What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of accident:
On August 31, 2024, at approximately 09:30 LCL, a remote pilot was operating an aquiline drones UAS performing a window washing operation of a 9-story building located at 1033 w. roosevelt way, Tempe, AZ, 85288. The remote pilot was “manually flying” the UAS and had a visual observer.
After the UAS being airborne “for approximately 18-20 minutes”, the remote pilot started his descent to land having a voltage of “43.5+”. The UAS suddenly stopped responding to the remote pilot’s commands and flew directly into a window of the 7th floor of the building, breaking the arms and the propellers. The UAS dropped onto a metal panel located near the 3rd floor, lightly denting the panel, before crashing down to the ground. This caused “a complete loss of [the] drone” according to the remote pilot’s report.
After interviewing the remote pilot, he stated the extent of the property damage (the metal panel) was just under $10,000 (he stated he thinks it would be mostly labor cost).
Causal/contributing factors:
During the interview, the remote pilot stated this UAS starts flight operations with the battery at about 51V. His procedure is to land the UAS at 44V. The rtl (return to land) mode activates around 42V, and the UAS goes into “critical mode” at 41V.
The pilot stated the battery lasts “at least 25 minutes”.
The remote pilot stated the UAS was sent back to the manufacturer to download flight data and determine if there were any software issues with the UAS. At this time, the issue appears to be with the UAS but there is not enough information available to determine the cause of the accident. No further actions are recommended. This report will be updated if further information is received from the manufacturer or remote pilot.
UAS registration #: FA33KCMM4Y. UAS make/model: privacy data omitted; serial #: AD2505-10023. Remote pilot cert. #: privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT:
ON AUGUST 31, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:30 LCL, A REMOTE PILOT WAS OPERATING AN AQUILINE DRONES UAS PERFORMING A WINDOW WASHING OPERATION OF A 9-STORY BUILDING LOCATED AT 1033 W. ROOSEVELT WAY, TEMPE, AZ, 85288. THE REMOTE PILOT WAS “MANUALLY FLYING” THE UAS AND HAD A VISUAL OBSERVER.
AFTER THE UAS BEING AIRBORNE “FOR APPROXIMATELY 18-20 MINUTES”, THE REMOTE PILOT STARTED HIS DESCENT TO LAND HAVING A VOLTAGE OF “43.5+”. THE UAS SUDDENLY STOPPED RESPONDING TO THE REMOTE PILOT’S COMMANDS AND FLEW DIRECTLY INTO A WINDOW OF THE 7TH FLOOR OF THE BUILDING, BREAKING THE ARMS AND THE PROPELLERS. THE UAS DROPPED ONTO A METAL PANEL LOCATED NEAR THE 3RD FLOOR, LIGHTLY DENTING THE PANEL, BEFORE CRASHING DOWN TO THE GROUND. THIS CAUSED “A COMPLETE LOSS OF [THE] DRONE” ACCORDING TO THE REMOTE PILOT’S REPORT.
AFTER INTERVIEWING THE REMOTE PILOT, HE STATED THE EXTENT OF THE PROPERTY DAMAGE (THE METAL PANEL) WAS JUST UNDER $10,000 (HE STATED HE THINKS IT WOULD BE MOSTLY LABOR COST).
CAUSAL/CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
DURING THE INTERVIEW, THE REMOTE PILOT STATED THIS UAS STARTS FLIGHT OPERATIONS WITH THE BATTERY AT ABOUT 51V. HIS PROCEDURE IS TO LAND THE UAS AT 44V. THE RTL (RETURN TO LAND) MODE ACTIVATES AROUND 42V, AND THE UAS GOES INTO “CRITICAL MODE” AT 41V.
THE PILOT STATED THE BATTERY LASTS “AT LEAST 25 MINUTES”.
THE REMOTE PILOT STATED THE UAS WAS SENT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER TO DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DATA AND DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY SOFTWARE ISSUES WITH THE UAS. AT THIS TIME, THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE WITH THE UAS BUT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FURTHER ACTIONS ARE RECOMMENDED. THIS REPORT WILL BE UPDATED IF FURTHER INFORMATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR REMOTE PILOT.
UAS REGISTRATION #: FA33KCMM4Y. UAS MAKE/MODEL: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^; SERIAL #: AD2505-10023. REMOTE PILOT CERT. #: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^