This past weekend I was filming a surf competition, around 10m above sea level when this helicopter went zooming by at a very low altitude. Here the heli is leaving and has already gained altitude.

Did you contact your local ATC to inform them you'd be flying in the area and to ask about other air traffic movement?

Bet you didnt..


Buzz

buzzcbr@gmail.c Posted at 2015-12-23 16:26
Did you contact your local ATC to inform them you'd be flying in the area and to ask about other air ...

Is that what you do every time you fly?

Its hard to tell but if the heli is below 400ft   the pilot  was in the wrong. I was under the impression that you would only have to contact the ATC if you were flying ABOVE of the  400ft ceiling.   

The truth here is that we just don't know all the circumstances here.

I'm not sure what the flight rules are in Curacao.

I don't know what permissions or flight plan the helicopter pilot had.

I don't know what permissions/flight plan the drone pilot had.

I don't know the location, or what restrictions there may be in the area.

From the above, I won't be jumping to any conclusions that the helicopter was in the wrong, or the drone pilot was in the wrong.

There is a possibility that they were both flying within the rules and it's one of those near misses we get to learn from without consequences.

Why is everyone so eager to apportion blame?

mike.wildlight Posted at 2015-12-23 20:05
The truth here is that we just don't know all the circumstances here.

I'm not sure what the flight  ...

Exactly...just a close call which highlights why you should maintain line of sight.

I've had helicopters land near me & fly very close to me halfway up mountains, but there's no requirement for me to alert ATC whenever I fly my drone there.  Even if I had, they'd still be there doing mountain rescue operations regardless, which ATC wouldn't even have known about.

If you read my post I was flying 10m above sea level - around 33ft.
We can fly up to 120m (400ft). This particular location has no restrictions regarding drones. I was flying in LOS.
I have no idea why I would contact my local ATC to inform them I would be flying in the area and to ask about other air traffic movement.
It is possible that the heli pilot had a special authorization to fly that low in which case it means that even if everyone is respecting regulations one has to be very careful.
I don't really consider as a near miss as my whole flight was done at 33ft from start to finish and although the heli was low it was not that low. I just stayed in a hover until the heli left - it just made a pass above the surfing event and left.

Jean-Claude

nigelwilkins Posted at 2015-12-23 17:26
Is that what you do every time you fly?

Yes I do as I live next door to HMS Culdrose, a Naval Air base

buzzcbr@gmail.c Posted at 2015-12-30 13:23
Yes I do as I live next door to HMS Culdrose, a Naval Air base

Fair enough.  Most people don't though.  I often fly in the Lake District where the RAF often fly through the valleys, but not at weekends.  I'm not sure who to ask in that case, would it just be the nearest ATC?