ORIGINAL: Sport_Pilot
Right, even if the heli pilot was not in a restricted area, flying at speed 75 feet over the ground is unsafe.
As a pilot yourself you certainly understand that the probability of a news helicopter to be flying in a Restricted area is very low. And it is also fairly unlikely that model airplanes would be flying there either.
The FAA definition of Restricted Airspace:
a. Restricted areas contain airspace identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft, while not wholly prohibited, is subject to restrictions. Activities within these areas must be confined because of their nature or limitations imposed upon aircraft operations that are not a part of those activities or both. Restricted areas denote the existence of unusual, often invisible, hazards to aircraft such as artillery firing, aerial gunnery, or guided missiles. Penetration of restricted areas without authorization from the using or controlling agency may be extremely hazardous to the aircraft and its occupants. Restricted areas are published in the Federal Register and constitute 14 CFR Part 73.
As to the 75 foot comment, we have the post by a full size helicopter pilot with 1,000's of hours time who currently flies professionally who states that being low and fast does not in and of it self constitute an unsafe condition. But let's ignore him, after all the rest of us have no helicopter time, and most have likely never even been in a helicopter, so it is clear that we are far more qualified to determine what is safe or not while flying one.