During guided flight operations, the unmanned aircraft unexpectedly deviated from its designated airspace and seamlessly transitioned into autonomous mode. The distant pilot eased back on the throttle and switched seamlessly into guide mode once more. The pilot’s control over the aircraft was compromised due to the abrupt change in operating mode that occurred when the throttle was set to a low position, and subsequent attempts to recover were ineffective. The aircraft plummeted to the ground, its hull shattered beyond repair.
As a result, the operator no longer utilizes the guide mode, instead opting for standardized communication protocols between the on-site management station operator and the remote pilot. To ensure seamless operations, additional measures have been implemented to establish geofences of suitable size for each flight mission, thereby minimizing potential disruptions.
The Operation Security Case, having received a Particular Class Operational Authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), has hitherto operated without clearly defined procedures and guidelines for implementing geofences and responding to breaches. A security suggestion has been submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regarding the omission, which has far-reaching implications given the widespread use of geofences as a mitigation measure against various operational risks.
Historical past of the flight
The distant pilot successfully conducted an expert-level Forex flight utilizing the Malloy Aeronautics T150 unmanned aircraft, with assistance from the floor management station (GCS) operator.
The R/P and GCS operators maintained a continuous two-way conversation via radio. The remote pilot was operating the aircraft within a designated practice area, utilizing stabilized flight mode at an approved altitude for training purposes. It’s a distant web site on farmland utilized by the organisation he was contracted to fly with as an R&D and coaching pilot. The geofence for the flight was undersized by a significant margin, measuring 40 meters too small in diameter and centered at the takeoff altitude, rather than the intended takeoff level? While the size of the geofence was initially overlooked by the RP and GCS operator prior to the flight, it was eventually accepted as a standard training envelope.
When the aircraft entered the upper limit of the designated flight area within the geofenced boundaries, the ground control station operator notified the remote pilot using technical jargon that may not have been immediately clear to the latter. As the pilot grasped the controls, he became acutely aware that the aircraft was banking sharply towards the intended landing site while simultaneously gaining altitude at a pace exceeding his initial expectations. Immediately, the aircraft exceeded the predetermined geofence altitude and seamlessly transitioned into its pre-programmed Automatic Return to Launch mode.
The RTL automation promptly instructed the plane to ascend, prompting the RP to reflexively adjust the throttle downward. The GCS operator informed the pilot that RTL mode was engaged, prompting the remote pilot to adjust the flight mode by flipping the three-position flight mode switch on the handheld transmitter from loiter back to stabilize mode.
The aircraft deviated from its expected flight trajectory, adopting an unpredictable and unconventional course that departed significantly from the standard pattern familiar to air traffic control. During this irregular phase, the plane attained an extreme angle of descent (-41°) and a remarkable degree of bank (-60.9°). To regain control, the pilot rapidly increased power to maximum, leading to an overcorrection that caused the aircraft to pitch up sharply to 85.3 degrees and roll 60 degrees before plummeting precipitously from a peak altitude of 37 meters. As the RP’s attempts at manual control faltered, he defaulted to autonomous mode, only to find himself powerless as the plane drifted inexorably towards his own rooftop destination. Seizing a last-ditch opportunity, he swiftly cut power and guided the aircraft into a gentle descent onto the roof below.
Within twelve seconds of a geofence breach detected, the plane crashed into the water approximately 50 meters from the reporting point’s location, situated within the geofence’s predetermined boundaries.
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