Another EMS helicopter has reported a near collision with a drone. This latest incident happened May 7 at 1,400 feet over Phoenix, Ore., just after midnight, forcing the Mercy Flights air ambulance to take evasive action. The helicopter was en route to pick up a patient in Yreka, Calif., and none of the crew on board was injured.
The recreational-sized drone was operating with running lights, according to the operator. New FAA rules that take effect August 29 prohibit recreational drone flights at night or above 400 feet agl.
The Center for the Study of Drones at Bard College reported 921 drone-manned aircraft incidents between Dec. 17, 2013 and Sept. 12, 2015. Bard data from 2014 to 2015 shows that pilots needed to take evasive action in 41 percent of drone-manned aircraft encounters and that 56 percent of encounters happened above 400 feet agl, with an average height of 3,306 feet. It also noted that 58 percent of the encounters happened within five miles of an airport or heliport.