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Mini2 Almost collides with low flying airplane

Here in Western NC - Duke Power (electricity provider) has a chopper with hanging saws on it. Got some video / pics last year and was out yesterday in the yard and heard that "noise" again. Looked up and there it was. He flew out too far before I could go get my drone - although I'd never get close - as the chopper hovers barely above treetop level (maybe 100 ft) when "trimming as they call it" but more like massacring trees along the power lines.

It's really cool to see both the chopper flying at treetop - then you hear the chainsaws gear up and start taking out trees/ limbs / etc. Maybe 5-6 saws on onelong bar that dangled below to chopper. That pilot has got to have some big kahuna's to be doing it.

Here's a pic from last year.
 

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OK FOLKS, THIS IS AND APRIL FOOLS JOKE !. The waves in each picture remain unchanged. The images are exact matches of one another. To catch the plane going one way, fool me once, to catch the plane going the other way, your not fooling me twice. They are the same pics, the waves do not change between the coming and going flights.
From that distance a split second will not make much difference in the wave patterns...
 
Here in Western NC - Duke Power (electricity provider) has a chopper with hanging saws on it. Got some video / pics last year and was out yesterday in the yard and heard that "noise" again. Looked up and there it was. He flew out too far before I could go get my drone - although I'd never get close - as the chopper hovers barely above treetop level (maybe 100 ft) when "trimming as they call it" but more like massacring trees along the power lines.

It's really cool to see both the chopper flying at treetop - then you hear the chainsaws gear up and start taking out trees/ limbs / etc. Maybe 5-6 saws on onelong bar that dangled below to chopper. That pilot has got to have some big kahuna's to be doing it.

Here's a pic from last year.

Like this? Looks insane. James Bond Kind of stuff.
 
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From that distance a split second will not make much difference in the wave patterns...
As far as the telemetry being the same, there are 30 frames in a second to choose from and not much will change from one frame to the other when something that fast moves through that close to the camera...
 
The more I thought about it. Now I believe he really did get that footage. Hope to see the vid.
 
In this area, we sometimes find some low flying planes for marine research etc, but to be honest, not that many and they keep more to the sea side and the middle of the bay. I've done a video there a while ago, just at Houtbay side, see
Nice one, too far for me to go so I appreciate the view. Thanks Franscois
 
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my position when he flew by, I was still over the rocks
 

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Wow, must have been nerve wrecking experience!
You may want to take those pictures offline though, 'cause chances are some bozo will find them and take them out of context to use them to tell the greater public how dangerous drones are... ?
I would argue that light airplane pilots are more dangerous doing low flights. If he had come short he most likely would not survive and there would be wreckage and eco mess, whereas a drone is totally eco friendly - we dont bother people, leave no tracks or mess etc.
 
There's a common misconception in drone forums that airplanes must fly above 500 ft.
But there are many situations where they can legally fly lower than 500 ft and drone flyers should be aware of that.

True, I guess that ideal separation scenario covers perhaps as much as 90% of most airspace flight time for a manned aircraft / pilot.
Unless you're medi heli pilot, any sort of tourist flight pilot, etc etc, then it could be a lot higher, and I think once recognised as such, most of those areas are then classed as prohibited airspace for drone ops.

Watching that video, it was closer that the photos made it appear, also blink of an eye kind of time frame, little chance to react unless you heard it a long way off.
 
@Meta4 Point being though that this does occur.

There is a fly zone near derde steen blouberg - according to NFZ maps and software. While sitting there an acrobatic aircraft skimmed the beach at 10m height which was shocking to most and flew all the way to big bay and then back twice. There were gliders around and a small drone being tested by a dad and his son, so very risky.

Who is in the right in this case?
 
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@Meta4 Point being though that this does occur.

There is a fly zone near derde steen blouberg - according to NFZ maps and software. While sitting there an acrobatic aircraft skimmed the beach at 10m height which was shocking to most and flew all the way to big bay and then back twice. There were gliders around and a small drone being tested by a dad and his son, so very risky.

Who is in the right in this case?
The rule of thumb, and aviation regulation as well I believe, is that the more maneuverable yields to less maneuverable. In this case the plane should yield to the glider and the drone being the most maneuverable yields to everything. Interesting is that everything yields to the hot air balloon.
 
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The drone was about 30m height (I was watching), maybe 50m out to sea. The glider was moving very slowly further down along the beach (away) direction at around 20m height. The plane appeared in seconds from my right side low flying at 10m and screamed by overhead just above our heads. By the time it was heard by anyone it was seconds before it flew over (around at 10m height - I could see the pilot and co-pilots faces) and then flew back up the beach again. Seems the plane was moving around the speed of an average car.

No warnings, flew in a drone fly zone, and when checking with the dad on his drone, the plane did not even appear on radar of any sort (possibly to low).

Perhaps the pilot here needs to really be responsible and held accountable?
 
OK FOLKS, THIS IS AND APRIL FOOLS JOKE !. The waves in each picture remain unchanged. The images are exact matches of one another. To catch the plane going one way, fool me once, to catch the plane going the other way, your not fooling me twice. They are the same pics, the waves do not change between the coming and going flights.
Plane going one way and then going the other way??
Look at those planes again.
 
Taking the opportunity in almost windless conditions after work this afternoon I went out along Clarence drive for some sea and coastal footage.
The mini2 was a mere 25 seconds in the air and 47 Meters out when I heard a strange sound like a truck approaching.
To my eyes surprise it was a low flying aircraft that sped by - If the drone had been further out and higher I would have been a drone short.
It's military. Texan, or Pilatus or Tucano
 
It's military. Texan, or Pilatus or Tucano
Whether it was a military plane I cannot say, it was a dark green and I saw no markings - maybe a spy checking for unlicenced sharks - who knows - the kind of things that happen in this country....
OFF topic
 
Taking the opportunity in almost windless conditions after work this afternoon I went out along Clarence drive for some sea and coastal footage.
The mini2 was a mere 25 seconds in the air and 47 Meters out when I heard a strange sound like a truck approaching.
To my eyes surprise it was a low flying aircraft that sped by - If the drone had been further out and higher I would have been a drone short.
 
This was my close call this past winter while I was flying over a frozen river. I had to throw the drone in sport mode and climb like a bastard so these 2 crazy pilots wouldn’t hit me.
 

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