UAG - Unmanned Aircraft General Emergency Procedures and Reporting Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An sUAS operation results in an accident where a ground-based antenna, valued at $800, is destroyed. The sUAS itself was also destroyed. According to 14 CFR Part 107, within how many days must the remote pilot in command file an accident report with the FAA?
- No report is required as the sUAS value is excluded.
- Within 24 hours.
- Within 10 calendar days. (Correct answer)
- Within 7 business days.
Correct answer: Within 10 calendar days.
According to 14 CFR § 107.9, a remote pilot must report an accident to the FAA within 10 calendar days if it results in property damage (other than to the sUAS itself) with a fair market value exceeding $500. Since the antenna's value is $800, a report is mandatory within the 10-day timeframe.
Question 2: During a flight, a remote pilot experiences a critical battery failure, forcing an emergency landing. To avoid injuring bystanders, the pilot must deviate from the pre-planned flight path and briefly operate over a moving vehicle. According to Part 107, what is the status of this deviation?
- It is a violation of Part 107 and must be reported immediately.
- It is permitted only if the pilot submits a written request to the FAA after the flight.
- It is not permitted under any circumstances.
- It is permitted to the extent necessary to respond to the in-flight emergency. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It is permitted to the extent necessary to respond to the in-flight emergency.
14 CFR § 107.21(a) states that in an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the remote pilot in command may deviate from any rule of Part 107 to the extent necessary to meet that emergency. The pilot must be prepared to explain the deviation to the FAA upon request.
Question 3: Which of the following scenarios involving a person on the ground would be classified as a 'serious injury', mandating an accident report to the FAA?
- A simple fracture of a toe.
- An injury requiring a single visit to an urgent care clinic for stitches.
- An injury resulting in hospitalization for more than 48 hours. (Correct answer)
- A sprained wrist that heals within a week.
Correct answer: An injury resulting in hospitalization for more than 48 hours.
Part 107 defines a 'serious injury' by referencing NTSB regulations (49 CFR part 830), which includes any injury that requires hospitalization for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days from the date the injury was received. Simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose are specifically excluded.
Question 4: A remote pilot is conducting an operation when the sUAS fails to respond to control inputs and begins to fly away erratically, a situation known as a 'flyaway'. What is the pilot's most critical and immediate responsibility?
- Attempting to regain the control link by rebooting the control station.
- Monitoring the aircraft's location and trajectory to warn air traffic control and ensure public safety. (Correct answer)
- Immediately driving in the direction of the flyaway to recover the expensive asset.
- Documenting the last known GPS coordinates for the insurance claim.
Correct answer: Monitoring the aircraft's location and trajectory to warn air traffic control and ensure public safety.
In a flyaway emergency, the remote pilot's primary responsibility shifts from aircraft recovery to public safety. The most critical action is to track the sUAS's path to provide real-time information to ATC (if applicable) and local law enforcement to mitigate risks to other aircraft and people on the ground.
Question 5: Which of the following incidents involving a small unmanned aircraft would NOT require the remote pilot in command to file an accident report with the FAA?
- An incident causing $750 of damage to a parked car.
- An incident where a person on the ground suffers a broken arm.
- An incident where a person briefly loses consciousness after being struck by the sUAS.
- An incident where the sUAS, valued at $1,500, is completely destroyed after hitting a tree with no other damage or injury. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: An incident where the sUAS, valued at $1,500, is completely destroyed after hitting a tree with no other damage or injury.
According to 14 CFR § 107.9, the cost of damage to the small unmanned aircraft itself is not included when determining if the $500 property damage reporting threshold has been met. Since no other property was damaged and no one was seriously injured, this incident would not require a report.
Question 6: As part of emergency planning, a remote pilot must consider the possibility of a lost command and control link. What is the most appropriate pre-programmed procedure for the sUAS to execute in this event?
- Increase altitude to the maximum allowed 400 feet AGL.
- Shut down motors and enter a ballistic descent.
- Follow a pre-determined route to a designated landing point or initiate a return-to-home sequence. (Correct answer)
- Circle in place indefinitely until the battery is exhausted.
Correct answer: Follow a pre-determined route to a designated landing point or initiate a return-to-home sequence.
A critical part of pre-flight planning is programming the sUAS's lost link behavior. The safest and most common procedures are to have the aircraft automatically return to its launch point (Return-to-Home) or fly to and land at a pre-determined, safe, and unoccupied location.
UAG - Unmanned Aircraft General Emergency Procedures and Reporting Questions and Answers
An sUAS operation results in an accident where a ground-based antenna, valued at $800, is destroyed.
The sUAS itself was also destroyed.
According to 14 CFR Part 107, within how many days must the remote pilot in command file an accident report with the FAA?