Mapping

Fly

Mission preparation

Steps for the day(s) prior to when you are planning to fly.

  • Research the place you plan to fly
    • Know (and obey) any regulations, flight restrictions, etc.
      • Federal Aviation Adminstration (FAA) rules on UAS
      • Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)
      • Global drone regulations database
      • USA aeronautical charts online
      • USA flight restrictions map
    • Note any hazards or risks such as power lines, cell towers, etc.
  • Cache the basemap for the area in Mission Planner
  • Charge laptop batteries, camera batteries, transmitter batteries
  • Charge flight batteries
    • Caution: inspect batteries for any bulging or damage, and do not use if bulging or damaged
    • Caution: never charge batteries unattended!
    • Plug in your battery charger and add the XT-60 (or appropriate connector)
      • Caution: if you attached the battery to the connector first you risk creating sparks when plugging the leads in and damaging your charger
    • Plug the battery's XT-60 and balancer into the charger
    • Select LiPo and then Balance charge on the charger
    • Press start and then set the amps
      • Charge the battery at a level appropriate (lower amps will be a slower charge but is better for the strength of the final charge and overall battery life)
    • Press start again and set the number of cells (a 4S battery is 4 cells)
    • Press and hold the start button, and the charger will check the battery
    • Confirm the settings are correct and press start again to begin the charge
    • Return batteries to storage level if more than a couple of days without use, check every month or so
  • Pack everything for transport to flight location

Pre-flight checklist

  • Pilot safety
    • Remote Pilot in Command (PIC) preparedness
    • Physically and mentally fit, no alcohol in previous 8 hours and BAC <0.04 (12 hours bottle to throttle is a good guideline for pilots of manned aircraft as well as remote pilots flying drones)
    • Good practice to have a visible observer
  • Assemble the drone
    • Attach wings, tail, and connect servo wires
    • Multiple rubber bands on wings
    • Attach propeller
      • Caution: always remove the propeller during any diagnostics or troubleshooting and never attach propellor unless you are ready to fly
      • Numbers printed on the propeller should face forward
      • Hold motor housing when tightening propeller nut
    • Place battery
    • Check center of gravity
      • Drone should be level or 5 degrees nose down at most (not tail down)
  • Visual check
    • No visible damage
    • Check all connections (electronic, control horns, servo linkages, and other physical)
    • Control surfaces neutral
  • Turn on GCS, connect the base station telemetry via USB, and open Mission Planner
  • Power on transmitter
    • Caution: make sure throttle is all the way down
  • Plug in battery on drone
    • Make sure drone is flat and level
    • Power on where you want the drone to loiter in RTL mode
    • Pixhawk Main LED indicator
      • Solid any color: Armed
      • Breathing any color: Standby
      • Amber: Low battery or failsafe (e.g. return to home)
      • Blue: GPS not locked
      • Green: GPS locked
      • Fast Blink & Red: Arming error
      • Blink & Red: Other error
  • Connect GCS to drone in Mission Planner
  • Accelerometer calibration
  • Compass calibration
    • Compass calibration may not be necessary if you have not travelled a great distance from the last flight location where the compass was calibrated (the Earth's magnetic field varies depending on your location relative to the poles)
    • Check declination on GCS display, the red line emerging from the front of the drone icon should match the direction the physical drone is facing
  • Check your pitch roll and yaw angle on the GCS HUD and verify that they match the rotation of the drone
  • Check camera settings and test trigger camera manually
  • Flight mode check
    • Caution: check that drone is disarmed!
    • Toggle flight mode switch and confirm on the display in Mission planner that the drone is switching between the desired modes (FBWA ←→ Auto ←→ RTL)
  • Arm the drone by pressing and holding the arm button (the light changes to a solid from blinking)
    • Caution: ensure drone is in FBWA and the transmitter is on with throttle all the way down!
    • Caution: if the drone is in Auto or RTL it will immediately start the propeller!
    • Caution: if the transmitter is off, a failsafe will likely switch the drone into RTL mode!
  • RC Transmitter control check for elevon planes [or] 4-channel planes
    • Right stick forward: both elevons down [or] elevator down
    • Right stick back: both elevons up [or] elevator up
    • Right stick left: left elevon up, right elevon down [or] left aileron up, right aileron down
    • Right stick right: left elevon down, right elevon up [or] left aileron down, right aileron up
    • Left stick left: nothing [or] rudder left
    • Left stick right: nothing [or] rudder right
    • (Caution: with helper holding drone and well clear of propeller) Left stick forward: motor on full
    • Left stick back: motor off
  • FBWA response check for elevon planes [or] 4-channel planes
    • Roll drone left: left elevon down, right elevon up [or] left aileron down, right aileron up
    • Roll drone right: left elevon up, right elevon down [or] left aileron up, right aileron down
    • Pitch drone forward (nose down): both elevons up [or] elevator up
    • Pitch drone back (nose up): both elevons down [or] elevator down

Post Mission

  • Power off drone first, then transmitter and GCS
  • Check your camera memory card