DJI Phantom 4 strikes a US Army Black Hawk over Staten Island in the first confirmed US civilian-drone / manned-aircraft midair collision

[COLLISION]

Sep 21, 2017 · DJI · DJI Mavic 3 Pro · Global

Failure Mode

COLLISION

Event Date

Sep 21, 2017

Primary Entity

DJI

Robotic Platform

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Jurisdiction / Location

Global

Audit Standard

Physical State Verified

Incident Abstract & Audit Findings

A recreationally flown DJI Phantom 4, operated about 2.5 miles beyond visual line of sight, collided with a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk at roughly 300 feet near Hoffman Island, New York. The helicopter sustained rotor-blade and window-frame/transmission-deck damage and landed safely; the drone was destroyed.

System & Fleet Architecture

Operating Manufacturer

Hardware Platform

DJI Mavic 3 ProView Spec

Operational Sectors

Physical AI / Robotics

Primary Sources & Evidentiary Filings

  • https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/default.aspx

    https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/default.aspx

  • https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA17IA202.aspx

    https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA17IA202.aspx

Related Incidents & Failure Precedents

6 records on file

Incident Context & FAQ

What happened in DJI Phantom 4 strikes a US Army Black Hawk over Staten Island in the first confirmed US civilian-drone / manned-aircraft midair collision?

A recreationally flown DJI Phantom 4, operated about 2.5 miles beyond visual line of sight, collided with a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk at roughly 300 feet near Hoffman Island, New York. The helicopter sustained rotor-blade and window-frame/transmission-deck damage and landed safely; the drone was destroyed. NTSB probable cause: the drone operator's intentional beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight and failure to see and avoid. Source: NTSB case DCA17IA202, ntsb.gov.

When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on September 21, 2017 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

What robot was involved in DJI Phantom 4 strikes a US Army Black Hawk over Staten Island in the first confirmed US civilian-drone / manned-aircraft midair collision?

DJI Mavic 3 Pro by DJI is the recorded robot involved in this incident at Global.

Has anyone responded to DJI Phantom 4 strikes a US Army Black Hawk over Staten Island in the first confirmed US civilian-drone / manned-aircraft midair collision?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

What is the current status of DJI Phantom 4 strikes a US Army Black Hawk over Staten Island in the first confirmed US civilian-drone / manned-aircraft midair collision?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.