What happened
On May 11, 2022, at approximately 10:35 AM, a DJI Mavic 3 drone, registration LN-0203CK, operated by TV 2 Luftfoto, struck the mast of the sailing ship Christiania near Aker Brygge, Oslo. The drone was being used for commercial filming of the vessel Christian Radich, which was anchored nearby.
During the mission, the pilot was performing additional filming of a ferry. While the pilot was focused on the controller screen, the ship Christiania moved from its pier toward the pilot's position. The drone struck the mast of the Christiania at an altitude of roughly 12 meters and fell onto the ship's deck, landing less than one meter away from a group of passengers. There were no injuries resulting from the incident, and the drone sustained only minor damage.
The investigation
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) examined the flight logs, telemetry data, and interviewed the pilot and the operator's management. The investigation focused on the pilot's decision-making regarding safety features and the operational environment.
Investigators found that the pilot had intentionally deactivated the drone's obstacle avoidance sensors. This was done to prevent the aircraft from making unexpected movements or triggering audiovisual warnings that the pilot found distracting and detrimental to video quality. The investigation also reviewed the operator's safety management systems, including risk assessment procedures and the use of visual observers.
Findings
Several contributing factors led to the collision:
- Deactivation of safety features: The pilot's decision to disable the obstacle avoidance system removed a critical safety barrier that could have prevented the impact.
- Loss of situational awareness: The pilot's attention was heavily divided between monitoring the drone and focusing on the controller screen for filming, which prevented him from noticing the movement of the Christiania.
- Lack of a visual observer: The mission was complex, involving moving vessels and multiple external actors. The absence of a dedicated airspace observer (spotter) meant there was no second set of eyes to monitor the surrounding environment while the pilot was focused on the screen.
- Operational complexity: The pilot underestimated the risks of the changing environment, specifically the movement of nearby vessels and the presence of other boats in the area.
Safety action
Following the incident, TV 2 Luftfoto implemented several safety improvements, including:
- Mandating the use of a visual observer for all complex missions.
- Requiring explicit approval from operational management for high-risk assignments.
- Restricting drone operations to a smaller group of highly experienced pilots to ensure sufficient flight hours and proficiency.
- Implementing stricter controls on who is permitted to operate drones weighing over 250 grams.