Operational Procedures
Planning and conducting the flight
Operational procedures cover everything from site survey to post-flight inspection. Candidates must understand the pre-flight risk assessment, the site survey, the definition of the operating area, the establishment of a geofence, and the briefing of crew and observers. Know the checks performed before take-off, the in-flight monitoring of battery, link quality and position, and the actions for contingencies such as link loss, fly-away, fire or a person entering the operating area.
Concepts to master
Learn the emergency procedures: loss of command and control link, loss of GNSS, low battery, motor failure, and uncontrolled descent. Understand the importance of a defined landing area, crowd control and the role of the visual observer. Know the procedures for night operations, for operations near aerodromes and for operations in controlled airspace. Understand the post-flight inspection and the reporting of defects and occurrences.
Common traps
Questions often test whether the pilot prioritises the aircraft or the people; protection of people always comes first. Another trap is assuming the automated failsafe is always the safest response in a populated area.
Rule of thumb
Brief the contingency actions before every flight, and keep the aircraft within a zone from which a safe forced landing is possible. Worked example: if the link is lost over a crowd, the correct action may be to let the aircraft hold or land in place rather than command a return to home that crosses people, so the failsafe must be chosen for the site.