Hi,
I just wanted to share a story with other Phantom pilots concerning an incident that happened to me this past summer......an incident that could have turned into a disaster.
First a bit of background:
I have been flying Phantom drones for 6 years and have followed developments in drone technology. I have owned various Phantom models over the years.
I formed a drone business and my business partner and I provide drone photography services for individuals, businesses and organizations. We handle various jobs from real estate to special events to land development and surveying.
My partner and I are both Transport Canada certified Advanced Drone Pilots and the P4Ps we operate are all registered with Transport Canada.
Further, our business carries full insurance coverage: Lloyd's of London $2 million coverage for drone operations.
This past August, our company was hired to do aerial work over a large outdoor gathering which was a fund raising event attended by about 700 people and close to 200 boats.
Prior to the event, our business applied for(and received) a Special Flight Operations Certificate(SFOC) from Transport Canada. The SFOC was then to be available and posted on the Notice to Airmen(NOTAM) bulletin for the date of the event.
We had Transport Canada permission to conduct drone flight operations from 400 feet and below in the area surrounding the event site. The SFOC was in place from noon on the day in question until sunset that day.
The Incident:
At approximately 2:30pm, I was piloting my P4P over water directly in front of the event site and I was taking still images of the scene in front and below.
While operating at an altitude of 300 feet, my business partner(acting as my spotter) shouted a warning to me that there was a helicopter that had suddenly appeared over a tree line to my left. Wind coming from the SW had prevented me from hearing any helicopter turbine engine approaching.
I immediately turned my head to see a Bell Jet Ranger come over the trees and was seconds from being in the area where I was flying.
I had little time to decide on what to do.
Ultimately, I decided to take my hands off the controller and allow my P4P to remain in place, hovering.
I did not feel that climbing or descending was a good gamble. My 'speed/time/distance' judgement told me there was a good chance the helicopter would pass below me.
The Jet Ranger FIRST passed underneath my drone and then turned to the right and in a clockwise fashion, returned for a second pass!
It was clear to my partner and I at this point the helicopter pilot had not seen my P4P perhaps due to the sun.
On the 2nd pass, the helicopter had climbed a bit and it flew overhead my drone and then continued away, flying due South.
Shaken, I immediately landed my Phantom and noted in my flight log what had just happened.
It's not every day that you'll be flying your Phantom and have a helicopter fly UNDER and then OVER your drone while you are doing a job!
We immediately notified Transport Canada noting the circumstances and all the details.
Transport Canada sent an investigator and my partner and I were both interviewed at the incident site about a week after.
At this point, Transport Canada has absolutely cleared us from any infraction......indeed, the investigator pointed out that my decision to hover in place as opposed to trying to climb or descend was a good course of action-considering the circumstances.
They correctly pointed out the helicopter pilot had no business operating at that low an altitude whether over people or not.
Further, Transport Canada says it is unlikely the helicopter pilot read the NOTAM bulletin in place for that area on the day of the event. Had they done so, they would have been made aware of drone flights ops being conducted throughout the afternoon.
At this point, all I know is that Transport Canada is continuing its investigation and my business partner and I eagerly await its outcome and findings.
Had this situation turned out differently, it would have been a rare case......
An aircraft hitting a drone......not the other way around.
I just wanted to share a story with other Phantom pilots concerning an incident that happened to me this past summer......an incident that could have turned into a disaster.
First a bit of background:
I have been flying Phantom drones for 6 years and have followed developments in drone technology. I have owned various Phantom models over the years.
I formed a drone business and my business partner and I provide drone photography services for individuals, businesses and organizations. We handle various jobs from real estate to special events to land development and surveying.
My partner and I are both Transport Canada certified Advanced Drone Pilots and the P4Ps we operate are all registered with Transport Canada.
Further, our business carries full insurance coverage: Lloyd's of London $2 million coverage for drone operations.
This past August, our company was hired to do aerial work over a large outdoor gathering which was a fund raising event attended by about 700 people and close to 200 boats.
Prior to the event, our business applied for(and received) a Special Flight Operations Certificate(SFOC) from Transport Canada. The SFOC was then to be available and posted on the Notice to Airmen(NOTAM) bulletin for the date of the event.
We had Transport Canada permission to conduct drone flight operations from 400 feet and below in the area surrounding the event site. The SFOC was in place from noon on the day in question until sunset that day.
The Incident:
At approximately 2:30pm, I was piloting my P4P over water directly in front of the event site and I was taking still images of the scene in front and below.
While operating at an altitude of 300 feet, my business partner(acting as my spotter) shouted a warning to me that there was a helicopter that had suddenly appeared over a tree line to my left. Wind coming from the SW had prevented me from hearing any helicopter turbine engine approaching.
I immediately turned my head to see a Bell Jet Ranger come over the trees and was seconds from being in the area where I was flying.
I had little time to decide on what to do.
Ultimately, I decided to take my hands off the controller and allow my P4P to remain in place, hovering.
I did not feel that climbing or descending was a good gamble. My 'speed/time/distance' judgement told me there was a good chance the helicopter would pass below me.
The Jet Ranger FIRST passed underneath my drone and then turned to the right and in a clockwise fashion, returned for a second pass!
It was clear to my partner and I at this point the helicopter pilot had not seen my P4P perhaps due to the sun.
On the 2nd pass, the helicopter had climbed a bit and it flew overhead my drone and then continued away, flying due South.
Shaken, I immediately landed my Phantom and noted in my flight log what had just happened.
It's not every day that you'll be flying your Phantom and have a helicopter fly UNDER and then OVER your drone while you are doing a job!
We immediately notified Transport Canada noting the circumstances and all the details.
Transport Canada sent an investigator and my partner and I were both interviewed at the incident site about a week after.
At this point, Transport Canada has absolutely cleared us from any infraction......indeed, the investigator pointed out that my decision to hover in place as opposed to trying to climb or descend was a good course of action-considering the circumstances.
They correctly pointed out the helicopter pilot had no business operating at that low an altitude whether over people or not.
Further, Transport Canada says it is unlikely the helicopter pilot read the NOTAM bulletin in place for that area on the day of the event. Had they done so, they would have been made aware of drone flights ops being conducted throughout the afternoon.
At this point, all I know is that Transport Canada is continuing its investigation and my business partner and I eagerly await its outcome and findings.
Had this situation turned out differently, it would have been a rare case......
An aircraft hitting a drone......not the other way around.