AAIB investigation to DJI Matrice 210 (UAS, registration n/a) 4 September 2018

Loss of power due to erroneously high reported battery state of charge, Tilbury Docks, Essex, 4 September 2018.

• From: Air Accidents Investigation Branch
• Published: 14 November 2019

• Category: Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
• Report type: Bulletin - Correspondence investigation
• Date of occurrence: 4 September 2018
• Aircraft type: DJI Matrice 210
• Location: Tilbury Docks, Essex
• Registration: n/a

Summary:

After about six minutes into the flight, a battery low voltage condition was detected by the UAS causing it to enter an automatic landing mode. Shortly afterwards, while the aircraft was 20 m above the ground, it powered down and the electric motors stopped, causing it to fall to the ground. An investigation of this and similar accidents was conducted by the manufacturer which found that the batteries’ State of Charge (SOC) was indicating an erroneously high level of charge remaining. Safety actions were taken by the CAA to introduce operational restrictions while a fix was being found, and by the manufacturer to develop and ‘push out’ firmware changes to the battery and aircraft.

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DJI Matrice 210 (UAS, registration n/a) 11-19

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Glossary of abbreviations

Published 14 November 2019