re: Drone flies into Blackhawk over Staten Island

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Can't even imagine what it cost to replace a main rotor blade on an Apache.

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You want actual cost or do you mean by the time our bloated government buys it?

Thanks for the info, $220k was my guess

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(Actually the plane is likely a Aero Commander, which is not a turbo prop)

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LINK

If you are flying a drone legally under an FAA Certificate you are only allowed to fly 30 minutes after twilight and 30 minutes before before sunset IF you have lights visible for 3 miles. The standard drone lights on most DJI drones for instance don't meet that standard. So even if he is flying in the correct airspace you are not allowed to fly at night without a waiver from air traffic control. You have to submit a waiver 90 days in advance.

Do you think that person went to all that trouble?

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If you are flying a drone legally under an FAA Certificate you are only allowed to fly 30 minutes after twilight and 30 minutes before before sunset IF you have lights visible for 3 miles.

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Don't mean to be nit-picky....Technically, it applies during twilight. It appears you can fly during the period defined as "twilight" and don't have to wait until 30 minutes after twilight. You can also fly up to 30 minutes after sunset.
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§107.29 Daylight operation.
(a) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during night.

(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.

(c) For purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, civil twilight refers to the following:

(1) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins 30 minutes before official sunrise and ends at official sunrise;

(2) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins at official sunset and ends 30 minutes after official sunset; and

(3) In Alaska, the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac.

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Blackhawks put out so much turbulence around them, I'm surprised the drone got close enough to fly into it..

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This. Makes me wonder if the drone come down from higher altitude.

Some flight control boards come preprogrammed to cut off at 400ft. The one I have does not, of course I only know that it can go over 400 ft because i read someone else did it. I would never do such a thing as see how high it would go.

Hmm. A Ronson R44 or a helicopter blade. Same price. Lol