Hobby drone flies within 50ft of LAPD helicopter, derails a suspect search

In the latest chapter of the Los Angeles Police Department's ongoing saga with unmanned aerial devices, a hobby drone derailed an LAPD helicopter this week while the police aircraft was attempting to locate a suspect in Hollywood.

ABC7 in LA reports the drone came within 50 feet of the LAPD vehicle, redirecting the police's attention towards finding the amateur operator. Eventually, authorities said they found the drone pilot in a Rite Aid parking lot. The man was taken into custody for interfering with police work, and the LAPD confiscated the drone. Authorities did not release the drone pilot's name according to ABC7, but the man was questioned by the police and will face further scrutiny. The Federal Aviation Administration will reportedly question him as well, and a forensics lab will examine the video captured by the drone to determine whether this encounter was on purpose.