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Reference materials for UAV flying

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Hi, everyone:
I got certified as a drone pilot, but feel like I missed a lot, since what I got was much more "normal pilot" training. While I did get some training on airspace, they focused more on use of throttle, prop pitch, etc. I feel like I've missed things like solar activity affecting GPS, can I get permission to fly over 400', where to get permission to fly, (do I go through the client or the FAA, or both?) flying over various situations that could be "no fly zones", and things like that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mark
 
So you managed to get "certified" without reading Part 107?

I didn't realize that Part 107 went over the effects of solar activity on GPS reception, or the practical application of how one goes about getting authorization for flying in questionable/restricted areas.

I think what the OP was looking for is a place of practical reference, more in-depth operations, techniques, best practices, etc... He simply gave a few examples.

OP, sorry I am not aware of any resources, but I'm sure others will chime in.
 
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107 most certainly describes airspace and how to obtain waivers to permit operations in special airspace. The certification test (aeronautical knowledge) for a commercial operator covers that and more to a great extent. It also covers altitude limits and when the 400' limit can be exceeded.

I have mentioned 2 FAA publications many times over for wannabe commercial operators to gain fundamental aviation knowledge, and those publications are free. But do people bother to use a search function, or look at obvious site locations related to aviation, avionics, FAA, or even Google to obtain comprehensive and accurate info? Sorry, but a couple of the OP's questions strongly suggest he is not a "certified drone pilot". If he was the following questions would not have been mentioned: "can I get permission to fly over 400', where to get permission to fly, (do I go through the client or the FAA, or both?) flying over various situations that could be "no fly zones"

Most of what is sought is, again, available for free at the FAA website. If people truly want to learn about GPS, KP index, HDOP, and other things relative to aviation navigation accuracy they should hit up numerous Google listed sites. They can even find some info about it at the FAA and NOAA sites. They are not going to obtain a solid knowledge base at a consumer/hobby level multirotor blog. Essentially, they need to get busy doing something for themselves instead of hoping they can get all they need by asking a single, multifaceted question and let others do all the work for them. You can give people a fish or teach them to fish for themselves.

Source: FAA; cost $0.00
Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Aviation Weather
14 CFR Parts 107, 333, 336, and 91
Airman's Information Manual
 
Hi, everyone:
I got certified as a drone pilot, but feel like I missed a lot, since what I got was much more "normal pilot" training. While I did get some training on airspace, they focused more on use of throttle, prop pitch, etc. I feel like I've missed things like solar activity affecting GPS, can I get permission to fly over 400', where to get permission to fly, (do I go through the client or the FAA, or both?) flying over various situations that could be "no fly zones", and things like that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mark
Don't let people get you down that are just being douchie because of your question. Everyone started at the beginning. But I feel to imply someone is a "wannabe" is going a little far. The forums are here to help people and not berate them by posting a blanket answer rather than directing it to the OP.

Rather than whack out 50 paragraphs of dribble, it would be much easier to just give some helpful advice. The country I am in does not require a piece of paper to fly. We use common sense here along with gained experience. And experience will not always make a better pilot or person.
 
You can spoon feed. I prefer letting them know where they can find unlimited info--if they want it, and did just that. Saves a lot of typing.
 
Just to be clear, I am certified. I haven't gotten the official doc, yet. Just st a temp for now. I did take a "certification" course, Pat. My problem is that I was sitting in a room with seven other people who were getting their PILOT training, and the teacher focused more on them. He did tell me that he had "scanned" the sUAV section the night before the first class. I was not wholeheartedly satisfied once I took the test and passed, (a lot of it is pretty much common sense) and simply wanted more info. The kp link that I found on another discussion was really helpful, as was your comment about the Part 107. I think the manual I had was the Pilot's Certification Training.

Thank you for the clarification to the other commenter. While I wish you could have addressed me, at least I did get some of the information I was looking for.

Best,

Mark
 
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I may well have completely misunderstood what you were saying. When you stated you were "certified" and later referenced contacting the FAA I "assumed" you meant you had studied for and passed the U.S. Part 107 Remote Pilot test. That and obtaining a Part 333 Waiver, which pretty much assumes you already have a pilot certificate, are currently the only "official" operator certifications for a Remote Pilot/Operator. You had indeed done that but got hung out to dry by the training course. I ruffled a few feathers but my point was that if we are going to put the time and effort into doing commercial work legally we really should put enough time and effort into the study materials to truly understand what we will be dealing with as we move into professional operations. Some of our customers will be quite demanding in this respect because it will be up to us to advise them appropriately in order to keep both them and us on the right side of the regulations while avoiding FAA, state, and community investigations. Keeps insurance rates down too.

If you haven't already guessed, I'm not a proponent of study guides and accelerated courses designed to memorize test questions. My preference has always gone to learning the actual material that forms the basis of all the testing. It's unfortunate but you have experienced the reason why I don't like the quick study methods. The course helped you pass a test but left you unprepared to function within the system afterwards. Not your fault, you believed what a sales pitch intended you to believe.

If you need help with something, send me a PM and I promise to get back to you. I won't hold your hand and lead you all the way but I will most certainly point you in the directions that will permit you to find what you need. Manned and unmanned aviation operations is what I have done for a living for a long time. I will not steer you down the wrong path. I strongly suggest down loading the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge from the FAA web site. Yes, it's long and dry but it misses very little with preparing the airspace user to understand airspace, charts, airport operations, traffic patterns, emergency procedures, some basic weather that even multirotor operators will find useful at times, along with standard communications. It's a standard "go to" reference for most student pilots. Now you have the certificate you may well have time to become much better than your previous instructor allowed you to be. GPS info is best obtained by visiting manufacturer sites such as Garmin and others, and then following some of their references specific to associated subject matter.
 
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Thanks, man. I was given an "abbreviated" version of this, along with almost all of the 600 questions the FAA draws from. I will check this out, and most likely get in touch with you.

Best,

m
 
I kind of thought this was a forum for asking questions and letting many different people give answers answer from different perspectives. If it irritates people to have to answer what they feel are stupid or redundant questions, I believe you can just ignore the post and not answer instead of getting upset with the questioners. Sometimes you just want human answers instead of book answers that make no sense when you're new to a topic. Sometimes you just don't know exactly what words to include in your search. Either way, it's a forum for asking, and a forum for answering...if you want to. Why getting annoyed, or the talking down insults, is beyond me, but it sure tends happen a lot, and often when it was just not understanding the question and making assumptions on the insulting parties part.
 
A simple statement of fact is not an annoyance. The "accelerated" method is just that. In fact, there used to be, and may still be a company named Accelerated Ground Schools. Take a peek at sites like Sporty's Pilot Shop and review their catalog or simply copy and paste "accelerated ground school' into Google and see what you come up with.

Please don't confuse annoyance with concern. There's a whole lot of people that are studying for the 107 test. Many of them are using course materials that only enable them to recognize a test question in order to select the correct multiple test answer. If they see question "X" they respond with A-B-C or D. They leave the the test location either passing the test, or not. If they pass the test, great, but the knowledge needed to effectively and safely operate within the airspace system was not well presented during their course studies. In effect they are functionally handicapped as so many questions from those that have taken and passed the test indicate. knowing how to fly, having a certificate, possessing the appropriate level of knowledge, are three very separate things, and they must combine. Having any one does not mean someone has any of the others, and all three are needed to be an effective commercial operator.

Commercial flight operation is not fun and games. It's very serious work, and mistakes can and will have serious consequences, with some of them possible extending to everyone else that operates commercially. I much prefer to assist people entering this field in locating and understanding as much information as they can in order for the to review in depth. Preferably they expend those efforts prior to taking the written test. If not they really need to become conversant with the law, rules, regulations, airspace, safety, and crew coordination before putting a bird in the air for their first money flight. Multirotors are a wonderful tool, tools that many would like to see remain useful for a long time to come. A bunch of people making very avoidable mistakes are quite capable of being the cause for legislating us out of the air.

Read the posted questions and you tell me if people that have taken and passed the commercial operator test comprehend the material they were just tested for.
 
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Hi, everyone:
I got certified as a drone pilot, but feel like I missed a lot, since what I got was much more "normal pilot" training. While I did get some training on airspace, they focused more on use of throttle, prop pitch, etc. I feel like I've missed things like solar activity affecting GPS, can I get permission to fly over 400', where to get permission to fly, (do I go through the client or the FAA, or both?) flying over various situations that could be "no fly zones", and things like that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mark
The regulations are all online here - eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations. In short, if you want to do something not covered by the current regs, contact the FAA. Based on what I can tell, the FAA is open to special cases. Here are the specific regs that speak to your questions

§107.200 Waiver policy and requirements.
(a) The Administrator may issue a certificate of waiver authorizing a deviation from any regulation specified in §107.205 if the Administrator finds that a proposed small UAS operation can safely be conducted under the terms of that certificate of waiver.
(b) A request for a certificate of waiver must contain a complete description of the proposed operation and justification that establishes that the operation can safely be conducted under the terms of a certificate of waiver.
(c) The Administrator may prescribe additional limitations that the Administrator considers necessary.
(d) A person who receives a certificate of waiver issued under this section:
(1) May deviate from the regulations of this part to the extent specified in the certificate of waiver; and
(2) Must comply with any conditions or limitations that are specified in the certificate of waiver.
§107.205 List of regulations subject to waiver.
A certificate of waiver issued pursuant to §107.200 may authorize a deviation from the following regulations of this part:
(a) Section 107.25—Operation from a moving vehicle or aircraft. However, no waiver of this provision will be issued to allow the carriage of property of another by aircraft for compensation or hire.
(b) Section 107.29—Daylight operation.
(c) Section 107.31—Visual line of sight aircraft operation. However, no waiver of this provision will be issued to allow the carriage of property of another by aircraft for compensation or hire.
(d) Section 107.33—Visual observer.
(e) Section 107.35—Operation of multiple small unmanned aircraft systems.
(f) Section 107.37(a)—Yielding the right of way.
(g) Section 107.39—Operation over people.
(h) Section 107.41—Operation in certain airspace.
(i) Section 107.51—Operating limitations for small unmanned aircraft.​

I'm making a CFR Part 107 Guide. It's still in draft, but you're more than welcome to check it out. It's on my google drive here - Far Part 107 Notes - DRAFT 12MAR2017
 
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A simple statement of fact is not an annoyance. The "accelerated" method is just that. In fact, there used to be, and may still be a company named Accelerated Ground Schools. Take a peek at sites like Sporty's Pilot Shop and review their catalog or simply copy and paste "accelerated ground school' into Google and see what you come up with.

Please don't confuse annoyance with concern. There's a whole lot of people that are studying for the 107 test. Many of them are using course materials that only enable them to recognize a test question in order to select the correct multiple test answer. If they see question "X" they respond with A-B-C or D. They leave the the test location either passing the test, or not. If they pass the test, great, but the knowledge needed to effectively and safely operate within the airspace system was not well presented during their course studies. In effect they are functionally handicapped as so many questions from those that have taken and passed the test indicate. knowing how to fly, having a certificate, possessing the appropriate level of knowledge, are three very separate things, and they must combine. Having any one does not mean someone has any of the others, and all three are needed to be an effective commercial operator.

Commercial flight operation is not fun and games. It's very serious work, and mistakes can and will have serious consequences, with some of them possible extending to everyone else that operates commercially. I much prefer to assist people entering this field in locating and understanding as much information as they can in order for the to review in depth. Preferably they expend those efforts prior to taking the written test. If not they really need to become conversant with the law, rules, regulations, airspace, safety, and crew coordination before putting a bird in the air for their first money flight. Multirotors are a wonderful tool, tools that many would like to see remain useful for a long time to come. A bunch of people making very avoidable mistakes are quite capable of being the cause for legislating us out of the air.

Read the posted questions and you tell me if people that have taken and passed the commercial operator test comprehend the material they were just tested for.
I think it was because you're reply was not to the OP as it should have been. Made it seem as though he and his question were an annoyance. Sometimes it's better to write the post and look at it for a while before posting to see how it may be taken. I do understand the concern part, but perhaps it would have been better to let the OP know that were concerned. I have read a lot of your posts lately and see the value in them. I do feel that some of them are a tad....and again I say tad agressive sounding, or even perhaps condescending. BUT, the advice is sound when taken in the right light. I know you do mean well.
 
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I think it was because you're reply was not to the OP as it should have been. Made it seem as though he and his question were an annoyance. Sometimes it's better to write the post and look at it for a while before posting to see how it may be taken. I do understand the concern part, but perhaps it would have been better to let the OP know that were concerned. I have read a lot of your posts lately and see the value in them. I do feel that some of them are a tad....and again I say tad agressive sounding, or even perhaps condescending. BUT, the advice is sound when taken in the right light. I know you do mean well.
I agree, I've had the same comments that you have and have reported that behavior as undesired from this particular user.
 

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