What are common signs that your UAS is out of control or orientation is lost?

• A. Calm hover and stable GPS lock.
• B. Erratic movement, GPS loss, compass anomalies; land safely immediately.
• C. Perfectly straight flight.
• D. Increase altitude without changing speed.

Answer: (B)

Recognizing abnormal UAV behavior that indicates loss of control is crucial for safe flying. When you see erratic movement, GPS loss, and compass anomalies, those are strong signs the aircraft isn’t responding as expected and may have lost orientation. In that situation, the safest action is to land safely as soon as practicable to prevent a crash. The other scenarios describe normal or expected conditions: a calm hover with stable GPS suggests everything is functioning normally, a perfectly straight flight is typical during stable travel, and a climb with no change in speed could be a deliberate maneuver or normal ascension. Spotting the combination of erratic motion, GPS loss, and compass issues and acting to land promptly helps protect people and property and reduces the risk of an uncontrolled flight.