AAIB investigation to DJI Matrice 100, UAS, registration n/a
Struck overhanging branches, in a drainage system near Clough Road, Hull, 4 February 2019.
Summary:
The drone operator was tasked to undertake a search of a drainage system in the Hull area for a missing person. After the setup and the pre-flight checks, the drone was flown to the search area over the water. As the drone approached the water, the Collision Avoidance System started to activate and climbed the drone away from the water. The operator did not correct the flightpath in time to prevent the drone contacting some branches overhanging the drainage system and the drone fell into the water.
The drone operator considered that he had agreed to fly too close to the water and trees in order to carry out the search. As a result, the organisation has changed the risk assessment for such searches to state that flight will not take place below 10 metres when over water.
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