DRTS Instructor Theory key terms

An FAA-issued approval letting a public agency fly a specific UAS operation outside standard rules, with stated limits, conditions, and an expiration date the agency must follow.

The FAA rule set governing small unmanned aircraft operations for civil users, covering pilot certification, operating limits, airspace authorization, and remote pilot responsibilities in command of the aircraft.

The certificated person who has final authority and responsibility for a small UAS operation, including preflight inspection, airspace compliance, and the safety of the flight from start to finish.

Uncontrolled airspace where most small UAS operations occur without prior air traffic control authorization, though other operating limits such as altitude ceilings and visibility still apply to the flight.

Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, an automated system that lets remote pilots request and receive near-real-time airspace authorization in controlled airspace at published grid altitudes before flying.

Permission from air traffic control, obtained through LAANC or a manual FAA request, that allows a UAS operation in controlled airspace within stated altitude and location limits.

A published notice alerting pilots to temporary hazards, closures, or restrictions such as TFRs and stadium events, which a remote pilot must check during preflight planning before launch.

A time-limited airspace restriction issued for events such as wildfires, VIP movement, or security operations, which prohibits or limits UAS flight and requires checking before every launch.

A systematic check of the aircraft, batteries, propellers, control links, and payload before launch to confirm the system is airworthy and configured correctly for the planned mission.

The remote pilot's judgment that an unmanned aircraft is in a condition for safe flight, based on inspection findings, maintenance records, and resolution of any known defects or damage.

The requirement that the remote pilot or a trained observer can see the aircraft unaided at all times, maintaining awareness of its position, attitude, and surrounding traffic without binoculars or screens.

A crew member positioned to watch the aircraft and airspace, scanning for traffic and hazards while the pilot manages controls, and communicating warnings clearly and promptly to the pilot.

The practice of using all available crew, equipment, and information effectively through clear communication, role assignment, workload sharing, and mutual monitoring to reduce human error during operations.

A crew's ongoing understanding of aircraft state, airspace traffic, weather, people on the ground, and emerging threats, which allows timely decisions before problems escalate into emergencies.

A tool that rates hazards by likelihood and severity so a crew can compare options, set controls, and decide whether a mission proceeds, changes, or is cancelled before launch.

The systematic process of finding conditions or actions that could cause harm, such as weather, wires, crowds, or equipment faults, before they combine into an accident.

A control put in place to reduce the likelihood or severity of an identified hazard, such as setting a minimum standoff distance, adding an observer, or postponing flight.

A deliberate checkpoint where the crew confirms that weather, airspace, equipment, personnel, and site conditions meet pre-set criteria before continuing or starting a flight.

The habit of using written, standardized procedures at defined points in an operation, reading items aloud and confirming completion, rather than relying on memory under pressure.

A preplanned response for when command and control is interrupted, specifying whether the aircraft hovers, returns to home, or lands, and what the crew does while waiting.

A written set of steps telling the crew whom to notify, how to secure the site, and what to do first when an aircraft crashes, injures someone, or creates a public hazard.

A standardized command structure that lets agencies and partner organizations coordinate roles, communications, and resources during emergencies, including UAS teams supporting fire or law enforcement operations.

The documented sequence and contact list for reporting an accident, injury, or airspace violation to the operator, the FAA, local authorities, and other required parties within stated timeframes.

Coordination that keeps UAS altitudes, areas, and timing separated from manned aircraft and other UAS crews, often through briefings, published altitudes, and communication with incident command.

The study of how adults learn, emphasizing self-direction, relevance to real work, experience-based problem solving, and immediate application rather than rote memorization of content.

A specific, observable statement of what a learner will be able to do after instruction, including the condition and standard of performance used to judge success.

Instruction built around realistic missions or emergencies that require learners to apply knowledge and make decisions under conditions resembling actual field operations.

Evaluation in which learners demonstrate a skill against a stated standard, such as completing a preflight inspection or a lost link response, rather than answering recall questions.

A scoring guide listing the criteria and levels of quality used to judge a learner's performance consistently, making feedback specific and results comparable across instructors and evaluations.

A documented plan of additional instruction and re-evaluation given when a learner does not meet a standard, targeting the specific gap rather than repeating the entire course.

Maintaining organized training, maintenance, flight, and incident records that show compliance, support audits, and allow reconstruction of what happened on a given operation.

The operator's written rules for how routine and non-routine tasks are performed, giving crews a consistent, reviewable basis for decisions instead of individual improvisation.

Preparing alternate actions for foreseeable problems such as weather changes, airspace closures, or equipment failure, so crews know in advance what to do when the primary plan fails.

The duties an approved public operator accepts, including operating within stated limits, maintaining trained personnel and records, and reporting accidents or deviations to the issuing authority.

Documented evidence that a trainer meets required knowledge, currency, and demonstrated instructional competence before being authorized to teach or evaluate other crew members.