A man who allegedly flew a drone in a manner that forced a Los Angeles police helicopter pilot to take evasive action above Hollywood was arrested today, authorities said.
The operator and his drone were about a quarter mile apart when the device flew into the path of a helicopter assisting with a suspect search in Hollywood around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, said Los Angeles police Lt. Mike Ling.
The man, aged in his 40s, was operating the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle from a mini-mall parking lot at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and North Gower Street, Ling said. The helicopter was over Sunset and Western Avenue when its pilot took evasive action, Ling said.
The man was arrested for obstructing police, Ling said, adding that his office would research the case and submit its findings to the District Attorney for possible prosecution. He said that the drone’s proximity to the helicopter may also have been a breach of Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
