What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
UAS registration: FA3YCLL49M
Make: dji
Model: mavic 2 enterprise dual
Serial number: 298DG3E001292Y
Rpic statement by officer privacy data omitted as follows:
"Upon my arrival, I joined an active scene with law enforcement, fire department, dive team members,
And civilian boaters searching for the victim in the water. After my briefing from the fire department, I
Determined that the command post was a safe area to deploy the UAV. Prior to starting my preflight
Visual checklist of the UAV, I determined through an FAA approved online software program privacy data omitted
That I was in class g airspace with no current airspace or weather restrictions. The current weather
Conditions on land were low to no wind, clear, with low lighting as it was dusk. I did observe news
Helicopters in the distance at a much higher altitude. My location was lat 42.19241 and long -71.8581.
I conducted a preflight visual checklist and mounted the dji spotlight attachment. Inside the UAV was a
128GB SD card used to document photographs and video. A 2 month old dji battery was also used for
The flight.
With spotters from both the police department and fire department, the UAV was flown a distance of
117FT from the launch area over the water, just beyond the shoreline. The UAV was positioned 71FT above
Ground level (AGL) and maintained that location as I walked a short distance to the shoreline. The UAV
Was then lowered to 33FT AGL to begin searching for the victim. As the UAV began to ascend to 37FT AGL
The connection was immediately lost and the UAV began to slowly descend and eventually landed in the
Water. The UAV was safely positioned away from any bystanders and except for the UAV, no other
Property damage occurred. A few minutes later, a group of first responders on a nearby boat attempted
To locate the UAV but they were unsuccessful. During the entire time in the air, the UAV remained in our
Line of sight and no other aircraft (other drones, helicopters, planes) were in the immediate area of the
UAV."
As the FAA filed it
UAS REGISTRATION: FA3YCLL49M
MAKE: DJI
MODEL: MAVIC 2 ENTERPRISE DUAL
SERIAL NUMBER: 298DG3E001292Y
RPIC STATEMENT BY OFFICER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS FOLLOWS:
"UPON MY ARRIVAL, I JOINED AN ACTIVE SCENE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, DIVE TEAM MEMBERS,
AND CIVILIAN BOATERS SEARCHING FOR THE VICTIM IN THE WATER. AFTER MY BRIEFING FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I
DETERMINED THAT THE COMMAND POST WAS A SAFE AREA TO DEPLOY THE UAV. PRIOR TO STARTING MY PREFLIGHT
VISUAL CHECKLIST OF THE UAV, I DETERMINED THROUGH AN FAA APPROVED ONLINE SOFTWARE PROGRAM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
THAT I WAS IN CLASS G AIRSPACE WITH NO CURRENT AIRSPACE OR WEATHER RESTRICTIONS. THE CURRENT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ON LAND WERE LOW TO NO WIND, CLEAR, WITH LOW LIGHTING AS IT WAS DUSK. I DID OBSERVE NEWS
HELICOPTERS IN THE DISTANCE AT A MUCH HIGHER ALTITUDE. MY LOCATION WAS LAT 42.19241 AND LONG -71.8581.
I CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT VISUAL CHECKLIST AND MOUNTED THE DJI SPOTLIGHT ATTACHMENT. INSIDE THE UAV WAS A
128GB SD CARD USED TO DOCUMENT PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO. A 2 MONTH OLD DJI BATTERY WAS ALSO USED FOR
THE FLIGHT.
WITH SPOTTERS FROM BOTH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE UAV WAS FLOWN A DISTANCE OF
117FT FROM THE LAUNCH AREA OVER THE WATER, JUST BEYOND THE SHORELINE. THE UAV WAS POSITIONED 71FT ABOVE
GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND MAINTAINED THAT LOCATION AS I WALKED A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE SHORELINE. THE UAV
WAS THEN LOWERED TO 33FT AGL TO BEGIN SEARCHING FOR THE VICTIM. AS THE UAV BEGAN TO ASCEND TO 37FT AGL
THE CONNECTION WAS IMMEDIATELY LOST AND THE UAV BEGAN TO SLOWLY DESCEND AND EVENTUALLY LANDED IN THE
WATER. THE UAV WAS SAFELY POSITIONED AWAY FROM ANY BYSTANDERS AND EXCEPT FOR THE UAV, NO OTHER
PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED. A FEW MINUTES LATER, A GROUP OF FIRST RESPONDERS ON A NEARBY BOAT ATTEMPTED
TO LOCATE THE UAV BUT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE ENTIRE TIME IN THE AIR, THE UAV REMAINED IN OUR
LINE OF SIGHT AND NO OTHER AIRCRAFT (OTHER DRONES, HELICOPTERS, PLANES) WERE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE
UAV."