The first assignment for the third and final course in the Professional UAV Certificate course.
"Pre-flying Operational Knowledge for the UAV Pilot"
If you think back to the time you were first learning to ride a bike, the first and most important thing about learning to ride a bike, was in fact, actually riding a bike. The act of balancing while riding in a straight line, turning and for sure, stopping! As well another important thing would be staying safe on the roads, abiding by traffic rules and looking both ways before rushing across the street, and possibly wearing a helmet.
One could just read books about bikes, or even complete an online course on riding bikes! While it would be important to understand the physics and mechanics of the bicycle movement, and the understanding the gear chain assembly, and the construction materials of the frame, and knowing all about the top brands, and quoting the specs of the bike itself and other bells and whistles, the most important thing still is actually riding the bike, and operating correctly on a nature trail, or the neighborhood streets or even at the bicycle park with ramps and jumps for fun. Take it a step further, and consider all the requirements for gearing up to ride a bike on the mean city streets along with motor vehicles!
The same could be applied to flying UAV in terms of studying background theoretical knowledge vs the practical knowledge of actually flying the UAV in a recreational environment, while completing meaningful tasks and missions and operating in the designated airspaces alongside other UAV and manned airplanes.
Step 1. Attain the Basic Knowledge for HOW TO fly a Quadcopter
This is a great tutorial retrieved from an online blogger and drone enthusiast: http://myfirstdrone.com/how-to-fly-a-quadcopter/ (Links to an external site.) as it covers the basics of how to hover and complete bank turns, with lots of practical exercises and basic techniques.
Step 2. The Know Before You Fly website (knowbeforeyoufly.org (Links to an external site.)) really nails it down what you need to do for Recreational, Business, Educational, and Government use. The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has released the first operational rules (Links to an external site.) (PDF) for Small UAV, under 55 lbs.
While flying aircraft would require airworthiness standards or aircraft certification, the FAA is not requiring UAV pilots to do that. Instead, the remote pilot must perform a preflight visual an operational all systems check on the UAV, including the comms link with the control station and UAV.
3. Complete the UAV registration process
Recommend privacy guidelines
* Comply with local and state laws
* FAA Remote Pilot Certification with small UAS rating
* Part 107 Rule
* Applying for a waiver for the Part 107 rule
There is a great merit for the written exam portion of the UAV Pilot Certificate. I think there would be an even greater need for the practical exam and the operational test. ERAU-Worldwide sUAS Consumer Guide Operational Test Plan (Links to an external site.). The two will truly test basic knowledge and hands-on competency. The two go together. We all stay safe if we all play by the rules.
The test criteria tests indoor and outdoor flight operations, and safe observer zones. The assessment sheets also cover every crazy scenario possible, with a threat/ risk assessment on items like if rotor blades hit the floor, batteries exploding and bad landings.
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| Source: Beyond the Drone Zone |
4. Pushing the Envelope
The Waiver process adds the needed flexibility for new users to do greater things with drones than the average user, for example something as necessary as night flying AND simultaneously controlling more than one UAV, try 100 to attain a Guiness Book of World Records feat !
Intel obtained FAA approval to become the first company to manually control multiple drones by one pilot under the Section 333 exemption, using a unique and coordinated IP networking scheme, to demonstrate the power of "the Internet of Things". [3]
Quote retrieved from Intel Newsroom https://newsroom.intel.com/sydney-drone-100-field/ (Links to an external site.)
[An even 100 drones took to the air over Tornesch, Germany, on the evening of Nov. 4, 2015, to create Drone 100. The elaborate marriage of music and light and flight was the result of months of effort by Intel Corp. engineers and Ars Electronica FutureLab digital artists. Their sky-filling artwork was accompanied by an orchestra on the ground and fully enabled by Intel-powered PCs. All their efforts were rewarded with a Guinness World Records citing for the “most unmanned aerial vehicles airborne simultaneously.” (Credit: Intel Corporation) ]
A civilian non-regulatory body can help bridge the gap with drone enthusiasts, expert users and the FAA. The Drone Advisory Council was founded in May 2016. The FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced that Intel CEO Brian Krzanich will lead the Drone Advisory Council (Links to an external site.), who had this to say: “A positive regulatory environment can be the great enabler for drone innovation, safety and industry expansion. I am honored to assist decision makers in prioritizing and addressing issues facing the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) into national airspace,” said Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO. “As a technology partner in the UAS ecosystem, our work at Intel has given us relevant insight into issues faced by a wide range of stakeholders. The creation of the Drone Advisory Council is an excellent step forward for all in this industry.” [4]
[3]https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/beyond-the-drone-zone
[4] https://newsroom.intel.com/editorials/peter-cleveland-intel-ceo-and-drone-enthusiast-to-lead-new-faa-drone-advisory-council/
