NASA · Aviation Safety Reporting System
Recreational/Hobbyist UAS pilot reported they were flying in an approved location. The UAS had a near miss with a low flying rotor wing aircraft which departed from an off airport location.
What is ASRS?
The Aviation Safety Reporting System is NASA's voluntary, confidential, non- punitive incident-reporting system, established 1976. Pilots, controllers, dispatchers, and maintenance technicians file reports describing safety- relevant events. NASA de-identifies every report before adding it to the public database. Reports are not investigated by NASA, the FAA, or the NTSB — they represent the reporter's perspective.
Pilot narrative
Verbatim from the de-identified NASA record. First-person account by the
reporter. NASA strips identifying details (names, company, specific time);
anonymization placeholders are ZZZ,
X, Y.
Subject: Near Mid-Air Collision Between Unmanned Aircraft System and Manned Helicopter Location: Over the Grand Lagoon, Bay County, Florida Involved Aircraft: Unmanned Aircraft System (Drone) and Helicopter I was operating an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS or drone) over the Grand Lagoon area in Bay County, Florida, at an altitude of 400 feet, within the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS), adhering to FAA regulations. At approximately XA:00, I noticed a helicopter lifting off from a vacant lot across the water. Due to the tree line and the fact that the helicopter was located in a vacant lot shielded by several homes, it was not visible until it had risen above the trees. Upon noticing the helicopter, I immediately initiated a descent of the drone to yield the right of way and maintain a safe distance, in accordance with FAA regulations. During my drone's descent, it shared the same altitude with the helicopter at one point. The lateral distance between the drone and the helicopter at its closest point was approximately 1,200 feet, as verified by Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, before the helicopter altered its flight path. I was actively trying to avoid a potential collision as soon as the helicopter came into view, and I safely descended and landed the drone. Though an actual collision was avoided, I am reporting this incident due to the potential safety risks posed in such situations. It demonstrates the need for enhanced awareness among UAS operators of possible low-altitude manned aircraft operations in residential areas, even in the absence of formal launch or landing pads. I recommend that further steps be taken to improve coordination and communication between UAS operators and operators of low-flying manned aircraft, especially in residential areas where obstacles may hinder the early detection of manned aircraft. Awareness campaigns targeting drone operators about the possible presence of low-altitude manned aircraft operations could also help mitigate such incidents in the future. In addition, technological solutions such as detection and avoidance systems for drones may provide additional safety measures in similar situations. I believe that data from incidents like this one, particularly when corroborated by ADS-B data, can help inform and improve such solutions. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that this information will be useful in enhancing aviation safety.
NASA classification — Anomalies
- Conflict
NASA classification — Assessments
- Contributing Factors / Situations
- Chart Or Publication · Human Factors
- Primary Problem
- Ambiguous
ASRS reports are voluntarily submitted, de-identified by NASA, and represent the reporter's perspective. The presence of reports on a topic cannot be used to infer prevalence in the National Airspace System. The authoritative source is the NASA ASRS Database Online at asrs.arc.nasa.gov ↗.