RPAS Basic case studies
RPAS Basic · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The RPAS Basic exam is the entry-level knowledge test for remotely piloted aircraft system operations. This independent study page is built for candidates preparing for a basic operations pilot certificate who want structured practice across the four knowledge areas that make up the exam blueprint: air law, air traffic rules and procedures; RPAS airframes, power plants, propulsion and systems; human factors; and meteorology. The RPAS Basic case studies are 5 cases and about 2,630 words.
1Coastal Survey Flight at the Edge of the Control Zone
You are hired to fly a 4.5 kg multirotor for a coastal erosion survey along a shoreline that runs parallel to a controlled aerodrome boundary. The planned track sits 400 m outside the control zone lateral boundary but only 1.2 km from the threshold of the active runway.
589 words, about 3 min2Battery Voltage Sag on a Cold Morning Mapping Mission
A 6 kg fixed-wing RPAS is tasked with a 45-minute mapping sortie at 100 m AGL. Ambient temperature at launch is 2 °C, and the battery pack was stored overnight in an unheated vehicle.
527 words, about 3 min3Loss of GPS Mid-Grid Over Featureless Terrain
A 12 kg hexacopter is flying an automated photogrammetry grid at 80 m AGL over a large, uniform sand flat with few vertical features. The mission is 60% complete when the ground station shows the GPS status drop from 14 satellites to 4, then to no fix.
543 words, about 3 min4Fatigue and the Third Sortie of the Day
A remote pilot has flown two 40-minute sorties since 06:00, with a 30-minute break between them, and is now preparing a third sortie at 14:30 in 30 °C heat. The pilot skipped lunch and has been standing in direct sun for most of the day.
463 words, about 2 min5Convective Build-Up and a Marginal Crosswind
You plan a 25-minute inspection flight at 60 m AGL in an urban-fringe area. The morning forecast was for light winds, but by mid-afternoon the surface wind is 14 kt gusting 22 kt across the runway, and cumulus is building rapidly to the west with a dark base and visible virga.
508 words, about 3 min