Officials probe first possible drone-related aircraft crash in the US


US authorities have started investigating what could be the first drone-related aircraft crash in the US, according to Bloomberg. Pilots have been reporting more and more drone sightings these past few years based on data from the FAA, but most of those incidents have been harmless. That might not be the case this time around. The pilot and student flying the helicopter that crashed in South Carolina on Wednesday told investigators they saw a small drone appear in front of them while practicing maneuvers 50 feet above the tree line.

To avoid a collision, the pilot reportedly took control back from the student and performed evasive maneuvers. Unfortunately, the helicopter's tail hit a tree, causing the pilot to lose control and resulting in a crash landing. While the FAA didn't confirm whether a drone played a part in the crash, Bloomberg says the National Transportation Safety Board is aware that a drone may have been involved and is investigating the case with that in mind.

The incident happened above a patch of undeveloped land and is nowhere near an airport where drones are prohibited. However, under the FAA's "Special Rule for Model Aircraft," operators are required to fly drones within visual line-of-sight and never near traditional aircraft. According to a study commissioned by the FAA, drones could cause more structural damage to planes than birds because they have metal parts.

While authorities have yet to confirm whether a drone was truly involved in the incident, some reports are saying that the pilot saw a white DJI Phantom quadcopter. The dronemaker said in a statement that it's "trying to learn more about this incident" and that it "stands ready to assist investigators." Due to the nature of the incident, it also stressed its role as an "industry leader in developing educational and technological solutions to help drone pilots steer clear of traditional aircraft."

Source: Bloomberg

via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2EyG98o"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Evernote cuts staff as user growth stalls

Image
Note-taking app Evernote has fallen on hard times of late, culminating in its latest spate of job cuts impacting 15 percent of its workforce (54 employees). CEO Chris O' Neil -- an ex-Googler who took the reins in 2015 -- announced the firings at an all-hands meeting earlier today, reports TechCrunch . In a message on the Evernote blog , O' Neill admitted he'd set "incredibly aggressive goals" for the company in 2018. He continued: "Going forward, we are streamlining certain functions, like sales, so we can continue to speed up and scale others, like product development and engineering." The layoffs follow an exec exodus just weeks ago and the company's recent brand refresh (complete with a refined logo and wordmark). But critics are more concerned about its product, especially the free tier, which they claim lacks the perks to...
Read more

The best air conditioner

Image
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter . When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here . After six summers of researching, testing, and recommending window air conditioners, we've learned that quiet and affordable ACs make most people the happiest—and we think the LG LW8016ER will fit the bill in most rooms. This 8,000 Btu unit cools as efficiently and effectively as any model with an equal Btu rating, and runs at a lower volume and deeper pitch than others at this price. Little extra features like a fresh-air vent, two-axis fan blades, and a removable drain plug help set it apart, too. The LG LW8016ER is a top choice for an office or den, and some people will find it quiet enough for a bedroom, too. If our main pic...
Read more

We won't see a 'universal' vape oil cartridge anytime soon

Image
Pre-loaded cartridges of cannabis concentrate are currently among the most popular means of consumption, and for good reason. They're discreet to use and easy to handle, a far cry from the dark days of 2016 when we had to dribble hash oil or load wax into narrow-mouthed vape pens by hand. But, frustratingly, an ever increasing number of oil cartridge manufacturers employ one-off design standards so that their products won't work with those of their competitors, thereby locking customers into proprietary ecosystems. We've already seen this with nicotine vaporizers -- which has a seen a massive rise in "pod systems" in the last few years, each outfitted with a unique canister and battery built to be incompatible with those of their competition. Is it too late for the burgeoning cannabis industry to set a universal standard for their product designs? ...
Read more