Drone Comes Close to Hitting Coast Guard Helicopter

A Coast Guard aircrew came within 50 feet of hitting a drone in Port Angeles, Wash., on Saturday, the Coast Guard said.

The aircrew was 300 feet in the air conducting training when they had a near-miss collision with a recreational drone near Fairchild International Airport, according to the Coast Guard. The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles was conducting low-level training near the airport when the crew maneuvered to miss what they thought was a bird.

“Drone operators who are unaware or complacent of existing FAA regulations pose a significant safety threat to aircrews and risk serious damage to the aircraft,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brent Schmadeke, operations officer at Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles.

Read more at the Peninsula Daily News

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