FAA Drone Accident Reporting and Compliance Recordkeeping

A damaged drone does not automatically create an FAA report, and a minor-looking event can still trigger one. The reportability test focuses on injury, loss of consciousness, and damage to property other than the drone. NTSB notification is a separate federal check.

When Part 107 Requires an FAA Report

The remote PIC must report a qualifying safety event to the FAA no later than 10 calendar days after the operation. Section 107.9 requires reporting when the operation involves at least one of the following:

Serious injury to any person.
Any loss of consciousness.
Damage to property other than the small unmanned aircraft when repair cost, including labor and materials, exceeds $500.
Total loss of property other than the drone when the property’s fair market value exceeds $500.

Drone damage is excluded from the $500 calculation The cost of repairing or replacing the small unmanned aircraft itself is not counted toward the Part 107 property-damage threshold. Damage to another aircraft, vehicle, roof, window, solar module, utility asset, or other property can count.

Examples

Event	Part 107 reporting result
Drone destroyed after striking a tree; no other damage or injury	Not reportable to the FAA under §107.9 solely because of drone damage
Propeller causes a person to lose consciousness briefly	Reportable; any loss of consciousness qualifies
Drone breaks a $350 window; repair with labor totals $475	Not reportable under the property threshold if no injury or other qualifying event occurred
Drone damages a thermal camera on a roof; repair totals $1,200	Reportable because damage to property other than the drone exceeds $500
Vehicle damage is a total loss with fair market value above $500	Reportable
Person receives an injury that meets the federal serious-injury standard	Reportable

Do Not Wait Until the Tenth Day to Collect Evidence

The 10-day deadline is the outside reporting limit, not a reason to delay the internal response. Photographs, telemetry, controller logs, damaged components, weather records, witness information, and site conditions can be lost quickly.

Protect people and contact emergency services when needed.
Stop the operation and prevent additional hazards.
Preserve the aircraft, payload, batteries, controller, logs, memory cards, and damaged property when safe and lawful.
Record names, contact information, time, location, weather, airspace, aircraft configuration, and witness observations.
Determine whether FAA §107.9 reporting is required.
Determine whether immediate NTSB notification or another report is required.
Notify the insurer, client, property owner, employer, or contracting party as required by the policy or contract.
Complete corrective-action review before the aircraft or crew returns to service.

NTSB Reporting Is a Separate Analysis

FAA accident reporting under Part 107 does not replace NTSB notification under 49 CFR Part 830. The NTSB requires immediate notification of aviation accidents and certain listed incidents. Its thresholds and definitions are not identical to §107.9.

For unmanned aircraft, NTSB rules can apply to death or serious injury, and to substantial damage involving aircraft with an airworthiness certificate or approval. Certain serious incidents—such as a qualifying flight-control malfunction or fly-away—can also require notification even when the event does not meet the FAA’s $500 property-damage test. When in doubt after a significant event, review Part 830 promptly rather than waiting for the FAA filing deadline.

Minimum Incident Record

Record group	Information to retain
Operation	Date, time, project, client, exact location, purpose, authorization and waiver numbers
Crew	Remote PIC, control manipulator, visual observer, site contacts, certificate and currency status
Aircraft	Registration, Remote ID, serial numbers, firmware, payload, takeoff weight, battery IDs
Conditions	Weather, visibility, wind, lighting, airspace, TFR/NOTAM check, people and traffic
Event	Sequence, warnings, commands, lost link, impact, emergency actions, injuries and damage
Evidence	Photos, video, telemetry, flight logs, controller logs, witness statements, repair estimates
Reporting	FAA submission, NTSB contact, insurer, client, law enforcement, internal notifications
Corrective action	Root cause, equipment quarantine, repairs, retraining, procedural changes, return-to-service approval

Routine Compliance Records

Remote pilot certificates and recurrent training completion records.
Aircraft registration certificates and expiration dates.
Remote ID serial-number and declaration-of-compliance records.
Airspace authorizations, operational waivers, exemptions, and their conditions.
Preflight checklists, site risk assessments, and mission approvals.
Maintenance, inspection, repair, firmware, propeller, payload, and battery records.
Aircraft configuration and takeoff-weight records for modular systems.
Training and proficiency records for each aircraft, payload, and mission type.
Flight logs linked to the aircraft, remote PIC, customer, and authorization.
Incident, near-miss, corrective-action, and return-to-service records.

How Long Should Records Be Kept?

Part 107 does not impose one universal retention period for every routine operational document. Some specific approvals—especially Category 2, 3, or 4 compliance records, waivers, contracts, insurance policies, and other FAA authorities—can impose their own requirements. The company should set a written retention schedule based on the longest applicable regulatory, contractual, insurance, tax, and litigation period.

Keep records in a format that can be retrieved by aircraft, pilot, date, job, and authorization. A folder of screenshots without consistent file names is not a reliable compliance system.

FAA Inspection Rights

Under §107.7, the FAA can request documents, records, or reports required by the aviation regulations and can inspect or test the small UAS, remote PIC, control manipulator, and visual observer to determine compliance. The remote pilot certificate and identification must be physically present and readily accessible while exercising certificate privileges.

Common Reporting Errors

Counting the cost of the drone itself toward the $500 property threshold.
Ignoring labor when calculating repair cost to other property.
Waiting for a final invoice when the facts already show the threshold is exceeded.
Assuming a customer or insurer will file the FAA report for the remote PIC.
Submitting an FAA report but never checking NTSB requirements.
Repairing or updating the aircraft before preserving logs and configuration evidence.
Returning a pilot or aircraft to service without documented corrective action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a fly-away always require an FAA report?

Not automatically under §107.9. The injury and property-damage thresholds still control the FAA report. A flight-control malfunction or fly-away can, however, trigger separate NTSB notification depending on the facts.

Who files the Part 107 report?

Section 107.9 places the duty on the remote PIC. A company can assist with the submission, but the internal procedure should identify the responsible pilot and deadline clearly.

Is a near miss reportable?

It may not meet §107.9, but it can still be relevant under NTSB rules, a waiver condition, an airspace authorization, an insurance policy, a contract, or the company’s safety-management process. Document significant near misses even when no federal filing is required.

Related Guides

Compliance notice This page provides general federal compliance information and is not legal advice. Confirm current FAA rules, airspace restrictions, waivers, authorizations, and local requirements before each operation.