Man fined over drone near police chopper

A university student has copped a $900 fine for flying a drone close to a police helicopter conducting a rescue operation in the NSW Blue Mountains.

The 25-year-old was caught after police spotted the drone near the Echo Point scenic lookout in Katoomba, where the chopper was flying low during the search in September 2016.

The drone then crashed into a tree on a private home.

The man was fined and counselled over previous flights which also breached drone safety regulations, the Civil Aviation Authority revealed on Wednesday.

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said drones must never be flown in way that could create a hazard to people, property or aircraft.