NASA · Aviation Safety Reporting System
Part 107 UAS pilot reported an airborne conflict with a low flying helicopter. UAS pilot landed the drone when the helicopter came into view.
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.
On Day 0 at approximately XA20, a mapping UAS mission was conducted nearby Interstate 95. While conducting the mission the RPIC detected what was believed to be an approaching aircraft. It was later identified to be a truck exiting I-95 with an engine brake. Shortly after the RPIC heard another possible aircraft approaching the area. The RPIC observed a helicopter travel over the bridge from south to north along the I-95 Corridor. The helicopter appeared to be at tree level. The RPIC had a clear view of the sky and area from the launch point. The helicopter did not become visible from the trees till it passed over the open area of bridge. At the time the UAS was to the west of I-95. The UAS was lowered and the mission was ended. The helicopter was not broadcasting ADSB on any commercially available applications. A FAA radio was being used to listen to BWI. The UAS was being operated at 100-120 feet which was the approximate altitude of the helicopter. The UAS was to the west of I-95 when the helicopter passed. The area was Class B (BWI) airspace and was approved for a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) of 400 feet. The Helicopter was found to be operating in Helicopter Route 12 for the Baltimore Washington area. In this area the max ceiling is 500 feet. This directly conflicts with the LAANC grids for BWI along I-95 which are all 400 Feet. The Helicopter Route is not displayed on the standard FAA sectional charts such as skyvector or visualize it, or any UAS applications for LAANC or airspace awareness such as air aware. Additional training will be provided on helicopter routes and how to identify them. Additional operation in this area will also require a visual observer and notification to ATC of the operation in Helicopter Route 12.
Analyst callback
ASRS analysts occasionally follow up with reporters by phone. These are the paraphrased additional notes from those conversations.
The reporter stated the drone's built in ADS-B In did not pick up anything nor were there any communications on local radio frequencies. The sounds in the area from car traffic interfered with reporter's ability to hear the helicopter incoming and ATC was not aware of the helicopter in the area. The reporter claims this is the first time this kind of event has happened to them.
NASA classification — Anomalies
- Conflict
NASA classification — Assessments
- Contributing Factors / Situations
- Airspace Structure · Chart Or Publication · Environment - Non Weather Related · Human Factors · Procedure
- 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 ↗.