Helicopter

BigDan · Dec 10, 2016

I was flying downtown Sarasota this afternoon from a pretty quiet location. Most of my focus was on the pending sunset, so I popped up to just under 300 ft. A minute later I hear a helicopter so I dropped to 200 ft and the sucker goes right past me. Startled the crap out of me. So what the heck? It wasn't a commercial heli from the markings but I'm not sure if he was too low, I was too high or it just looked close? I thought they had a 500' floor.

Check out my video:
Let me know your thoughts please.

Jixxer · Dec 11, 2016

FAA states :
For helicopters

An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

CCDD · Dec 11, 2016

Video is great!! What settings are you using and how are you able to upload with such great quality?

BigDan · Dec 11, 2016

CCDD said:
Video is great!! What settings are you using and how are you able to upload with such great quality?

Hey thanks! I haven't changed any settings - all still at factory default. It's probably because I live in God's country. The sun was hitting everything just perfectly.

Thank you for your kind words.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PilotMan7700 · Dec 11, 2016

I can't say for sure that he was 500' or higher because it's just too hard to tell in videos. But I can tell you that people that are not used to judging the height of aircraft flying over them tend to think aircraft are flying much lower than they really are. If you were about 2-300' when he passed over, I would guess he was right at 500'. This is a prime example as to why the 400' rule needs to be enforced. Coming from a professional helicopter pilot, I want to personally thank you for abiding by the rules that the FAA have put out and in addition, descending when you heard an aircraft approaching. Awesome shot BTW!! Beautiful!

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

Digitized Life · Dec 11, 2016

BigDan said:
I was flying downtown Sarasota this afternoon from a pretty quiet location. Most of my focus was on the pending sunset, so I popped up to just under 300 ft. A minute later I hear a helicopter so I dropped to 200 ft and the sucker goes right past me. Startled the crap out of me. So what the heck? It wasn't a commercial heli from the markings but I'm not sure if he was too low, I was too high or it just looked close? I thought they had a 500' floor.

Check out my video:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Let me know your thoughts please.

Great video! By the way what is the music your using?

BigDan · Dec 11, 2016

Pete Martson said:
Great video! By the way what is the music your using?

Thanks! No clue on the music. In YouTube I just add an "ambient" song as background music that is similar in length. My super-Mac that lets me edit videos should be under the Christmas tree of all goes well

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dean Miller · Dec 11, 2016

Altitude limits for commercial aircraft only apply over "built up areas" (in Canada at least). I work for a commercial helicopter company in northern Canada and we routinely fly 100-200 ft AGL when conducting aerial surveys for fish or wildlife, that includes coastal surveys looking at tidal habitats and over private lands and farm fields too. So yes all UAV operators should always be watching and listening for commercial aircraft. Just because UAV's are not allowed to fly above 400' does not mean that space is excluded to commercial aircraft. The same rules apply to fixed wing aircraft too but they seldom fly low over land because there is no room for emergency procedures. Planes on floats however fly low over the water (coastal) all the time.

I hope the day never comes when I am close enough in a helicopter to even see a drone. When I am flying mine I find a spot to land immediately if I hear a manned aircraft.