Air traffic control audio has revealed details of the highly advanced ‘drone’ that eluded a police helicopter in military airspace above Tucson.
The recording obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration this week by The Drive reveals the sophisticated capabilities of the drone as it ran circles around police and federal helicopters in February.
The recordings show that pilots and air traffic controllers were baffled by the drone, which they described as ‘super sophisticated’ and possibly satellite-controlled, and hovered over Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
During the nearly 70-minute chase, the drone often toyed with the pursuing helicopters by hovering directly over their rotors.
It was not visible with night-vision goggles and eventually exceeded the maximum flight ceiling of the helicopters, escaping the pursuers.
‘They can’t tell if its a quadcopter or what. They assume it’s a drone, but they’re following it,’ one controller is heard saying.
Crews are also heard saying that it…
