Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) operate in shared airspace alongside manned aircraft, and like any aviation operation, things can go wrong. A flyaway, a mid-air collision, a lost-link event, or a crash that causes property damage or injures a bystander all demand a specific, practiced response. Under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 107, remote pilots in command (RPIC) carry legal responsibilities that parallel many of those carried by manned aircraft pilots — including mandatory accident reporting. Knowing when to make a report, who receives it, and what information to convey is tested on the FAA Part 107 Unmanned Aircraft General knowledge exam and, more importantly, is critical to acting responsibly as a professional drone operator.
This article walks through the full framework: the regulatory triggers that require formal FAA accident reporting, the role of Air Traffic Control (ATC) during an in-flight emergency, when local authorities must be contacted, and the practical steps an RPIC should take in the moments following an incident. It also covers the edge cases that trip up test-takers and real-world operators alike.
The FAA Mandatory Accident Reporting Requirement
The cornerstone rule lives in 14 CFR § 107.9. Under this regulation, a remote pilot in command must report an accident to the FAA within 10 calendar days of the operation if the sUAS operation results in either of the following outcomes:
- Serious injury to any person. A serious injury is defined as one that requires hospitalization of more than 48 hours, results in a bone fracture (other than simple fractures of fingers, toes, or the nose), involves severe hemorrhage, nerve damage, or muscle or tendon damage, involves damage to an internal organ, involves second- or third-degree burns, or involves any other injury that a medical professional classifies as serious.
- Loss of consciousness by any person — this alone triggers the reporting requirement regardless of whether any other injury occurred.
- Damage to any property, other than the sUAS itself, if the cost of repair (or fair market replacement value if repair is not practicable) exceeds $500.
Note what doesn't trigger mandatory reporting: damage only to the drone itself, a flyaway that results in no injury and no property damage above the threshold, or a hard landing that only scuffs the aircraft. Many test questions are designed around this distinction. The aircraft is explicitly excluded from the $500 damage threshold — meaning a $2,000 total-loss drone crash that harms no person and damages no external property does not require a § 107.9 report.
Reports are submitted to the FAA. The current mechanism is to file directly with the FAA's Drone Zone portal or by contacting the nearest Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). The report must include the RPIC's name, contact information, certificate number, the date and location of the accident, and a description of the event including any injuries or property damage.
Air Traffic Control Notification During an In-Flight Emergency
Remote pilots operating in controlled airspace under a Part 107 authorization (either via the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability system, LAANC, or a formal waiver) must communicate with ATC when the situation demands it. Unlike a manned aircraft where the pilot has a radio on board, the RPIC communicates with ATC from the ground — typically by phone through the relevant ATC facility's non-emergency line or, in a rapidly developing emergency, through whatever means is available fastest.
If a drone is operating near an airport or in Class B, C, D, or E airspace and suffers a malfunction that could pose a hazard to manned traffic — for example, a flyaway toward an active runway environment or an uncontrolled descent over a populated area — the RPIC should immediately contact ATC at the controlling facility. The contact number for a specific facility can be found in the Chart Supplement (formerly called the Airport/Facility Directory) or on the FAA's website. The goal is to give controllers the information they need to protect manned aircraft: the drone's last known or estimated position, altitude, direction of drift, and a description of the aircraft. ATC can then issue traffic alerts to nearby aircraft and coordinate airspace protection.
In Class G (uncontrolled) airspace, there is no ATC facility to call, but the RPIC should still consider notifying the nearest FSDO and, where appropriate, local law enforcement if the drone poses an ongoing public safety risk.
Notifying Local Authorities
Part 107 does not mandate contacting local law enforcement (police, fire, or emergency management) in every accident scenario, but practical judgment and public safety considerations make it the right call in many situations. Circumstances where contacting local authorities is strongly warranted include:
- The drone has struck a person or vehicle and bystanders require emergency medical services.
- The crash has caused a fire or structural damage to property.
- The drone has landed in an inaccessible or hazardous location (on a highway, near power lines, in a schoolyard) where the wreckage poses a continuing hazard.
- A flyaway carries the aircraft beyond visual line of sight and the RPIC has lost the ability to recover or monitor it — local authorities may need to locate the aircraft to prevent additional hazards.
When calling local authorities, the RPIC should be prepared to describe the aircraft's appearance, its last known position and heading, the nature of the emergency, and confirm that they are the certificated RPIC responsible for the operation. This proactive communication demonstrates professionalism and helps responders handle the scene safely.
Flyaway and Lost-Link Procedures
A lost-link condition — where the control station loses communication with the drone — is one of the most common in-flight emergencies for sUAS operators. Part 107 requires that prior to flight, the RPIC must ensure the drone has a pre-programmed lost-link behavior (sometimes called return-to-home or a predefined flight termination sequence) that is appropriate for the operating environment. This is part of the preflight planning responsibility under 14 CFR § 107.49.
During an actual lost-link event, the RPIC should: (1) attempt to re-establish the data link by moving to a better radio environment or switching frequencies/channels if the system supports it; (2) monitor the aircraft's pre-programmed response; (3) clear the area of bystanders; and (4) if the aircraft appears headed toward a hazardous area, contact ATC (if in controlled airspace) and local authorities without delay. After the event, evaluate whether the outcome meets the reporting thresholds under § 107.9.
Key Numbers and Rules
- 10 calendar days — the window to file a mandatory FAA accident report under § 107.9 after a qualifying event.
- $500 — the property damage threshold (excluding the sUAS itself) that triggers mandatory reporting.
- Serious injury or loss of consciousness — the personal injury triggers; hospitalization over 48 hours is one definition of serious injury.
- 14 CFR § 107.9 — the specific regulation governing accident reporting for remote pilots.
- 14 CFR § 107.49 — preflight responsibilities, including planning for lost-link contingencies.
- Chart Supplement / FAA website — source for ATC facility phone numbers by airport or TRACON.
- FAA Drone Zone or FSDO — the filing destinations for accident reports.
Common Test Traps
- The sUAS itself doesn't count toward the $500 threshold. A destroyed drone with no external property damage and no injuries does not require a § 107.9 report, no matter the cost of the aircraft. Exam questions frequently present expensive drone losses with no other consequence to test whether you know this exclusion.
- Ten calendar days, not business days. The clock starts on the day of the accident and runs on calendar days. Missing this window is a regulatory violation in itself.
- Loss of consciousness alone is sufficient. Even if a bystander faints from shock after a near-miss and no physical injury occurs, loss of consciousness triggers mandatory reporting.
- Voluntary NASA ASRS reports do not satisfy § 107.9. Filing a NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System report is encouraged (and provides limited immunity for certain violations), but it is a separate, voluntary system and does not substitute for the mandatory FAA accident report required by § 107.9.
- ATC notification is a real-time safety action, not a substitute for post-incident reporting. Calling ATC during a flyaway is about protecting airspace in the moment; the § 107.9 report is a separate, subsequent regulatory obligation.
Understanding these notification procedures is more than an exam exercise. The 10-day reporting window, the $500 damage threshold, and the ATC communication protocols exist because the FAA — and the public — need accurate, timely data about sUAS accidents to manage airspace safety and improve regulation. As a remote pilot in command, treating these requirements seriously reflects the professionalism that earns public and regulatory trust for the entire drone industry.