Navigation, Maps and Position Reporting
This domain tests practical navigation: coordinate systems, altitude and heading references, wind correction, map reading and reporting your position in a form others can use.
References and formats
RPAS work normally uses WGS-84 coordinates. Know both decimal degrees and degrees-minutes-seconds, and how to convert. Maps show true north; the aircraft compass shows magnetic; variation east is subtracted from true to get magnetic, variation west is added. Philippine variation is small but not zero, so check the chart. Altitude may be AGL, AMSL or indicated on QNH - always state which.
Wind correction
Track is the path over the ground; heading is where the nose points. Wind creates drift that must be corrected by a heading offset. Groundspeed differs from airspeed by the wind component along track.
Maps and geofences
Read scale to convert millimetres on the chart to metres on the ground; identify pylons, masts, roads and property lines. Geofences are software limits drawn on a map, not surveyed barriers.
Worked example
Track required 090° true, airspeed 15 m/s, wind 020° at 5 m/s. The wind blows toward 200°, giving a crosswind component of about 4.7 m/s to the right and a small headwind. Uncorrected, the aircraft tracks about 110°. To hold 090°, steer roughly 19° left: heading about 071°. Groundspeed becomes about 14 m/s, so timing must be adjusted. Reasoning: crosswind divided by airspeed gives drift angle; apply it opposite to the drift.
Traps
Flying the wind direction as a heading; mixing magnetic heading with true track on a chart; reporting a position without specifying the datum or altitude reference.