Originally Posted by
Bell_ringer
PDR1, what do regulations state about line of sight operation and, importantly, right of way?
In the great superiority contest of the skies, the plastic flying thingy features last on the right of way scale.
It is also up to the operator to remain clear of aircraft which, when it comes to spotability of a 500, shouldn't be too difficult.
As we have now learned that the helicopter and the drone were working together, probably for the same organisation, that puts the incident in a different light. The helicopter pilot was aware of the drone operating in the area and was supposedly working with it. So given that the helicopter pilot was aware of, and presumably consenting to, the drone proximity that surely gives him/her equal responsibility for maintaining separation. The two operators had presumably established procedures and operating plans for the joint operation - if they hadn't then both operators fell short of any reasonable definition of safe practice.
But even if we ignore that, as SASless says the drone could just have easily been a bird, a pylon, a power cable or other obstacle. If the helicopter pilot was flying in such a manner that such obstacles couldn't be seen in time to avoid them then I suggest he/she was flying too low, too fast or both for the tasking and the ambient conditions. That's a pilot responsibility to determine, of course.
We don't know the full circumstances of the actual collision, but minds should at least be open to the possibility that this was a CFID (controlled flight into drone) incident.
PDR