so you want to fly drones
TRANSCRIPT
Brad HaydenRobotic Skies
So You Want To Fly DronesWhat’s safe, legal and practical
John ZimmermanSporty’s Pilot Shop
John Zimmerman• Active GA Pilot
Comm/Multi/Inst/Heli
• Vice President Sporty’s Pilot Shop
So You Want To Fly Drones
Brad Hayden• Private Pilot
• Avionics Technician
• President & CEO Robotic Skies
So You Want To Fly Drones
•What are UAS?•Rules for operation•Fitness for operation•UAS site selection•Preflight considerations•Additional resources
presentation overviewSo You Want To Fly Drones
1What are UAS?
•UA – Unmanned Aircraft•UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle•RPA – Remotely Piloted Aircraft•UAS – Unmanned Aircraft System
BasicsA drone by any other name
• LOS – Line of Sight• BLOS – Beyond Line of Sight• sUAS – Small UAS weighing
under 55 pounds• FPV – First Person View• NASA UTM – Unmanned Traffic
Management System• OPA - Optionally Piloted Aircraft• Consumer Drones – UAS flown
for hobby purposes• Commercial Drones – flown for
pay or compensation
BasicsHelpful terminology
BasicsUAS components
FAA: Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System
(NAS) Roadmap
BasicsFoundation technology
BasicsReally cool capabilities
BasicsNot just multirotors
BasicsSmart ideas
• Video/photography• Agriculture• Exploration• Inspection• Science• Survey• Disaster relief/rescue• Safety/law
enforcement
BasicsDumb ideas…
Basics…and predictable outcomes
BasicsPurchasing decisions
• Mission - what do you need it to do? Payload?
• Who will operate it? • Price - you get what
you pay for (mostly)• Ground controller
matters a lot! Screen or phone?
• Battery life
2Rules for sUAS operation
OperationsRules
• The FAA considers drones to be aircraft
• You must operate under an exemption
• Hobby, Public Entity, Commercial
• Ignorance of the rules is no excuse, especially for certificated pilots!
OperationsRestrictions
• Fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles
• Keep the aircraft within visual line of sight at all times• Remain well clear of and do not interfere with manned
aircraft operations• Don't fly within 5 miles of an airport unless you contact
the airport and control tower before flying• Don't fly near people or stadiums• Don't fly an aircraft that weighs more than 55 lbs• Don't be careless or reckless with your unmanned
aircraft – you could be fined for endangering people or other aircraft
OperationsToDos
• Hobby – register your drone with the FAA
• Commercial – get a Section 333 exemption
• Public Entity – obtain a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization
• More commercial rules coming this year
3Pilot considerations
Airmanship applies to unmanned aviation just like it does to manned aviation
You ARE a pilot!
Airmanship mindsetFitness for operation
How are you feeling?Fitness for operation
Currency and proficiencyFitness for operation
•Yes, read the manual• Lost comm link?• Automation modes• Battery life
•Don’t be autopilot dependent. Be proficient “on the sticks”•When in doubt, downgrade automation
Automation managementFitness for operation
•FPV – you may need an observer• Important• Observer is to find other
aircraft or obstacles. • Doesn’t extend LOS.
Crew resource managementFitness for operation
4Site evaluation for UAS
•Regulatory considerations•Airports•TFRs•People•Stadiums
Most important step in your preflightSite evaluation for UAS
•Airport permission•Some airports have online forms
Contacting airportsSite evaluation for UAS
•B4UFly (FAA)•Hover•Drone Buddy•Airmap
Apps can help a lotSite evaluation for UAS
Screenshot it!
•Consider helicopters – they often operate below 500 ft. AGL
Not just airportsSite evaluation for UAS
•Obstacles - especially power lines!
Hazards beyond the mapSite evaluation for UAS
•Consider the location of the sun•You must be able to keep drone in sight at all times
What’s safe, not just what’s legalSite evaluation for UAS
It’s not about the law; be a good neighbor!
PrivacySite evaluation for UAS
•Community considerations• Local ordinances• State laws may be more
restrictive than FARs
Not just the FAASite evaluation for UAS
•Use Google Earth to get a sense of terrain, houses, etc.•Visit in person•Take notes/photos from previous flights
Inspect the siteSite evaluation for UAS
•Area clear? Consider cones or a tarp
Landing zoneSite evaluation for UAS
WindsObstaclesTerrain/turbulenceForced landing optionsEntry routeExit routeLanding spot condition
Checklist can helpSite evaluation for UAS
5Preflight procedures
If you don’t preflight, you will crash
Yes, you do need to do a preflightPreflight procedures
•Weather considerations
• Visibility• Temperature• Density altitude• Rain – bad for
electronics
Weather checkPreflight procedures
•Wind is particularly important - over 10 knots?
Wind is a limiting factorPreflight procedures
•Damaged or worn rotors, batteries or landing gear?•Registration visible?
Aircraft inspectionPreflight procedures
•Logbook can help prove you’re serious•For pilot and aircraft
Consider some CYAPreflight procedures
•Full charge on all systems•Swap out batteries and log it•LiPo battery considerations
Battery conditionPreflight procedures
•SD card empty?•Wiring secure?•Check settings on controller
Check camera systemPreflight procedures
•Verify AP mode•Verify GPS lock – essential for stable flight
Autopilot and GPSPreflight procedures
Do a runup/hover check
One last stepPreflight procedures
6Additional resources
•RegisterMyUAS.FAA.gov•B4UFLY app•KnowBeforeYouFly.org
Stay up to dateAdditional Resources
•Academy of Model Aeronautics (modelaircraft.org)•Local model airplane club
Stay up to dateAdditional Resources
•RoboticSkies.com/news•Sportys.com/drones
Stay up to dateAdditional Resources
John [email protected]
So You Want To Fly DronesWhat’s safe, legal and practical
Brad [email protected]