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Police Recording Confirms NYPD Flew At a Drone and Never Feared Crashing
Jason Koebler (3528235) writes An air traffic control recording confirms that a New York Police Department helicopter flew at a drone hovering near the George Washington Bridge earlier this week—not the other way around. What's more, police had no idea what to charge the drone pilots with, and never appeared to fear a crash with the drone.
Two men were arrested Monday on felony reckless endangerment charges after the NYPD said the two flew their drone "very close" to a law enforcement chopper, causing the police helicopter to take evasive maneuvers. Air traffic control recordings suggest that only happened after the chopper pilot decided to chase the drone.
Two men were arrested Monday on felony reckless endangerment charges after the NYPD said the two flew their drone "very close" to a law enforcement chopper, causing the police helicopter to take evasive maneuvers. Air traffic control recordings suggest that only happened after the chopper pilot decided to chase the drone.
How is it reckless endangerment when the police were supposed to be in the area and did their job by investigating something suspicious?
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
So, the cop saw someone breaking the law, gave chase, and then they're the bad guys because the suspect tried to ram them?
I am a drone pilot, electrical engineer and have worked extensively with UAV safety systems, particularly in designed DAA systems. No drone, or "remotely piloted aircraft" in DoD newspeak, should be flown over a populated area. None of them are designed to the level of assurance that are required of digital fly by wire aircraft. There are a bunch of apologists who cry "but they're small". Go ahead, drop a battery from a hundred feet on your head. They're inherently dangerous. They should not be flown over populated areas until they've demonstrated the level of safety required of other fly by wire aircraft.