While planes operate in heavily regulated paths, how come helicopters travel as they please without collision risk, e.g. copter cams following a car chase?

Question

While planes operate in heavily regulated paths, how come helicopters travel as they please without collision risk, e.g. copter cams following a car chase?

In: 309

Answer 1

If you fly an aircraft (plane or helicopter) in the US, you are either flying under one of two sets of rules… VFR or IFR.

VFR is visual flight rules. The helicopters you see doing whatever are VFR. When you learn to fly airplanes you start with VFR. The general rule under VFR is it’s up to the pilot to avoid restricted areas, avoid other airplanes, follow different rules etc. much more freedom.

IFR is instrument flight rules. This is when air traffic control has much more control over where the aircraft goes and what you do in the plane. All airline flights are IFR, although occasionally they’ll takeoff and land VFR due to lack of ATC.