This lesson examines:

• Abnormal and emergency situations
• Accident reporting requirements

In case of an in-flight emergency, the Remote PIC is permitted to deviate from any rule of part 107 to the extent necessary to meet that emergency. Upon FAA request, you must send a written report to the FAA explaining the deviation.

Become familiar with any manufacturer suggested emergency procedures prior to flight. Review emergency actions during preflight planning and inform crew members of their responsibilities.

The Remote PIC must be prepared to respond to abnormal and emergency situations during sUAS operations.

Refer to the manufacturer’s guidance for appropriate procedures in the following situations:

• Abnormal situations, such as lost link, alternate landing/recovery sites, and flight termination (controlled flight to the ground)
• Emergency situations, such as flyaways, loss of Global Positioning System (GPS), and battery fires

Without an onboard pilot, sUAS crewmembers rely on the command and control link to operate the aircraft. For example, an uplink transmits command instructions to the aircraft and a downlink transmits the status of the aircraft and provides situational awareness to the Remote PIC or person manipulating the controls.

Lost link is an interruption or loss of the control link between the control station and the unmanned aircraft, preventing control of the aircraft. As a result, the unmanned aircraft performs pre-set lost link procedures. Such procedures ensure that the unmanned aircraft:

• Remains airborne in a predictable or planned maneuver, allowing time to re-establish the communication link
• Autolands, if available, after a predetermined length of time or terminates the flight when the power source is depleted

A lost link is an abnormal situation, but not an emergency. A lost link is not considered a flyaway, which is defined in the next section of this lesson.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for programming lost link procedures prior to the flight.

Examples of lost link procedures may include, when applicable:

• A lost link route of flight that avoids flight over populated areas
• Communications procedures

Plan contingency measures in the event recovery of the sUAS is not feasible.

Contingency planning should include an alternate landing/recovery site to be used in the event of an abnormal condition that requires a precautionary landing away from the original launch location.   

Incorporate the means of communication with ATC throughout the descent and landing (if required for the flight operation) as well as a plan for ground operations and securing/parking the aircraft on the ground. This includes the availability of control stations capable of launch/recovery, communication equipment, and an adequate power source to operate all required equipment. 

Take into consideration all airspace constructs and minimize risk to other aircraft by avoiding congested areas to the maximum extent possible.

Flight termination is the intentional and deliberate process of performing controlled flight to the ground. Flight termination may be part of lost link procedures, or it may be a contingency that you elect to use if further flight of the aircraft cannot be safely achieved, or if other potential hazards exist that require immediate discontinuation of flight. 

Execute flight termination procedures if you have exhausted all other contingencies.

Flight termination points (FTPs), if used, or alternative contingency planning measures must:

• Be located within power-off glide distance of the aircraft during all phases of flight
• Be based on the assumption of an unrecoverable system failure
• Take into consideration altitude, winds, and other factors

A flyaway begins as a lost link—an interruption or loss of the control link prevents control of the aircraft. As a result, the unmanned aircraft is not operating in a predicable or planned manner. However in a flyaway, the pre-set lost link procedures are not established or are not being executed by the unmanned aircraft, creating an emergency situation.

If a flyaway occurs while operating in airspace that requires authorization, notify ATC as outlined in the authorization.

Global positioning system (GPS) tools can be a valuable resource for flight planning and situational awareness during sUAS operation.

However, as with manned aviation, Remote PICs in sUAS operations must avoid overreliance on automation and must be prepared to operate the unmanned aircraft manually, if necessary.

• Prior to flight, check NOTAMs for any known GPS service disruptions in the planned location of the sUAS operation
• Make a plan of action to prevent or minimize damage in the event of equipment malfunction or failure

Visit the Resources page for access to current NOTAM information and GPS service outages and status reports.

Battery fires pose a significant hazard to sUAS.

Both Lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries are:

• Highly flammable
• Capable of self-ignition when a battery short circuits or is overcharged, heated to extreme temperatures, mishandled, or otherwise defective
• Subject to thermal runaway

During thermal runaway, lithium metal batteries generate sufficient heat to cause adjacent cells to go into thermal runaway. As a result, the lithium metal cell releases an explosive combination of a flammable electrolyte and molten lithium metal, accompanied by a large pressure pulse.

Ensure careful storage of spare (uninstalled) lithium batteries.

Take the following precautions to prevent a battery fire:

• Prevent short circuits by placing each individual battery in the original retail packaging, a separate plastic bag, or a protective pouch or by insulating exposed terminals with tape
• Do not allow spare batteries to come in contact with metal objects, such as coins, keys, or jewelry
• Take steps to prevent objects from crushing, puncturing, or applying pressure on the battery

When preparing to conduct sUAS operations, do not use any battery with signs of damage or defect. For example, check carefully for small nicks in the battery casing and be alert for signs of bubbling or warping during charging.

Once the battery is installed and the sUAS takes flight, the Remote PIC or ground crew may not observe a battery fire until it is too late to land the aircraft safely.

If a battery fire occurs, follow any manufacturer guidance for response procedures.

The Remote PIC must report any sUAS accident to the FAA, within 10 days of the operation, if any of the following thresholds are met:

• Serious injury to any person or any loss of consciousness
• Damage to any property, other than the small unmanned aircraft, if the cost is greater than $500 to repair or replace the property (whichever is lower)

Note: For example, a sUAS damages property whose fair market value is $200, and it would cost $600 to repair the damage. Because the fair market value is below $500, this accident is not required to be reported. Similarly, if the aircraft causes $200 worth of damage to property whose fair market value is $600, that accident is also not required to be reported because the repair cost is below $500.

File the report:

• Electronically, via the FAA online sUAS accident reporting website
• By phone to:
  • The appropriate FAA Regional Operations Center
  • The nearest Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)

Visit the Resources page to access the accident reporting website or contact information for the FSDOs and Regional Operations Centers (listed in AC 107, Small UAS (as amended))

Under 14 CFR part 107, a serious injury qualifies as Level 3 or higher on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine. This scale is an anatomical scoring system that is widely used by emergency medical personnel.

It would be considered a serious injury if a person requires hospitalization, but the injury is fully reversible including, but not limited to:

• Head trauma
• Broken bone(s)
• Laceration(s) to the skin that requires suturing

If the accident meets the previously described thresholds, report the following key information to FAA.

In addition to this FAA report, and in accordance with the criteria established by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), certain sUAS accidents must also be reported to the NTSB.

This lesson examined rules for safe operation of sUAS.

In summary, adahere to your maintenance schedule, perform pre-flight checks and report injuries to the FAA.

You should now be able to plan for and react to:

• Abnormal and emergency situations
• Accident reporting requirements

The next lesson describes weather effects and forecasts.