Drone Manufacturer: DJI
Drone Model: Matrice 210
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Type: Accident
Date: 2019-01-19
Applies: Daytime
Pilot Qualifications: Unknown Status
Pilot Flight Experience: 38 Hours
Link to External Information About This submission: https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-dji-matrice-210-uas-registration-n-a-19-january-2019
File Uploaded: dji_matrice_210_uas_registration_na_190119_0120
Description
The DJI Matrice 210 quadcopter small unmanned aircraft (SUA)1 was conducting a check flight to test, among other things, a camera for water intrusion following a flight the previous day. With the batteries fully charged the aircraft took off and after a successful systems check was flown to a position 500 m north of the takeoff site where it ascended to a height of 120 m (~390 ft) agl. The visibility was good, wind steady at 16 mph and light drizzle. The aircraft then hovered for approximately five minutes whilst conducting the intended checks before returning towards the takeoff and landing site (TOLS). When the aircraft was about 360 m from the TOLS it fell vertically to the ground, where it landed in an empty field. The aircraft was destroyed on impact (Figure 1).
Refer to report on DJI Matrice 210 – EW/C2019/03/02 in this AAIB Bulletin 1/2020 for information on other accidents involving the DJI Matrice 210 and Safety Recommendations concerning the safe operation of a UAS near to people and congested areas.
Reported Cause
Recorded data from the aircraft was analysed by the manufacturer who determined that the No 2 (front left) electronic speed controller had failed, likely as a result of water ingress.