What happened
On 4 July 2019, during a scheduled demonstration flight at Goodwood Aerodrome in West Sussex, a 95 kg Alauda Airspeeder Mk II unmanned aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control. While performing maneuvers in front of an audience of approximately 200 guests, the aircraft leveled off unexpectedly. The remote pilot attempted to regain control, and a maintenance controller attempted to activate the safety 'kill switch' to isolate the power supply. However, the switch failed to function.
The aircraft then entered an uncommanded vertical climb, reaching an altitude of approximately 8,000 ft. During this ascent, the aircraft entered controlled airspace used by aircraft arriving at Gatwick Airport. After roughly four and a half minutes of flight, the battery depleted, causing the aircraft to fall rapidly. The Alauda Airspeeder Mk II crashed into a wheat field approximately 700 m outside its designated operating area and 40 m from residential houses. There were no injuries.
The investigation
The AAIB investigation examined the aircraft's design, the operator's safety protocols, and the regulatory oversight provided by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The investigation established that the aircraft had been involved in a previous hard landing just one day prior due to a battery cable fault, an incident that was not reported to the relevant aviation authorities.
Investigators also reviewed the operator's Operating Safety Case (OSC). It was found that the Alauda Airspeeder Mk II was not constructed or tested to any recognized industry standards, and the build quality was found to be poor. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that several claims made within the operator's OSC were inaccurate.