1.9 Accident Reporting and Recordkeeping

1.9 Accident Reporting and Recordkeeping

Understanding when and how to report drone accidents is both a legal requirement and a frequently tested exam topic. The FAA requires reporting of certain incidents within specific timeframes.

Mandatory Accident Reporting (§107.9)

The Remote PIC must report to the FAA any operation that results in:

1. Serious injury to any person — an injury requiring hospitalization (includes broken bones, severe lacerations, internal injuries, burns, loss of consciousness)
2. Loss of consciousness by any person
3. Damage to any property (other than the small UAS) of at least $500 to repair or replace

Reporting Timeline

• Reports must be filed within 10 calendar days of the incident
• Reports are filed through FAA DroneZone or by contacting your local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)

What Constitutes "Serious Injury"?

The regulation specifically includes injuries that:

• Require hospitalization for more than 48 hours within 7 days of the injury
• Result in a bone fracture (except simple fractures of fingers, toes, or nose)
• Cause severe hemorrhage, nerve, muscle, or tendon damage
• Involve any internal organ damage
• Involve second or third degree burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface

What Constitutes $500 in Property Damage?

The $500 threshold applies to:

• Damage to any property other than the small UAS itself
• Measured by the cost to repair or fair market value of replacement
• Damage to the drone itself is not counted toward the $500 threshold
• If your drone crashes into a car and the repair costs $500+, you must report it
• If your drone crashes and only the drone is damaged, no FAA report is required (though you should still document it)

Key Distinction: Damage to your own drone does not trigger the reporting requirement. Only damage to other property of $500 or more requires a report.

Report Contents

An accident report should include:

Recordkeeping Best Practices

While not all recordkeeping is required by regulation, maintaining thorough records is strongly recommended:

Recommended Records:

• Flight logs — date, time, location, duration, purpose of each flight
• Maintenance records — inspections, repairs, part replacements
• Battery logs — charge cycles, capacity degradation, retirement dates
• Incident reports — any unusual events, even if not reportable
• Crew records — training dates, qualifications, certificates
• Waiver/authorization copies — including conditions and expiration dates

Insurance Considerations

While Part 107 does not require drone insurance, many commercial operators carry:

• Hull insurance — covers damage to the drone
• Liability insurance — covers damage to third-party property and bodily injury
• Many clients and contracts require proof of insurance before allowing drone operations

For the Exam: Focus on the three reporting triggers (serious injury, loss of consciousness, $500+ property damage) and the 10-day reporting window.