Latest news with #drone
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Police helicopter in near miss with US fighter jet
A police helicopter reported a near miss with a drone that was in fact a US jet fighter, a report said. The helicopter had been sent to the area around RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, last November following reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area. The UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded the pilot had misidentified red flashing lights belonging to an F-15 Eagle. The National Police Air Service (NPAS), which operated the helicopter, said there had been no risk of collision. The helicopter crew spotted the lights as they entered Lakenheath's airspace and then headed towards Bury St Edmunds. "Once they started heading in a westerly direction one of the 'drones' appeared to converge with them and fly above and in front of them," the report said. At one point the object appeared to overtake the helicopter. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "medium". The two aircraft at one point came within 1,900ft (579m) of each other. Investigators highlighted how the crew on board the helicopter had not been told by RAF Lakenheath of the F-15's presence. The fighter pilot knew where the helicopter was but "it may have been particularly beneficial for the situational awareness of the EC135 pilot if the Lakenheath Approach Controller had passed reciprocal traffic information to them". Mystery drones seen over three US air bases in UK EC135 is a reference to the helicopter flown by NPAS, also known as the Eurocopter, though this model is now called the H135. The USAF said the controller's response was compliant with UK law and the F-15 pilot was in visual contact with the helicopter. At the time of the incident, on the evening of 22 November, the airbase had been at the centre of multiple reports of drone sightings. A police incident log from that day recorded how the helicopter had withdrawn from the area "due to a drone coming close to them". The helicopter's traffic collision avoidance system had also not detected the presence of the F-15s, the report noted. Ian Hudson, a drone commentator and analyst, said "This incident underlines serious concerns about lights in the night sky, planets, Starlink and navigation lights being misidentified as drones. "This incident would have officially remained as a drone were it not for the fact UK Airprox Board have collated the facts." The sightings of alleged drones over three airbases in the area at around the time of the incident are still being investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police. NPAS said its crew had been tasked by Suffolk police "to assist in the search for suspected drone activity in the Newmarket area". Ch Supt Vicki White said: "As noted in the report, and in the absence of any contradictory information, the crew acted on the belief that they were observing drone operations. "The crew demonstrated professionalism and sound judgement in identifying a potential hazard." A US Air Force spokesman said: "The USAF complied with UK air traffic control regulations and remained well clear while maintaining normal vertical separation distances. As noted in the report, the air traffic controllers provided the agreed services to pilots of both aircraft to ensure safety of flight operations." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Police helicopter 'near miss' during drone alert Mystery drones seen over three US air bases in UK
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Police helicopter in near miss with US jet over Lakenheath
A police helicopter reported a near miss with a drone that was in fact a US jet fighter, a report said. The helicopter had been sent to the area around RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, last November following reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded the pilot had misidentified red flashing lights belonging to an F-15 National Police Air Service (NPAS), which operated the helicopter, said there had been no risk of collision. The helicopter crew spotted the lights as they entered Lakenheath's airspace and then headed towards Bury St Edmunds. "Once they started heading in a westerly direction one of the 'drones' appeared to converge with them and fly above and in front of them," the report one point the object appeared to overtake the helicopter. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "medium". The two aircraft at one point came within 1,900ft (579m) of each other. Investigators highlighted how the crew on board the helicopter had not been told by RAF Lakenheath of the F-15's fighter pilot knew where the helicopter was but "it may have been particularly beneficial for the situational awareness of the EC135 pilot if the Lakenheath Approach Controller had passed reciprocal traffic information to them". EC135 is a reference to the helicopter flown by NPAS, also known as the Eurocopter, though this model is now called the H135. The USAF said the controller's response was compliant with UK law and the F-15 pilot was in visual contact with the helicopter. At the time of the incident, on the evening of 22 November, the airbase had been at the centre of multiple reports of drone sightings. A police incident log from that day recorded how the helicopter had withdrawn from the area "due to a drone coming close to them".The helicopter's traffic collision avoidance system had also not detected the presence of the F-15s, the report noted. Ian Hudson, a drone commentator and analyst, said "This incident underlines serious concerns about lights in the night sky, planets, Starlink and navigation lights being misidentified as drones."This incident would have officially remained as a drone were it not for the fact UK Airprox Board have collated the facts." The sightings of alleged drones over three airbases in the area at around the time of the incident are still being investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police. NPAS said its crew had been tasked by Suffolk police "to assist in the search for suspected drone activity in the Newmarket area".Ch Supt Vicki White said: "As noted in the report, and in the absence of any contradictory information, the crew acted on the belief that they were observing drone operations."The crew demonstrated professionalism and sound judgement in identifying a potential hazard."A US Air Force spokesman said: "The USAF complied with UK air traffic control regulations and remained well clear while maintaining normal vertical separation distances. As noted in the report, the air traffic controllers provided the agreed services to pilots of both aircraft to ensure safety of flight operations." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
ABC News
20 hours ago
- ABC News
Humanoid robots: China's race to build the future
Photo shows Ukraine Drone Strike: Screengrab shows a small drone hovering above a truck's trailer with a plume of smoke in the background. Has Video Duration: 1 minute 41 seconds . 1 m 41 s
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
2 Chinese men arrested in South Korea for using drone to film naval base
Two Chinese men have been arrested in the South Korean city of Busan for using a drone to illegally film a naval base, including a visiting US aircraft carrier, amid fears of such incidents occurring more regularly and threatening national security. Advertisement One of the men, in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of undertaking an action 'benefiting an enemy by other methods', South Korean police said on Thursday. It marked the first time that South Korea has arrested a foreigner on such a charge and follows a series of incidents of unauthorised surveillance at sensitive South Korean military and other sites involving Chinese nationals, with at least five such incidents reported since the start of last year. 'This is a serious national security violation, particularly in light of the growing number of incidents involving foreign nationals illegally filming key infrastructure and military facilities,' South Korean police said, according to a report by The Chosun Daily. 'We will continue to respond firmly and decisively to deter similar offences in the future.' Advertisement The suspects, who are graduate exchange students at Busan University, allegedly flew a Chinese-made drone near the base of the Korean Fleet Command between March 2023 and June 2024 on nine occasions, Yonhap News Agency reported.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Body camera video shows police rescue man from Massachusetts swamp after 7 hours
Police body camera video shows the successful rescue of a young man who was stranded in a swampy area of Somerset, Massachusetts on Sunday. This was a tall task for police, working in difficult terrain to bring the 19-year-old home before the heat wave. Time was against police who pushed through thick swampy reeds and waist deep wetlands. The wild scene played out on police body cam video as officer Brenan Cardoza rushed to rescue a young man stranded in the swamps for about seven hours. But there was a sigh of relief from the 19-year-old when police reached him. "Muddy, nasty area where you wouldn't want to be," said Officer Cardoza. "It was difficult to see, I had to call out for the gentleman. We were able to basically talk back and forth to each other, that was able to get me going in the right direction toward him." His family told police he went for a walk without his cellphone, then somehow got lost. The 19-year-old's cries for help are what neighbors heard who also called police. Drone used to locate man While offers were on the ground, Officer Paul Trenholme had a viewpoint from the sky using a drone, playing a pre-recorded message on a speaker to pinpoint the lost young man's location. A 19-year-old man was rescued by Somerset police officers after seven hours in a swamp. CBS Boston "I sent the drone back out and I let the individual know that we had officers in the woods, to keep calling out and that just played over and over and then as he called out our officers were able to pinpoint and triangulate his position and locate him," said Officer Trenholme. Investigators found him disoriented and dehydrated. It was a great outcome for a challenging rescue mission. "Used the drone in quite a few search and rescue missions. Thankfully, this was successful. Lately they have not been successful," said Officer Trenholme. "We didn't do anything that any other police officer wouldn't have done," added Officer Cardoza. The drone also helped officers, and the young man find a safe path out of the woods towards home. Officers say when you're out walking, don't forget your cellphone, stay hydrated, and always tell people where you're going.
