Medical helicopter dodges drone
A Life Flight helicopter narrowly missed a collision within an unmanned drone in Pennsylvania, US, on 19 November.
A Life Flight helicopter narrowly missed a collision within an unmanned drone in Pennsylvania, US, on 19 November. The medical transport helicopter had been crossing over the Joe Zerbey Airport in Schuylkill County, near Allentown when the incident occurred; there are no exact details as to how the pilot managed to evade the drone, which was reportedly operating at around 1,000 ft (300 m) above the ground.
Lee DeAngelis, a ‘drone enthusiast’, spoke to the pilot about protocols relating to unmanned aircraft of this type. “His main concern used to be birds,” commented DeAngelis, “now it’s drones. He likes the technology and thinks it could be used for good, he’s just amazed at how quickly these things have shown up on his radar.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is reportedly investigating the incident.