What is the term for an incident involving damage to property or injury during sUAS operations?

The term "reportable accident" is specifically used to describe incidents involving damage to property or injury during small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) operations. In aviation terminology, a reportable accident typically refers to events that result in significant damage to aircraft or other property, or that cause serious injury or death. This term emphasizes the need for recording and reporting such incidents, as they are crucial for ensuring safety and improving operational practices in the sUAS community.

Understanding this classification helps operators and organizations identify when they need to take detailed notes, conduct investigations, and implement corrective actions. This focus on accountability and safety ultimately supports the development of more reliable standards and practices within the industry. The distinction of a reportable accident is important because it guides operators in following regulatory compliance and contributes to data collection for safety analyses.

In contrast, other terms like minor incident, incident report, and emergency situation do not encapsulate this broad and serious definition in the same way, as they may pertain to less impactful incidents or procedural documentation without the focus on significant repercussions that necessitate formal reporting.