Unmanned Helicopter Crashes into Navy Ship, Damaging Hull

[Boats]

Unmanned Helicopter Crashes into Navy Ship, Damaging Hull
By: The Associated Press & Military,com News - 04-28-21
Re: https://www.military.com/daily-news/...ging-hull.html

Photo link: https://images03.military.com/sites/...?itok=s3irKr-I
Sailors charge the battery of an MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), March 27, 2021. (Adam Butler/U.S. Navy)

SAN DIEGO — An unmanned helicopter crashed into the side of a U.S. Navy ship during routine operations in the western Pacific ocean, officials said Tuesday.

No one was injured when the 31-foot-long MQ-8B Fire Scout struck the hull of the USS Charleston shortly after the helicopter took off from the San Diego-based Littoral Combat Ship about 3:40 p.m. Monday.

The ship’s safety net was damaged as was an area above the waterline but it was able to continue its operations, the Navy said in a statement. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

The Navy declined to give further details or specify where the incident occurred or how long the deployment will be.

This article was written by The Associated Press from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.

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Personal note: Unmanned aircraft - at sea may not be the best idea. It works for a while but like everything else variables in the landing can vary suddenly and the reaction time of the computer may not react soon enough or pull up the right data needed. Replacing human pilots whose skills often times exceed the automatic systems. Wind shear at sea can suddenly come into play - whereas a good pilot can react to save his aircraft and ship in most cases. Of course there will be some rework to both the aircrafts computer and repairs to the ship - but I feel it needs more human instincts then programmed compensation. Just my thoughts!
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