What are pilots doing as far as logging flight time, batteries, etc? I just got an email from drone logbook and was wondering if pilots liked the online or app setup vs. paper?
Drone Log Procdures
- Thread starter pctyphoon
- Start date
I use Kitty Hawk on my phone. Drone Operations Software for Personal, Business, and Enterprise Use | Kittyhawk.io Tempting as it may be I do not recommend trying to install it on your ST controller.
There are many to choose from. Paper and pen always works too.
Label each one of your batteries with a number and the purchase date. Keep track of the number of Charge/Discharge cycles.
Develop a pre-flight and post-flight check list. (several of us have taken off with the camera gimbal lock in place)
On the upper right side of the page is a magnifying glass or search function for this forum only. Search on "LOG BOOK" you will have lots to read on.
I think you will find it all boils down to personal preference.
There are many to choose from. Paper and pen always works too.
Label each one of your batteries with a number and the purchase date. Keep track of the number of Charge/Discharge cycles.
Develop a pre-flight and post-flight check list. (several of us have taken off with the camera gimbal lock in place)
On the upper right side of the page is a magnifying glass or search function for this forum only. Search on "LOG BOOK" you will have lots to read on.
I think you will find it all boils down to personal preference.
I've got a small notebook that I log the date, where and what I flew, and then flight times on each battery (I note them in .1hour increments) I have all my batteries labeled with a number for logging as well as the date of purchase so I can easily tell how old they all are. I also have each of the Hs I have numbered as well, but I've put all of the flight time on one airframe (the 2nd isn't registered yet)
CraigCam
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I use a note book mostly to track firmware versions and battery resistance. I use a gold sharpie and write purchase date and where bought on all batteries and then number them accordingly. It seems regardless of care and careful charging, after a year of use, most batteries are losing full capacitance and become untrustworthy. My studio engineer and I are working on taking my old batteries and powering guitar pedal boards. They still hold power but don’t burst right anymore. I use 350 batteries to power my field monitors. I tell people curious about getting into this field that you don’t own your power, you rent it.
FlushVision
Premium Pilot
I note all my flight particulars in a notebook in the field than when I get home I fill out my 'proper' log books with the deatails...a spreadsheet.
I say log books in the plural since as well as my main spreadsheet log book I also run a cut-down version which contains the minimum detail on flight hours that the CAA require for PfCO which they can inspect at any time. That does not contain battery info. Just the date, time, location, flight times, and is signed off by me on a monthly basis.
My main log book contains far more detailed info and is not available to the CAA since they don't require such detail:
Date; Time; Make/model of sUAS; Location; Flight time; Max Height (from flight data); Max distance from take-off (from flight data); Satellites count; Video Duration; Number of stills taken; Battery start; Battery end; Battery number; Overall cycles for a particular battery; A notes field (a note of any significant occurrence); Recorded wind speed at ground level; Air temperature; A note about the general weather (sunny/cloudy/dull overcast, etc.); Flights over buildings Yes/No; Flights over water Yes/No
This record goes back 3 years covering every flight I've done since I started this log book. So, for example, I can say exactly how high I flew my aircraft on February 2nd 2015 and how long that flight lasted in the time it takes to load that spreadsheet into my computer's memory.
I say log books in the plural since as well as my main spreadsheet log book I also run a cut-down version which contains the minimum detail on flight hours that the CAA require for PfCO which they can inspect at any time. That does not contain battery info. Just the date, time, location, flight times, and is signed off by me on a monthly basis.
My main log book contains far more detailed info and is not available to the CAA since they don't require such detail:
Date; Time; Make/model of sUAS; Location; Flight time; Max Height (from flight data); Max distance from take-off (from flight data); Satellites count; Video Duration; Number of stills taken; Battery start; Battery end; Battery number; Overall cycles for a particular battery; A notes field (a note of any significant occurrence); Recorded wind speed at ground level; Air temperature; A note about the general weather (sunny/cloudy/dull overcast, etc.); Flights over buildings Yes/No; Flights over water Yes/No
This record goes back 3 years covering every flight I've done since I started this log book. So, for example, I can say exactly how high I flew my aircraft on February 2nd 2015 and how long that flight lasted in the time it takes to load that spreadsheet into my computer's memory.
I created a form I fill out in the field. I record the battery number, the beginning voltage for each cell, the length of time the motors were on, and the voltage of each cell after landing. I also record the date, temperature, and wind speed.
