Yeah I think these helicopters, especially the military ones, fly at whatever height they want. We have to keep a special eye and ear out for them.
Military helicopter chased my P3P today
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I don't generally believe in coincidences. When I see a helicopter I quickly put on my black suit and black glasses, and then it flies away.
If you were flying around dusk, they might have seen the lights and just been curious. "Hey, what's that?"
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You're correct. It is VERY hard to judge distance from the ground. Even experienced people aren't accurate. Chances are that the chopper didn't see you. If they did, however, I would not put it past them to investigate. After all, you have this multimillion dollar toy you are running around in and practicing. You see something interesting, you visit it. Beats going back and forth. I would not worry for the helicopter but would not want my UAV anywhere near that downwash. If you've ever been in an HH-60 downwash, you will realize that even an Inspire level craft hasn't a chance.
I've talked with local Coast Guard pilots. They would love for somebody to try to fly a toy class UAV near the chopper to see what would happen. They, however, did not offer to pay for it.
My son and I were flying across the San Diego bay where military helicopters flyby all the time but usually around 150 ft or higher. I told my son to stay at 75' while crossing the bay.
As he was crossing I saw from the north a helicopter heading in our phantoms direction and was beginning to drop in elevation heading directly towards us. I quickly took control and lowered the drone to 25' and hovered making sure not to move in any direction.
The helicopter circled the drone and we could see it bobbling quite radically. Once they had passed heading back to the north I quickly turned and headed back to the takeoff point. The helicopter then turned back and flew by us on the shore.
After all that realized we weren't recording. Very sad not to catch it on film but greatful to get drone back in one piece. But don't doubt it, military helicopter will fly as low as 25' to check out your drone. My advice is don't try to follow them looking like you are engaging them and you should be ok. Happy flying
As he was crossing I saw from the north a helicopter heading in our phantoms direction and was beginning to drop in elevation heading directly towards us. I quickly took control and lowered the drone to 25' and hovered making sure not to move in any direction.
The helicopter circled the drone and we could see it bobbling quite radically. Once they had passed heading back to the north I quickly turned and headed back to the takeoff point. The helicopter then turned back and flew by us on the shore.
After all that realized we weren't recording. Very sad not to catch it on film but greatful to get drone back in one piece. But don't doubt it, military helicopter will fly as low as 25' to check out your drone. My advice is don't try to follow them looking like you are engaging them and you should be ok. Happy flying
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I was a helicopter crew chief in the Marine Corps for five years and was stationed on Camp Pendleton. We regularly would check things out and fly extremely low near beaches and other cool places often"buzzing" people. When you see one I would recommend getting away from the aircraft and as low as possible.
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Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
Perhaps your little drone was about to be target practice and you dropped it down just in time!
Part of the company I work for involves working on communications towers. One day we were working on a site and had a climber at the top of a 500' tower. A military jet came screaming by and he was lower than my climber. He came close enough to the tower that our guy could see his helmet!
Part of the company I work for involves working on communications towers. One day we were working on a site and had a climber at the top of a 500' tower. A military jet came screaming by and he was lower than my climber. He came close enough to the tower that our guy could see his helmet!
I live right beside Fort Rucker, helicopters here own the sky from the tree tops up. They say it's for training purposes, they fly low enough that they will shake the windows on you house. So much for the 400 feet rule.
In todays modern warfare military craft, they have extremely advanced powerful radar and other delightful digital equipment and can likely pick up signals from very small flying craft & if you were in a close enough proximity to them, perhaps they were just seeing what the blip on the screen actually was? Lucky no hellfire missiles were engaged, or they might have even lit up the mini gun, 50 cal... Give you the full nine yards... Hahaha
You might consider having ready, a large white flag with a smiley face, before they return next time... ;-) because you know "They'll be back!" Ha
RedHotPoker
You might consider having ready, a large white flag with a smiley face, before they return next time... ;-) because you know "They'll be back!" Ha
RedHotPoker
Do they wear fancy digitally enhanced helmet head gear? ;-)
You know with heads up display and eye controlled weaponry...
Anyone from around here have seen it or know about the Muttart Conservatory, which is a city centre greenhouse attraction, where the buildings are shaped like three large pyramids wIth a smaller one in the centre.
So while flying around the structure and getting some real nice Phantom 3 footage, was on my second battery already when I hear that old familiar chopper sound, of rotors beating up the air.
Both of Our police choppers make a very distinct sound when they are near, so even though I couldn't see the red night light blinking I knew it was them. Weird, I continue flying and this guy sits up there watching me... This goes on until I finally decided to just pack up and leave. And I did.
Still had two full charged flight batteries so I decide to go to the RC heli field and fly them two batteries. Was out there at ERCHA for only a few minutes when what do you think I hear? Look up and yup, so I wonder, WTF guy??
That's not a coincidence. Who called them, or how they happened upon me, Is a real question.
RedHotPoker
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I don't believe in coincidences either, I had an AgustaWestlands AW139 Police chopper doing a low pass on the exact location I took off and landed just before.
This was in a wide nature area that never calls for any police intervention. I suspect TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) might have acted and an investigation was started.
This was in a wide nature area that never calls for any police intervention. I suspect TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) might have acted and an investigation was started.
I remember that day, as though, like it was only a few weeks ago. Haha
Being their sole attraction that afternoon, was wonderful, now how about going and chasing some bad guys?
Oh wait. There was going to be a punchline.
RedHotPoker
Being their sole attraction that afternoon, was wonderful, now how about going and chasing some bad guys?
Oh wait. There was going to be a punchline.
RedHotPoker
When I first got my P2V+ I wasn't aware of height requirements. Took it up to 600 feet at night and sure enough heard the heart beat of a big chopper approaching. They never fly over my house. We have a med heli but he fly's south of town and the chopper sounds much different. Guy came directly over where I was flying with the white spotlight shining down. Green military chopper. Very eerie. I crash landed needless to say in sure panic. Hid behind my truck ha ha and he kept going.
Picked up my bird and sat in my house waiting for the feds.
Picked up my bird and sat in my house waiting for the feds.
LOL. Ever seen the guy in person? I'm not a big guy by any means, about 5'9" and ran into him face to face on the street in DC. He's a good 2" shorter than me. I can imagine right where his face hit Brigitte Neilson because she's like 6'1".
LOL. Ever seen the guy in person? I'm not a big guy by any means, about 5'9" and ran into him face to face on the street in DC. He's a good 2" shorter than me. I can imagine right where his face hit Brigitte Neilson because she's like 6'1".
MEOW!
Napolian Bonepart was short...
Gee his gorgeous girls have grown up...
SOPHIA STALLONE (@sophiastallone) • Instagram photos and videos
What happened to Brigitte Nelson?
RedHotPoker
Gee his gorgeous girls have grown up...
SOPHIA STALLONE (@sophiastallone) • Instagram photos and videos
What happened to Brigitte Nelson?
RedHotPoker
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