According to a facebook post by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, “A helicopter with Leading Edge Helicopter Tours struck a drone flying in the area of the Daytona Beach Flea Market” on 31 December 2023.
“The helicopter was able to land safely, but damage to its rotor blade was estimated at USD60,000. The drone was destroyed.
“Deputies made contact with both the helicopter pilot and the drone operator on scene. The drone operator indicated he was using a DJI Mavic 2 Pro to record video for a construction company at a height of about 180 feet. He was looking down at his tablet when he heard a loud impact, then noticed his drone was no longer in the air.
“The helicopter pilot reported he saw the drone through his windshield just before impact but was unable to avoid it. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were notified of the incident.”
The Sherriff’s Office also advised readers of the FAA Know Before You Fly campaign, setting out the rules and regulations for drone operators to prevent these types of incidents.
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