We knew it would happen...now it has
- Thread starter YogiFlyer
- Start date
- Status
It's a moot point over who crashed into who. Since manned AC have the right of way and it's illegal to fly drones in Staten Island, it's the drone pilot that was wrong.
It was above 400' (debatable but we teach 400 or below)
It was flying in a No Fly Zone (Staten Island)
It was flying in an established TFR for UN Meeting
It was not maintaining See & Avoid
Did not maintain proper aircraft separation distance
I genuinely hope they identify the operator so we can get the "Back story". I also really hope they can locate the rest of the AC and the data is intact enough to learn about the whole flight(s).
There is absolutely ZERO excuse for this happening. Hobbyist, P107, Santa Clause.... does not matter. If this turns out to be accurate it's exactly what the FAA/Congress/John Q. Public need to push (and get) very harsh regulations. At least (if it's true) it didn't take the aircraft down and it wasn't a commercial aircraft full of John Q. Public.
It could be worse but it could be a LOT better.... maybe it's a fictitious story... only time will tell.
It was flying in a No Fly Zone (Staten Island)
It was flying in an established TFR for UN Meeting
It was not maintaining See & Avoid
Did not maintain proper aircraft separation distance
I genuinely hope they identify the operator so we can get the "Back story". I also really hope they can locate the rest of the AC and the data is intact enough to learn about the whole flight(s).
There is absolutely ZERO excuse for this happening. Hobbyist, P107, Santa Clause.... does not matter. If this turns out to be accurate it's exactly what the FAA/Congress/John Q. Public need to push (and get) very harsh regulations. At least (if it's true) it didn't take the aircraft down and it wasn't a commercial aircraft full of John Q. Public.
It could be worse but it could be a LOT better.... maybe it's a fictitious story... only time will tell.
Not to cause an argument, but what part of the multiple news stories would suggest that it's fictitious? The news posts in the other thread had pictures and it does look like the arm and motor from a P4 that was recovered. Like in this news story.
While I wholeheartedly believe it is likely to be true, there are some inconsistencies in the story. Also one of the gentlemen who "broke the news" just happens to run a company that's Anti-Drone.
Evidence in an old used ziploc bag? Story leaked on Social Media before any other source? ATC traffic has no record of the Emergency Declaration (this could be valid but "looks" suspicious).
Keep in mind this is an ongoing investigation and as such could possibly take weeks to months before NTSB etc release a full report. The above are purely my speculation and worth exactly what you paid for it LOL.
Yes it does very much look like a Phantom4 motor pod. I hope they are able to trace it back to the owner and get some legit answers.
I'm not sure that there were any active TFRs over Midland Beach at 2015 yesterday, but that would only remove one of those reasons for not flying there. Very foolish.
In the phone interview today it was "stated" there was one in place at the time for VIP Movement (which happens to be what these three helo were doing). I've not checked myself just going by a phone interview from earlier today.
And that may be correct - I just couldn't find a record of one that covered that location yesterday evening. It's a moot point anyway - that P4 should never have been at 500 ft in an active flight lane.
You can't fly in LaTourette Park anymore? Why I realize it's not near Midland Beach, I keep reading that all of Staten Island is off limits so I'm curious.
That could very well have been where it was launched from and is a legal park as best I can tell. Still checking TFRs, but if the helicopter was indeed at 500 ft, the drone was too high. Even if the helicopter was lower, UAVs are required to yield to manned aircraft. No matter how you figure this, the drone pilot is toast if they find him/her.
EDIT: The article states this occured over Midland Beach. Too far from LaTourette to be legal no matter what. I have found no evidence there was a TFR in place during the time of the incident.
Last edited:
LaTourette is only 3 miles from Midland, it's a likely location for where the drone was launched from. It's also just outside the DJI warning zones, so no hacking would have been needed to launch it legally. Until they complete the investigation, we wont know if the strike occurred over the beach at 500 ft or if it happened at 400 ft and over LaTourette.
Can anyone account for the whereabouts of a certain vlogger (with a known tendency to destroy Phantoms) during that time period?
It doesn’t matter. They are going to print new books to throw at whoever was flying it. This is the example anti uav people have been waiting for.
What new statutes would you need? If the strike occurred about 400 ft or outside Latourette, then drone pilot is already in trouble with the existing laws. If the strike occurred at or below 400ft and the drone was in a designated area for drones, then it gets stickier. One could argue that drone activity restricted to just 5 designated parks, the helicopter pilot should have avoided flying over those parks. Otherwise, what is the point of having parks where drones and other model aircraft can be flown.
What this incident does prove is that a drone striking a helicopter can cause significant damage.
Odd, the first article says it happened at 8:15pm. Another says 7:30pm. Sunset Thursday at Staten Island would be about 6:55pm making either time well past twilight and pretty dark.
According to the DJI map, DJI GEO System - Unlock Areas For Authorized Access , there is'n't any geofencing there, nor anywhere on Staten Island that I can see.
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2016
- Messages
- 741
- Reaction score
- 302
- Age
- 72
Not to cause an argument, but what part of the multiple news stories would suggest that it's fictitious? The news posts in the other thread had pictures and it does look like the arm and motor from a P4 that was recovered. Like in this news story.
I keep looking at that motor arm and have a hard time swallowing that it broke like that, even if it hit the leading edge of the rotor. (Looks a lot like somebody parted out a busted drone with a band saw.) And then how'd they locate it?
It's a believable story... but.
SB
- Status
