ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN - Drone Wars UK · 1 Introduction 7 2 Drone Crash Data 9 2.1 An overview of...

ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPENA review of military drone crash data as the UK considers

allowing large military drone flights in its airspace

Drone Wars UK is a small British NGO established in 2010 to undertake research and advocacy around the use of armed drones. We believe that the growing use of remotely-controlled, armed unmanned systems is encouraging and enabling a lowering of the threshold for the use of lethal force as well as eroding well established human rights norms. While some argue that the technology itself is neutral, we believe that drones are a danger to global peace and security. We have seen over the past decade that once these systems are in the armoury, the temptation to use them becomes great, even beyond the constraints of international law. As more countries develop or acquire this technology, the danger to global peace and security grows.

Published by Drone Wars UK Written by Chris ColeJune 2019

Designed: Chris Woodward www.chriswoodwarddesign.co.uk

Drone Wars UKPeace House, 19 Paradise Street

Oxford, OX1 1LD

[email protected]

Note: The term ‘drone’ is used interchangeably with ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)’

Drone Wars UK | Accidents Will Happen | 3

Contents Executive Summary 5

1 Introduction 7

2 Drone Crash Data 9

2.1 An overview of the data

3 Analysis by operators 13

3.1 The United States

3.1.1 US official crash statistics

3.1.2 Where US drones have crashed

3.2 Europe

3.2.1 The UK

3.2.2 Other European countries

3.3 Other countries

4 Examining the causes of drone crashes 23

4.1 Mechanical failure

4.2 Electrical failure

4.3 Engine failure

4.4 Pilot error

4.5 Lost link

4.6 Other causes

5 Comment: Opening of UK airspace to large military drones 33

5.1 Recommendations

Drone Crash Dataset 2008–2019 37

4 | Drone Wars UK | Accidents Will Happen


• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is procuring up to twenty-six of the newest version of the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from US manufacturer General Atomics. While the company calls the new armed drone ‘SkyGuardian’, the UK has decided to name it ‘Protector’. The MoD intends this NATO Class III UAV to be in service from around 2023 and wants it to be able to fly within UK airspace.

• While there has been a great deal of public and parliamentary debate about the increasing use of small drones and their impact on public safety and security – particularly after the incursions at Gatwick and Heathrow airport – there has been so far little public or political discussion about the implication of opening up UK airspace to large military drones.

• Drone Wars UK has compiled a dataset of more than 250 crashes of large (NATO Class II and III) military drones that have occurred over the past decade (2009-2018). The information has been drawn from official investigation reports, freedom of information requests and press reports. Due to the secrecy surrounding the use of these systems, it is highly likely that other crashes have occurred that are not contained in the data.

• The majority of crashes in the dataset are of US drones, reflecting the dominance of the US in using these systems. Out of the 254 accidents in the database, 178 (70%) were being operated by various branches of the United States military (with an additional two being operated by US civil security organisations). The vast majority of these were drones manufactured by General Atomics. Drones operated by nineteen countries appear in the crash dataset. After the US, the UK appears most frequently with 14 crashes.

• 64% of the crashes took place while the drone was in mid-flight, while 20% occurred at the point of landing. 8% crashed during the take-off phase, with a small number of crashes (1%) taking place while the drone was taxiing along the runway. For 7% of the recorded accidents, it is unknown at what stage the crash occurred. The causes of approximately half of the crashes in the dataset are given and include mechanical failure, communications problems (‘lost link’), engine failure, weather problems and pilot error. While non-state groups regularly claim responsibility for crashed drones, we attribute between five and nine of the crashes in the dataset to being shot down.

• While some are keen to see the use of UAVs normalised, the number of crashes indicates that the development of this technology still has a very long way to go. Flying large aircraft remotely is extremely complicated and recent official investigations into the crashes of British Watchkeeper drones found that the complexity of the systems themselves was a factor in the crashes.

• To aid further discussion on this issue, Drone Wars is making a number of recommendations including calling for an open, public review of the need to use Protector in the UK for training purposes; that the independent Civil Aviation Authority rather than the Military Aviation Authority have responsibility for granting Protector permission to fly in UK airspace; and for the civil liberties and human rights implications of the use of Protector drones for surveillance purposes within the UK be investigated by MPs.

Executive summary


In July 2018, US drone manufacturer General Atomics remotely flew one of its SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles from North Dakota across the Atlantic and into a US air base in the Gloucestershire countryside. The drone was put on static display during the Fairford air show that weekend and then boxed up for its return journey to the US in a cargo plane. The point of the innovative flight was not, it seems, its appearance at the air display, but rather its appearance in UK airspace.

SkyGuardian is the US company’s name for latest version of its armed Predator drone, which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is choosing to call ‘Protector’. Up to twenty-six of the drones are being procured by the UK to replace its current fleet of Reaper drones from around 2023. A key feature of the new drone is that unlike its predecessors, it is being built to standards (from a construction point of view) that will allow it to be certified to fly in UK airspace. However, that does not mean that regulators will automatically grant it permission to do so. The July 2018 SkyGuardian flight into the UK required the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to put

Introduction

Despite the notion gaining ground that ‘the future is drone’, airspace regulators across the globe continue to have serious concerns about opening up skies to remotely-controlled systems due to safety issues

A Heron-1 operated by the Indian Air Force crashed soon after take-off in a residential area on Dec 13, 2013. “We were inside the house, when we heard an explosion like noise. We rushed out and saw the aircraft,” a resident told The Hindu. Credit: The Hindu


in place extensive measures to ensure that no other aircraft were in the vicinity of the drone’s flight path. Despite the notion gaining ground that ‘the future is drone’, airspace regulators across the globe continue to have serious concerns about opening up skies to remotely-controlled systems due to safety issues.

In some sectors where remotely controlled and autonomous technology is being developed – such as self-driving cars in the automotive industry – the civil sector is leading the way. However, in the aviation sector, where remote-control and autonomy is seen as hugely important for the future transport of goods and passengers, civil industry has taken a step back and is encouraging the military to take the lead. The MoD’s plans to fly Protector drones within the UK is being seen as an important test case and is being watched carefully throughout Europe and beyond.

Over the next 18-24 months politicians, regulators and industry will deliberate on allowing Protector to fly within the UK as part of a wider question of opening up UK air space to large military and civil drones. While the debate on small drones being flown within line of sight (LOS) and their impact on security has begun – particularly in the wake of the closure of Gatwick airport in December 2018 – discussions on flying large UAVs beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) is largely taking place behind closed doors.

This short briefing shines a light on the number of large military drone (NATO Category II and III) crashes that have taken place over the past decade. Drone Wars UK has long been involved in researching the use of these systems, including tracking accidents, primarily to examine their proliferation but also to aid consideration of safety issues. We have compiled details of more than 250 such crashes that have occurred in the past decade and the dataset is being published in this briefing in order to aid discussion and encourage debate. As well as some initial analysis on the data we also make a small number of recommendations to aid discussion.


Drone Wars UK’s drone crash dataset contains details of just over 250 large military drone accidents that have occurred over the past decade. The full list appears as an appendix to this report and is also available online at www.dronewars.net/dronecrash2009-2018.

While there continues to be disagreement within the military and beyond about the classification of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), most adhere to the NATO system which divides them into three broad categories based on weight. Class I includes micro, mini and small drones, all under 150kg. Class II are drones that weigh over 150kg but less than 600kg, often referred to as ‘tactical’ drones. Finally, Class III drones are those, including the US Predator and Reaper, that weigh over 600kg.

Table 1: NATO UAV Classification

Class CategoryNormal Operating Altitude

Normal Mission Radius

Example Platforms

Class I <150kg

Micro <2kg Up to 200ft 5 km (LOS) Black Hornet

Mini 2–20kg Up to 3000ft 25 km (LOS) Scan Eagle, Skylark, Raven

Small >20kg Up to 5000ft 50 km (LOS) Luna, Hermes 90

Class II 150-600kg Tactical Up to 10,000 ft 200 km (LOS) Watchkeeper,

Sperwer, Heron-1

Class III >600kg

Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE)

Up to 45,000 ft Unlimited (BLOS)

Reaper, Hermes 900

High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) Up to 65,000 ft Unlimited

(BLOS) Global Hawk

Strike/Combat Up to 65,000 ft Unlimited (BLOS)

Source: Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Terminology, Definitions and Classifications, Ministry of Defence, JDN 3.10

Our dataset details crashes of Class II and Class III UAVs. These are primarily operated by military forces, but crashes of such systems being operated by companies that develop them, or by civil security forces (such as US Department of Homeland Security), are included.

Drone Crash Data

http://www.dronewars.net/dronecrash2009-2018


The information comes from three primary sources: official accident investigation reports, responses to freedom of information requests (including those resulting from an investigation by The Washington Post) and individual press reports. While each entry in the dataset includes a link to a source for further information, the vast majority of crashes have multiple sources. However, it is acknowledged from the outset that the dataset is unlikely to be complete and it is highly likely, due to the secrecy surrounding the use of these systems, that other crashes will have occurred which have not been publicised.

Before examining the information by operator and then by cause, it is worth taking an overview of the data.

2.1 An Overview of the DataThere are 254 drone crashes detailed in our dataset. Thirty-five (14%) are Class II with 219 (86%) being Class III drones. For a full list of the type of drones included in the dataset and their Class, see Figure 3 below. The vast number of US drone crashes in the database reflects the dominance of the US in using these systems. Out of the 254 accidents in the database, 178 (70%) were being operated by various branches of the United States military (with an additional 2 being operated by US civil security organisations).

Table 2: Class II and II Military UAV Crashes 2009-2018, US vs Non-US

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Total

Non-US 2 8 6 8 7 6 12 9 6 12 76US 24 19 23 27 21 21 25 6 8 4 178Total 26 27 29 35 28 27 37 15 14 16 254

While a cursory glance at the dataset would appear to show that the number of US drone crashes have declined over the past three years, official aviation mishap statistics issued by the Pentagon show that in fact they remain relatively stable. What appears to be happening, then, is that the public reporting of US crashes at the time they occur has declined (see section below on US crashes). It is worth noting that the number of UAV crashes reported in the broad statistical information issued by the US about its military aviation crashes closely matches the data we have gathered about US crashes (at least up to 2016), demonstrating the overall validity of the dataset.

Figure 1: Drone Wars UK Dataset crashes by year: US vs Non-US

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

US Non-US

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 2017 20182014

In 2009 only two other countries besides the US had crashes of these types of drones. In 2018, nine countries appear in the data alongside the US. Overall 19 countries had crashes of large drones


The crash data also reflects the increasing proliferation of large military drones over the past decade. In 2009 only two other countries besides the US had crashes of these types of drones. In 2018, nine countries appear in the data alongside the US. Overall 19 countries had crashes of large (Class II & III) drones. In addition, we have included drone crashes when they were being operated by manufacturing companies, and two drones which crashed in 2014 while being operated by the UN. There is some dispute about whether a small number of the drones that crashed were being operated by the Syrian armed forces or whether they were in fact being operated by Iran. We have attributed these as ‘Syria? Iran?’ in the dataset.

Table 3: Class II and III Military UAV Crashes by Operator, 2009-2018

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 TotalAustralia 2 2Canada 1 1China 1 1Companies 1 1 1 3Ecuador 1 1France 1 1 2Germany 2 1 3Greek 1 1India 1 1 1 3 1 2 2 11Iran 1 2 3Israel 1 3 2 2 8Italy 1 1Nigeria 1 1Pakistan 1 2 1 3 1 8Saudi Arabia 1 1Syria? Iran? 1 2 1 4Turkey 1 1 1 2 2 7UAE 1 1UK 1 3 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 14UN 2 2Unknown 1 1US 24 19 23 27 21 21 25 6 8 4 178

Total 26 27 29 35 28 27 37 15 14 16 254


Figure 2: Number of Operators appearing in Drone Crash Dataset, 2009–2018

0

5

10

15

20

25

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 2017 20182014

After the US, the UK has had the largest number of drone crashes reflecting its long involvement in operating this type of system. Other states with a significant number of crashes include India, Pakistan, Israel and Turkey.

From the data, we can see that the majority of drone crashes (64%) occur while the drone was in mid-flight, with 19% taking place during landing and 9% during take-off phase. Further details on the causes of crashes are in Section 4.

Figure 3: UAVS by Type and Class in the Drone Crash Dataset

FalcoGIDS Uqab

Heron-1Nishant

S-100 CamcopterSearcher-II

Seeker 200Shahed-123

SpewerWatchkeeper

A160T Hummingbird

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Class II

Class IIIAnka

BayraktarCASC CH-3

Global Observer 1Hammerhead

Hermes 450Heron TP

I-GNATK-Max

MQ-1 Predator MQ-170 Sentinel

MQ-5B HunterMQ-8B Fire Scout

MQ-9 ReaperGlobal Hawk / Triton

Shahed-129Wing Loong 1

MQ 1C Gray EagleMQ-1B Warrior

Unknown


3.1 The United States The fact that the United States is the most prolific user of armed drones is reflected in the crash data. Out of 254 accidents documented in the database, 178 (69%) were being operated by the United States. Importantly, while it appears from the dataset that the number of US drone crashes has declined in the past three years, official statistics issued by the Pentagon contradict this, with the decline apparently due to reduced public reporting of drone crashes, rather than a drop in the number of crashes itself.

3.1.1 US Official Crash Statistics Before further analysis, it is worth noting that the various branches of the US military issue statistical data regarding aviation crashes (or as they call them ‘mishaps’) which include some US UAV crashes.1 Drone Wars UK has compiled this information into the following tables. However, it is important to note several issues. Firstly, the statistics cover the US Federal Fiscal Year, which begins on 1 October of the previous calendar year and runs through to 30 September (so, for example, FY 2015 runs from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015). Secondly, the statistics do not cover all Class II or Class III UAVs, although the main ones are included. Finally, the US military divides aviation accidents into various classes. For an unmanned aircraft, a ‘Class A’ Mishap, is one that costs $2 million or more (over $1 million prior to FY10), a ‘Class B’ mishap is one that costs more than $500,000 but less than $2 million ($200,000 to $1 million prior to FY10). For our purposes we are including only Class A mishaps as lesser damage is likely to mean that the accident was not that serious. Helpfully, the US Air Force also gives statistics for aircraft that were destroyed (but not, unfortunately, other branches). These statistics are set out below in Table 4a – 4d.

1 See US Air Force Safety Center: https://www.safety.af.mil/Divisions/Aviation-Safety-Division/Aviation-Statistics/; US Army: UAS Class A-C Mishap Tables published in FlightFax: Newsletter of Army Aircraft Accident Prevention (various issues), https://safety.army.mil/ON-DUTY/Aviation/Flightfax; US Department of the Navy: Class A Aviation Mishaps: https://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Documents/statistics/execsummary/Mishap_Stats.pdf

The Operators

https://safety.army.mil/ON-DUTY/Aviation/Flightfax

https://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Documents/statistics/execsummary/Mishap_Stats.pdf

https://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Documents/statistics/execsummary/Mishap_Stats.pdf


Table 4a: Official US Air Force Category II and III UAV Class A Mishap statistics, FY 2009–2018

Year Predator (MQ-1) Reaper (MQ-9) MQ-4 Global Hawk Total

Class A Mishap Destroyed Class A

Mishap Destroyed Class A Mishap Destroyed Class A

Mishap Destroyed

2009 13 10 4 1 1 0 18 112010 7 6 1 1 0 0 8 72011 12 11 2 0 1 1 15 122012 9 9 4 3 0 0 13 122013 9 9 3 2 0 0 12 112014 8 7 4 4 0 0 12 112015 7 6 11 9 0 0 18 152016 7 7 5 5 0 0 12 122017 4 4 6 5 1 1 11 102018 0 0 2 2 1 1 3 3Total 76 69 42 32 4 3 122 104

Table 4b: US Army Category II and III UAV Class A Mishaps FY 09 -18

Year (MQ-1) Class A Mishap

Hunter (MQ-5) Class A Mishap

Total Class A Mishap

2009 N/A N/A N/A2010 2 3 52011 2 3 52012 5 1 62013 5 2 72014 6 1 72015 3 1 42016 12 2 142017 10 5 152018 3 1 4Total 48 19 67

Table 4c: US Navy Category II and III FY09-18

Year MQ-4 Triton Class A Mishap

2009 0

2010 0

2011 0

2012 3

2013 1

2014 2

2015 0

2016 0

2017 0

2018 1

Total 7


Table 4d: Combined US official statistics on Category II and III UAV Mishaps FY 2009–2018

MQ-1 (Predator / Gray Eagle /

Warrior)MQ-9 (Reaper) MQ-5

(Hunter)

MQ-4 (Global Hawk/ Triton /BAMS)

Total

2009 13 4 N/A 1 182010 9 1 3 0 132011 14 2 3 1 202012 14 4 1 3 222013 14 3 2 1 202014 14 4 1 2 212015 10 11 1 0 222016 19 5 2 0 262017 14 6 5 1 262018 3 2 1 2 8Total 124 42 19 11 196

In order to compare the official US sets of figures with our dataset, we have re-tabulated the public detail we have collected about US drone crashes in our dataset into US Fiscal Year (i.e. from 1 October of previous year to 30 September) and these are summarised in Table 4. While numbers are broadly similar (the details of MQ-9 Reaper drone crashes for example are very close) it should be remembered that the US official statistics detailed only include Class A mishaps. The Drone Wars UK dataset is based on crash details that have appeared in public and these are likely to also include a small number of crashes that were designated as Class B. Since 2016, public details of US drone crashes are much scarcer, particularly as The Washington Post has ended its work on crashes of US Army/Special Forces drone crashes. In addition, the public details in our dataset include crashes of US drones that are not included in the official statistics such as RQ-170 Sentinel, K-Max, S-100 Camcopter and the IGNAT.

Therefore, while an apparent decline in US drone crashes in the dataset since 2016 appears to be due to lack of public information (rather than a lack of actual crashes) official figures released for FY2018 show only 8 US military drone crashes compared to a five-year average of 23. This may indicate an actual decline or that the statistics given for 2018 are only an interim figure which will be updated as official crash investigation reports are released often 18-24 months later. Of relevance here too perhaps is the retirement by the US Air Force of the MQ-1 Predator in March 2018, although variants of it are still in use by the US Army.


Table 5: US Category II and III UAV Crashes in DWUK Dataset FY 2009–2018*

MQ-1 (Predator /

Gray Eagle / Warrior)

MQ-9 (Reaper)

MQ-5 (Hunter)

MQ-4 (Global Hawk

/ Triton /BAMS)

Other Class II & II UAVs* Total

2009 16 4 3 1 1 252010 11 1 3 3 182011 16 3 3 1 1 242012 15 5 1 5 262013 13 4 3 202014 15 4 1 2 222015 11 10 1 222016 7 6 132017 3 2 1 1 72018 0 1 2 3Total 107 40 11 6 16 180

*Note these figures have been adjusted to match the US Fiscal Year (1 Oct – 30 Sept) and therefore includes five crashes from calendar year 2008. Where details are unclear whether the drone crash involved a Predator or a Reaper, it is included in ‘Other’ along with crashes of RQ-170 Sentinel, K-Max, S-100 Camcopter and IGNAT. Does not include Predator and Reaper operated by the US Department of Homeland Security and the US Custom and Border Patrol respectively.

In addition, it is possible, using the official US Air Force statistics, to compare crashes of unmanned systems with traditionally piloted aircraft. For the 10 years between US FY 2009 and 2018, the USAF reports 118 Predator and Reaper drone Class A mishaps. By contrast, it reports 88 Class A mishaps for all eight of its bomber and attack aircraft.

Table 6: USAF Bomber and Attack Aircraft vs Unmanned Predator/Reaper Class A Mishaps FY 2009–2018

B2 B1 B-52 A-10 F-15 F-16 F-22 F-35 Total MQ–1 / MQ–9

2009 1 2 3 1 7 172010 1 1 3 5 82011 1 2 1 5 1 10 142012 2 3 4 3 12 132013 1 1 1 7 1 11 122014 2 1 1 4 122015 3 6 1 10 182016 1 2 5 1 9 122017 1 1 1 4 1 8 102018 1 1 1 2 5 2 12 2Total 0 4 5 5 17 39 15 3 88 118


3.1.2 Where US drones have crashedAn examination of US drone crashes by location shows the extent of US drone warfare over the past decade with US crashes taking place in 18 different countries. In addition, the location of more than a dozen crashes have been classified by the Pentagon. From the available data, it is clear that Afghanistan has been the centre of US drone war over with 43% of US crashes taking place there. While US drone crashes in Afghanistan (as elsewhere) appear to have declined in the past three years, again this is likely to reflect the absence of US information releases on its UAV crashes since 2016, rather than a decline in actual crashes.

What will surprise many is that more than a fifth (38) of the US drone crashes in our database have taken place within the United States itself. Our analysis of these crashes shows that 58% were on training flights and 26% were taking part in test flights, with the remainder being either operational missions or movement of aircraft from one base to another.

Other centres of US drone war are also clear from the crash locations, with Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Libya all featuring. What may be surprising, considering the number of US drone strikes that have taken place there, is the low number of crashes in Pakistan. However, crashes in Pakistan are likely to be within those for which details have been classified by the Pentagon.

Other countries featured include locations where US drones are based near theatres of war, such as Djibouti, Kuwait, Niger and the Seychelles. A US A160T Hummingbird drone crashed in Belize while it was testing ‘foliage-penetrating radar’.

What will surprise many is that more than a fifth (38) of the US drone crashes in our database have taken place within the United States itself. Our analysis of these crashes shows that 58% were on training flights and 26% were taking part in test flights

A US MQ-9 Reaper crashed in Nevada, Dec 5, 2012. Accident Investigators attributed the accident to crew error. Credit: USAF


Figure 4: Location by country of US drone crashes

Yemen

US

Turkey

Syria

Spain

Somalia

Seychelles

Pakistan

Off coast Africa

Niger

Mali

Libya

Kuwait

Italy

Iraq

Iran

Djibouti

Classifed

Belize

Afghanistan

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Table 7: Location of US Class II & III UAV crashes, 2009–2018

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Total

Afghanistan 11 8 10 15 10 10 9 1 1 1 76Belize 1 1Djibouti 4 1 1 3 9Iran 1 1Iraq 6 3 1 1 4 1 16Italy 1 1Kuwait 1 1Libya 1 1 1 3Mali 1 1Niger 1 1Off coast Africa 1 1 2Pakistan 1 1Seychelles 1 1 2Somalia 1 1 2Spain 1 1Syria 1 1 2Turkey 1 1 1 3US 6 6 4 4 6 5 2 1 2 2 38Yemen 1 2 1 4Classified 1 3 1 2 2 1 3 13

Total 24 18 23 28 21 24 22 6 8 4 178


3.2 Europe Six European countries appear in the dataset, reflecting the growing number of European countries operating such systems. This is likely to increase over the next few years and several more European countries, including Spain, The Netherlands and Belgium are in the process of acquiring large military unmanned systems.

Figure 5: European operated drone crashes

0

3

6

9

12

15

Italy UKTurkeyGreeceGermanyFrance

3.2.1 The UKAfter the United States, the country with the largest number of military drone crashes in the dataset is the UK, with 14 accidents. The UK began operating the unarmed Israeli Hermes 450 drone in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007, with take-off and landing being handled by contractors. Although it is understood that a total of 10 UK operated Hermes 450s crashed in Afghanistan, three were outside the time frame of this report as they occurred before 2009.2 In 2007 the RAF began operating the Reaper in Afghanistan with the first strike taking place in May 2008. In April 2008 a UK Reaper crashed in Afghanistan and was subsequently destroyed in a UK airstrike but that is again outside the time frame of this report. Two other UK Reaper crashes were revealed in a 2015 FoI response.3 Both of these aircraft were repaired.

The UK signed a contract with Israeli company Elbit Systems in 2005 to develop a new British unmanned aerial vehicle based on the Hermes 450 named ‘Watchkeeper’. The development of the drone was plagued with problems and it missed multiple in-service deadlines. It was finally deployed operationally for the first time to Afghanistan in the weeks before the UK deployment came to an end in December 2014. Five Watchkeepers have crashed in the UK since 2014.

In April 2019, the Defence Safety Agency released Service Inquiry reports into the two separate Watchkeeper crashes that occurred in 2017. The detailed reports give important insight into the difficulties of flying unmanned systems

2 Defence Minister Andrew Robathan MP, told Parliament that 8 Hermes 450’s had crashed between 2007 and 2012. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130124/corrtext/130124c0001.htm

3 MoD FoI Response of 29 June 2015. See https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470011/20151021-Incidents_ScanEagle_Hermes_Watchkeeper.pdf and https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470023/20150629-AttachmentScanEagel_Hermes_Reaper.pdf

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130124/corrtext/130124c0001.htm

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130124/corrtext/130124c0001.htm

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470011/20151021-Incidents_ScanEagle_Hermes_Watchkeeper.pdf



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470023/20150629-AttachmentScanEagel_Hermes_Reaper.pdf



and both are well worth reviewing.4 The report into the fourth Watchkeeper crash (on 24 March 2017) was also tasked to look at similarities with previous crashes. It noted that while the specific causes of the crashes were different, there were common themes. These included “incomplete understanding of the full system and how sub-systems integrate” by both the MoD and Thales (the company which developed and maintains Watchkeeper in conjunction with Elbit Systems); the “need to improve collection and analysis of data” from flights; and the “plethora and complexity of information” that needs to be understood by operating crews, which it says “would challenge the most competent manned-aircraft pilot.”5

Table 8: UK Category II & III UAV accidents 2009-2018

Date Type Tail No. Where Source Note

Jun 13, 2018 Watchkeeper N/A Aberporth Press Destroyed

Mar 24, 2017 Watchkeeper N/A Irish Sea Press Destroyed

Feb 3, 2017 Watchkeeper N/A Irish Sea Press Destroyed

Nov 2, 2015 Watchkeeper WK006 Salisbury Press Destroyed

Oct 16, 2014 Watchkeeper WH031 Aberporth FoI Withdrawn in Jan 2015

Oct 4, 2013 Hermes 450 ZK517 Afghanistan FoI Retired in 2014

Sep 5, 2013 Hermes 450 ZK518 Afghanistan FoI Repaired and retired in 2014

July 22, 2012 Hermes 450 ZK506 Afghanistan FoI Destroyed

Mar 31, 2012 MQ-9 Reaper ZZ203 Afghanistan FoI Repaired

Oct 2, 2011 Hermes 450 Zk515 Afghanistan FoI Destroyed

Jun 3, 2010 Hermes 450 ZK512 Afghanistan FoI Destroyed

May 21, 2010 Hermes 450 ZK516 Afghanistan FoI Destroyed

May 2, 2010 MQ-9 Reaper ZZ202 Afghanistan FoI Repaired

Jun 2 2009 Hermes 450 ZK513 Afghanistan FoI Destroyed

3.2.2 Other European CountriesBesides the UK, five other European countries have large drone crashes in the database: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Turkey.

A French Sperwer operated by the army crashed into a house in Northern France during a training exercise in 2016. Very fortunately, no one was injured. An unarmed Reaper, operated by the French air force crashed in Niger as it returned to Niamey airport in late 2018.

Three separate crashes of Heron-1 drones operated by the German military in Afghanistan occurred in 2010 and 2011. The first, in March 2010, occurred while the drone was taxiing on the runway, the pilot appeared to lose control and the drone crashed into another aircraft.6 The other two crashed in mid-flight and

4 Service Inquiry report into the Loss of Watchkeeper (WK042) Unmanned Air Vehicle over Cardigan Bay in West Wales on 3 February 2017, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-report-into-the-loss-of-watchkeeper-wk042-unmanned-air-vehicle-over-cardigan-bay-in-west-wales-on-3-february-2017; Service Inquiry report into the Loss of Watchkeeper (WK043) Unmanned Air Vehicle over Cardigan Bay in West Wales on 24 March 2017, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-report-into-the-loss-of-watchkeeper-wk043-unmanned-air-vehicle-over-cardigan-bay-in-west-wales-on-24-march-2017

5 Ibid. See section 1.6.14 6 David Cenciotti, New video of drone crashing into a C-160 cargo plane in Afghanistan raises concern

over German UAVs safety, The Aviationist, 16 July 2013, https://theaviationist.com/2013/07/16/heron-vs-c-160/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-44907078

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/13/army-grounds-1bn-drone-fleet-two-crash/





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-report-into-the-loss-of-watchkeeper-wk043-unmanned-air-vehicle-over-cardigan-bay-in-west-wales-on-24-march-2017



https://theaviationist.com/2013/07/16/heron-vs-c-160/



were subsequently destroyed by air strikes.7

Italy has been operating unarmed Predator and Reaper drones since 2004. One crashed into the Mediterranean during a training flight in 2010 when operators lost contact with the drone.

Turkey has a number of crashes included in the dataset since it developed its indigenous drones the Anka and the Bayraktar. Some have crashed during testing, but since they have become accepted into service a number have also crashed on operations against Kurdish groups both within Turkey and in Syria.

Table 9: Other European drone crashes

Date Operator Drone Location of crash

Nov 2016 France Sperwer France

Nov 2018 France Reaper Niger

Mar 2010 Germany Heron-1 Afghanistan

Dec 2010 Germany Heron-1 Afghanistan

Nov 2011 Germany Heron-1 Afghanistan

Sep 2018 Greece Sperwer Greece

Jan 2010 Italy Reaper Italy

Mar 2011 Turkey Heron -1 Turkey

Sept 2012 Turkey Anka Turkey

Dec 2013 Turkey Anka Turkey

Aug 2016 Turkey Bayraktar TB2 Turkey

Oct 2016 Turkey Anka Turkey

Feb 2018 Turkey Bayraktar TB2 Syria

Jun 2018 Turkey Bayraktar TB2 Turkey

3.3 Other CountriesBesides the US and European countries, twelve other countries appear in our dataset, along with the UN and crashes of drones operated by companies.

Figure 6: Non-European/US drone crashes

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

CompaniesUN

UnknownUAE

Saudia Arabia

Pakistan

NigeriaIsra

el

Iran? S

yria?

Iran

India

EcudaorChina

Canada

Australia

7 Gerhard Hegmann, German army drone Heron crashes in Afghanistan, Welt, 11 November 2013, (Translated) https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article121775327/Bundeswehr-Drohne-Heron-zerschellt-in-Afghanistan.html


As the number of nations operating large armed drones increases, we are likely to see an increasing number of conflicts in which multiple states are operating armed drones, making accountability for strikes immensely difficult

Of note is the large number of crashes of Indian-operated drones. While all the types crashed are of the smaller Class II, the number of different types of drones as well as the overall number (the third highest in the dataset) is significant.

Israel and Pakistan both have 8 crashes in the dataset but have a very different history with drones. Israel has a long history of using large drones – longer perhaps than the United States – and has exported a significant amount. Its drones are in regular use against Palestinian targets in Gaza as well in Lebanon and Egypt. It is perhaps surprising there are not more Israeli crashes in the dataset.

Pakistan has a number of the smaller Class II drones in service and most crashes are of this type. However, stung by continued US drone strikes in their territory, Pakistan vowed to obtain and put into service a larger, Predator type armed drone. It subsequently obtained Wing Loong UAVs from China, one of which crashed in June 2016.

The dataset records three crashes of drones being operated by the Iranian armed forces: two in Iran and one in Iraq. Four other Iranian drones are recorded as crashing, three in Syria and one in Israel, although it is not clear if these were being operated by Syrian or Iranian forces at the time. All of these four were reported as being shot down – two by the US, one by Israel and one by Turkey.

Table 10: Countries with drone crashes by multiple states

Location of crashes

States operating drones

Aust

ralia

Cana

da

Fran

ce

Germ

any

Iran

Iran?

Syr

ia?

Isra

el

Paki

stan

Saud

i Ara

bia

Turk

ey

UAE

UK US Unkn

own

Tota

l

Afghanistan 1 1 3 9 76 90

Iraq 1 16 17

Israel 1 5 6

Niger 1 1 2

Pakistan 8 1 9

Syria 3 1 2 6

Turkey 6 3 9

Yemen 1 1 4 1 7

In addition to crashes by states, the dataset records two drone crashes by the UN and three by companies. The two UN crashes both occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the UN were undertaking peacekeeping missions. Two of the company-operated crashes were on test flights, one (in 2011) in the US where AeroVironment was testing its Global Observer 1 UAV, and one in Italy (in 2016) where Piaggio were testing its Hammerhead drone. Both drone development projects were brought to an end by the crashes. A 2012 demonstration flight of a Schiebel S-100 Camcopter by the company in South Korea ended in tragedy when the drone crashed and killed an engineer and injured two others.

Three states have been the location of crashes by two or more other nations: Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. As the number of nations operating large armed drones increases, we are likely to see an increasing number of conflicts in which multiple states are operating armed drones, making accountability for strikes immensely difficult.


Analysis of the data enables us to gain a good understanding of when, on average, drone crashes take place. 64% of the crashes took place while the drone was in mid-flight, while 20% occurred at the point of landing. 8% crashed during the take-off phase, with a small number of crashes (1%) taking place while the drone was taxiing along the runway. For 7% of the recorded accidents, it is unknown at what stage the crash occurred.

Figure 7: When drone crashes happen

Unknown

Take-off

Mid-flight

Landing

Taxiing

1%

64%

8%20%7%

Alongside this, there are some details of the cause of the crash for just over half (56%) of the crashes. While these details primarily come from official US accident investigation reports either published online or obtained though Freedom of Information requests – and are therefore heavily skewed towards US drone crashes – the reasons are likely to be common across all drone crashes.

Although the reasons for the crashes are often summarised for brevity’s sake (i.e. ‘mechanical failure’ or ‘lost link’) it should be noted that behind these broad categories there are often multiple and complex causes for the crashes. It is

A brief look at the causes of drone crashes


also of note that there is no one single or main causes of crashes, but rather a multitude of different reasons. Here, we look at some causes for the crashes and include edited excerpts from US crash investigations where these broad causes are given, with a link to the full report for further details.8

4.1 Mechanical failure The most common reason for crashes (22%) is attributed to mechanical failure. This includes failures of particular pieces of equipment such as a turbo-charger or a propeller, to pieces of wings or tails becoming detached.

Examples:

8 November 2015 MQ-1B Predator Kuwait Mid-flight: Mechanical

At approximately 16:38, the recovery crew took handover of the aircraft from the mission crew. The aircraft was returning early due to an Outside Air Temperature sensor failure. The handover was uneventful. Over the next 15 minutes, the aircraft began a descent for landing and the crew started working through appropriate checklist procedures for descent and arrival.

Evidence showed that the left tail and tail insert fell off the aircraft and consequently the aircraft became uncontrollable. The aircraft entered an unrecoverable spin and the impact destroyed the aircraft. The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found by a preponderance of the evidence that the cause of the mishap was the failure of the left tail clamp and/or left tail clamp bolts. The loss of the left tail insert and the attached left tail surface resulted in an unrecoverable departure from controlled flight, and the aircraft crashed en route to the intended base of landing. The estimated cost of aircraft and munitions is $5.3 million. [Full report]

27 June 2013 MQ-1B Predator Afghanistan Landing: Mechanical

On 27 June at 01:18 the aircraft departed Jalalabad air base. The crew flew the aircraft uneventfully until 08:24 when the aircraft experienced a turbocharger failure. The crew ran the appropriate checklist and initiated a return to base. Between 08:45 and 09:01 the crew handed over to the launch and recovery crew. The Air Traffic Control Tower reported winds within technical order limits with variable headings and gusts. However, as the aircraft passed the location of the runway threshold there was a very strong gust of wind, which resulted in unsafe landing conditions. The pilot executed a go-around but was unable to sustain flight. At 09.05 the aircraft impacted the ground approximately 800ft past the departure end of the runway at Jalalabad.

The Accident Investigation Board found that that a combination of turbocharger failure and a strong wind gust caused the mishap to occur. The aircraft and one Hellfire missile (AGM-114) was destroyed upon impact with the loss valued at $4,511,499.00. [Full report]

8 Note regarding US accident report: A ‘launch and recovery’ crew located where the drones are based launch and land the drones via line of site communications before handing over to a mission crew located in the US, which then operate the drone via satellite. All times given are ‘Zulu time’ (i.e. GMT).

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2017/110815_MQ1B_CENTCOM.pdf

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/062713_MQ-1B_Jalalabad_full.pdf


4.2 Electrical failure 13% of the crashes (for which we have cause details) are attributed to electrical failures. These include failure of on-board power generators and various servo-motors as well as the failure of wiring and cables bringing power to particular pieces of equipment.

Examples:

4 Feb 2015 MQ-9A Reaper Off coast of Africa Mid-flight: Electrical

The aircraft took off at 05:30Z on 4 February 2015 and had an uneventful sortie until approximately 08:35, when the aircraft’s starter-generator failed. The crew reversed the flight direction of the aircraft and began its return flight to base.

The crew turned off several pieces of equipment that used electrical power in an attempt to maximize battery life. At 10:32, the crew reported that the batteries had 24 volts of power remaining when the aircraft was approximately thirty miles from base. Based on the inability to guarantee complete control of the aircraft during approach and landing, the crew was ordered by the Joint Forces Air Component Commander to purposefully fly the aircraft into international waters. At 11:33, the aircraft responded to pilot commanded inputs and impacted the water. The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found by a preponderance of evidence that the cause of this mishap was a starter-generator failure. Loss of government property is valued at $13,203,658.00. [Full report]

17 Aug 2017 MQ-1B Predator Location Classified Mid-flight: Electrical

The aircraft executed an unrecoverable flight manoeuvre after the aircraft was transferred from the launch crew. The majority of the aircraft was destroyed from a fire at the impact site.

General Atomics completed analysis on the cockpit data log recordings and found the cause of the rapid unrecoverable manoeuvre was a failure of an electrical cable that resulted in a loss of power in the left tail flight control surface. This loss of power moved the left tail electrical components to the maximum trailing-edge-down deflection, resulting in a non-flyable configuration. The estimated cost of the aircraft and environmental clean-up cost was $5,380,813. [Full report]

A British Watchkeeper drone on a training flight crashed at Boscombe Down airfield on 2 November 2015. Credit: MAA

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2015/020415_MQ-9A_Africom.pdf

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2019/08172017_MQ1_CENTCOM.pdf


4.3 Engine FailureEngine failure is another primary reason given for drone crashes with 27% of the crashes for which we have causes attributed to engine failure. However, these are often caused by an oil or fuel leak or the loss of coolant.

Examples:

18 November 2015 MQ-9A Reaper Afghanistan Take-off: Engine

On 18 November 2015, at approximately 23:38 an MQ-9A Reaper assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base and deployed to Kandahar International Airport, crashed in an open field near the base after declaring an in-flight emergency shortly after take-off.

The launch crew noticed high oil pressure, rising exhaust gas temperature, and fluctuating torque immediately upon take-off. The crew reported the emergency and attempted a recovery to the runway; however, complete engine failure occurred on the crosswind leg at approximately 500 feet above ground level. The aircraft glided to a crash landing as the crew attempted to circle around to land. The impact destroyed the aircraft, four missiles, and one bomb, resulting in a loss valued at $14,391,950.

The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found by a preponderance of the evidence the cause of the mishap to be a compressor bearing failure that led to engine loss. [Full report]

26 April 2014 MQ-1B Predator Afghanistan Mid-flight: Engine

On 25 April 2014 at 18:29, the aircraft took off from Jalalabad Airfield without incident. Approximately 5.3 hours after take-off and 45 minutes after the crew assumed control of the aircraft from previous crew, the aural warning tone alarm sounded in the ground control station. Simultaneously, the warnings for “low oil level” and “low oil pressure” appeared on the heads-down display. The engine oil level had rapidly decreased from 76 percent to 35 percent within a span of one minute and 54 seconds. The crew observed pieces of material and fluid emanating from the aircraft at a rapid pace. The pilot turned the aircraft in the direction of Jalalabad Airfield, while executing the Low Oil Pressure Checklist. Seven minutes after the initial warning, the engine seized completely. Shortly thereafter, the crew lost satellite datalink connectivity with the aircraft. At the time it lost connectivity, the aircraft was at 14,500 feet and descending in a glide. The satellite datalink was restored and remained

Engine failure reportedly led to the crash of a Bayraktar TB2 near Sanliurfa, Turkey on 24 August 2016 after it had conducted a surveillance mission in Syria. Credit: Dogan News Agency

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2017/111815_MQ9-A_Kandahar.pdf


and descending in a glide. The satellite datalink was restored and remained intact for approximately 14 more minutes. When it was apparent that the MA would crash, the crew began to search for a non-populated area to land. Using the camera, they looked down and identified a valley. Twenty to twenty-five seconds prior to impacting the ground, the crew lost satellite connectivity with the MA and never regained it back. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact.

The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found, by clear and convincing evidence, that the cause of the mishap was an engine oil leak. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact with an estimated loss of government property valued at $4.61 million. [Full report]

Table 11: Phase of mission and causes of drone crashes extracted from DWUK dataset

When Cause given

Take-off phase Electrical failure 1

Mechanical failure 1

Engine Failure 2

Lost link 3

Pilot error 3

No details available 11

Total 21Mid-flight Electrical failure 15


Engine Failure 18

Lost link 16

Pilot error 8

Electronics failure 5

Weather 6

Bird strike 1

Shot down (5) / Possibly shot down (4) 9


Total 163Landing phase Electrical failure 2


Engine Failure 7

Lost link 3

Electronics failure 2

Pilot error 7

Software failure 3

Weather 1


Total 50Taxiing on runway No details available 3

Unknown No details available 17

Total 254

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2014/042614_MQ1B_jalalabad.pdf


4.4 Pilot error Crashes are attributed to pilot or crew error when decisions they make directly lead to a crash. However, this is often in the situation of a crisis occurring when crew have to make decisions in a very limited amount of time. In crisis situations, crews are supposed to follow a procedure checklist but this appears to be difficult in some circumstances. 13% of the crashes for which we have a cause are attributed to pilot error.

Examples:

7June 2016 MQ-9A Reaper United States Mid-flight: Pilot error

At approximately 22:27, the crew undertaking a proficiency flight at Nevada test range, gained control of the aircraft from the launch crew at 8,500 feet mean sea level. At 22:28, when crew executed handover checklist items, they unknowingly engaged the pre-set altitude and the aircraft began to climb. The sensor operator advised the pilot, who was completing handover checklists, of the climb. The pilot incorrectly believed there was an unexpected flight condition or malfunction, switched from autopilot to manual mode and directed the aircraft to descend to 8,000 feet. The pilot also reduced power to the aircraft to avoid acceleration. The pilot then resumed working on the handover checklist. However, the pilot had not adjusted nose/pitch, which was positioned upward and the aircraft stalled.

Preoccupied with the handover checklist, the pilot did not observe the Heads-Up Display gauges nor the audible and visual stall warnings. The sensor operator advised the pilot that the aircraft was in a stall condition. The pilot did not apply the Flight Manual stall recovery procedures, but instead, increased power to the aircraft, which, due to the weight of the aircraft and its stalled condition, caused it to spiral towards the ground. The aircraft impacted the ground in the Nevada Test and Training Range at 22:29.

The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found by a preponderance of the evidence the cause of the mishap was the combination of (1) the pilots mis-prioritization to complete the handover checklist, and (2) the pilot’s failure to observe prior warnings of reduced energy state and stall, and timely implement stall recovery procedures. The aircraft was destroyed at a loss of $11,063,339.00. [Full report]

4 April 2012 MQ-9A Reaper Seychelles Airport Take-off: Pilot error

On 4 April 2012, at 09:29 an MQ-9A Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft, crashed into the Indian Ocean following a commanded engine shutdown and attempted forced landing that occurred 4 minutes and 15 seconds after take-off from Seychelles International Airport

The crew consisted of a contractor-furnished Operator and Sensor Operator. The accident investigation board found by clear, convincing evidence that the causes of the mishap were 1) the Operator commanded the engine off by moving the Condition Lever to a position that closed the fuel shut off valve, shutting off fuel to the engine and 2) the Operator and SO failed to complete the landing gear extension sequence to include confirming that the landing gear was extended. Additionally, the AIB president found by a preponderance of evidence that Operator’s limited recent experience in launch procedures substantially contributed to the mishap. The aircraft, Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS), MTS Electronics Unit, and Special Operations Forces (SOF) pod were destroyed, a loss value exceeding $8,931,000. [Full report]

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2017/060716_MQ9A_Creech.pdf

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2012/040412_MQ-9A_Seychelles.pdf


4.5 Lost linkCrews regularly lose contact with their drones due to communication or other problems. Often the link is re-established within a short time. If it is not, the drone is programmed to fly on auto-pilot to a particular point where it is hoped connection can be re-established. However, on occasion the link is never re-established and the drone flies on until it runs out of fuel and crashes or is shot down.9 Fifteen per cent of the crashes for which we have a cause are attributed to lost link.

Examples:

18 Sept 2012 MQ-1B Predator Location Classified Mid-flight: Lost Link

The remotely piloted aircraft took off from a forward operating base at 01:02. Prior to the crew taking control of the aircraft there was difficulty with the satellite link that allows the aircraft to communicate with its crew. However, the issue was resolved by resetting the connection and the mission proceeded. At approximately 09:19 the primary navigation system began to diverge from the secondary navigation systems by approximately .1 nautical mile, to a maximum divergence of .25 nautical miles. Normally these systems record the same, or approximately the same, location for the aircraft. At 09:21 the aircraft satellite data link disconnected (known as ‘lost link’). [Full report]

The pilot ran the appropriate checklist but was unsuccessful in re-establishing a satellite link. At approx 09:26 the aircraft impacted about 3.25 nautical miles south-southwest from the point of ‘lost-link’. The Accident Investigation Board could not determine any cause of, or factor that substantially contributed to this mishap. The aircraft was destroyed at an estimated loss of £4.4 million. [Full report]

9 Air Force Shoots Down Runaway Drone Over Afghanistan, 14 Sept 2009, Popular Science, https://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-09/when-drones-go-wild-air-force-shoots-them-down

US military forensic experts investigate the remains of a Predator drone aircraft crashed near Incirlik Air Base, Adana, Turkey, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016. Credit: AP

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/091812_MQ-1B_CENTCOM_AOR_full.pdf



4 Sept 2017 MQ-1B Predator Location Classified Mid-flight: Lost Link

The crew permanently lost the ability to monitor and control the mission aircraft while flying medium altitude approximately 16 hours into the mission. The location of the aircraft is unknown.

After normal crew changeover briefs, the mishap crew lost complete video and command link (“lost link”) within one minute of sitting in the cockpit, resulting in an inability to monitor and control the aircraft. At the moment of the lost link event, the aircraft was operating normally at an altitude of 13,000 feet. The aircraft wreckage was not found from the time of the incident to the completion of this investigation. The estimated cost of the missing aircraft is $4.09 Million. [Full report]

4.6 Other causesThe other 10% of crashes were caused by electronics and software failure, poor weather, enemy action, and in one case, a bird strike. Electronic equipment and computer components are vital to the successful flight of UAVs and when systems such as electronic navigation systems or GPS receivers fail it can be catastrophic. Similarly, if the software embedded in electronic equipment fails it can lead directly to a crash. Drones are remarkably vulnerable to weather changes and a number of crashes documented in the dataset were caused by lightning strikes, ice accumulation or strong winds.

Examples:

21 June 2017 RQ-4B Global Hawk United States Mid-flight: Electronics

On 16 June 2017, the RQ-4B Global Hawk arrived at Edwards AFB from Beale AFB for a right-wing composite repair. Personnel from 9th Maintenance Squadron completed the repair without complications. On 21 June 2017, after a pre-flight inspection, the aircraft took off at 12:21.

The aircraft climbed and flew to planned waypoints uneventfully. At approximately 13:09, one of the two enabled Litton LN-100G navigators (LNA and LNB) --specifically LNA--began producing erroneous navigational data. Failing to detect LNA’s erroneous data, the MRPA rolled to a nearly inverted position and entered a dive that resulted in an excessive airspeed. The aircraft broke up and crashed in an unpopulated and rugged area between Lone Pine, California, and Mount Whitney, California.

The Accident Investigation Board found, by a preponderance of evidence, that the causes of the mishap were that the aircraft’s LNA produced erroneous navigational data and the aircraft’s navigation system did not detect the erroneous navigational data. The aircraft, valued at $79 million, was destroyed. [Full report]

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2019/170904_CENTCOM_MQ-1.pdf

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2018/06212017_RQ4_Calif.pdf


24 September 2015 MQ-1B Predator Libya Mid-flight: Weather

On 24 September 2015, at approximately 02:00, after normal maintenance and pre-flight checks, the aircraft departed from an undisclosed air base for a mission in an undisclosed location. At approximately 09:02, the aircraft entered clouds just as the Ground Control Station (GCS) experienced momentary interruptions (lost link) to the radio link the aircrew uses to control the MQ-1B.

Upon entering the clouds, the crew attempted to reverse direction of flight. The crew visually detected ice on the aircraft and the camera. Aircraft systems also detected the formation of ice on the aircraft. Turbulence and icing caused the aircraft’s angle of attack and roll control to become erratic. The airspeed dropped below stall speed, and the aircraft stalled causing it to lose link to the GCS completely. At 09:04, the GCS received one data sample indicating the aircraft was in an extreme nose-down attitude and had lost approximately 10,000 feet of altitude. Based upon the last data sample and with the aircraft unrecoverable, the crew suspected the aircraft had crashed. At 10:15, another aircraft operating in the area confirmed the crash via video feed. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and the wreckage was not recovered. Damage to the aircraft is estimated at $5,156,042

The Abbreviated Accident Investigation Board found by a preponderance of the evidence that the aircraft skin, already cooled below freezing, flew into clouds, which caused ice to accumulate on the structure. Icing and turbulence resulted in degraded flight performance, and the crew was unable to regain control over the MRPA prior to impact with the ground. [Full report]

Finally, nine drone crashes in the dataset are attributed to the drone being shot down. Non-state groups regularly claim responsibility after a drone crash. For example, in September 2015, an Islamic State affiliated group posted images of a crashed MQ-1 Predator that it claimed to have downed.10 However, a USAF Accident Report published in March 2016 detailed the cause of the crash to have been weather related.11

10 Daniele Raineri, Un drone Predator è caduto su una zona dello Stato islamico in Libia, Il Foglio, 25 September 2015, https://www.ilfoglio.it/esteri/2015/09/25/news/un-drone-predator-e-caduto-su-una-zona-dello-stato-islamico-in-libia-87897/

11 USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation Board Report of 24 September 2015 – published 25 March 2016, http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2016/092416_MQ1B_Undisclosed.pdf

A US MQ-1 Predator crashed near Derna, Libya on September 24, 2015. Although ISIS claimed it had downed the drone, a USAF investigation attributed the crash to weather. Credit: Social media screenshot

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2016/092416_MQ1B_Undisclosed.pdf




As well as non-state group claims, several drones have been downed by states including the US, Israel and Turkey. Of the nine crashes attributed to enemy action we judge five to have been reliable and four to be at least possible. These details are summarised in Table12.

Table 12: Crashes attributed to enemy action in drone crash dataset

Date Operator Type Shot down by Location Source

Jul 12, 2018 Saudi Arabia Wing Loong I Yemeni air defence Yemen Press report

Feb 12, 2018 Turkey Bayraktar Syrian Defence Force Syria Press report

Feb 10, 2018 Iran? Syria? Unknown Israeli helicopter Israel Press report

Oct 01, 2017 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Houthi militia Yemen Press report

Jun 20, 2017 Iran? Syria? Shahed-129 US F-15 Syria Press report

Jun 08, 2017 Iran? Syria? Shahed-129? US fighter jet Syria Press report

May 16, 2016 Iran? Syria? Shahed-123 Turkish F-16 Syria Press report

Jul 05 2015 UAE Air Force Seeker 200 Houthi militia Yemen Press report

Mar 17 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Syrian air defence? IS? Syria USAF report

https://twitter.com/Acemal71/status/1018125074866561024/video/1

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2017/10/01/1534001/yemenis-down-american-spy-drone-photos

https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-us-forces-shoot-down-iranian-drone-over-1497972506-htmlstory.html

https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2016/01/28/syria-new-iranian-drone/


British armed forces now have more than a decade’s experience of using large remotely-controlled aircraft such as the Reaper, Hermes 450 and Watchkeeper for military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. From a military perspective, the use of these systems is rapidly becoming normalised, and there is now a real desire by the MoD to begin to use them within UK airspace both for training purposes and for civil emergencies.12 Also waiting in the wings are a number of private corporations who see the commercial potential of operating large UAVs in the UK for the transport of goods and even passengers once the military has cleared the regulatory barriers.

However, as this short briefing has demonstrated, the technology is in many ways still in its infancy and for a whole variety of reasons – design flaws, communications difficulties, complexity, human error – large military remotely-controlled aircraft regularly crash; around twice a month on average over the past decade.

An important insight here comes from one of the Service Inquiry reports into the crash of a British Watchkeeper drone in 2017 which argues that a key theme running across all the crashes of that type is the “disproportionate level of complexity” of the system. As an example, it reports that while the Flight Reference Cards for the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat helicopter runs to 80 pages, for Watchkeeper they run to 265 pages. “It would be reasonable to conclude,” the report’s author summarises, “that the complexity of flying Watchkeeper is disproportionate and adds unnecessary risk to the conduct of safe flight.”13 It should be noted that Normal Accident Theory, originally proposed in 1984 by Charles Perrow, suggests that for complex systems, accidents are normal and unavoidable events because unrelated incidents accumulate and align to create major malfunctions that can produce disastrous results.14

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is the lead-buyer of General Atomics’ newest version of the Predator drone, which the UK is choosing to call ‘The Protector’.

12 Mark Hookham, RAF killer drones to fly in the UK, The Times, 2 October 2016, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f748bfb8-881d-11e6-8242-d338f8b15268

13 Service Inquiry report into the Loss of Watchkeeper (WK042) Unmanned Air Vehicle over Cardigan Bay in West Wales on 3 February 2017, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/792947/20190402-WK042_SI_Final_Report-_Redacted__RT-OS.pdf, 1.6.14 (page 132)

14 Charles Perrow, Normal Accidents: Living with High Risk Technologies – Updated edition, Princeton University Press, 1999, https://press.princeton.edu/titles/6596.html

Comment: Opening UK airspace to large military drones

The technology is in many ways still in its infancy and for a whole variety of reasons large military remotely controlled aircraft regularly crash; around twice a month on average over the past decade.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f748bfb8-881d-11e6-8242-d338f8b15268

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/792947/20190402-WK042_SI_Final_Report-_Redacted__RT-OS.pdf




While it is being built to standards to allow it to be ‘certified’ for flying in UK airspace, regulators have to be convinced that it can fly safely. In particular, as there is no onboard pilot, the aircraft cannot fulfil what is considered the bedrock of air safety: a pilot being able to ‘see and avoid’ other aircraft. General Atomics is developing an electronic ‘Detect and Avoid’ system which it argues will be able to fulfil this safety function but this technology is largely untested.

In the United States, unmanned systems like Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk are allowed to fly in airspace specially segregated for military use and also in national airspace if they obtain authorization in advance from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).15 These authorised flights are always accompanied by a manned chase aircraft to ensure safety. In June 2018, for the first time, General Atomics trialled its ‘detect and avoid’ systems on board a drone with authorization of the FAA.16

Here in the UK discussion between the MoD, General Atomics and UK airspace regulators – the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – did not go particularly well as documents released to Drone Wars UK following Freedom of Information requests show.17 Reading between the lines (and redactions) there appears to have been a desire by some to press ahead and cut through what was perhaps regarded as bureaucratic red tape. A suggested solution (the specific details of which have been redacted from the papers) was advanced which did not impress the airspace regulators. A CAA official, reporting back to his colleagues, wrote that he had expressed his “lack of confidence” with the solution and made clear “the novel and ground breaking nature” of what had been proposed. As many will remember from ‘Yes Minister’, this is a polite, but damning verdict from civil servants. After around 12 months of meetings, it was agreed that the General Atomics and the MoD would stop meeting with the CAA and instead deal with the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) who would then in turn liaise with the CAA.

15 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS): DoD Purpose and Operational Use, US Department of Defence, https://dod.defense.gov/UAS/

16 Jason Murdock, Ikhana: Why NASA has just flown a huge unmanned aircraft into public airspace, Newsweek, 14 June 2018, https://www.newsweek.com/ikhana-nasa-has-just-flown-unmanned-aircraft-public-airspace-976094

17 Revealed: internal discussions between MoD and regulators on flying Predator drones in UK, Drone Wars UK, 12 February 2018 https://dronewars.net/2018/02/12/revealed-internal-discussions-between-mod-and-regulators-on-flying-predator-drones-in-uk/

A Hermes 450 being operated by the British Army crashed at Bastion airfield in Afghanistan on October 2 2011 following engine failure. Credit: UK Military Aviation Authority


In January 2019, General Atomics announced that it had had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK defence giant BAE Systems “to collaborate on integration of RPA [Remotely Piloted Aircraft] into UK national airspace.”18 BAE Systems said that it would support General Atomics through its experience of testing unmanned systems and also by “shaping the regulatory environment through participation, dialogue and strong relationships with UK and European regulatory authorities.” General Atomics, it seems, has turned to UK military big gun, BAE Systems, to lobby on their behalf.

While there continues to be debate and discussion about the safety implication of the rising use of small unmanned drones, discussion about opening UK airspace to larger drones is mostly taking place behind closed doors. To begin a wider public discussion on the use of these we make the following recommendations:

5.1 Recommendations• Internal documents released in response to a Drone Wars UK FoI request

show that the MoD recognise that there is both public and ‘air traffic management community’ disquiet about the use of large UAVs in UK airspace and suggests a ‘communications strategy’ is needed:

“ Public perception will be central to normalising RPAS [Remotely Piloted Air Systems] use in UK airspace, especially for military purposes. An internal and external communication strategy will therefore be essential to support Protector...”

“ The perception of RPAS – both by the public and the ATM [Air Traffic Management] community will be central to integration and require a coherent cross-government communications strategy”.19

While the MoD is entitled to make its case for flying large UAVs within UK airspace, as a public body it needs to take care that its information does not cross the line into PR. Any communications strategy aimed at persuading the public on Protector needs to be balanced as well as recognising and reflecting the risks associated with the use of these systems in order to give the public a full picture.

• A key reason given by the MoD to begin using Protector within the UK is for training purposes. However, the MoD has been operating large armed drones for more than a decade without undertaking training within the UK. RAF pilots have been happily undertaking training flights within segregated airspace in the US and on simulator systems. Indeed, General Atomics recently contracted CAE to provide a new, comprehensive, synthetic training systems for Protector.20 As well as the danger of accidents, training in the UK would bring other concerns. In 2012 the New York Times revealed that as part of their training, drone pilots track and trail vehicles driving along local highways.21 It is disconcerting, to say the least, that driving along the A15 or the A46 near Lincoln could entail being tracked by a military drone.

18 Press Release: GA-ASI Hosts Industry Showcase Highlighting UK Partners, 24 January 2019, http://www.ga.com/ga-asi-hosts-industry-showcase-highlighting-uk-partners

19 Memo dated 20 May 2016 entitled: ‘Protector UK Airspace Integration, PSO Asst Chief of Air Staff’, Available at page 72 of bundle of documents released by CAA regarding communication with MoD on Predator B ER (‘Protector’) https://dronewarsuk.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/20171222attachment11.pdf

20 Press Release: ‘CAE awarded contract by GA-ASI to develop synthetic training system for United Kingdom’s Protector remotely piloted aircraft’, CAE, 24 Jan 2019, https://www.cae.com/news-events/press-releases/cae-awarded-contract-by-ga-asi-to-develop-synthetic-training-system-for-united-kingdoms-protector-remotely-piloted-aircraft/

21 Mark Mazzetti, The Drone Zone, The New York Times Magazine, 6 July 2012, https://www.nytimes.com/ 2012/07/08/magazine/the-drone-zone.html?pagewanted=1&ref=magazine

https://dronewarsuk.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/20171222attachment11.pdf

https://www.cae.com/news-events/press-releases/cae-awarded-contract-by-ga-asi-to-develop-synthetic-training-system-for-united-kingdoms-protector-remotely-piloted-aircraft/



https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/magazine/the-drone-zone.html?pagewanted=1&ref=magazine

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/magazine/the-drone-zone.html?pagewanted=1&ref=magazine


A full and open review should be undertaken of military remotely piloted training to ascertain whether the advantages to training with these systems within the UK justifies the increased risk to the public, particularly if such training can be undertaken by different means.

• While the majority of large UAV crashes occur during mid-flight, the data shows that a significant amount of accidents happen during the take-off and landing phase. While military bases in war zones tend to be away from populated areas, the home base of Protector will be RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.22 Waddington has a sizeable local community and the base is surrounded by houses, shops, businesses and a school. While it is impossible to negate all risk, the regular operation of large military unmanned systems from a base in a relatively populated location appears to increase the risk to that population. It would be important that the local population in and around RAF Waddington is fully informed of the increased risk due to the basing of Protector there, and measures are taken to mitigate that increased risk.

• Politicians and senior military officials have acknowledged that once granted permission to fly in UK airspace, Protector would be available to civil authorities to undertake an “array of homeland defence tasks”.23 While the MoD is keen to highlight that this could include “search and rescue” and “flood prevention”, it is less keen to talk about its possible use by the security services. Debate about scope of, and limitations on, the use of military UAVs to monitor suspect individuals or groups within the UK is beyond the scope of this publication but undoubtedly deserves proper thought and debate in advance of any domestic deployment of Protector. An inquiry by the Human Rights Select Committee would seem to be an appropriate forum to begin discussion of the aspect.

• The Military Aviation Authority (MAA) is regularly described as an “independent authority” or an “independent organisation” yet it is an agency wholly within the Ministry of Defence, led by serving military officers. To avoid any conflict of interest – or even the appearance of any conflict of interest – it would be wrong to grant to the MAA the responsibility for authorising the use of large military drones in UK airspace. To do so would be putting the MAA itself, as well as its staff, in a compromising position. To ensure rigour in the regulatory process the independent Civil Aviation Authority must be the agency responsible for granting permission for Protector or any other large unmanned aerial vehicles to fly in UK airspace.

22 Waddington to operate Protector, with best of British air power on show at Air Tattoo, MoD, 13 July 2018, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/waddington-to-operate-protector-with-best-of-british-air-power-on-show-at-air-tattoo

23 See Mark Hookham, RAF killer drones to fly in UK, The Times, 2 October 2016, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f748bfb8-881d-11e6-8242-d338f8b15268

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/waddington-to-operate-protector-with-best-of-british-air-power-on-show-at-air-tattoo

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/waddington-to-operate-protector-with-best-of-british-air-power-on-show-at-air-tattoo


Drone Crash Dataset 2008–2019

No. Date Operator Drone type Phase/details Location Details

2018

1 Nov 17, 2018 French Air Force

MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight Niamey, Niger Press report

2 Oct 28, 2018 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight Paktika, Afghanistan

Press report

3 Sep 13, 2018 US Navy MQ-4 Triton Landing California, USA Press report

4 Sep 13,2018 Greek Army Spewer Take-off phase Komotini, Greece

Press report

5 Aug 14, 2018 US CBP MQ-9 Reaper Landing Texas, USA Press report

6 Jul 12, 2018 Saudi Arabia Wing Loong I Mid-flight (shot down?)

Rabuah, Yemen Press report

7 Jun 30, 2018 Turkey Bayraktar TB2 Mid-flight Hatay, Turkey Press report

8 Jun 26, 2018 US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk

Mid-flight Off coast of Spain

Press report

9 Jun 13, 2018 UK Army Watchkeeper Mid-flight Aberporth, Wales

Press report

10 9 May 2018 Pakistan Falco Take-off phase Sargodha, Pakistan

Press report

11 Apr 14, 2018 Indian Navy Heron-1 Mid-flight Gujarat, India Press report

12 Mar 2018 Israeli Air Force

Unknown Mid-flight Off Israeli coast Press report

13 Mar 31, 2018 Israeli Air Force

Unknown Mid-flight Beit Yahoun, Lebanon

Press report

14 Mar 22, 2018 Indian Navy Heron-1 Take-off phase Gujarat, India Press report

15 Feb 12, 2018 Turkey Bayraktar Mid-flight (shot down?)

Efrin, Syria Press report

16 Feb 10, 2018 Iran? Syria? Unknown Shot down Israel Press report

2017

17 Dec 2017 Indian Air Force

Heron-1 Mid-flight Tibet Press report

18 Nov 21.2017 Indian Navy Searcher II Take-off phase Kichi, India Press report

19 Oct 1, 2017 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (shot down?)

Yemen Press report

20 Sep 4, 2017 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lost-link)

Classified USAF Investigation

21 Aug 21, 2017 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (electronics failure)

South-eastern Turkey

USAF InvestigationPress report

22 Aug 17, 2017 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical fail)

Classified (Turkey?)


https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.charpentreau/22101-first-french-mq-9-reaper-crash-on-record



https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/11/09/taliban-posts-photos-of-mq-9-reaper-they-claim-to-have-shot-down-us-says-it-simply-crashed/



http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/23585/navy-mq-4c-triton-drone-made-emergency-belly-landing-at-naval-base-ventura-county



https://www.uasvision.com/2018/09/18/greek-army-sagem-sperwer-crashes-near-komotini/



https://sanangelolive.com/news/crashes/2018-08-14/predator-drone-crashes-mathis-field






https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=tr&u=https://gazetemanifesto.com/2018/hatayda-bayraktar-ihasi-dustu-187429/&prev=search



https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/09/07/global-hawk-drone-crashed-off-the-coast-of-spain-in-june-but-the-air-force-stayed-mum/






http://www.historyofpia.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26505



https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/second-indian-navy-heron-drone-crashes-in-gujarat-in-a-month-1837644



https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-drone-crashes-into-sea-due-to-technical-malfunction/



https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5212565,00.html



https://www.ndtv.com/cities/gujarat-drone-crash-indian-navys-heron-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-crashes-in-porbandar-1827244



https://thedefensepost.com/2018/02/12/turkey-drone-crash-afrin-bayraktar-sdf/



https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/13/middleeast/israel-iran-drone/index.html



https://theprint.in/report/india-loses-its-troop-scanning-heron-uav-sensors-to-crash/20932/



https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/navys-surveillance-aircraft-crashes-in-kochi/articleshow/61736420.cms












https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/08/21/second-predator-drone-crashes-in-turkey-in-four-days/












23 Jun 21, 2017 US Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk

Mid-flight (electronics failure)

California USAF Investigation

24 Jun 20, 2017 Iran? Syria? Shahed-129 Shot down Syria Press report

25 Jun 8, 2017 Iran? Syria? Shahed-129? Shot down Syria Press report

26 May 6, 2017 US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper Mid-flight (lost link) Classified USAF Investigation

27 May 2, 2017 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight New Mexico, USA

Press report

28 Mar 24 2017 UK Army Watchkeeper Mid-flight Irish Sea Service InquiryPress report

29 Mar 3, 2017 US Air Force Unknown ? Bagram, Afghanistan

Press report

30 Feb 3, 2017 UK Army Watchkeeper Mid-flight Irish Sea Service InquiryPress report

2016

31 Nov 29, 2016 French Army Spewer SDTI Mid-flight Meusien, France Press report

32 Oct 9, 2016 Turkey Anka Mid-flight Turkey Press report

33 Sep 26, 2016 Pakistan Falco Mid-flight Mianwali, Pakistan

Press report

34 Aug 24, 2016 Turkey Bayraktar TB2 Mid-flight Sanliurfa, Turkey Press report

35 July 5, 2016 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Syria USAF InvestigationPress report

36 Jun 18, 2016 Pakistan Wing Loong I Mid-flight Punjab, Pakistan Press report

37 Jun 7, 2016 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Take-off phase (crew error)

Nevada, USA USAF Investigation

38 May 31, 2016 Piaggio Aero Hammerhead Mid-flight Off Sicily Press report

39 May 16, 2016 Iran? Syria? Shahed-123 Mid-flight (shot down)

Syria Press report

40 Mar 18, 2016 Indian Navy Heron Mid-flight Kerala, India Press report

41 Mar 8, 2016 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lost link) Classified USAF Investigation

42 Feb 21 2016 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing Kandahar, Afghanistan

Press report

43 Feb 2 2016 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Landing (Lost link) Adana, Turkey USAF InvestigationPress report

44 Jan 30 2016 Pakistan Unknown Mid-flight Sargodha, Pakistan

Press report

45 Jan 07 2016 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (pilot error)

Al-Qaim, Iraq USAF InvestigationPress report







https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/world/middleeast/syria-drone-shot-down.html



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2018/050617_MQ9A_CENTCOM.pdf



https://www.krwg.org/post/military-drone-crashes-near-holloman-air-force-base









https://twitter.com/ResoluteSupport/status/837897009768071168









https://www.estrepublicain.fr/edition-de-verdun/2016/11/29/meuse-un-drone-se-crashe-sur-une-maison-a-senon



http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/unmanned-aerial-vehicle-crashes-in-turkeys-east-104755






https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kokpit.aero%2Fiha-mecburi-inis-yapti



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2017/070516_MQ9A_Cannon.pdf



https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/823888/mq-9-crashes-in-northern-syria/platform/hootsuite/



https://www.popsci.com/chinese-made-drone-crashes-in-pakistan






https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2016/06/01/piaggio-aero-drone-prototype-crashes-in-mediterranean/






http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/navys-heron-uav-crashes-off-keralas-coast-after-engine-failure-1288673






http://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-drones-idUSKCN0VU06S






http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/02/03/us-drone-crashes-turkey/79783670/



http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/01/30/national/paf-drone-crashes-in-fields-near-sargodha/






http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2016/01/08/air-force-says-drone-crash-iraq-accident/78501106/






2015

46 Dec 29 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing (mechanical failure)

Djibouti WaPo FoI

47 Nov 24 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing (crew error) Bagram. Afghanistan


48 Nov 20 2015 Indian Army Nishant Mid-flight Rajasthan, India Press report

49 Nov 18, 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Take-off phase (engine failure)

Kandahar, Afghanistan

USAF Investigation

50 Nov 8 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (mechanical trouble)

Near Ali Al Salem air base, Kuwait

USAF Investigation Press report

51 Nov 4, 2015 US Army MQ-1 Gray Eagle Mid-flight Kabul, Afghanistan

Press report

52 Nov 4 2015 Indian Army Nishant Mid-flight Rajasthan, India Press report

53 Nov 2 2015 UK Army Watchkeeper Landing (software failure)

Salisbury, UK Inquiry reportPress report

54 Oct 19 2015 Unknown Unknown Mid-flight Marib, Yemen Press report

55 Oct 19 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (Mechanical failure)

Southern Turkey Press report

56 Oct 17, 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (Weather) Kut, Iraq USAF InvestigationPress report

57 Sep 24 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (Weather) Derna, Libya USAF InvestigationPress report

58 Sep 18 2015 Pakistan Falco Mid-flight Sargodha, Pakistan

Press report

59 Aug 31 2015 US Army MQ1 Gray Eagle Landing (electrical failure)

Afghanistan WaPo FoI

60 Aug 31 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight Afghanistan WaPo FoI

61 Aug 11 2015 Iranian Air Force

Shahed-129 Mid-flight Iran/Pakistan border

Press report

62 Jul 16 2015 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight (lost link) Southern Iraq Press report

63 Jul 11 2015 Israeli Air Force

Hermes 450 Mid-flight Lebanon Press report

64 Jul 5 2015 UAE Air Force Seeker 200 Mid-flight (shot down?)

Yemen Press report

65 Jun 28 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight Kandahar, Afghanistan

WaPo FoI

66 Jun 22 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight Southeast Iraq USAF press release

67 Jun 21 2015 Israeli Air Force

Unknown Mid-flight Lebanon Press report

68 Jun 7 2015 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight Afghanistan WaPo FoI

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/drone-crashes/database/?tid=a_inl



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2016/112425_MQ-9A_CENTCOM.pdf



http://www.stripes.com/news/air-force-drone-crashes-in-afghanistan-1.380498



http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/20-Nov-2015/indian-army-s-drone-crashes-in-rajasthan









http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/08/us-military-drone-crashes-in-kuwait




http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/World/2015/Nov-04/321616-afghan-official-drone-crashes-in-mountains-near-capital.ashx



http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/army-uav-crashes-in-jaisalmer-1240224



https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/577237/20161212-WK006-Part1.1-1-4-Page24-RT.pdf



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mod-launch-investigation-after-watchkeeper-drone-crashes-near-salisbury-plain-a6721371.html



http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-drone-idUSKCN0SD26J20151019



http://www.stripes.com/news/mechanical-failure-cited-in-predator-crash-in-southern-turkey-1.374302












http://www.ilfoglio.it/esteri/2015/09/25/un-drone-predator-caduto-su-una-zona-dello-stato-islamico-in-libia___1-v-133157-rubriche_c680.htm



http://www.dawn.com/news/1207978






https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/drone-crashes/database/



https://world-defense.com/threads/iranian-shahed-129-uav-crashes.2879/



http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/tech/2015/07/23/dod-confirms-mq-1-uav-crash-iraq/30563951/



http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/11/us-lebanon-israel-idUSKCN0PL07H20150711



https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/aerospace-aerospace/seeker-ii-uav-shot-down-in-yemen/






https://www.uasvision.com/2015/06/24/mq-1-predator-crash-in-southeastern-iraq/





http://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanon-israel-bombs-drone-downed-in-bekaa-valley/








69 May 27 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Off coast Djibouti

WaPo FoI

70 May 27 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)

Southern Iraq USAF Investigation Press report

71 May 18 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper ? Kandahar, Afghanistan

USAF Investigation

72 May 5 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper ? Classified USAF Investigation

73 May 1 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Nevada, US USAF press release

74 Apr 28, 2015 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Take-off phase (lost link)


75 Apr 5 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Off coast Djibouti

WaPo FoI

76 Mar 17 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Shot down Latakia, Syria USAF report

77 Mar 1 2015 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)


USAF Investigation

78 Mar 2015 Iranian Air Force

Shahed-129? Mid-flight Khurmatoo, Iraq Press report

79 Feb 4 2015 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Off coast Africa USAF Investigation

80 Jan 26 2015 Nigeria CASC CH-3 Mid-flight Borno, Nigeria Press report

81 Jan 23 2015 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Take-off phase New Mexico, US Press report

82 Jan 09 2015 Indian Air Force

Heron-1 Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Barmer, India Press report

2014

83 Dec 12 2014 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (electrical failure)


84 Dec 11 2014 US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper Landing (pilot error) Nevada, US USAF Investigation

85 Dec 03 2014 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Landing Georgia, US WaPo FoI

86 Nov 26 2014 Indian Air Force

Heron-1 Mid-flight Kutch, India Press report

87 Oct 20 2014 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing (pilot error) Niamey, Niger Press report

88 Oct 20 2014 UN Falco Take-off phase DR Congo Press report

89 Oct 16, 2014 UK Army Watchkeeper Landing (software failure)

Aberporth, UK MAA inquiry report

90 Sep 23 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Yemen Press report

91 Sep 17 2014 US Air Force Unknown Mid-flight Afghanistan Press report

92 Sep 10 2014 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight (mechanical failure)








http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/05/29/drone-isil-iraq/28177803/




http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2016/051815_MQ-9A_Afghanistan.pdf



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2016/050515_MQ9A_AFRICOM.pdf



http://www.creech.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123446919











https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2015/06/29/air-force-lost-predator-was-shot-down-in-syria/






http://defensetech.org/2015/03/10/report-iran-drone-crashes-west-of-tikrit/






https://medium.com/war-is-boring/whose-drone-just-crashed-in-nigeria-c8c55bdf3476



http://www.everythinglubbock.com/story/d/story/predator-drone-crashes-at-holloman-air-force-base/33331/Li_aCnbHxUK0KAtkReeWUA



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Air-Force-UAV-Heron-crashes-in-Barmer/articleshow/45823617.cms












http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/iafs-uav-crashes-near-bhuj-town/1/403858.html



http://news.yahoo.com/us-drone-crashes-niger-airport-193740720.html



http://news.yahoo.com/un-surveillance-drone-crashes-eastern-dr-congo-201153425.html



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-into-the-watchkeeper-wk031-unmanned-air-vehicle-uav-accident-at-west-wales-airport-on-16-october-2014





http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/23/us-yemen-usa-drone-idUSKCN0HI15P20140923



http://www.stripes.com/news/coalition-drone-crashes-near-pakistan-border-1.303717








93 Aug 18 2014 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Landing (engine failure)


94 Aug 03 2014 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight Afghanistan WaPo FoI

95 Jul 14 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)

Afghanistan USAF Investigation

96 Jun 27 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Nevada, US USAF Investigation

97 Jun 25 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Jalalabad, Afghanistan

USAF Investigation

98 Jun 23 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)


99 Jun 16, 2014 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Landing Afghanistan WaPo FoI

100 Apr 26 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)


101 Apr 04 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (pilot error) US, Nevada USAF Investigation

102 Feb 25 2014 US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper ? Classified WaPo FoI

103 Feb 16 2014 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Taxiing Afghanistan WaPo FoI

104 Feb 2014 Iran Shahed-123 Mid-flight Iran Press report

105 Jan 28 2014 US DHS MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

California, US Press Report

106 Jan17 2014 Ecuador Navy Searcher II Mid-flight (engine failure)

Ecuador Press Report

107 Jan 17 2014 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Off Libya coast USAF Investigation

108 Jan 15 2014 UN Falco Landing DR Congo Press Report

109 Jan 15 2014 US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper Mid-flight Yemen Press Report

2013

110 Dec 13 2013 Indian Army Heron-1 Landing Tamil Nadu, India

Press Report

111 Dec 06 2013 Turkey Air Force

Anka Mid-flight Turkey Press Report

112 Nov 14 2013 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing Nevada, USA Press Report

113 Nov 13 2013 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Take-off phase Afghanistan WaPo FoI

114 Nov 12 2013 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (electronics failure)

Lake Ontario, USA

USAF Investigation

115 Oct 30 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight New Mexico, US Press report

116 Oct 24 2013 US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Landing Maryland, US WaPo FoI

117 Oct 16 2013 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle








http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2015/071414_MQ1B_Kandahar.pdf



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2015/062714_MQ1B_Creech.pdf



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2015/062514_MQ1B_Afghanistan.pdf



http://www.acc.af.mil/media/archives/story.asp?id=123435823









http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2014/040414_MQ1B_CREECH.pdf












http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/28/dhs-drone-pacific-calif/4958529/



http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=1500242&CategoryId=14089



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2014/011714_MQ1B_MEDITERRANEAN.pdf



http://www.uasvision.com/2014/01/16/un-falco-crashes-in-congo/



https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/01/21/u-s-drone-crashes-in-yemen/



http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/uav-crashes-into-coconut-grove/article5457371.ece



http://indiandefence.com/threads/another-turkish-anka-uav-crashes.38502/



http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/air_force_drone_crashes_this_week_at_nevada_base.html



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/national/drone-crashes/database/



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/111213_MQ9_NewYork.pdf



https://www.uasvision.com/2013/11/01/mq-1b-predator-crashes-outside-holloman-air-force-base/











118 Oct 08 2013 Israeli Air Force

Hermes 450 Mid-flight (engine failure)

Israel Press report

119 Oct 4, 2013 UK Army Hermes 450 Landing Afghanistan FoI

120 Sep 23 2013 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight (engine failure)


121 Sept 17 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lost link) Off coast of Sicily WaPo FoI

122 Sep 5, 2013 UK Army Hermes 450 ? Afghanistan FoI

123 Aug 14 2013 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan WaPo FoI

124 July 24 2013 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Landing (engine failure)


125 July 23 2013 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing New Mexico, USA

Press Report

126 July 14 2013 Israeli Air Force

Hermes 450 Mid-flight Israel/Egypt border

Press Report

127 Jun 27 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (mechanical failure)


128 June 5 2013 US Marines K-Max Mid-flight Afghanistan Press Report

129 May 27 2013 US S-100 Camcopter Mid-flight Somalia Press Report

130 May 13 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Nevada, USA USAF Investigation

131 May 11 2013 Israeli Air Force

Heron-1 Mid-flight (engine failure)

Israel Press Report



133 Apr 9, 2013 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Mali Press Report

134 Apr 5 2013 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (weather) Gulf of Aden WaPo FoI

135 Mar 29 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lightning strike)


136 Mar 2 2013 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electronics failure)


137 2013 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator ? Classified WaPo FoI

2012

138 Dec 21 2012 Pakistan Unknown Mid-flight Pakistan Press Report

139 Dec 13 2012 US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Landing (mechanical failure)

Off Libyan coast WaPo FoI

140 Dec 5 2012 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (crew error)

Nevada, US USAF Investigation

141 Nov 14 2012 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight (engine failure)


http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/israeli-air-force-investigates-hermes-450-crash-391541/

















http://www.cnjonline.com.php56-17.ord1-1.websitetestlink.com/2013/07/25/aircraft-damaged-during-training-flight-at-cafb/



http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169918#.UlgD42ZwZMs






http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/jun/13/k-max-unmanned-helicopter-crashes-afghanistan



http://theaviationist.com/2013/05/29/schiebel-s-100/#.UcRf12ZwbIU



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/051313_MQ-1B_Creech_full.pdf



http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-grounds-drone-fleet-after-crash/






https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/US-drone-crashed-in-Mali-in-Apri-20130712









http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/030213_MQ-1B_Kandahar.pdf






https://www.dawn.com/news/772963






http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/120512_MQ-9_Nevada_full.pdf








142 Oct 26 2012 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)


143 Oct 11 2012 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle



144 Sept 27 2012 Turkey Air Force

Anka Mid-flight (lost link) Turkey Press report

145 Sept 25 2012 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle



146 Sept 18 2012 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (lost link) Iraq USAF Investigation

147 Aug 22 2012 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)


148 July 25 2012 US Air Force / GA

MQ 1C Gray Eagle / MQ-1 Predator

Taxiing Arizona, US Press Report

149 July 24 2012 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Take-off phase (pilot error)


150 July 22, 2012 UK Army Hermes 450 ? destroyed Afghanistan FoI




Take-off phase Afghanistan WaPo FoI




154 Jun 11 2012 US Navy RQ-4A BAMS Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Maryland, USA Navy press release

155 May 19 2012 Pakistan army

Falco Mid-flight Pakistan Press Report

156 May 10 2012 Schiebel Schiebel S-100 Mid-flight South Korea Press Report

157 Apr 17, 2012 US Army A160T Hummingbird

Mid-flight (Mechanical failure)

California, US Press report

158 April 14 2012 US Air Force MQ1-B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)


159 April 6 2012 US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Mid-flight (electronics failure)


160 April 4 2012 US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper Take-off phase (pilot error)

Seychelles USAF Investigation

161 Mar 31 2012 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Classified WaPo FoI

162 Mar 31 2012 UK Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing (pilot error) Afghanistan FoI

163 Mar 30 2012 US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Landing (lost link) off West Africa WaPo FoI

164 Mar 21 2012 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan WaPo FoI

165 Feb 25 2012 US Air Force Unknown Mid-flight Pakistan Press Report

166 Feb 21 2012 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Djibouti USAF Investigation

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/102612_MQ-1B_Afghanistan_release.pdf






http://theaviationist.com/2012/10/01/anka/









http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2013/082212_MQ-1B_CENTCOM_AOR_release.pdf



http://www.suasnews.com/2012/08/17967/army-investigating-collision-of-two-unmanned-aircraft/



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2012/072412_MQ-1B_Afghanistan.pdf













http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=67739





https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2012/05/falco-uav-crashes-in-pakistan/



https://www.suasnews.com/2012/05/schiebel-s-100-crash-kills-engineer-in-south-korea/



https://aviationweek.com/blog/more-bad-news-boeings-unmanned-a160



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2012/041412_MQ-1_Afghan_full.pdf



















https://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/25/world/asia/pakistan-drone-crash/index.html



http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2012/022112_MQ-1_Djibouti_full.pdf





167 Feb 16 2012 Indian Navy Searcher II Mid-flight India Press Report

168 Feb 14 2012 US Air Force MQ1-B Predator Landing (electrical failure)


169 Jan 30 2012 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (mechanical failure)


170 Jan 29 2012 Israeli Air Force

Heron TP Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Israel Press Report

171 2012 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Classified WaPo FoI

172 2012 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Classified WaPo FoI

2011

173 Dec 27 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)

Afghanistan Press Report

174 Dec 13 2011 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Take-off phase (electrical fail)

Seychelles USAF Investigation

175 Dec 4 2011 US Air Force/CIA

MQ-170 Sentinel Mid-flight Iran Press Report

176 Nov 11, 2011 Germany Heron-1 Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan Press report

177 Oct 7 2011 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing New Mexico WaPo FoI

178 Oct 2 2011 UK Army Hermes 450 Landing (engine failure)

Afghanistan MAA Investigation

179 Sep 22 2011 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight (engine failure)


180 Sep 11 2011 US Air Force Unknown ? Somalia Press Report

181 Aug 24 2011 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing New Mexico, US WaPo FoI

182 Aug 24 2011 China Wing Loong I Mid-flight China Press Report

183 Aug 21 2011 US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk

Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Afghanistan Press Report

184 Aug 20 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)


185 Jul 19 2011 Pakistan Navy

GIDS Uqab Mid-flight (bird strike)

Pakistan Press report

186 July 10 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan USAF Investigation

187 Jun 28 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (weather) Afghanistan ISAF report

188 June 5 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lightning strike)


189 May 20 2011 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Take-off phase Nevada, US WaPo FoI

190 May 17 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (electronics failure)


191 May 7 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Djibouti Press Report

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-17/india/31071172_1_uav-crashes-searcher-ii-sortie









http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4182105,00.html









http://www.khaama.com/isaf-confirms-to-identify-crash-site-of-nato-drone-250






https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/drone-belonged-to-cia-officials-say/2011/12/05/gIQAylYGYO_story.html?utm_term=.31427debf415



https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article121775327/Bundeswehr-Drohne-Heron-zerschellt-in-Afghanistan.html






https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-investigating-the-accident-involving-unmanned-air-system-uas-hermes-450-zk515-on-02-oct-11






https://www.reuters.com/article/us-somalia-drone-idUSTRE78P34020110926






http://archive.today/FkhwV



https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/isaf-confirms-2011-global-hawk-crash-368257/






https://tribune.com.pk/story/213634/pakistan-navy-inducts-drones-into-its-fleet/






https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/06/28/nato-pilot-less-aircraft-crashes-kunar









http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2011/051711_MQ-1B_Djibouti.pdf



https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/drone-crashes-mount-at-civilian-airports-overseas/2012/11/30/e75a13e4-3a39-11e2-83f9-fb7ac9b29fad_story.html?utm_term=.488b9e28f782





192 May 5 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (engine failure)



Afghanistan UASF Investigation

194 Apr 1 2011 US Aero Vironment

Global Observer 1 Mid-flight California Press report

195 Mar 16 2011 US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Mid-flight California, US WaPo FoI

196 Mar 15 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (mechanical failure)

Djibouti WaPo FoI

197 Mar 4 2011 Turkey Air Force

Heron -1 Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Turkey Press Report

198 Feb 8 2011 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight Yemen Press Report

199 Feb 7 2011 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Mid-flight (pilot error)

Iraq WaPo FoI

200 Jan 14 2011 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)


201 Jan 3 2011 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)


USAF Investigation

2010

202 Dec 2010 Germany Heron-1 Mid-flight (engine failure)

Afghanistan Press report

203 Dec 9 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (pilot error) Kandahar USAF Investigation

204 Nov 02 2010 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Take-off phase (lost link)


205 Oct 28 2010 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing New Mexico, US Press Report

206 Oct 22 2010 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Landing New Mexico, US Press Report

207 Oct 17 2010 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Landing Afghanistan WaPo FoI


Kabul USAF Investigation

209 Sep 4, 2010 US Army A160T Hummingbird

Landing (electronics failure

Belize Press report

210 Aug 31 2010 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (pilot error)

US California WaPo FoI

211 Aug 18 2010 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight (lost link) – not recovered

Iraq WaPo FoI

212 Aug 16 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (pilot error)

Iraq USAF Investigation

213 Jul 28 2010 US Army A160T Hummingbird

Mid-fight (pilot error) California, US Press Report

214 Jul 28 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Take-off phase (lost link)

New Mexico, US USAF Investigation

http://www.airforcemag.com/AircraftAccidentReports/Documents/2011/050511_MQ-1B_AOR.pdf






http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/aerovironment-investigates-cause-of-global-observer-355080/









https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/israeli-made-uav-crashes-in-mardin.96132/



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-02-09/alleged-us-spy-drone-crashes-in-yemen/1935160















http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2011/MQ-1B_Near KAF%2C Afghanistan_9 Dec 10 Exec Sum.pdf






http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/299527









http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2010/MQ-1B_AOR_ExecSum_19 Sep 10.pdf



https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/a160-hummingbird-crashes-during-testing-in-belize-347201/









http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2010/MQ-1B_AOR_ExecSum_16 Aug 10.pdf



http://www.ksby.com/news/unmanned-helicopter-crashes-in-mojave-desert-test/



http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2010/MQ-1B_Cannon_ExecSum_28 Jul 10.pdf





215 Jul 16 2010 Australian Air Force

Heron-1 Landing (software failure)

Canada Press Report

216 June 4 2010 Australian Air Force

Heron-1 Landing Afghanistan Press Report

217 June 3, 2010 UK Army Hermes 450 ? Destroyed Afghanistan FoI

218 May 21, 2010 UK Army Hermes 450 ? Destroyed Afghanistan FoI

219 May 14 2010 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Landing (weather) Iraq WaPo FoI

220 May 2, 2010 UK Air Force MQ-9 Reaper ? Afghanistan FoI

221 Apr 20 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Landing (pilot error) US, California USAF Investigation

222 Mar 17, 2010 Germany Heron-1 Taxing Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan

Press report

223 Mar 14 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight Afghanistan Press report

224 Feb 13 2010 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Take-off phase Afghanistan WaPo FoI

225 Feb 09 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator ? Afghanistan Press Report

226 Jan 24 2010 US Air Force Unknown Mid-flight Afghan/Pakistan Press Report

227 Jan 15 2010 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (pilot error)

Afghanistan WaPo FoI press

228 Jan 13 2010 Italian Air Force

MQ-1B Predator A

Mid-flight (lost link) Off Italian coast Press Report

2009

229 Dec 13 2009 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Take-off phase (engine fai)

Afghanistan Wikileaks War Logs WaPo FoI

230 Nov 20 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)


231 Nov 14 2009 US Army MQ-1B Warrior Mid-flight Afghanistan Wikileaks War Logs WaPo FoI

232 Oct 3 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (pilot error)


233 Sep 14 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Iraq Wikileaks War Log WaPo FoI

234 Sep 13 2009 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan Press Report

235 Sep 11 2009 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator Take-off phase New Mexico, US WaPo FoI


Afghanistan Wikileaks War Logs

237 Aug 22 2009 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Mid-flight (engine failure)

Iraq WaPo FoI

238 Aug 13 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)

Iraq USAF Investigation

239 Aug 12 2009 US Army I-GNAT Mid-flight Iraq Wikileaks War Logs

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/flight-safety/article-template-flight-safety.page?doc=heron-255-epilogue/hl7pe9a5



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/defence-in-spy-plane-cover-up/story-e6freuzr-1225912533299









http://www.airforce-magazine.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Reports/2010/August 2010/Day23/AIB_MQ-1_Crash_082010.pdf






https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/117314/mq-1-predator-crashes-in-southern-afghanistan/






http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-drone-crashes-20100706,0,208293,full.story



http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/25/pakistan.crash/






https://www.latimes.com/la-fg-drone-crashes-20100706-story.html

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/italy-investigates-loss-of-upgraded-predator-uav-337273/



http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/0x080e000001257a5acf8d160d2708837f/









http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2010/MQ-1B_AOR_ExecSum_20 Nov 09.pdf



http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/0x080e00000124f33aecbf160d2fab87b5/









http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2010/MQ-1B_AOR_ExecSum_3 Oct 09.pdf



http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/B8A8EDB1-95F7-BF28-823A618D49089CE4/








http://tinyurl.com/nwjuc3






http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/7AD7E518-C0DA-48D8-8789-6F9E9FFDCB22/








http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2009/MQ-1B_AOR_13Aug09.pdf



http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/6F6003B6-ACC0-F587-36651B80D2EDD619/







240 July 04 2009 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Landing Afghanistan Wikileaks War LogsWaPo FoI

241 Jun 12 2009 US Air Force MQ-1 Predator ? Nevada, US WaPo FoI

242 Jun 02 2009 UK Army Hermes 450 Mid-flight (engine failure)

Afghanistan Wikileaks War LogsFoI

243 May 28 2009 US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk

Mid-flight California, US WaPo FoI

244 May 13 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (lost link) Afghanistan USAF Investigation

245 May 08 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (mechanical failure)


246 Apr 28 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Take-off phase (mechanical)

Nevada. US USAF Investigation

247 Apr 21 2009 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Landing (lost link) Iraq WaPo FoI

248 Apr 20 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)


249 Apr 10 2009 US Army MQ-5B Hunter Mid-flight (lost link) Georgia, US WaPo FoI

250 Mar 20 2009 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper Mid-flight (engine failure)

California, US USAF Investigation

251 Mar 14 2009 Canada SPERWER Mid-flight Afghanistan Wikileaks War Logs

252 Feb 22 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (electrical failure)

Iraq Wikileaks War LogsWaPo FoI

253 Feb 08 2009 US Air Force MQ-1B Predator Mid-flight (engine failure)


254 2009 US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper ? Classified WaPo FoI

http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/F631AB76-10C6-483E-9E6D-C16696E93979/











http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/E8B3391F-B101-46AD-B63A-0CD9CD582138/









http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2009/MQ-1B_AOR_13May09.pdf






http://www.airforcemag.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Reports/2009/September 2009/Day03/Predator_AIB_report_042909_crash.pdf






http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2009/MQ-1B_AOR_20Apr09.pdf






http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2009/MQ-9_FortIrwin_20Mar09.pdf



http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/DF5B85B3-BD43-4519-BA60-7D3716DE0F31/





http://warlogs.wikileaks.org/id/9FB8FD3C-0516-ACA0-B80A54338C683924/














ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN - Drone Wars UK · 1 Introduction 7 2 Drone Crash Data 9 2.1 An overview of...

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Transcript of ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN - Drone Wars UK · 1 Introduction 7 2 Drone Crash Data 9 2.1 An overview of...