Originally Posted by
TCAS FAN
The subject report refers to a 2.4 KG RPAS (drone), something akin to what you'd buy online or at Curry PC World. It bears no relationship to the Hermes 900 that is referred to in this thread.
As I have already stated the current Holy Grail is a "detect and avoid" system which enables the UAS (or RPAS as it may referred to, "UAV" is an obsolete term) to detect a confliction and then avoids it. Note the UAS takes the avoiding action to resolve the confliction.
There is no way that a 2.4 KG RPAS is equipped with anything resembling a detect and avoid system. It relies on the Remote Pilot to keep it within visual line of sight (VLOS) so that traffic conflictions can be resolved.
Taking your argument to it’s logical conclusion, then this report is equally not applicable as it involved a single engine AS350 / H125 / Squirrel / Ecureuil / AStar (delete obsolete term as appropriate) and not a helicopter type representative of current UK police aviation services.
My only intention of highlighting the Canadian accident was the mixing of technologies, both novel and established - nothing more, nothing less.
If the UAS / RPAS that are used in the UK are sufficiently advanced that midair collisions are guaranteed to be avoided then this is certainly reassuring and a development that is to be applauded.