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Rescue helicopter's near-miss with drone in Australia

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Here is an article on Gizmodo Australia which referenced an article in an local newspaper.

It details again how someone decided that rules weren't for them and went ahead and flew anyway.

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A NEAR-miss between a Westpac rescue helicopter and a drone above Broadmeadow is under investigation by safety authorities.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will interview the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service crew involved in the incident, which occurred near the crew’s Broadmeadow base on Saturday night.

The helicopter was returning from the John Hunter Hospital about 10pm when it spotted lights at about 1000 feet.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service spokesman Glen Ramplin said the crew originally thought the lights belonged to a larger aircraft further away.

When they realised it was a smaller object nearby, the crew took evasive action to avoid a collision.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2175901/rescue-helicopters-near-miss-with-drone-at-broadmeadow/

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I am currently just a lurker but this really frustrates me as I hope to be able to one day get a drone (my AR Drone doesn't count) and fly it simply by following the rules and some common sense.  Perhaps amateur licensing is the way to go.

One of the comments on the Gizmodo article sums it up nicely "Ahhh, the amateur drone pilot. The modern day jet skier."

 

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