Helicopter
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Rotorcraft; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 96; Flight Crew Total 3392; Flight Crew Type 415
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors
Location; Distance; Altitude; Separation and Time are Approximate.Flight was conducted in VMC conditions; with 10+ nm visibility and 15;000+ feet ceilings. Time of the occurrence was approximately early afternoon. No flight plan was filed; however ATC flight following/transition was utilized and requested with LAX and Torrance Tower's while transitioning through the LAX Bravo Airspace and continuing through Torrance's Class Delta; southbound along the shoreline near Palos Verdes Estates at altitudes between 100 - 300 feet MSL. While flying southbound along the coastline of Palos Verdes Estates; approximately 3 - 3 ½ nm west of TOA and just north of Bluff Cove; I encountered/noticed an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)/Drone moving from my 10 - 9 o'clock high position at approximately 200 feet horizontal and 150 feet vertically above. Upon noticing and as a safety precaution; I altered my flight path slightly to the right and continued uneventful.
A helicopter pilot flying the shoreline near TOA at 100 - 300 MSL took evasive action from a UAS flying approximately 100 feet above his altitude.