AAIB investigation to DJI M300, (UAS registration n/a)
Motor arm folded in-flight, residential area, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, 1 June 2026
A DJI M300 unmanned aircraft (UA) was being operated by emergency services to search for suspects in a residential area. The motor arms had been placed in their flight positions by the remote pilot (RP) at the beginning of his shift, but there was no requirement to re-check they were secure prior to each flight. The takeoff and control checks all appeared normal, but after about four minutes, a warning occurred advising the RP to land the UA and check the security of the motor arms. Shortly after, a further series of warnings occurred, and the UA started to spin uncontrollably whilst descending rapidly from a height of about 380 ft agl before striking a residential road. No persons were injured.
Analysis by the manufacturer indicated that the rear right motor arm had folded inwards because the arm was not correctly installed. In response to this accident, the operator issued a Safety Notice (SN) that introduced mandatory pre-flight checks of the motor arm locking mechanism. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) also promulgated a SN and made two recommendations.
Download report:
Download glossary of abbreviations: