Helicopter flying towards drone. Tips?

[RS6_Pilot]

So I'm flying towards the bluffs at an altitude well under 400 ft. max (around 100 ft.). I'm approaching the bluffs which is a 200-300 ft. drop into the ocean. I'm about a mile away (me not my drone) and I see a Helicopter moving fast along the coastline. I can't really tell the height or at what point it will cross with my drone.

My first instinct is to stop but it looks like the Heli is gaining altitude so I drop about another 50 ft. and just continue to fly forward in the sea. Then I see the Heli in my drone footage.....it was above me but MUCH closer than I thought we were. It was over water at this point so technically I went from legal altitude to probably well over.

Anyways, what tips do you have for a situation like this where you see a Heli or even plane flying towards your drone? Remember it was near impossible to judge where I was relative to the Heli so you would have to guess. Also, just as a side note Heli's often dip into 400 ft. airspace where drone's are allowed to fly.

 

[aokusman]

So I'm flying towards the bluffs at an altitude well under 400 ft. max (around 100 ft.). I'm approaching the bluffs which is a 200-300 ft. drop into the ocean. I'm about a mile away (me not my drone) and I see a Helicopter moving fast along the coastline. I can't really tell the height or at what point it will cross with my drone.

My first instinct is to stop but it looks like the Heli is gaining altitude so I drop about another 50 ft. and just continue to fly forward in the sea. Then I see the Heli in my drone footage.....it was above me but MUCH closer than I thought we were. It was over water at this point so technically I went from legal altitude to probably well over.

Anyways, what tips do you have for a situation like this where you see a Heli or even plane flying towards your drone? Remember it was near impossible to judge where I was relative to the Heli so you would have to guess. Also, just as a side note Heli's often dip into 400 ft. airspace where drone's are allowed to fly.

You hear something, you immediately descend. That’s all there is to it.

 

[hiflyer201]

Take the TRUST exam. that question is answered...give way to all aircraft!

 

[Phantomrain.org]

So I'm flying towards the bluffs at an altitude well under 400 ft. max (around 100 ft.). I'm approaching the bluffs which is a 200-300 ft. drop into the ocean. I'm about a mile away (me not my drone) and I see a Helicopter moving fast along the coastline. I can't really tell the height or at what point it will cross with my drone.

My first instinct is to stop but it looks like the Heli is gaining altitude so I drop about another 50 ft. and just continue to fly forward in the sea. Then I see the Heli in my drone footage.....it was above me but MUCH closer than I thought we were. It was over water at this point so technically I went from legal altitude to probably well over.

Anyways, what tips do you have for a situation like this where you see a Heli or even plane flying towards your drone? Remember it was near impossible to judge where I was relative to the Heli so you would have to guess. Also, just as a side note Heli's often dip into 400 ft. airspace where drone's are allowed to fly.

When your dealing with the Impossible, common sense has to come into play.
The best thing to do is hover and go lower, if you go to low you may loose your signal and you do not want that either.

Obviously that Visual Line of Sight is designed so that there are not to many Impossible situations taken place.
Once you know the Direction of the Plane / Heli , you can than continue to fly . Hover and Drop is always going to be your play .

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain and Land on the Water.

 

[Squidinc]

You see a plane or helicopter ? you should descend as quickly and safely as possible. If I was over water, as I usually am, I would hover down at a safe height until all was clear. If I’m over land and I believe I can land somewhere safely, then I would.

 

[Ralph thompson]

In my experience (drone flying since 2012), the biggest threats are helicopter, ultralights and in my neck of the woods, float planes because they all potentially fly at the same altitude as drones. But on the plus side, you will usually hear them before you see them. The rotor blade slap, the buzz of ultralights and the roar of a float plane taking off are audible from long distances. Keep your ears open, don't chit chat to people with you and absolutely remain VLOS. Be a "professional" drone operator. As said above descend immediately or quickly return to home at the lowest safe altitude. I also have a transceiver tuned to the VFR enroute frequency 126.7 MHz (in Canada) or the area control or tower frequency in controlled airspace. It helps to know if someone is flying in your direction. And remember the old pilot adage, "Good pilots never have to use their skills" because they're wise enough to avoid dangerous situations.

 

[Vic Moss]

If you see ANY manned aircraft, go into an immediate hover and assess the situation. Descend or even land if necessary. You should have let the helicopter get fully past you and further away before you continued your flight.

 

[Tom Johnson]

Hover, assess (if you even have that much time), descend to the right of the path of the helo.

 

[wardtom084]

With the air 2, I am notified about the time I hear them. I have intentionally launched knowing the ambulance chopper is coming in (which is usually over my house) at about 500 feet to land a mile away.

 

[hychewright]

All above answers are right on target! Give way to all aircraft and land ASAP when visual contact is made or better yet, you may hear the sound before visual sight.

 

[GFields]

Always yield to manned aircraft!

 

[ShadowCat]

You have to quickly assess which direction is is flying before deciding you next moves. do not do things in haste. Tings you cannot cater for is fast moving aircraft as there are there and gone by the time you react.

 

[BigAl07]

With the air 2, I am notified about the time I hear them. I have intentionally launched knowing the ambulance chopper is coming in (which is usually over my house) at about 500 feet to land a mile away.

Keep in mind you're only being notified of aircraft that are broadcasting ADS-B Out which may or may not be required in your area (depends on the aircraft, type of flight, and specific airspace flying in) and the odds are you're NOT seeing several more which are NOT broadcasting. Relying on the DJI AirSense to tell you of all approaching aircraft is like driving on the road blindfolded and only avoiding the cars which are actively blowing their horns at you, at some point you're going to be hit by another car . . . DJI's AirSense is a great tool to have but you need to know it's limitations and such so that you don't blindly trust it.

 

[BigAl07]

So I'm flying towards the bluffs at an altitude well under 400 ft. max (around 100 ft.). I'm approaching the bluffs which is a 200-300 ft. drop into the ocean. I'm about a mile away (me not my drone) and I see a Helicopter moving fast along the coastline. I can't really tell the height or at what point it will cross with my drone.

My first instinct is to stop but it looks like the Heli is gaining altitude so I drop about another 50 ft. and just continue to fly forward in the sea. Then I see the Heli in my drone footage.....it was above me but MUCH closer than I thought we were. It was over water at this point so technically I went from legal altitude to probably well over.

Anyways, what tips do you have for a situation like this where you see a Heli or even plane flying towards your drone? Remember it was near impossible to judge where I was relative to the Heli so you would have to guess. Also, just as a side note Heli's often dip into 400 ft. airspace where drone's are allowed to fly.

A) If you can't determine the manned aircraft's position/direction of travel then you're most likely flying outside of the VLOS requirements. Just because you can see that speck on the horizon doesn't fit our See & Avoid requirements.

B) Unless you are VERY confident in the aircrafts intentions etc always reduce altitude as low as possible and an intended impact with Terra Firma is a better outcome than becoming an Aviation Statistic.

C) Manned Aircraft (especially over/near water etc) are legally able to fly below the 500'AGL we so often hear as a HARD limit. Helicopters can fly at almost any height and do so legally.

 

[Lets Fly]

Manned Aircraft (especially over/near water etc) are legally able to fly below the 500'AGL we so often hear as a HARD limit. Helicopters can fly at almost any height and do so legally.

And now with all the drones in the air and increasing numbers all the time, that rule should be changed. Except for emergencies no manned aircraft should fly below 500 feet, making the chances for an accident nearly non existent.

 

[BigAl07]

And now with all the drones in the air and increasing numbers all the time, that rule should be changed. Except for emergencies no manned aircraft should fly below 500 feet, making the chances for an accident nearly non existent.

Umm negative! We are still the lowest point on the totem pole and rightfully so. It just means we remain aware and adhere to See & Avoid! There are a LOT of operations at or below 500' that are needed and enjoyed day in and day out. If we, as a community, can't safely integrate into the existing NAS we can be easily regulated OUT of the NAS.

 

[Lets Fly]

Umm negative! We are still the lowest point on the totem pole and rightfully so. It just means we remain aware and adhere to See & Avoid! There are a LOT of operations at or below 500' that are needed and enjoyed day in and day out. If we, as a community, can't safely integrate into the existing NAS we can be easily regulated OUT of the NAS.

Yes BigA107 but the totem pole is getting higher, and with package delivery and medical supplies coming on, something has to be done to clear the airways for drones also, recreational and commercial, so as to help prevent accidents. Whether they do it or not is yet to be seen, we can only hope.

 

[My Drone Adventures]

Yes BigA107 but the totem pole is getting higher, and with package delivery and medical supplies coming on, something has to be done to clear the airways for drones also, recreational and commercial, so as to help prevent accidents. Whether they do it or not is yet to be seen, we can only hope.

You are right that the rules will be changing, but not how you would like. I bet we will see a lower ceiling and a hard visual limit for all recreational flyers, then planned and submitted flight plans for 107 pilots.

Rules generally do not get looser for the small person. Amazon, UPS, and FedEx have a strong lobbying arm that will make sure the rules are written to aid them so I could see a new “commerce freeway” layer between 200-400 AGl

 

[pinballwiz86]

Helicopter pilots and commercial pilots are instructed to fly above 500 feet at all times outside of landing or take-off. So no, if you "hear or see" a piloted aircraft you do not need to knee-jerk ditch it into the ground. Just be sure you are under 400 feet and continue business as usual. You also have the right to fly your unmanned aerial vehicle same as any other piloted craft otherwise the FAA would not bother requiring you to register and label the drone with your reg.

I am sure I will get flamed by some people but they are incorrect.

 

[apeel]

If your drone is flying 1-mile away, then you are definitely breaking the FAA rules as there is simply no way you can see your drone, its orientation and direction of flight. As such, you are flying BLVOS. Heck. You couldn't even see the helicopter.