Method of controlling an overly determined actuator system, said system having a first number of actuators ( a i) which first number is greater than a second number of actuators needed to perform a predetermined physical task with said actuator system, said actuators being devised as propulsion units, which form part of a multi-actuator aerial vehicle, MAV, comprising: automatically controlling said first number of actuators ( a i) by means of a control unit for jointly performing said predetermined physical task; repeatedly checking a functional state of said first number of actuators ( a i) in order to detect an actuator failure of any one of said first number of actuators ( a i); in case of any detected actuator failure, generating at least one emergency signal representative of an adapted physical task to be performed by a remaining number of actuators ( a i), wherein said emergency signal is generated based on dynamics and kinematics of the actuator system, on known physical capacities at least of the remaining actuators ( a i); characterized in that said adapted physical task comprises activating each of said remaining actuators ( a i) below a predetermined threshold of maximum physical load on a respective actuator ( a i) and activating the ensemble of remaining actuators ( a i) such that further damage to the actuator system is prevented; and a) said emergency signal is translated to a communication signal and communicated to a human operator of the actuator system or of the MAV which uses the actuator system, said communication signal being indicative of an operator action required to perform said adapted physical task; or b) said emergency signal is translated to a control signal and communicated to the control unit of the actuator system, said control signal being adapted to activate the remaining actuators to perform said adapted physical task, and wherein said emergency signal is applied to a motion planning device, which motion planning device uses the emergency signal to adapt a pre-planned flight trajectory of the MAV and to determine at least one possible adapted flight trajectory. automatically controlling said first number of actuators ( a i) by means of a control unit for jointly performing said predetermined physical task; repeatedly checking a functional state of said first number of actuators ( a i) in order to detect an actuator failure of any one of said first number of actuators ( a i); in case of any detected actuator failure, generating at least one emergency signal representative of an adapted physical task to be performed by a remaining number of actuators ( a i), wherein said emergency signal is generated based on dynamics and kinematics of the actuator system, on known physical capacities at least of the remaining actuators ( a i); characterized in that said adapted physical task comprises activating each of said remaining actuators ( a i) below a predetermined threshold of maximum physical load on a respective actuator ( a i) and activating the ensemble of remaining actuators ( a i) such that further damage to the actuator system is prevented; and a) said emergency signal is translated to a communication signal and communicated to a human operator of the actuator system or of the MAV which uses the actuator system, said communication signal being indicative of an operator action required to perform said adapted physical task; or b) said emergency signal is translated to a control signal and communicated to the control unit of the actuator system, said control signal being adapted to activate the remaining actuators to perform said adapted physical task, and wherein said emergency signal is applied to a motion planning device, which motion planning device uses the emergency signal to adapt a pre-planned flight trajectory of the MAV and to determine at least one possible adapted flight trajectory.