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Drone Hits Black Hawk Helicopter Flying Over Staten Island
By
David Colon
Published Sep 23, 2017
Modified Sep 23, 2017
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Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
By
David Colon
Published Sep 23, 2017
Modified Sep 23, 2017
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A civilian drone someone was flying in Staten Island collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter that was also flying over the island on Thursday night.
ABC reports that the helicopter, in town for the UN General Assembly, was flying about 500 feet above the Staten Island neighborhood of Midland Beach earlier this week when the civilian drone knocked into the rotor and got lodged in the aircraft. The pilot was able to land the helicopter safely at New Jersey's Linden Airport.
According to NBC, the drone put a dent in the helicopter and cracked a window, in addition to causing damage to the aircraft's rotor.
"Our aircraft was not targeted, this was a civilian drone," Army Lieutenant Colonel Joe Buccino, spokesman for the 82nd Airborne, told the Post. The NYPD and the military are both investigating the incident according to the paper, but no arrests have been made yet.
"This is terrifying. Tight FAA regulations are set up to specifically avoid such incidents," Chris, an FAA Certified Commercial Remote Pilot told Gothamist. "I hope for a better mechanism to enforce the existing regulations rather than further restricting drone usage. Either way, this pilot was extremely reckless and I hope he or she is identified."
Federal Aviation Administration rules prevent people from flying drones within five miles of an airport. In New York City, drone enthusiasts can only legally fly the aircraft in five specific city parks with model airplane fields.
Tagged
drones
staten island
David Colon
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