High-Flying Drama: Drone and Helicopter Collide in Mid-Air – Episode 193
A drone and helicopter collide in midair as they cover a desert road race. The crash caused minor damage to the helicopter and major damage to the drone. Todd Curtis and John Goglia dissect the video and NTSB report of the incident involving a Aerospatiale AS350BA helicopter and a DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone.
John and Todd focus on key safety issues that the NTSB did not raise as they examined the 2020 collision in Johnson Valley, California. Operating helicopters and drones in the same low altitude airspace created significant safety risks that neither pilot appeared to take into account.
A video from the drone documents the midair collision. John and Todd share expert analysis of the safety issues revealed in the video. They find that both pilots made hazardous moves that were outside regulations.
Related documents:
- NTSB Public Docket
- Drone video from Public Docket
- NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report DCA20IA081
- FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization
- NTSB Form 6120 from DCA20IA081
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