According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, a Leading Edge Helicopter Tours helicopter collided with a drone near the Daytona Beach (Florida) Flea Market. Despite the incident, the helicopter landed safely; however, an estimated $60,000 worth of damage was inflicted upon its rotor blade. The drone was destroyed in the incident.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies engaged with the helicopter pilot and the drone operator. The drone operator explained that he was utilizing a DJI Mavic 2 Pro to capture video footage for a construction company at approximately 180 feet. While focused on his tablet, he heard a loud impact and realized his drone was no longer airborne.
The helicopter pilot said he observed the drone through his windshield just before the collision but could not evade it. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were duly informed of the incident.
See Also-
UAS Case Studies: Near Midair Collisions with Aircraft
2021 Drone Collision Findings Released
An Analysis of FAA Enforcement Actions Against sUAS Operators
Image Credits: Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
