State police helicopter has near miss with drone

• Staff Reports
• Aug 16, 2017

NORTH ANDOVER -- A state police helicopter nearly collided with a drone in the vicinity of Lawrence Municipal Airport this morning, officials said. No one was injured.

The state police helicopter was flying a training mission from Holliston to Newburyport when it passed through the air space of the Lawrence airport around 11:20 a.m., according to a statement from state police spokesman David Procopio. While flying at 600 feet, the helicopter's crew saw a large drone approach them from the side, flying toward the area in front of the helicopter.

The drone came within 100 feet of the helicopter before suddenly dropping to the ground, Procopio said in the statement. At the helicopter's flight speed, the drone could have breached the cabin if it struck the windshield, he said.

The crew reversed direction and searched for the person who was flying the drone but did not locate anyone, Procopio said. State police cruisers also responded to the area and did not locate any suspects. The flight crew landed safely back at the Lawrence base. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

It is against the law for private drone pilots to fly their craft within five miles of an airport, or to fly at an altitude greater than 400 feet, Procopio said. Private drones heavier than 0.55 pounds must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration