“Sightseer” Drone Collides With TX Search Helicopter

The New York Times reports:

Private drones have been interfering with already challenging search efforts after the deadly July 4 floods, officials in Texas said. On Monday, a helicopter involved in search efforts in Kerr County was forced to make an emergency landing after crashing into a private drone in restricted airspace, county officials said, in what they called an “entirely preventable” incident.

“Please ground your drones,” the county posted in an update, saying that an important piece of equipment was out of service until further notice.

Members of the public and the media have been told not to fly drones over the disaster zone in Kerr County, one of the worst-hit areas, until search efforts are complete. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a restriction meant to clear the air for rescue aircraft.

Read the full article.

Sightseers ‘making things worse’ after deadly Texas floods — as illegal private drone strikes helicopter involved in search and recovery efforts: cops https://t.co/iURPj2dI5Y pic.twitter.com/C8A7ZNYFDu

— New York Post (@nypost) July 8, 2025