An R44 was conducting an air tour flight to the Anchorage Alaska area. The pilot of the helicopter reported that he had just completed a 90 deg turn near a scenic area when he heard a what he described as “a faint ting sound”. Since there was no indication of malfunction and since the helicopter continued to operate normally he continued the flight. A post flight inspection revealed the aircraft had suffered “substantial damage” to the main rotor. After the inspection the poilot concluded that he had been in collision with a UAV. Separately the pilot of an UAV reported that while operating his aircraft near the same scenic area “a red helicopter suddenly appeared and collided with his UAV”.
The NTSB concluded that the collision occurred due to the failure of the UAV pilot to “yield to the right of way of the helicopter” noting that 14 CFR Part 107.37 Operations near aircraft, right of way rules, states in part:
(a) Each small unmanned aircraft must yield the right of way to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch and reentry vehicles. Yielding the right of way means that the small unmanned aircraft must give way to the aircraft or vehicle and may not pass over, under, or ahead of it unless well clear.
(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard.
