15-foot drone crashed just metres from spectators in Powys

The incident occurred on the Radnor Range near Presteigne in 2023 and led to an investigation into the cause of the crash, and the safety procedures at the range.

The incident occurred during a week-long event, demonstrating unmanned technologies at Radnor Range 1.

A report by the Air Accident Investigation Branch found that while conducting a demonstration flight “the right wing separated from the unmanned aircraft". 

After this “the remainder of the aircraft descended rapidly, out of control and struck the ground close to personnel who were standing under the flight path.”

The spectators who were acting as “pyrotechnic operatives” were filming as the drone began “to tumble and descend to the ground at about 60 knots (nearly 70 mph) during which the right wing detached.

The aircraft “came to rest over 100 m further down the valley from the pyrotechnic operatives, close to the track”.

The Range Operations Director said the flight was brought forward because of an earlier weather window, meaning the spectators were still near the planned flight path when it took off.

The flight team made a radio call before taking off, but witnesses said the communication “was somewhat unclear”.

It was also found that the pyrotechnic operatives “had radio contact with the range, but not with the flight team”.

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After the accident, the range “reviewed its safety plan” and has said it will “ensure robust radio communications between all parties on the range”, “ensure that a range employee accounts for the location of every person on the range before take-off is permitted”, “introduce standard phraseology for take-off permission” and “a ‘stop stop stop’ call for use by anyone on the range who identifies a hazard”

Range employees will also be told to ‘stop and think’ about the ramifications of a schedule change before continuing to operate.

The investigation found that “the wing assembly on the accident aircraft did not have sufficient structural strength to carry the wing bending loads”

This was because structural components known as “wing joiners”, which attached the wings to the fuselage, were “shorter than the design specification”.

The investigation determined that it was likely that old stock wing joiners from an earlier aircraft development model were inadvertently fitted to the aircraft at the production facility.

It was noted the drone model “was not designed, built or tested to any recognised standards, nor was it required to be for operation in the specific category”.