What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted MK27-2 drone, sn 000777 (privacy data omitted), remote pilot certificate no. privacy data omitted, Was conducting a flight under experimental authority from privacy data omitted Pendleton, OR flight test facility (PDT10). After a successful delivery, the drone was ascending from the delivery marker when health alert aep_under_voltage_warning (AEP-DT-008) appeared on the ground control station (gcs) at 42 meters (137 feet) AGL. This alert indicates the battery pack voltage is critically low. The drone self-initiated an urgent land (ul) contingency and identified a safe landing area. While executing the landing, the drone reselected the landing location, but was unable to sustain controlled flight prior to completing the landing. The drone lost ability to maintain altitude shortly after 326 seconds into the flight at approximately 7 meters (23 feet) AGL and impacted the ground 24 meters (80 feet) from the delivery marker. The drone was damaged upon impact and came to rest inverted. There were no injuries or property damage from the incident. The vehicle remained within the controlled space.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MK27-2 DRONE, SN 000777 (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^), REMOTE PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT UNDER EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORITY FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PENDLETON, OR FLIGHT TEST FACILITY (PDT10). AFTER A SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY, THE DRONE WAS ASCENDING FROM THE DELIVERY MARKER WHEN HEALTH ALERT AEP_UNDER_VOLTAGE_WARNING (AEP-DT-008) APPEARED ON THE GROUND CONTROL STATION (GCS) AT 42 METERS (137 FEET) AGL. THIS ALERT INDICATES THE BATTERY PACK VOLTAGE IS CRITICALLY LOW. THE DRONE SELF-INITIATED AN URGENT LAND (UL) CONTINGENCY AND IDENTIFIED A SAFE LANDING AREA. WHILE EXECUTING THE LANDING, THE DRONE RESELECTED THE LANDING LOCATION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN CONTROLLED FLIGHT PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE LANDING. THE DRONE LOST ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE SHORTLY AFTER 326 SECONDS INTO THE FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 7 METERS (23 FEET) AGL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND 24 METERS (80 FEET) FROM THE DELIVERY MARKER. THE DRONE WAS DAMAGED UPON IMPACT AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE FROM THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE REMAINED WITHIN THE CONTROLLED SPACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.