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Lost link and flyaway procedures: planning before the signal drops

Last updated 2026-11-14 · Published by Certloom Learning · Sources

Plan for a lost link before launch: check your aircraft's lost-link behavior, set a return altitude that clears obstacles, brief the crew on the contingency, and make sure the aircraft will pose no undue hazard if you lose control for any reason (14 CFR 107.19(c)). A flyaway is not automatically reportable under 107.9, but damage or injury is.

A lost link means the radio connection between the control station and the aircraft has dropped. AC 107-2A says the small UAS typically uses radio frequencies for that link and notes that loss of control (LOC) and flyaways are among the reported problems with small UAS frequency implications. A flyaway is the worse outcome: the aircraft is no longer under the pilot's control and is flying away on its own. Lost link can be brief and recoverable, or it can lead to a flyaway if the aircraft's failsafe does something unexpected.

Part 107 does not use the word flyaway. It asks for the result you would want in either case. Under 14 CFR 107.19(c) the remote pilot in command must ensure that the small unmanned aircraft will pose no undue hazard to other people, other aircraft or other property in the event of a loss of control of the aircraft for any reason.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A; 14 CFR 107.19 (eCFR).

AC 107-2A describes automated operations: the remote pilot inputs a flight plan, the autopilot flies it, and if the remote PIC loses the control link, the aircraft would continue to fly the programmed mission or return home to land. The same paragraph says that during automated flight the remote PIC must have the ability to change routing or altitude, or command the aircraft to land immediately. AC 107-2A also lists "return home" as one example of a pre-programmed safe mode, together with a hover or a holding pattern.

What your aircraft does is set by its configuration, not by the FAA. Many models let you choose between return to home, hover and land. Find the setting, read the manual, and know it before every flight. The AC 107-2A preflight list also includes verifying that the aircraft has acquired GPS from the minimum number of satellites the manufacturer specifies, and that the control link works.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A.

How do I set a safe return-to-home altitude?

The return altitude is the height the aircraft climbs to before it flies home in a failsafe. If it is lower than the tallest obstacle on the way, the aircraft can hit it. If it is higher than the legal ceiling, the aircraft can break 14 CFR 107.51(b), which caps altitude at 400 feet above ground level unless the aircraft is within a 400-foot radius of a structure and no higher than 400 feet above the structure's uppermost limit.

Worked example

Picking a return altitude

Say you launch from a field and the tallest obstacle between the aircraft's likely path and the launch point is a 150 ft cell tower, 600 ft from the launch point. You want a return altitude that clears it with a margin, and you want it under 400 ft AGL at the launch site. A return altitude of 250 ft gives a 100 ft margin over the tower and stays inside the limit.

  1. Walk or survey the area and find the tallest obstacle on the planned route.
  2. Add a margin you are comfortable with for GPS error and terrain change. The FAA gives no number, so use your judgment and the manufacturer's guidance.
  3. Check the sum against 400 ft AGL. If the required height is higher, move the launch point or the route instead of raising the setting.
  4. Set the value in the app, then confirm it again during preflight.

The aircraft also needs a valid home point. Record it after the aircraft acquires enough satellites, and update it if you launch from a moving or different location.

If a real emergency makes the safe height higher than the limit, 14 CFR 107.21 allows a deviation to the extent necessary to meet the emergency, with a written report to the FAA on request. That is for an actual emergency, not for convenience in planning.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): 14 CFR 107.51 (eCFR); 14 CFR 107.21 (eCFR); FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A.

AC 107-2A, Appendix B, explains the radio side. The 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands are the unlicensed bands that most small UAS use, they are also used for computer wireless networks, and interference can cause problems in areas with many wireless signals, such as dense housing and office buildings. Many modern small UAS control the aircraft on 5.8 GHz and send video on 2.4 GHz to reduce interference. Both bands are line of sight, so the command and control link will not work properly when barriers sit between the control station and the aircraft. Keeping the aircraft in sight under Part 107 helps prevent obstructions from interfering.

ProblemWhat the FAA material saysWhat to do
Radio interferenceDense wireless environments can cause problems; check the manual (AC 107-2A, B.6.1)Scout the site, test the link at low altitude, avoid crowded signal areas
Blocked line of sight2.4 and 5.8 GHz are line of sight; barriers disrupt the link (B.6.1.2)Keep the aircraft in sight and clear of obstacles that sit between you and it
Weak GPSPreflight: confirm the aircraft acquired the minimum number of satellites the manufacturer specifies (7.3.4)Wait for lock; do not launch without it, and set the home point after lock
Compass errorPreflight: calibrate the compass prior to any flight; recheck controls and stability within range of interference at low altitude (7.3.4)Calibrate per the manufacturer, away from sources of magnetic distortion

On compass interference, the AC only tells you to calibrate and to test for interference at low altitude. That steel, vehicles and electrical equipment can distort a magnetic sensor is general knowledge of how these sensors work, and manufacturers often say so in their manuals.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A.

What goes into the crew briefing?

14 CFR 107.49(b) requires the remote PIC to ensure that all persons directly participating in the operation are informed about the operating conditions, emergency procedures, contingency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and potential hazards. Lost link belongs in that briefing, because it is the contingency you most need everyone to share before it happens.

The crew resource management guide covers how to run the briefing and keep communication simple.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): 14 CFR 107.49 (eCFR); FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A.

The FAA does not give a numbered checklist, so use the manufacturer's procedure, then these steps from the regulations and AC 107-2A:

  1. Keep eyes on the aircraft. VLOS rules (14 CFR 107.31) and the see-and-avoid duty in 107.37 continue to apply. AC 107-2A says that if the remote PIC cannot regain VLOS, follow predetermined procedures such as landing immediately, hover mode or a return-to-home sequence, depending on the aircraft.
  2. Check whether the return-to-home has started. Do not fight the failsafe with commands that cannot reach the aircraft.
  3. Re-establish the link if possible, for example by moving to improve line of sight or by turning the aircraft toward you.
  4. Give way to crewed aircraft. 14 CFR 107.37 requires a small unmanned aircraft to yield the right of way to all aircraft and not to create a collision hazard.
  5. If the aircraft is going away and you cannot recover it, remember the emergency authority of 107.21, note the last known position, direction and battery, and keep people clear of the likely descent area.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A; 14 CFR 107.31 (eCFR); 14 CFR 107.37 (eCFR); 14 CFR 107.21 (eCFR).

Do I have to report a flyaway or lost drone?

Not by itself. The mandatory report in 14 CFR 107.9 applies to a flight involving serious injury to any person or any loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than your own aircraft unless the repair cost or fair market value does not exceed $500. A report must reach the FAA within 10 calendar days. Losing only your own drone does not meet the criteria, but hitting a parked car, a roof or a person does.

If you used an emergency deviation under 107.21, the FAA can ask for a written report. Separately, NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System has a UAS/Drone report form for drone pilots, visual observers and crew. It is a voluntary safety reporting channel, not a replacement for a report the FAA requires.

Worked example

Two outcomes from the same flyaway

Say a drone loses link and flies off, then crashes into a neighbor's metal shed and dents a panel with a $900 repair bill. Property damage over $500 means the remote pilot must report to the FAA within 10 calendar days. Say another aircraft drifts into a field and lands in grass with no damage and no injury. Under 107.9 no FAA report is required, although the pilot can still file a voluntary safety report and should update the preflight procedure.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): 14 CFR 107.9 (eCFR); NASA ASRS: electronic report forms (UAS/Drone form); 14 CFR 107.21 (eCFR).

What are the common test traps?

See also emergencies and accident reporting, preflight and maintenance and lithium battery safety.

Sources (checked 2026-11-14): FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A; 14 CFR 107.19 (eCFR); 14 CFR 107.9 (eCFR).

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How this page was made: written by Certloom Learning from the sources above, with the rules checked against the current regulation text. Practice items are original questions from the app's reviewed bank. Spot an error? certloomlearning@gmail.com.