Posted on 09/29/2017 3:28:42 AM PDT by LibWhacker
Good question.
The drone pilot is aware of his altitude.
Helicopters are loud.
The drone pilot should drop altitude and return to launch point if he hears aircraft.
Not to mention the phone apps that tell you of FAA regulations, based on geographic location.
I suspect they hit geese all the time, and a goose is heaver than a toy drone... You would think it would also cause more dammage than a drone
A friend who purchased a quad-copter went through the FAA test — which is basically the same exam they give to pilots, minus the flying bit. When you’re flying a drone near an airport there are altitude restrictions based on ‘how far’ you are from the runway. Think of it as an “inverted layer cake” protecting the glide path for the aircraft operating there. You are also obligated to phone the tower to advise the airport if you’re withing 5-miles.
All of this stuff is mandated now, but very few drone operators are even aware of the rules.
The transmitters which operate the drones should be regulated and not have a range exceeding approximately 200 ft. Drones should also be required to automatically descend to ground level once contact with transmitting controller is lost.
This needs immediate attention before a passenger jet ingests one of these things on takeoff or landing.
The helicopters were providing security for a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly,
Another waste of money and equipment.
The helicopters were providing security for a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly,
Another waste of money and equipment.
Geese bits wont crack off and lodge in some important mechanical function that keeps the Helicopter aloft.
And geese usually get out of the way long before because they have an actual biological function to not die.
DJI Phantoms (like the one in this story) already return to their starting point if they lose contact with the transmitter and there are already rules about operating a drone within five miles of an airport. Your 200 ft. range limitation is an arbitrary joke. The problem is irresponsible people - good luck fixing that.
Remember the “Miracle on the Hudson” ?
It was caused by geese bits.
It won’t be the last time something like this happens.
I thought there was a 400 ft limit on drones.
It’s only a matter of time before a drone causes a major accident and multiple deaths - accidentally or purposely.
The drone is a 17”x17”x8” quadcopter and sells for $499 on Amazon. It comes with a HD video camera and has a flight time of up to 15 minutes. Also, the radio control is about 300 meters and if it gets out beyond that, it will return by GPS to its starting point.
For reference, the drone costs $1k and weighs 8.8 pounds, 15 x 8.7 x 12.8 inches. It’s a little bigger than a kids’ toy.
>>> For reference, the drone costs $1k and weighs 8.8 pounds, 15 x 8.7 x 12.8 inches. It’s a little bigger than a kids’ toy.
No, it’s $499. I own one. I got it in June.
Your information is slightly different from my post, but the differences are not important - probably different variants of the same model. Also of interest:
VISIONARY INTELLIGENCE ELEVATED IMAGINATION The DJI Phantom 4 is the smartest flying camera DJI has ever created. Able to fly intelligently with a tap, automatically create seamless tracking shots, fly intelligently over or around obstacles and much more. Flying has never been this easy or as much fun.
*********SENSE AND AVOID Obstacle sensors enable the Phantom 4 to sense and react to its environment.**********
FLY WITH TAP Simply tap on the screen to fly the Phantom 4 in the direction you want. It will avoid obstacles in its path.
VISUAL TRACKING Lock on to your subject and track them as they move, let Phantom 4 take care of everything.
INTELLIGENT FLIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEMS A dual satellite positioning system and an enhanced Vision Positioning System provides the Phantom 4 with a safer, more reliable flight experience both outdoors and indoors.
POWERFUL CAMERA DESIGNED FOR THE SKY Capable of capturing 4K video at 30 frames per second and slow motion 1080p at 120 frames per second, creating impressive footage has never been so easy.
ACTIVE CAMERA STABILIZATION A 3-axis u-frame camera stabilization system cancels out unwanted camera movements during flight.
EXTENDED FLIGHT TIMES Fly with confidence for 28 minutes.
INTEGRATED LONG RANGE TRANSMISSION See what the camera sees in 720p HD from up to 3.1 miles (5km) away with the Phantom 4’s integrated HD video downlink. Frame up your shot from far away with perfect precision.
BUILT-IN REDUNDANCIES A dual compass module and dual Inertial Measurement Unit (IMUs) greatly increases reliability.
ADVANCED AERODYNAMICS AND STABILITY Sleek, streamlined aerodynamics help the Phantom 4 slip more smoothly through the air.
HIGH-SPEED FLIGHT Fly at up to 45mph with satellite and Vision Positioning support with the new Sport Mode on Phantom 4.
The manufacturer implies “SENSE AND AVOID Obstacle sensors . . .” that it avoids obstacles. I would guess that the drone operator was dumb enough to believe the advertising.
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