What happened
On the evening of 6 October 2022, a pilot was conducting an aerial surveillance mission along a railway line near Emalahleni, Mpumalanga. Operating a DJI Mavic 2, Enterprise Advanced with registration ZT-XSZ, the mission was performed under night conditions and beyond visual line of and sight (BVLOS) provisions.
After completing an initial flight and returning to base to swap batteries, the pilot launched a second mission at 1919Z with a 91% battery charge. Approximately six minutes into this flight, the aircraft lost its connection to the controller unit and plummeted to the ground. The pilot subsequently recovered the substantially damaged drone approximately 200 metres from the launch point.
The investigation
The SACAA AIID investigation examined the aircraft and the pilot's credentials. The pilot held a valid Remote Pilot Licence with the necessary BVLOS and VLOS ratings, as well as a current medical certificate. The aircraft was properly registered and operated under a valid Letter of Approval and Operating Certificate.
Upon inspecting the recovered drone, investigators found significant damage to the propellers and arms. Crucially, the inspection of the battery revealed that several terminals were burnt. Specifically, five terminals on the left side and one on the right side of the battery connector had sustained damage, while the middle six remained functional.