What happened
On 14 July 2023, at 1830, a remote pilot in command initiated the launch of a swarm consisting of 500 Damoda Newton V2.2 aircraft for a scheduled light show. Shortly after takeoff, the ground control station began displaying numerous errors. As the swarm moved toward the designated show area, the aircraft encountered wind speeds that were more than double their maximum operational capability. This caused many units to lose their position, breach geofences, and collide with one another. Consequently, a large portion of the swarm entered failsafe modes and descended into the water. In total, 427 aircraft were submerged, with only 236 successfully recovered.
The investigation
The investigation examined the decision-making process leading to the launch and the technical failures of the swarm. Investigators found that while ground-level wind speeds were near the aircraft's 8 m/s limit, the crew did not have accurate data for the higher altitudes of the show area. Although the operator's wind management plan included a provision to use a weather drone for altitude-specific wind checks, the flight crew was unaware of this option and did not utilize it. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the ground control station software lacked active alerts for wind speed exceedances, and the crew was unaware that a wind monitoring function was even available on their interface.
Findings
- The remote pilot in command launched the swarm while aware that ground winds were near the operational limit and that higher winds were likely at altitude.
- The flight crew failed to use the weather drone to assess wind conditions at show altitude as prescribed in the wind management plan.
- Wind speeds at the show area exceeded the aircraft's maneuvering capability, leading to the loss of the swarm.
- The pilot's workload was significantly increased by unfamiliarity with position adjustment processes, and the copilot had limited experience in show operations.
- The operator had not updated operational procedures to reflect new weather drone capabilities, meaning there was no prompt for the crew to use the tool.
- The software used for the ground control station did not provide active notifications when wind limits were breached.
Safety message
- The operator's ground control station software lacked active alerts for wind speed limit exceedances, increasing the risk of continuing operations in unsafe conditions.
- The operator did not provide formal training on the updated ground control station software, relying instead on ad hoc advice and familiarisation.
- The operator had not updated operational procedures to include the use of the weather drone option, which prevented the flight crew from being prompted to use it.