Review of UAV Loss of Control In-Flight: Accidents and Incidents

Sixty Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle accident reports were analysed to identify possible causal and contributory factors leading to loss of control in flight and recovery actions where applicable. Manufacturing and design errors were dominant in 22 causal factors (34% of events) and 18 contributory factors (22% of events) (e.g. ingestion of precipitation). Recovery was not attempted in 35 (55%) events. The relationship between age, total hours experience, hours experience on type, recovery attempts and number of accidents increase with operator age or lack of experience was also analysed. As total experience increases the number of accidents and attempted recovery increases. All this information is presented in a framework adapted from the Accident Route Matrix to recognise loss of control in flight in future accidents and improve recovery response.