Drone Emergency Procedures and Lost Link: The Part 107 Guide

What to carry into your next study session

• Emergency procedures are a Part 107 knowledge area. Before flight, the remote pilot in command should identify likely abnormal situations—such as a loss of control link, loss of GPS, low battery, degraded aircraft control, or a control-station failure—and confirm the aircraft and control station are in a condition for safe operation.
• There is no single Part 107 lost-link maneuver that fits every aircraft and site. Know the manufacturer’s configured failsafe behavior before launch, plan a site-specific contingency, and avoid assuming that return-to-home, hover, or landing behavior will be safe in every location. A response should protect people and property, consider airspace and obstacles, and stay within the remote pilot in command’s responsibility for the operation.
• Use a clear crew briefing when a visual observer or other crewmember is involved: assign who watches the aircraft and surrounding airspace, who communicates changes, and how the crew will report an emergency. Crew resource management supports timely communication, shared situational awareness, and sound decisions rather than replacing the remote pilot in command’s authority.