visit your country in April. Not sure if my MA2 (bought here in the U.K) has ADS-B? Need to find out as, even though one can normally hear a chopper approaching-we have a lot here as we have a hospital nearby, and can bring my craft down the ADS-B facility would be really helpful. Would strobes not help in full daylight-there’s plenty of people here on the Forum who swear by them to help VLOS-I could certainly use them with eyes as old as mine!!