Independent report

AAIB Record-only UAS investigations reviewed: October - November 2023

Published 11 January 2024

This section provides details of accidents and incidents which were not subject to a Field or full Correspondence Investigation. They are wholly, or largely, based on information provided by the aircraft commander at the time of reporting and in some cases additional information from other sources. The accuracy of the information provided cannot be assured.

Event Date	Aircraft Type	Location Name	Record Only Occurrence Text
7 Jun 2022	DJI Mavic Air 2	Near Falmouth Harbour, Cornwall	The remote pilot was operating the 570 g UA, taking video of a ship under tow approximately 300 m from the nearest land. The ship’s crew were not aware that the flight was to take place or who was operating the UAS. The video footage shows the UA passing to the side of the ship and bridge several times, during which someone on the bridge is seen to wave. The UA flew nearer to the ship with each pass before it collided with the ship’s superstructure and fell onto the deck below.
4 Jul 2023	DJI Matrice M600 Pro	Near Constantine Bay, Cornwall	The Matrice M600 and Mavic 2 Pro were operating on the coast in a commercial operation with visual line of sight. On completion the remote pilot of the Matrice believed the Mavic was at the takeoff and landing position and did not see that it was in the approach/departure lane. The UAs collided over the sea and the Mavic dropped vertically into the water. The M600 returned normally for an uneventful landing. The Mavic was found in a rock pool several days later.
20 Jul 2023	DJI Matrice 300	Near Morpeth, Northumberland	The remote pilot had planned a series of automated mapping missions. On the third day of conducting this mission, the UA lost real time kinematic signal which caused the UA to pause during a turn away from a wind turbine. The remote pilot resumed the flight and the UA initially reversed along its previous flight path, flying into the wind turbine. The remote pilot was not aware the turbine had the ability to rotate 360° around its vertical axis. This required a larger area to avoid for the UA to maintain 50 m clear of the turbine in all positions, which was not taken into account when planning. The UA sustained significant damage and was replaced. There was no visible damage to the wind turbine.
18 Sep 2023	DJI Inspire 3	Near Northwich, Cheshire	The aim of the flight was to film a target car travelling south along a closed private road. When the UA was approximately 300 m north of the pilot it was turned left to position behind the car, but drifted further east than intended and struck a lone tree next to the road. The UA sustained irreparable damage. There were no uninvolved persons nearby and nobody was injured. The remote pilot considered that a fresh westerly breeze had contributed to the unintended easterly drift and that, with hindsight, adopting a piloting position more closely aligned with the road and reducing the speed of both aircraft and target car could have “potentially avoided the accident.”
6 Oct 2023	DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2	Near Frome, Somerset	Having completed a local surveying mission, the pilot was manually flying the UA to the launch point. When coming in to land, the pilot noticed that the controls were not as responsive as they should be and, following a motor error displayed on the controller, the UA fell to the ground.
9 Oct 2023	DJI Matrice 300	Ripley, Derbyshire	A couple of minutes into a test flight, a noise was heard coming from one of the UA’s motors. A motor error displayed on the controller and, shortly afterwards, the UA descended rapidly from a height of about 45 m. A subsequent inspection found that one of the motors was stiff.
22 Oct 2023	Model aircraft	Near Macclesfield, Cheshire	The pilot lost the orientation of the model aircraft. He cut the throttle but the aircraft flew away over open land and was not recovered.
23 Oct 2023	DJI M30T	Colwyn Bay, Conwy	A few seconds after takeoff at night the UA struck some overhead cables and fell to the ground. The remote pilot was under time pressure to take off and omitted the visual check for obstacles using a torch as per the operator’s procedures.
26 Oct 2023	PW.One	Near Long Lawford, Warwickshire	During a test flight in an area controlled by the operator, the UA appeared to enter Flight Termination mode and it spiralled, out of control, to the ground.
29 Oct 2023	MA Scale G91	Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire	Shortly after takeoff the remote pilot lost radio link with the model aircraft. The failsafe activated the retractable undercarriage putting the retractable gear legs down, and shutting down the gas turbine engine. The model continued to fly and, being well trimmed, covered some distance before landing on a garage roof just outside the perimeter of the airfield.
17 Nov 2023	DJI M300	Carlisle, Cumbria	The UA moved un-commanded into a power line, either because it was hit by a bird or because the UAS detected the bird and moved autonomously.
27 Nov 2023	DJI Matrice 300 RTK	Near Ripon, North Yorkshire	The UA was flying over some trees as part of an automated mapping mission. The remote pilot looked down at the controller, and when he looked up he could no longer locate the UA. Subsequently there was a loud whirring noise observed from the woodland area, which was presumed to be the UA striking trees. The UA was found at the base of a tree close to the last GPS location.