Midway through a commercial rooftop inspection flight, the remote pilot's ground station displays a low battery warning with an estimated 4 minutes of flight time remaining. The inspection has 6 minutes of work left. What should the pilot do?
Why →
Battery management is a pre-flight and in-flight safety responsibility under § 107.49. A 4-minute warning with 6 minutes of work remaining is a clear go/no-go signal. Battery estimates can be optimistic under load, wind, or cold conditions. Running a LiPo to depletion risks an uncontrolled descent with no ability to steer to a safe landing zone. The correct action is to land with margin remaining, not to push the battery.The trap →
Choice A relies on optimism rather than data. Battery estimates under real-world load conditions are often accurate or optimistic, meaning actual remaining time may be less than displayed. Choice C reduces power but does not eliminate the shortfall and introduces the risk of a depleted battery over a structure.SOURCE → 14 CFR § 107.49; AC 107-2A Section 6.3CHECKED APR 22ACS V.A.K8MED