What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the federal aviation administration received a safety event report from UAS part 107 certificated pilot, certificate no. privacy data omitted. The pilot is an engineering student with the privacy data omitted, located in Mayaguez, PR., where the event took place. As part of his engineering course, the pilot in command was performing ground calibration testing in a homebuilt UAS drone, professional-grade hexacopter, model pixhawk 6X pro on tarot, registration no. privacy data omitted. The UAS was going to be utilize for specialized applications like surveying, 3D mapping and 3D photography of the university campus.
The PIC stated that this was the first flight with the UAS after it was built, while performing preflight check UAS calibration, the UAS had an issue with the programming of the main battery that was displaying 102 volts(v), however, the UAS battery is a 72V battery. The PIC put his frsky-X8D plus remote control to the side and connected his laptop computer to the UAS to calibrate the UAS battery voltage, when it was armed, the PIC entered the command for 72V and the drone activated out of control falling into the PIC. The PIC sustained head injuries requiring 8 stitches. There was no property damage other than the drone which had minor scuff. He also indicated that he was positioned approximately five feet away from the drone at the time of the occurrence and mentioned the presence of two additional observers at a greater distance.
As the FAA filed it
ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RECEIVED A SAFETY EVENT REPORT FROM UAS PART 107 CERTIFICATED PILOT, CERTIFICATE NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT IS AN ENGINEERING STUDENT WITH THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LOCATED IN MAYAGUEZ, PR., WHERE THE EVENT TOOK PLACE. AS PART OF HIS ENGINEERING COURSE, THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS PERFORMING GROUND CALIBRATION TESTING IN A HOMEBUILT UAS DRONE, PROFESSIONAL-GRADE HEXACOPTER, MODEL PIXHAWK 6X PRO ON TAROT, REGISTRATION NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE UAS WAS GOING TO BE UTILIZE FOR SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS LIKE SURVEYING, 3D MAPPING AND 3D PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.
THE PIC STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT WITH THE UAS AFTER IT WAS BUILT, WHILE PERFORMING PREFLIGHT CHECK UAS CALIBRATION, THE UAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE PROGRAMMING OF THE MAIN BATTERY THAT WAS DISPLAYING 102 VOLTS(V), HOWEVER, THE UAS BATTERY IS A 72V BATTERY. THE PIC PUT HIS FRSKY-X8D PLUS REMOTE CONTROL TO THE SIDE AND CONNECTED HIS LAPTOP COMPUTER TO THE UAS TO CALIBRATE THE UAS BATTERY VOLTAGE, WHEN IT WAS ARMED, THE PIC ENTERED THE COMMAND FOR 72V AND THE DRONE ACTIVATED OUT OF CONTROL FALLING INTO THE PIC. THE PIC SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES REQUIRING 8 STITCHES. THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OTHER THAN THE DRONE WHICH HAD MINOR SCUFF. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE WAS POSITIONED APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET AWAY FROM THE DRONE AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE AND MENTIONED THE PRESENCE OF TWO ADDITIONAL OBSERVERS AT A GREATER DISTANCE.