A small helicopter is pictured in this still image taken from video after it landed on the west lawn of the US Capitol in Washington. Photo by reuters.
Nearby streets were temporarily closed as police investigated, according to a police statement that called the craft a "gyro copter."
The copter resembled a small open-air helicopter with a single rotor on top.
The security scare comes after a man shot himself dead in front of the Capitol on Saturday and sparked a temporary lockdown.
In January, a small "quadcopter" drone crashed onto the White House lawn. The man who was operating it did not face criminal charges.
