A lot of people were irritated recently by the low-flying helicopters checking out Amtrak tower and power lines and wondered how come drones couldn't be used to minimize noise.
"Drones cost more as they require line of site," said Jen Flanagan, Lead Public Relations Specialist for Amtrak.
Other people remarked that the timing of having a low-flying helicopter on Veterans Day could trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Flangan said the contractor was not restricted from flying on Veterans Day so they can get as much work done as possible before the weather changes will restrict them from flying. She said Amtrak apologized for the inconvenience of the timing on the holiday.
"The helicopter has been working north from DC inspecting all Amtrak towers and lines that cross the railroad. We’ve recently added substations to the scope, occurring approximately every four years," said Flanagan.
"Amtrak has used the information gained from these inspections to fix issues before they’ve caused delays," said Flanagan.
The helicopter is expected to work over Hyde Square today.