Reports of close calls with personal quadracopters and other remotely piloted UAVs are on the rise, with the latest scary story coming from the pilot of a SkyLife medevac helicopter in Fresno, California, who says he came “within about 15 feet” of a drone yesterday afternoon before making a sharp turn to avoid a collision.
The helicopter pilot said he encountered the quadracopter at an altitude of about 1,000 feet agl on a mission from the mountains to a hospital in Fresno with two flight nurses and a patient onboard.
Reports by airline pilots of close encounters with drones are on the rise as well as, prompting the FAA to start cracking down with threats of fines and even jail time for UAV operators.
Now we have fascinating video evidence of a drone midair caught on camera, and it appears as though the remote-piloted quadracopter was knocked out the sky on purpose — by a wedged-tail eagle (said to be fine afterward). Check out the video below to see the dramatic takedown for yourself.
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