A recent collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and a recreational drone in New York occurred because the drone was intentionally being flown outside of the operator’s visual range, according to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released on Thursday.
The collision occurred near Hoffman Island on Sept. 21. A DJI Phantom 4 small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) collided with the Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter at an altitude of 300 feet. The helicopter safely landed with a dented main rotor blade, and no injuries occurred.
“During the incident flight, the pilot of the sUAS intentionally flew the aircraft 2.5 miles away, well beyond visual line of sight and was just referencing the map on his tablet; therefore, he was not aware that the helicopter was in close proximity to the sUAS,” the NTSB report stated.
The drone operator was unaware that a temporary flight restriction (TFR) was in effect in the area at the time of the collision. Additionally, despite guidance that the drone be operated below 400 feet, flight logs indicated that the drone had reached an altitude of 547 feet earlier in the day.
“In his interview, the sUAS pilot indicated that he was not concerned with flying beyond visual line of sight, and he expressed only a general cursory awareness of regulations and good operating practices,” the report stated.