So.... if the problem here is one of education. Why didn't this article quote the relevant safety guidelines (<a href="https://www.faa.gov/uas/model_aircraft/" rel="nofollow">https://www.faa.gov/uas/model_aircraft/</a>) or link to the FAA's information campaign (<a href="http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/" rel="nofollow">http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/</a>)?:<p>The operator violated the '400 ft ceiling' guideline and the 'remain well clear of manned aircraft' guideline, and so could face civil penalties from the FAA.<p>I would guess that if the operator's behavior was malicious or caused active harm, it would also be possible to be charged under other laws (e.g. manslaughter).
As someone who occasionally takes sea planes, which have already had close calls with drones in my area, what I want to know is since when did ignorance of the law become a defense from it?<p>I wouldn't be allowed to murder someone and then hide behind that excuse.<p>Throw these people in jail until the message gets across that unsafe flying is not tolerated regardless of the aircraft being piloted.
Used to fly RC gliders regularly at 2000 feet in the 90's with my dad. Great times, but never near airports.<p>Of course you couldn't just go on Amazon and buy an RTF easy to fly machine at that time. You had to go to a hobby store and spend 2 - 3 months building it.. from scratch. I'm talking putting the wing together piece by piece. Then you had to know someone who already knew how to fly to teach you, or you crash your expensive glider that you spent the last 2 months building.<p>As time went on you could then by kits that had the wing and such prebuilt. Then as the internet caught on people's attention spans dwindled. RTF started to be come more a thing.<p>Then as time went on more, people didn't have the attention span to fly a 4 channel RC plane, let alone a 6 channel collective pitch helicopter.<p>Then vuala you get quadcopters.
> The drone could come through window and take out the pilot, and the helicopter could come down,” he said.<p>Really? Unless the 'copter was flying at a very high speed, I'd deem this very unlikely. I'm assuming 'copter windscreens can handle hail? I don't think a small drone like a Phantom would pack the power of hail.<p>I'm not saying that this is OK; but hyperbole bothers me. Drone operator should be prosecuted, but not to the extent that he could have crashed through the window and brought down the helicopter.
I hate how they are constructing news stories like this by dropping in the word drone, and adding a little fear mongering to stir up us "common folk". It may not be useful news, but it sure must get the eyeballs...
Anyone know how much damage a drone (like ones average people buy) could do to a helicopter or plane? Bird strikes are a risk, but don't typically take down a helicopter or plane.<p>I'm imagining it's a risk, but not like the helicopter is doomed to crash into the ground.
There is a publicly accessible list of US no-fly-zones which a drone operator can use to program their drone's geofences: <a href="https://www.mapbox.com/drone/no-fly/#" rel="nofollow">https://www.mapbox.com/drone/no-fly/#</a>
How about installing WiFi jammers on aircraft? When they're flying high enough the jammers shouldn't interfere with normal civilian use but they would immobilize any approaching drones.
New title: Person alleged to have flown model aircraft above legal limit, following a complaint that the activity interfered with a manned flight.<p>New subtitle: Alleged offender may face prosecution for the standard charges associated with this activity.<p>This aircraft could only loosely be considered a drone to begin with.
Url changed from <a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/12/drone-nearly-collides-with-helicopter-operator-gets-caught/" rel="nofollow">http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/12/drone-nearly-coll...</a>, which points to this.
Unless it was an industrial-sized drone, I don't see it doing much damage to a helicopter. Helicopter blades carry an enormous amount of energy in them.<p>There are stories of Vietnam-era military pilots using the rotor's blades to cut down small trees to rescue American soldiers in harrowing circumstances.<p>Regardless, all airborn vehicles should be able to transmit their location to other aircraft. Rather than forcing drone pilots to get FAA approval, this technology should be built into all drones. Bad actors will get culled out quickly and all non-transponding drones could be considered a threat.