Government UAS pilot reported a loss of control while conducting indoor training which caused the UAS to crash.

Date: 2025-10 · Aircraft: Skydio 2

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|inflight-event-encounter-object|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control

Synopsis

Government UAS pilot reported a loss of control while conducting indoor training which caused the UAS to crash.

Narrative

Person A and Person B conducted indoor sUAS training at Location X in the open bay area. Person A served as the pilot in command (PIC) and Person B served as the visual observer (VO). From XA00 to XC30; Person A swept the open bay area with a broom and assisted Person B with laser measuring and marking the area. Person B used his Stanley Fat Max laser measurer to set up the markings for the Open Test Lane. From XC30 to XC49; Person A and Person B conducted a risk management assessment. At XC49; sent sUAS Operational Risk Management Matrix with a final ORM score of 21 (low risk) to Person C via text. At XC51; received an electronic flight release via text message from Person C. Flight 1: Using sUAS Checklist; performed preflight inspection on Aircraft X equipped with 11-BATT-1. At XD02; motors started and battery read 87%. Using auto takeoff; drone ascended to 8 feet AGL; battery read 86%. At XD03; performed half-stick maneuvers/operational functions check (hover; forward; back; strafe left; strafe right; yaw left; yaw right; up; down). At XD03; received a notification on the iPad that the camera lens were dirty. At XD04; activated auto land feature. At XD05; aircraft auto landed 3 feet off center and battery read 81%. This caused the forward port propellers to strike the flat concrete floor of the open bay area. At XD06; conducted post flight inspection. Found forward port propellers were scuffed from the auto landing but no cracks or chips were noticed. At XD08; used a microfiber cleaning cloth that Person Y had brought to the training; to clean the seven cameras. The Skydio kit issued to Person A did not have a microfiber cleaning cloth in it.Flight 2: Using sUAS Checklist; performed preflight inspection on Aircraft X equipped with 11-BATT-1. At XD12; motors started and battery read 75%. Using auto takeoff; drone ascended to 9 feet AGL; battery read 75%. At XD13; performed half-stick maneuvers/operational functions check (hover; forward; back; strafe left; strafe right; yaw left; yaw right; up; down). At XD16; received a notification on the iPad that the camera lens were dirty. Because we had just cleaned the seven cameras prior to the flight; did not land; continued flight. At XD17; angled camera/gimbal to 45 degrees and took 1 photo. Battery read 47%. Performed yaw right (orbit) maneuver around 1; to reposition drone to take photos. At XD19; took 2 photos. Battery read 40%. At XD20; performed strafe right maneuver from 1 to 2 at 10 feet AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 39%. At XD23; performed strafe right maneuver from 2 to 3 at 17 feet AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 36%. At XD30; performed strafe yaw right (orbit) maneuver around 3 at 17 feet AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 31%. At XD31; performed yaw right (orbit) maneuver around 3 at 18 foot AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 28%. At XD32; performed strafe right maneuver from 3 to 2 at 18 feet AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 26%. At XD32; performed strafe right maneuver from 2 to 1 at 19 feet AGL. Took 2 photos. Battery read 24%. At XD33 drone became erratic at 10 minutes 15 seconds into the flight. Recorded video on the iPad ends at 10 minutes 23 seconds; shows gimbal/drone acting erratic. File is listed as 'incomplete.' Controller reported optical avoidance system disabled and suggested that the PIC use manual control to land. Drone was unresponsive to manual control inputs. Drone flew backwards and to the right about 19 feet; then flew forward in what appears to be an attempt to return to home. Drone overflew the orange home landing pad; yawed left; and flew forward about 44 feet striking the open bay area wall about 8 feet AGL. Drone crashed to the concrete floor; 11-BATT-1 was ejected from the drone. Drone crashed upside down. The reported altitudes are sensor call outs by the PIC to the VO. Those altitudes should not be considered accurate; as the physical measurements of the building are inconsistent with the Skydio 2 drone sensor reportings. For example; the overhead door was measured as having a height of 17 feet AGL using a Stanley Fat Max laser measurer (with two new AAA batteries). The drone was visibly at an altitude of 8 to 10 feet AGL prior to the loss of control.From XD32 to XD44; Person A and Person B photographed the incident scene and the drone.At XD47; Person B reinserted 11-BATT-1 into Aircraft X.From XD47 to XD51; Person A and Person B performed an operational check on the drone. The forward starboard LED light would not function. The message 'ERROR: UNREADABLE' was shown on the iPad for 1 minute; followed by the message 'CALIBRATING' for 1 minute; followed by the message 'V30: SENSOR ISSUE' for 3 minutes. At XD51; the message 'Calibrating' followed by 'Controller Connecting to Drone.' At XD49; Person A informed Person C about this incident. Person C grounded the aircraft due to suspected damage to the drone.At XD52; Person A and Person B shut off the drone and iPad; before putting them on their hard case.

NASA callback

The reporter stated the gimbal was acting erratically and the drone flew approximately 30 - 45 seconds before the impacting the wall.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.