Before you fly a drone, there are several procedures to follow to ensure safety, compliance with regulations and successful flight.
Below is a comprehensive guide that covers all the critical steps you need to take before flying your drone.
- Control of Regulations and Legislation
1.1 Information on the Regulations
- Check your local legislation: Regulations on the use of drones vary from country to country and can even vary in different regions within the same country.
Before you fly, check the regulations in your area. - Licences and registrations: Carry your EASA Certified Operator’s Licence, Open or Special Category, your insurance policy and where required a flight plan.
1.2 Prohibited and Controlled Areas
- No-fly zones: Avoid flying your drone in zones where flying is prohibited, such as near airports, military bases and government buildings.
- Controlled zones: In some areas you may need special permission or have to fly at certain altitudes.
(In Greece, the zones have not yet been defined, we are expecting within the year from the Civil Aviation Authority) - Flight Plan : If the area is restricted or restricted then we will have to get a flight plan from the MPA.
- Preparation of the Drone and Equipment
2.1 Control of the Drone
- Physical examination: check the drone externally for any damage or deterioration.
Make sure that the propellers are in good condition and firmly attached to the body of the aircraft. - Battery: Make sure that the batteries of the drone and the remote control are fully charged.
Check for signs of wear on the batteries.
- Pairing cable : If we don’t have a smartcontroller, then have a second pairing cable back up for our mobile or tablet.
2.2 Control of the Software
- Software update: Make sure the drone and remote control software is up to date with the latest version.
- Setting the navigation system: check the settings of your GPS and other navigation systems to make sure they are working properly.
- Sensors : Check the sensors of the Drone.
2.3 Control of the Equipment
- Remote control: Check the functionality of the remote control, ensuring that all buttons and levers respond correctly.
- Camera and sensors: If your drone has a camera or other sensors, make sure they are clean and working properly.
- Preparation of the Flight Environment
3.1 Weather Control
- Weather Check : By using applications & sites that inform us about the weather we can see the weather conditions we will face.
- Temperature: Extreme temperatures can affect the performance of the drone, especially the battery, resulting in less flight time
- Weather: make sure that the weather conditions are suitable for the flight, after we do a visual check.
Avoid flying when there are wind gusts, rain or low visibility.
3.2 Selection of the Flight Area
- Safe area: choose an open area away from obstacles such as trees, buildings and power lines.
- Common: Avoid flying near crowded areas or places where you may cause a nuisance or danger to others.
- Before Takeoff
4.1 Flight Checks
- Flight simulation: if possible, run a flight simulation to make sure all systems are working properly.
- Calibration: Calibrate the drone’s compass and gyro to ensure flight accuracy, it is advisable to do this every 15 flights or if you move 100 km from the area where you last calibrated.
4.2 Functionality Check
- Engine check: test the engines before take-off to ensure that they are working properly.
- Signal check: check the signal strength between the remote control and the drone to avoid interruptions in the connection.
- Battery check : We check the charging rates of the battery.
- Camera check : We look at our camera to see if it gives a picture.
- RTH: Confirmation of Return To Home operation
- During the Flight
5.1 Monitoring the Drone
- Visual contact: always maintain visual contact (V-los) with your drone so that you can control it manually if necessary.
- Contact: Monitor drone data such as battery status and distance from take-off point, altitude – latitude.
5.2 Emergency response
- Emergency plan: Always have a contingency plan in case something goes wrong, such as loss of signal or low battery.
- Activate the return function: In case of loss of control, activate the RTH automatic return function if available.
- After the Flight
6.1 Re-checking the Drone
- Check for damage: After landing, check the drone for any damage or deterioration that may have occurred during the flight.
- Maintenance: Clean and maintain your drone regularly to ensure its proper operation.
- Remove the battery : It is advisable to remove the battery that has been used.
6.2 Review of the Flight
- Data analysis: analyse the flight data to understand the drone’s performance and improve future flights.
- Storage of records: If you keep a record of your flights, add the new flight to your records for future reference.
- Logbook Recording : Update your Logbook hours & batteries to know the exact number of your flights.
( done & online via the app )
- Continuing Education and Information
- Education: keep yourself trained and up to date on new technologies and regulations concerning drones.
- Participation in communities: Join drone communities and forums to share experiences and learn from other users but filter what you read.
By following these procedures, you will ensure a safe and successful flight with your drone.
Have a good flight!
