G2 close encounter with drone in CH
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...30630772400128
Dear friends, today a drone which was flying within the 5km radius around the airport of Locarno hit one of our Helicopters, damaging heavily one of the main rotor blades. The pilot took immediate action to reduce forward speed and landed just 2 minutes later at the Airfield. The drone was around 750g, and thankfully to the rapid response of the Cantonal Police the drone pilot could be found and identified. It seems the Drone Pilot was flying at around 3000 Ft AMSL (corresponding to around 1500 Ft AGL) in FPV (First Person View, looking to the camera screen, but not directly to the drone) mode, and did not hear the Cabri helicopter arriving neither realized the collision.
Speed was around 90 kts, hit on the forward blade so I estimate impact speed around 700km/h. Vibrations as usual after blade impact.