FlightFollowerNYPD helicopter near miss with drone ..operator gets Arrested instantly
An NYPD Aviation Unit helicopter, on patrol or working a call, had a close encounter with a civilian drone flying well above the altitude and away from the areas where recreational drones are legally permitted. The helicopter crew had to take evasive action to keep clear of it, and the operator was tracked down and arrested on the ground shortly after.
Accident Facts
- Aircraft
- NYPD Aviation Unit helicopter
- Category
- Midair / Near miss
- Investigation status
- General pattern incident — the specific date/operator for this exact video could not be independently confirmed among several similar documented
- Reconstruction
- 7:57
Incidents like this aren't rare in New York's airspace — NYPD helicopters have had several documented near-misses with recreational drones over the years, generally involving devices flown illegally at night, near bridges, or over populated areas, well outside FAA recreational limits. Because a drone strike can disable a helicopter's rotor or windscreen, aviation units treat any drone in their flight path as a serious safety threat, not a nuisance — which is why these encounters tend to end in felony charges rather than warnings.