What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 07/02/2026 at approximately 8:12 eastern daylight, a volo LLC unmanned aircraft system (UAS) model xag P150 max, privacy data omitted with registration pending was substantially damaged during takeoff. The UAS is equipped for agricultural spraying operations and performing a water spray training flight at the company flight-training field located near 660 south 1000th west, Wolcott, IN (40.7559N, 87.0605W). The flight was the first flight of the day for the UAS and pilot with departure and intended landing site the same. The UAS performed a normal take-off in autonomous mode, climbed above the flight deck as programmed. Shortly thereafter, joystick input disconnected the UAS from autonomous mode resulting in a remote-control mode. The control input from the pilot resulted in the UAS backing up towards the pilot in command (PIC) and the pilot protection area. The distance from the pilot protection area grate to center of the UAS for takeoff is 10.25 feet, the controller joystick input per the manufacture flight log analysis report dated 07/03/2026 under privacy data omitted registered maximum elevator, throttle, rudder and aileron input resulting in a climbing right turn of the UAS. Contact was made by the #4 propeller with a protective umbrella over the pilot protection area. Damage to the propeller, spraying arms and landing gear resulted in loss of lift and contact with the PIC left hand. Injuries to the PIC resulted in laceration to the skin, tendon with nerve and bone damage and required surgery. The UAS came to rest next to the truck that sustained minor damage and broke the #3 motor arm on impact with the ground. No post fire incident occurred and the batteries were secured. No mechanical malfunction or failure was detected within the UAS per the manufacture flight log analysis report prior to contact with the protective umbrella.
As the FAA filed it
ON 07/02/2026 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:12 EASTERN DAYLIGHT, A VOLO LLC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (UAS) MODEL XAG P150 MAX, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH REGISTRATION PENDING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF. THE UAS IS EQUIPPED FOR AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING OPERATIONS AND PERFORMING A WATER SPRAY TRAINING FLIGHT AT THE COMPANY FLIGHT-TRAINING FIELD LOCATED NEAR 660 SOUTH 1000TH WEST, WOLCOTT, IN (40.7559N, 87.0605W). THE FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR THE UAS AND PILOT WITH DEPARTURE AND INTENDED LANDING SITE THE SAME. THE UAS PERFORMED A NORMAL TAKE-OFF IN AUTONOMOUS MODE, CLIMBED ABOVE THE FLIGHT DECK AS PROGRAMMED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, JOYSTICK INPUT DISCONNECTED THE UAS FROM AUTONOMOUS MODE RESULTING IN A REMOTE-CONTROL MODE. THE CONTROL INPUT FROM THE PILOT RESULTED IN THE UAS BACKING UP TOWARDS THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) AND THE PILOT PROTECTION AREA. THE DISTANCE FROM THE PILOT PROTECTION AREA GRATE TO CENTER OF THE UAS FOR TAKEOFF IS 10.25 FEET, THE CONTROLLER JOYSTICK INPUT PER THE MANUFACTURE FLIGHT LOG ANALYSIS REPORT DATED 07/03/2026 UNDER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REGISTERED MAXIMUM ELEVATOR, THROTTLE, RUDDER AND AILERON INPUT RESULTING IN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN OF THE UAS. CONTACT WAS MADE BY THE #4 PROPELLER WITH A PROTECTIVE UMBRELLA OVER THE PILOT PROTECTION AREA. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, SPRAYING ARMS AND LANDING GEAR RESULTED IN LOSS OF LIFT AND CONTACT WITH THE PIC LEFT HAND. INJURIES TO THE PIC RESULTED IN LACERATION TO THE SKIN, TENDON WITH NERVE AND BONE DAMAGE AND REQUIRED SURGERY. THE UAS CAME TO REST NEXT TO THE TRUCK THAT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND BROKE THE #3 MOTOR ARM ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. NO POST FIRE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND THE BATTERIES WERE SECURED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS DETECTED WITHIN THE UAS PER THE MANUFACTURE FLIGHT LOG ANALYSIS REPORT PRIOR TO CONTACT WITH THE PROTECTIVE UMBRELLA.