What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, July 2nd, 2025, at about 1600 local time, PIC privacy data omitted was working as an aerial applicator outside emmitsburg, Iowa. After arriving at the field, he was preparing to spray, he set up his equipment and performed his pre-flight inspection of the drone. He stepped a safe distance from the drone, preparing to launch and begin operations. After making the initial judgement that the drone was at a safe distance, he stepped forward to gather the old batteries. As he stepped into the area where the batteries were, he noticed that is sounded like the drone was a lot closer than he expected. In response, he put his hands over his head to protect himself and the propellers made contact with his hands. After making contact with his hands the drone self-landed nearby. After ensuring drone was back on the ground and turned off, he administered first aid and called for proper medical attention. The resulting injury was cared for in the emergency room of the local hospital. Injuries included two broken fingers and lacerations that required sutures. PIC stated that the drone should not have return to land on its own after the mission had started and that the use of a PIC, not required by current exemption, may have avoided the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, JULY 2ND, 2025, AT ABOUT 1600 LOCAL TIME, PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS WORKING AS AN AERIAL APPLICATOR OUTSIDE EMMITSBURG, IOWA. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE FIELD, HE WAS PREPARING TO SPRAY, HE SET UP HIS EQUIPMENT AND PERFORMED HIS PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE DRONE. HE STEPPED A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE DRONE, PREPARING TO LAUNCH AND BEGIN OPERATIONS. AFTER MAKING THE INITIAL JUDGEMENT THAT THE DRONE WAS AT A SAFE DISTANCE, HE STEPPED FORWARD TO GATHER THE OLD BATTERIES. AS HE STEPPED INTO THE AREA WHERE THE BATTERIES WERE, HE NOTICED THAT IS SOUNDED LIKE THE DRONE WAS A LOT CLOSER THAN HE EXPECTED. IN RESPONSE, HE PUT HIS HANDS OVER HIS HEAD TO PROTECT HIMSELF AND THE PROPELLERS MADE CONTACT WITH HIS HANDS. AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH HIS HANDS THE DRONE SELF-LANDED NEARBY. AFTER ENSURING DRONE WAS BACK ON THE GROUND AND TURNED OFF, HE ADMINISTERED FIRST AID AND CALLED FOR PROPER MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE RESULTING INJURY WAS CARED FOR IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. INJURIES INCLUDED TWO BROKEN FINGERS AND LACERATIONS THAT REQUIRED SUTURES. PIC STATED THAT THE DRONE SHOULD NOT HAVE RETURN TO LAND ON ITS OWN AFTER THE MISSION HAD STARTED AND THAT THE USE OF A PIC, NOT REQUIRED BY CURRENT EXEMPTION, MAY HAVE AVOIDED THE ACCIDENT.