01-25-2019, 07:24 AM
From the Oz..
Quote:Drone crash probed
As technology advances, so does the scope of investigations carried out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
In the past 10 years, the bureau has investigated eight events involving remotely piloted aircraft, from a total of 203 incidents reported, 38 classed as “serious”.
In the latest investigation, the ATSB is examining the crash of an X200 ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system near Woleebee Creek on Queensland’s Western Downs on January 9.
Operated by Boeing subsidiary Insitu Pacific, the UAS was being used to check wells and pipelines for the Queensland Gas Company from a $5 million launch pad overlooking Woleebee Creek.
Sporting a 3m wingspan, 5.5 litre fuel tank and 16-hour flight time capability, the drone was fitted with a $300,000 camera with a zoom lens capable of reading gauges on coal-seam gas wells from a distance of 500m.
First trialled in 2016, the American military technology can even spot methane leaks with the aid of infra-red equipment.
According to the ATSB, the January 9 crash occurred after the ScanEagle displayed airspeed abnormalities and then stalled.
It recovered but the airspeed issues continued and a second stall resulted in the collision which destroyed the device. No one was hurt.
An ATSB spokesman said the investigation would help expand the bureau’s knowledge of operations and the technical failures involving large unmanned aircraft systems, to help frame future investigative decisions.
As part of the investigation, the ATSB will interview the pilots and other crew.
It will review video footage, obtain technical data and inspect records.
A final report is expected by mid-year.