What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the morning of August 15, 2024, at 9:12 am, a mission flight was initiated to apply privacy data omitted for larvicide treatment using the PV35X drone(registration: FA3AYFNAWC (active)). After an initial pass, the drone returned for a refill, and approximately 20 lbs of privacy data omitted were loaded. Batteries were also switched out, and system checks were conducted, with the obstacle avoidance system set at 45 feet and the mission altitude at 90 feet.
Details of the incident:
9:18 Am: system checks confirmed the obstacle avoidance system was on, and the mission began in auto flight mode.
9:19 Am: as the drone approached trees approximately 417 feet away, it appeared too low, and the obstacle avoidance system failed to engage. The visual observer noted the drone's low altitude, prompting an immediate switch to break flight mode.
The drone's front right propeller contacted a top canopy branch. Control was then switched to loiter flight mode in an attempt to avoid further contact with the branches. Despite efforts to increase altitude and move backward, the left middle propeller struck another branch, causing the drone to tip into the tree.
The drone remained stuck on the tree for 3-5 seconds before falling through the tree, landing on a camper's solar panel and bouncing onto a nearby picnic table.
Post-incident actions:
9:20 Am: the incident site was assessed, and photos of the crash site and damage were taken. Damage was observed to the camper's solar panel, with no additional significant damage noted.
The team removed the drone and cleaned up the area.
9:40 Am: the camper privacy data omitted was not present, so contact information was left at the scene, and the incident was reported to the 7N ranch office.
Conclusion: the failure of the obstacle avoidance system to engage resulted in the drone's proximity to the tree, leading to the collision and subsequent fall. Proper pre-flight checks and system verification are critical to preventing such incidents.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 15, 2024, AT 9:12 AM, A MISSION FLIGHT WAS INITIATED TO APPLY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR LARVICIDE TREATMENT USING THE PV35X DRONE(REGISTRATION: FA3AYFNAWC (ACTIVE)). AFTER AN INITIAL PASS, THE DRONE RETURNED FOR A REFILL, AND APPROXIMATELY 20 LBS OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE LOADED. BATTERIES WERE ALSO SWITCHED OUT, AND SYSTEM CHECKS WERE CONDUCTED, WITH THE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM SET AT 45 FEET AND THE MISSION ALTITUDE AT 90 FEET.
DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT:
9:18 AM: SYSTEM CHECKS CONFIRMED THE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WAS ON, AND THE MISSION BEGAN IN AUTO FLIGHT MODE.
9:19 AM: AS THE DRONE APPROACHED TREES APPROXIMATELY 417 FEET AWAY, IT APPEARED TOO LOW, AND THE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VISUAL OBSERVER NOTED THE DRONE'S LOW ALTITUDE, PROMPTING AN IMMEDIATE SWITCH TO BREAK FLIGHT MODE.
THE DRONE'S FRONT RIGHT PROPELLER CONTACTED A TOP CANOPY BRANCH. CONTROL WAS THEN SWITCHED TO LOITER FLIGHT MODE IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE BRANCHES. DESPITE EFFORTS TO INCREASE ALTITUDE AND MOVE BACKWARD, THE LEFT MIDDLE PROPELLER STRUCK ANOTHER BRANCH, CAUSING THE DRONE TO TIP INTO THE TREE.
THE DRONE REMAINED STUCK ON THE TREE FOR 3-5 SECONDS BEFORE FALLING THROUGH THE TREE, LANDING ON A CAMPER'S SOLAR PANEL AND BOUNCING ONTO A NEARBY PICNIC TABLE.
POST-INCIDENT ACTIONS:
9:20 AM: THE INCIDENT SITE WAS ASSESSED, AND PHOTOS OF THE CRASH SITE AND DAMAGE WERE TAKEN. DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED TO THE CAMPER'S SOLAR PANEL, WITH NO ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE NOTED.
THE TEAM REMOVED THE DRONE AND CLEANED UP THE AREA.
9:40 AM: THE CAMPER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS NOT PRESENT, SO CONTACT INFORMATION WAS LEFT AT THE SCENE, AND THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE 7N RANCH OFFICE.
CONCLUSION: THE FAILURE OF THE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE RESULTED IN THE DRONE'S PROXIMITY TO THE TREE, LEADING TO THE COLLISION AND SUBSEQUENT FALL. PROPER PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS AND SYSTEM VERIFICATION ARE CRITICAL TO PREVENTING SUCH INCIDENTS.