UK drone accident
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UK drone accident
The UK AAIB reports that it has sent a go team to investigate an accident involving a UAV that occurred near Goodwood, West Sussex.
It may or may not be a coincidence that Goodwood is currently hosting the annual Festival of Speed, at which the 124 mph Airspeeder electric racing car today makes its airborne public debut.
Whether it was or not, hopefully no casualties involved.
Airspeeder
It may or may not be a coincidence that Goodwood is currently hosting the annual Festival of Speed, at which the 124 mph Airspeeder electric racing car today makes its airborne public debut.
Whether it was or not, hopefully no casualties involved.
Airspeeder
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Climate protesters are planning on bringing disruption to London Heathrow Airport this summer, by unleashing drones at the airport. I hope that the authorities clamp down hard on these lot we don't want another Gatwick fiasco!!!
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Goodwood seems to be taking a proactive role and providing advice on the drone rule changes, including giving details of who to apply to for permission. But no drones are allowed at FOS 2019..
https://www.goodwood.com/flying/aero...s-at-goodwood/
Important: Due to the increased levels of aircraft activity between the 4th and 7th July, we are unable to give permission for any drone activity within the Goodwood Flight Restricted Zone. Any operation of a drone/UAV is prohibited on the Festival of Speed site due to intensive helicopter pleasure flying and air display activity.
https://www.goodwood.com/flying/aero...s-at-goodwood/
Important: Due to the increased levels of aircraft activity between the 4th and 7th July, we are unable to give permission for any drone activity within the Goodwood Flight Restricted Zone. Any operation of a drone/UAV is prohibited on the Festival of Speed site due to intensive helicopter pleasure flying and air display activity.
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Isn't the distance of more than 60 km from Chichester to LHR a bit much for a drone to overcome though?
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My initial supposition that it was the Airspeeder appears to have been correct: Flying race car revealed at Goodwood - but test flight doesn't go to plan
I can't imagine that the AAIB will be thrilled with the suggestion that it was a "test flight" taking place at a public event (the venue and/or the size of the UAV presumably explains their involvement).
I can't imagine that the AAIB will be thrilled with the suggestion that it was a "test flight" taking place at a public event (the venue and/or the size of the UAV presumably explains their involvement).
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A 3m long UAV (3/4 scale of manned version) having a crash the night before, being rebuilt and the loosing control and climbing vertically out of sight will certainly get the attention of CAA and AAIB.
https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech-...140995.article
It makes you wonder what approvals and clearances they had in place.
https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech-...140995.article
It makes you wonder what approvals and clearances they had in place.
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All credit to the aussie "bro's" building this thing, certainly looks a lot of fun. But what would the procedure be for single engine failure?
Won't stay up in the air like fixed wing, won't autorotate like a heli, would most likely flip over? Bit of work to be done on that before I'll be getting in one...
Won't stay up in the air like fixed wing, won't autorotate like a heli, would most likely flip over? Bit of work to be done on that before I'll be getting in one...
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EEK..
Are these Aussies from Darwin by any chance?
Are these Aussies from Darwin by any chance?
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With all of the excitement and panic about "drones" one would expect the authorities (e.g., AAIB) to be jumping right into an investigation of this accident; however, in looking around the internet, I've been unable to discover any details on the accident. While there is a lot of promotional material on the Airspeeder available, I haven't encountered any real information on the accident. In the U.S., the NTSB would issue an initial statement of the currently known facts of the accident within hours of the arrival of their investigation team. Does the UK AAIB do the same? Anyway, the most information I've been able to find out about the accident is a vague description that it went out of control, climbed out of sight, returned and " ... dropped at some speed to the ground in a field nearby." I would think that there would be more information available at this point in time.
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The Festival of Speed is happening at Goodwood over the next few days, with shed loads of helicopter and fixed-wing movements. Why on Earth allow an experimental UAV in such crowded airspace in South East of England. This seems bonkers, to the point of irresponsible.
Last edited by pilot_tolip; 5th Jul 2019 at 16:07. Reason: new wording
Thread Starter
capngrog
No, that's not how we do things in the UK.
With most AAIB investigations, we don't get to know anything about the findings until the final report is published.
The exceptions tend to be fatal accidents and/or those where the AAIB makes one or more Safety Recommendations while the investigation is in progress. In those cases, a Special Bulletin may be published (sometimes several) as the investigation progresses, the most recent being in connection with the accident that killed footballer Emiliano Sala.
Special Bulletins are very much the exception - since 2000 there have been around 75, so about four per year on average. I wouldn't expect one for this latest event.
No, that's not how we do things in the UK.
With most AAIB investigations, we don't get to know anything about the findings until the final report is published.
The exceptions tend to be fatal accidents and/or those where the AAIB makes one or more Safety Recommendations while the investigation is in progress. In those cases, a Special Bulletin may be published (sometimes several) as the investigation progresses, the most recent being in connection with the accident that killed footballer Emiliano Sala.
Special Bulletins are very much the exception - since 2000 there have been around 75, so about four per year on average. I wouldn't expect one for this latest event.
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PerPurumTonantes
On a quad motor design, a single engine failure will cause a violent rotation -- analogous to losing the tail rotor on a heli. The quad may or may not flip due to asymmetric thrust.
I believe the full scale Airspeeder will be an octocopter (8 motors) so it should be able to tolerate the loss of a single motor.
On a quad motor design, a single engine failure will cause a violent rotation -- analogous to losing the tail rotor on a heli. The quad may or may not flip due to asymmetric thrust.
I believe the full scale Airspeeder will be an octocopter (8 motors) so it should be able to tolerate the loss of a single motor.
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TCAS FAN
CAA even have a webpage on this: https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-ind...nned-aircraft/
"Unlike small drones, unmanned aircraft with an operating mass of more than 20 kg are subject to the whole of the UK Aviation regulations (as listed within the UK Air Navigation Order - ANO), although they may be exempted from certain requirements by the CAA.
Because of this, any person intending to operate an unmanned aircraft with a mass of more than 20kg within the UK must obtain a specific authorisation, in the form of an exemption from some of the requirements of the ANO before any flight can take place. "
CAA even have a webpage on this: https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-ind...nned-aircraft/
"Unlike small drones, unmanned aircraft with an operating mass of more than 20 kg are subject to the whole of the UK Aviation regulations (as listed within the UK Air Navigation Order - ANO), although they may be exempted from certain requirements by the CAA.
Because of this, any person intending to operate an unmanned aircraft with a mass of more than 20kg within the UK must obtain a specific authorisation, in the form of an exemption from some of the requirements of the ANO before any flight can take place. "
The AAIB report is out.
It's an 'interesting' read...
AAIB report...
It's an 'interesting' read...
AAIB report...
After the Airspeeder Mk II failed to respond to control inputs it entered an uncontrolled climb at maximum power.
Operation of an independent kill switch had no effect and the aircraft continued to climb for 41⁄2 minutes, drifting with the wind and reaching a height of approximately 8,000 ft.
The aircraft infringed controlled airspace over a radio navigation beacon used as a holding point for Gatwick Airport.
After depletion of the batteries, the aircraft fell to the ground in a field, 40 m from occupied houses and 875 m from its launch point.
The operation of the Airspeeder Mk II during the accident flight breached conditions of the exemption granted by the CAA for the flight.
Operation of an independent kill switch had no effect and the aircraft continued to climb for 41⁄2 minutes, drifting with the wind and reaching a height of approximately 8,000 ft.
The aircraft infringed controlled airspace over a radio navigation beacon used as a holding point for Gatwick Airport.
After depletion of the batteries, the aircraft fell to the ground in a field, 40 m from occupied houses and 875 m from its launch point.
The operation of the Airspeeder Mk II during the accident flight breached conditions of the exemption granted by the CAA for the flight.
Last edited by Nige321; 18th Feb 2021 at 16:11.
