Collides With SAR Helicopter Now Out Of Service

We don’t know when all drone pilots will get the message, but we ARE fearful that at some point a pilot illegally flying a drone will cause a mid-air collision with tragic results.

Fortunately for the helicopter pilot flying over Kerr County, Texas, searching for victims of the catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River, he was able to perform a successful emergency landing without injury.

“PLEASE GROUND YOUR DRONES UNTIL CURRENT FLOOD SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS ARE COMPLETE”

A social media post by Kerrville City Hall on Monday July 7 made the statement above accompanying the image and added, "This afternoon, a private drone illegally operating in restricted airspace collided with a helicopter involved in emergency operations in Kerr County. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, and a critical piece of response equipment is now out of service until further notice. This was entirely preventable."

"Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are not suggestions. They are federal airspace rules designed to protect lives during emergency situations. When you fly a drone in restricted areas, you're not just breaking the law -- you're putting first responders, emergency crews, and the public at serious risk,” they added.

Pilots flying helicopters and aircraft full of people often have to contend with lasers hitting their eyes and blinding them, but now a new threat is becoming more frequent when drone pilots disregard TFRs and fly in areas where emergency helicopters or other aircraft are conducting search and rescue operations.

Currently, the penalties for convictions in laser cases are stiff, and they need to be extended to drone operators who ignore TFRs whether or not they cause an accident.

FMI: www.regulations.gov