Independent report

AAIB Record-only UAS investigations reviewed: October - November 2024

Published 9 January 2025

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
16 Jun 2024	DJI Mavic 3 Cine	Newton-on-the-Moor, Northumberland	The UA was being used for filming inside a building. The UA began to wander off track, due to loss of GPS position, and struck a wall and then fell onto one of the film extras causing minor injury. The film company’s Health and Safety team have reviewed the accident and put more robust controls in place for filming in similar environments.
1 Sep 2024	DJI Mini 4 Pro	Portsmouth, Hampshire	The UAS was conducting a flight adjacent to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to obtain imagery of HMS Warrior. As the UA flew along HMS Warrior’s starboard side, the rotors made contact with the ship’s rigging. The UA fell onto the deck, and the gimbal and two of the rotor arms were damaged.
4 Oct 2024	Holybro X500 V2	Near Lode, Cambridgeshire	The UA, after 13 minutes of flight, commenced its critical low voltage emergency landing procedure at the moment that the remote pilot landed the aircraft; this procedure begins with a climb to 15 m. The remote pilot, saw the unexpected climb (which was uncommanded by him) and so cut all power to the motors; the UA fell to the ground from a height of about 6 m.
10 Oct 2024	DJI Mavic 3	Diana’s Peak National Park, St Helena	During a survey flight the UA lost signal at a height of about 100 m and did not respond to a return to home command. The UA was not recovered.
10 Oct 2024	Skydio X10D	Near Stanton St Bernard, Wiltshire	The link was lost during a training flight and the UA did not execute the programmed return to home function. The UA was damaged and subsequently recovered in a field approximately 1,600 m from the launch point.
11 Oct 2024	DJI M30T	Dunscroft, South Yorkshire	Shortly after taking off at night the UA became entangled in telephone wires, before falling to the ground.
14 Oct 2024	Custom Puffin PC2	Aston Down Airfield, Gloucestershire	This was the UA’s maiden flight. During a hop test the UA took off and pitched up, possibly due to a centre of gravity issue. The remote pilot tried to regain control but the UA stalled, and then struck the ground between the two runways.
17 Oct 2024	DJI Inspire 2	Edinburgh	The UA, at the maximum operating distance within visual line of sight, was reported to have descended to the ground in a spin.
17 Oct 2024	DJI M300	Rotherhithe Pier, London	The UA was performing a survey at about 1 m above the River Thames. The remote pilot paused the mission to avoid a pier but unexpectedly the UA lost height and dropped into the water. The cause of the problem was not determined.
5 Nov 2024	DJI Phantom 4 Pro	Near Lymington, Hampshire	During a training flight the remote pilot reported that the aircraft dropped out of the sky and struck the ground. The flight log showed that a drop in voltage had occurred. Following the accident the battery was found dislodged, but at the time of reporting it was not known if this occurred in-flight or as a result of striking the ground.