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Drone spotted 30 metres from plane at Auckland Airport
28 Apr, 2021 08:15 AM
4 minutes to read
The drone sighting sparked incoming flight delays. Photo / 123rf
NZ Herald
Flights were suspended temporarily at Auckland Airport last night causing some international and domestic arrival delays after a drone was spotted by a pilot.
A Barrier Air flight pilot saw the drone at 5pm, reporting it came within around 30m of the aircraft.
Read More This temporarily delayed domestic and international arrivals. Normal operations resumed at 5.45pm.
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There have been 21 drone incursions reported in controlled airspace in the year to date. These are events where a drone is flying without authorisation in controlled airspace and is close enough to an aircraft or airfield to be spotted by pilots, air traffic controllers or members of the public.
Hair-raising: Drone spotted just before medic chopper took off
22 Apr, 2021 05:52 PM
3 minutes to read
The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter had just flown a patient and paramedics from the Queenstown area to Dunedin Hospital. Photo / Supplied, File
The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter had just flown a patient and paramedics from the Queenstown area to Dunedin Hospital. Photo / Supplied, File
Otago Daily Times
By: John Gibb
A sharp-eyed paramedic may have helped prevent a potential disaster by spotting a drone flying close to the Dunedin Hospital helipad as a helicopter was about to take off.
An Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter pilot, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had just flown a patient and paramedics from the Queenstown area to Dunedin Hospital on Wednesday evening.
Stewart Island/Rakiura community board chair Jon Spraggon in his chairperson s report to the board for its April 12 meeting, says Helicopters Otago would fund all costs associated with establishing an all-weather link from Dunedin to Stewart Island for emergency flights. The costs of installing and maintaining the helipad on the island would be the responsibility of the local community, he says. It was a great concept, but beyond the finances of the board in view of the major projects already committed to, he says. Spraggon suggests if the concept was to be taken any further, work should be done with the local Health Committee.