DJI Mavic 2 Pro suddenly knocked out of the sky during a mine explosion

While making a recording of a mine explosion in South Africa, a DJI Mavic 2 Pro was hit by a piece of rock, which was thrust into the air by the explosion. This is according to a report from the South African Aviation Authority. The drone was flying at an altitude of 120 meters at the time of the explosion. The device could not be found. However, a final recording of the explosion was secured.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro disconnected

Film images of mine explosions are always impressive to watch. An aerial shot literally adds an extra dimension to this. But then it is important to maintain sufficient distance, according to a remarkable report prepared by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, following an incident that occurred on October 27, 2021.

With the help of a Mavic 2 Pro, images were made of mine explosions near the city of Middelburg. The conditions were perfect for Shooting Drones: little wind, sunny, good visibility, and well away from airports. But during the fourth flight that day, things went wrong: during one of the explosions, the connection was suddenly cut and the drone never returned.

Rock knocks DJI Mavic 2 Pro out of the sky

The drone pilot in question reported the drone incident to the South African Aviation Authority. It was concluded that the drone must have been hit by a piece of rock, which was thrown into the air by the explosion. That happened at an altitude of no less than 120 meters or 400 feet, the maximum allowed flying height for drones in South Africa (as well as in the US).

Although a search was launched by the company that carried out the explosions immediately after the loss of the drone, the unmanned aircraft could not be found. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is believed to have been buried under the debris from the explosion. A final shot was secured from the cache of the app that controlled the drone, showing the explosion — and possibly the rock that knocked the drone out of the sky.

Recommendation

Based on the incident, the Aviation Authority issued the following safety recommendation:

“Drone operators must predetermine a safe distance (vertical and horizontal) from all potentially unsafe work areas.”

The authority emphasizes that the drone pilot is not to blame and that the recommendation was made purely to improve flight safety.

Let us know what you think of this News story in which a DJI Mavic 2 Pro gets knocked out of the sky after a mine explosion. We're curious to hear what you think in the comments below.

This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.

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