UTILITY FLIGHT MANUAL

By MARK HARRIS

CONTENTS CHAPTER HISTORY OF UAS: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM AND WHERE ARE THEY HEADED? INTRODUCTION EARLY PREDECESSORS UNMANNED AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT FROM TACTICAL TO TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSITION FROM UAV TO UAS OPEN SOURCE TO CROWDFUNDING RELATED TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS SET THE STAGE FOR THE (R)EVOLUTION CHAPTER APPLICATION OF SUAS: UNDERSTANDING USES INTRODUCTION COMMON USES RECREATION AND HOBBY PRECISION AGRICULTURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS AERIAL FILMING CARGO TRANSPORT ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING TRAINING AND EDUCATION RESEARCH EMERGING USES AND CHALLENGES ON THE HORIZON VARIETY OF DESIGN: EXPLORING THE TECHNOLOGICAL POSSIBILITIES INTRODUCTION PLATFORM DESIGN CONFIGURATIONS IMPORTANT TERMS AND CONCEPTS PLATFORM TYPES CATEGORIES AND DESIGNATIONS PLATFORM SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS SYSTEM COMPOSITION MAJOR ELEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT AERIAL ELEMENT PAYLOAD GROUND-BASED COMMAND, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATION (C3) HUMAN ELEMENT SUPPORT EQUIPMENT LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: A MAP TO NAVIGATE THE MAZE INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK MAINTAINING SAFETY IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM MODEL AIRCRAFT AND SUAS APPROVED OPERATION OF UAS REGULATORY POLICIES AND RESOURCES OPERATING ENVIRONMENT VISIBILITY ALTITUDE HAZARDS AND OBSTACLES OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS WEATHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS SUAS OPERATION GENERAL AERONAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE FIXED-WING FLIGHT VTOL FLIGHT REMOTE OPERATION REMOTE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND VISUAL OBSERVER COORDINATION AUTONOMOUS (AUTOMATIC) OPERATION GEOFENCING DATA CAPTURE AND PROCESSING OPERATIONAL PLANNING AND PREPARATION SCHEDULE, COORDINATE, AND CONDUCT OPERATIONS HOUR LOGGING AND REPORTING MAINTENANCE, CALIBRATION, AND DIAGNOSIS SUAS OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS BUSINESS OF UNMANNED AVIATION: FROM AGENCIES TO STARTUPS INTRODUCTION UAS STAKEHOLDERS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES STAKEHOLDER ROLES AND COLLABORATION BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT STARTING A BUSINESS IN FIELD EMPLOYMENT ACQUISITION, SUPPORT, AND COST PLANNING INCORPORATING SUAS OPERATIONS GROWTH AREAS AND CHALLENGES PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: ACCURATE INFORMATION MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE INTRODUCTION FINDING INFORMATION REGULATORY INFORMATION UAS TEST SITES AND CENTER OF EXCELLENCE GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED, ADVOCACY, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH ORGANIZATIONS UAS-RELATED NEWS USER COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS JOURNALS/SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHING CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIUMS, AND EVENTS INSURANCE PROVIDERS LEGAL SUPPORT AND REPRESENTATION OTHER WEB-BASED RESOURCES UAS REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS AUTHOR-PRODUCED UAS MATERIALS