This course introduces students to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and surveys current UAS platforms, sensors, terminology, challenges to integrating UAS to the national airspace system and operations under FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regulations for small unmanned aircraft (Part 107). First half content includes the first half of Part 107 ground school instruction. Field trips are planned to an airport, a tower, a flight museum, and a flight service center.
I then focus on building and executing drone field operations. Students fly a quad copter or fixed wing drone which are used to create photo mosaics, topographic, vegetation, and 3D aerial maps while following lesson plans in radio communications, performance, physiological factors, decision making, airport operations, maintenance and pre-flight procedures. In addition students experience flying a fixed wing drone over larger areas (below is a sample plan for a flight for a marsh restoration area in Yaquina Bay).
The following areas of proficiency are taught in operations.
UAS Foundations
Robotic Aircraft
Data Links
UAS Control
Payloads
Weather & Elements
UAS Applications
Professionalism
Rules & Regulations
Airport Operations
Human Factors
Crew Resource Management
Aeronautical Decision-making
Safety Policy
Safety Risk Management
Safety Assurance
Safety Promotion.