What happened
On 19 August 2020, a DJI Mavic Pro 2 was being utilized for commercial aerial filming at a construction site near Seal Sands, Middlesbrough. The operation was being conducted by a remote pilot supported by an observer. During the mission, the pilot transitioned the camera settings from Full Point of View (FPOV) mode to High Quality (HQ) mode to capture footage of personnel. This change in settings narrowed the camera's angle of view from 77° to 55°.
While performing a tracking shot around workers, the observer alerted the pilot that the unmanned aircraft was flying near an adjacent tower. Based on the monitor display, the pilot believed the aircraft was positioned safely between the tower and a steel structure. However, the pilot had not factored in the reduced field of view caused by the change to HQ mode, meaning the aircraft was actually much closer to the obstacle than it appeared on screen. The aircraft subsequently struck the tower and fell approximately 20 metres onto a gantry platform. There were no injuries resulting from the incident.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight parameters and the pilot's decision-making process. It was established that the change in video mode significantly altered the perceived distance of obstacles. The investigation also reviewed the communication between the observer and the remote pilot, noting that the pilot's mental model of the aircraft's position was inaccurate due to the altered visual perspective provided by the narrowed field of view.