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Module 2: Equipment

Lesson 3: Field Planning and Preparation

AIFS Drone Curriculum Package

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Agenda

1

Introduction to Concerns

2

Peripheral Equipment Orientation

3

Getting to Know your Equipment

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Preparing Your Equipment

https://youtu.be/ZLWzsJVOfKI

Peripheral equipment orientation

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Reference Video

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�

Drone

  • Batteries
  • GPS
  • IMU
  • Propellers
  • Antennae
  • Firmware

Sensor

  • Gimbal
  • Memory card
  • Lens
  • Sometimes:
    • Battery
    • Illumination �sensor
    • IMU

Flight controller

  • Battery
  • Antennae
  • Manual flight controls

Tablet

  • Apps
    • Mission planning
  • Drone calibration
  • Sensor calibration
  • Internet connection
  • OS

gimbal �or USB

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WiFi

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Wifi or�Bluetooth

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WiFi �or USB

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�Manuals, Websites, YouTube, Tutoring, Colleagues

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�Stickers

Phantom 3S labels

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�Checklists & Cheat Sheets

Checklists ⭐⭐⭐

  • Manufacturer
  • Online
  • Apps
  • Make your own (and update it often)!

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Resources

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�Log Sheets and/or Files

  • Keep a running log of everything you do!
  • Every: takeoff, landing, battery or SD card change, safety event, and all other notable occurrences
  • There are numerous flight log formats; choose the one that works for you (and adapt as needed)
  • Your logs can be analog or digital; as long as they are generated and capture all relevant information
  • The important thing is to KEEP TRACK OF WHAT HAPPENED
  • Doing so is useful for everything from making sense of your data to defending yourself in liability litigation
  • Resist the temptation to just show up and fly!

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�Field Notes and Post Mortems

What worked? what didn’t?

Configuration settings

Connecting the equipment lessons learned

Accessories you wished you had brought

How good was your planning? Did you allocate enough time?

Risks you were prepared for?

Risks you were not prepared for?

Mission Documentation Sample

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Getting to Know Your Equipment:�

Practice!

Practice!

Practice!

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Check Airspace and Requesting Missions

https://ucdrones.github.io/

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Check Weather

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Solar Noon?

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/davis