{"id":"bc0971b7-7ff7-454c-a2ba-89e7d2df56fb","slug":"apellix-b1-orlando-pilot-injury-2024-02","kind":"injury","headline":"Apellix B1 washing drone operator seriously injured while manually disarming drone after loss of control near Orlando, Florida","summary":"On February 20, 2024, an Apellix B1 small unmanned aircraft system lost directional control at 2-3 feet altitude during a hospital power washing operation near Orlando, Florida. The remote pilot attempted to regain control and then disarm the drone via remote control, but the drone did not respond. The pilot grabbed the drone to manually unplug the battery, sustaining several lacerations to arms, hands, and legs, and partially severing one finger. The NTSB investigated the incident (report ERA24LA216).","occurredAt":"2024-02-20T19:30:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"unreviewed","modelId":"b227a6ca-b15e-4cd7-b469-f06faf21c2eb","deploymentId":null,"companyId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"serious","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"investigation","regulatoryBody":"NTSB","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z","model":{"id":"b227a6ca-b15e-4cd7-b469-f06faf21c2eb","companyId":"6d1d373f-bf5d-4a93-80fa-f3d0ae7052e5","modelName":"Apellix B2 Power Wash","slug":"apellix-b2-power-wash","description":"The Apellix B2 Power & Soft Wash Drone delivers up to 4,000 PSI pressure washing at heights up to 195 feet. It is the only cleaning drone certified by the U.S. Department of Defense, used for cleaning buildings, windows, solar panels, and industrial structures.","formFactor":"other","industryVertical":null,"environment":null,"maturityStage":"production","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://apellix.com/products/power-wash-b2/","label":"Apellix B2 Power & Soft Wash Drone","title":"Apellix B2 Power & Soft Wash Drone","mediaType":"article","sourceName":"Apellix (official)"},{"url":"https://rippingitoutdoors.com/products/apellix-power-soft-wash-drone-model-b2-up-to-11-gpm-4-000-psi-195-ft-height-for-industrial-cleaning-drone","title":"Apellix Power & Soft Wash Drone Model B2","sourceName":"Ripping It Outdoors"},{"url":"https://www.commercialuavnews.com/the-best-cleaning-drones-on-the-market-today--a-complete-buyer-s-guide-apellix","title":"The Best Cleaning Drones on the Market Today: A Complete Buyer's Guide","sourceName":"Commercial UAV News"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Max pressure","value":"4,000 PSI (240 bar)"},{"label":"Max flow rate","value":"11 GPM (42 lpm)"},{"label":"Max height","value":"195 feet (60 meters)"},{"label":"Payload","value":"25 lbs"},{"label":"Drone weight","value":"21 lbs (without batteries)"},{"label":"Flight time","value":"Up to 32 minutes per battery set"},{"label":"Certification","value":"DoD certified, NDAA compliant, Made in USA"},{"label":"Base price","value":"USD 47,000 (drone + accessories)"}],"createdAt":"2026-08-13T13:07:17.036Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-13T14:49:01.496Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":null,"company":null,"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"a7a82fcd-8181-48ae-8651-550fff25a4e6","incidentId":"bc0971b7-7ff7-454c-a2ba-89e7d2df56fb","url":"https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/410518","label":"Aviation Safety Network","publishedAt":"2024-02-20T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"Aviation Safety Network","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z"},{"id":"1bf505ab-9ade-443c-95f1-1a28854c701e","incidentId":"bc0971b7-7ff7-454c-a2ba-89e7d2df56fb","url":"https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194250/pdf","label":"NTSB","publishedAt":"2024-02-20T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"NTSB","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:12.423Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"6642ddd6-8da1-462c-ba3b-40f704b089ca","incidentId":"bc0971b7-7ff7-454c-a2ba-89e7d2df56fb","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:13.574Z","createdAt":"2026-08-13T13:08:13.574Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/apellix-b1-orlando-pilot-injury-2024-02","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/apellix-b1-orlando-pilot-injury-2024-02","headline":"Apellix B1 washing drone operator seriously injured while manually disarming drone after loss of control near Orlando, Florida","description":"On February 20, 2024, an Apellix B1 small unmanned aircraft system lost directional control at 2-3 feet altitude during a hospital power washing operation near Orlando, Florida. The remote pilot attempted to regain control and then disarm the drone via remote control, but the drone did not respond. The pilot grabbed the drone to manually unplug the battery, sustaining several lacerations to arms, hands, and legs, and partially severing one finger. The NTSB investigated the incident (report ERA24LA216).","identifier":"bc0971b7-7ff7-454c-a2ba-89e7d2df56fb","datePublished":"2024-02-20T19:30:00.000Z","articleSection":"injury","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":["primary-government-record"]}}}