Drone Flight Checklist: Ensuring Safe and Successful Flights

Author

Amrinder Jakhar

1 Before Your Planned Flight:

  • Charge the Batteries: Ensure that all batteries are fully charged, including:

    • Drone

    • Controller

    • Tablet

    • GPS

  • Check the Weather Forecast: Avoid flying in rainy or cloudy conditions and check for any changes in the weather forecast before your flight.

  • Check for Updates: Check for any software or firmware updates for your drone and install them before your flight.

  • Plan Your Flight: Plan the flight path, set up waypoints or specific areas to capture, and consider the altitude, speed, and other flight parameters.

  • Note all parameters in a notebook for backup, so if by mistake you delete or change any parameters, you can have an original backup as all flights should have the same parameters.

  • Check for Permissions: Check for any permissions needed to fly in the area, especially if an airport is nearby.

  • Check the Memory Card: Make sure the memory card has enough storage space for the imagery you plan to capture.

    2 Before going to the field:

  • Take Your License: Bring your drone license, such as the FAA Part 107 certificate.

  • Take necessary equipment with you, such as a

    • GCP (Ground Control Point) panel bag

    • GPS system to collect GCP points

    • Tablet

    • Sensor box

    • Drone box

  • Check the Weather Again: Ensure the weather conditions are safe to fly and avoid flying in extreme weather conditions.

  • Properly Arrange and Secure Equipment: Securely pack the drone and batteries in the box for transportation.

  • Plan to Fly During Optimal Sunlight Hours: Plan to fly the drone between 10:00 am to 2:00 pm when the sun is at the top for optimal lighting conditions (solar noon).

3 Checks to be done before drone flight:

  1. Check the Weather: Make sure the weather conditions are safe to fly and avoid flying in extreme weather conditions.

  2. Check for Permission: Ensure that you have permission to fly in the location and that it is safe to do so. Check for any potential obstacles such as power lines, buildings, trees, and other hazards.

  3. Set up Ground Control Points: Set up any necessary ground control points, markers, or reference points for georeferencing the images.

  4. Place and Secure the Drone Pad: Place a drone pad and secure it properly by pegging it in the soil.

  5. Assemble the Drone: Take the drone out of the box, place it on the pad, and assemble it by locking the flying arms and attaching the propellers according to their position.

  6. Attach the Altum Sensor: Attach the Altum sensor to the drone and connect the sunshine sensor.

  7. Load Batteries and Flight Plan: Load the batteries into the drone, check their levels, load the proper flight plan, and remove the cover from the sensor.

  8. Take Calibration Images: Take two to three images of the calibration board before the flight.

  9. You are ready to fly.

4 After flight procedures:

  1. Take Calibration Images Again: Take images of the calibration board again after the flight.

  2. Remove Batteries and Sensor: Remove the batteries and the Altum sensor from the drone.

  3. Let Batteries Cool: Let the batteries cool down before packing them into the box.

  4. Inspect the Drone: Inspect the drone for any damage and ensure that all parts are working correctly.

  5. Clean the Drone: Clean the drone after each flight to ensure that it is free from dirt and debris.

  6. Transfer raw imagery from sd card to your computer.

  7. Make sure imagery was collected BEFORE leaving the field. If something happened and no imagery was collected, fly again.