The Droner's Manual: A Guide to the Responsible Operation of Small Uncrewed Aircraft, 2nd Edition

The incredible advancements in the field of uncrewed aircraft over the last decade have made it possible for almost anyone to build and operate their own drone, creating exciting business opportunities in numerous fields ranging from video production to agriculture. However, many beginners and even more experienced hobbyists find these ventures daunting because reliable information for construction and programming of uncrewed aircraft is often scattered across various sources, and the industry is still establishing standards for safe and efficient operation of UAVs. The Droner’s Manual compiles the most important and relevant knowledge into a guide for both beginner and experienced operators. With his expertise as a UAV operator for government, industry, and hobby uses, author Kevin Jenkins offers step-by-step guidance to build, program, test, and fly multicopter, fixed-wing, and hybrid airframe aircraft for a variety of purposes. This comprehensive manual covers uncrewed system components, aircraft set up, flight controller fundamentals and failsafe features, the flight-testing process, and flight operations. The second edition incorporates regulation exceptions for recreational flying and introduces The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), as well as offering new and updated information on smart batteries, solving GPS complications, drone photography, remote identification requirements, and the concepts of PID tuning. More than 70 illustrations provide detailed schematics and diagrams for the construction of complex systems such as first-person view (FPV) and imaging payloads. You will fly with confidence applying this book’s direction on mission planning, checklists, and safe flight operations. Whether you use it to build your first unmanned aircraft or as a handy reference in the field, The Droner’s Manual is essential for drone builders, pilots, and operators. Contents 6 About the Author 9 Introduction 10 Abbreviations 12 1–Uncrewed System Components 14 Ground Systems 15 Interface Device 15 Telemetry Transceiver (TX/RX) 16 Remote-Control Transmitter (RC TX) 16 Payload Interface 17 Power Sources 17 Remote-Control (RC) Systems 18 Theory of Operation 18 Configuration 20 Selecting a System 22 Aircraft Systems 24 Introduction to Airframes 24 Electrical System 48 Flight Controller 55 Flight Controller Sensors 57 Telemetry Unit 62 Maneuvering Controls 62 Propulsion Systems 68 Imaging Sensor Payloads 71 Selecting Components for a Multicopter 82 Selecting Components for an Airplane 84 2–Aircraft Set Up 86 Assembly and Integration 87 Fastener Retention Methods 87 Using Caution with Electrical Components 87 Planning Component Placement 88 Protecting and Securing Connections 89 Wiring and Routing 89 Vibration Mitigation 90 Upgrades, Replacement, and Maintenance 91 Information Common to Multicopters and Airplanes 91 Standard RC Connections 91 Motor and ESC Set Up 92 Multicopter Set Up 96 Before Powering On 96 Set-Up Process 97 Airplane Set Up 100 Before Powering On 100 Set-Up Process 100 3–Flight Controller Fundamentals 108 Common Flight Modes 109 Stabilize (Fixed- and Rotor-Wing) 109 Auto (Fixed- and Rotor-Wing) 110 Return to Home (RTH) (Fixed- and Rotor-Wing) 110 Land Now (Fixed- and Rotor-Wing) 110 Aircraft-Specific Flight Modes 111 Augmented Rotor-Wing Control Modes 111 Augmented Fixed-Wing Control Modes 113 Flight Controller Failsafe 114 Common Failsafe Conditions 114 Actions 115 Failsafe Summary 116 4–Regulations 118 Recreational Use 119 Commercial Use 120 Small UAS Registration 124 Remote Identification of Uncrewed Aircraft 124 The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) 126 5–Flight Testing Process 128 Multicopter Flight Testing 129 Selecting a Suitable Test Site 129 Safety 129 Arming and Tip Over/Control Checks 129 Low Hover Check 130 Hover Throttle Setting with Dummy Payload Weight 130 Pitch and Roll PID Tuning with Dummy Payload Weight 130 Yaw Testing with Dummy Payload Weight 131 Altitude Hold Tuning with Dummy Payload Weight 131 Maximum Horizontal Speed Setting 132 Climb Rate Settings 132 Autonomous Test with Dummy Payload Weight 132 Failsafe Test with Dummy Payload Weight 133 Mode Checks with Dummy Payload Weight 135 Flight Test with Live Payload 135 Fixed-Wing Aircraft Flight Testing 135 Selecting a Suitable Test Site 135 Safety 136 RC Flight Check with Dummy Payload 136 Configuring the Flight Controller 138 Stabilized Flight Check with Dummy Payload 139 Autonomous Flight Check with Dummy Payload 139 Autonomous Launch and Landing with Dummy Payload 139 Failsafe Checks with Dummy Payload 139 Flight Test with Live Payload 142 PID Loops and Tuning 142 PID Loops 142 Tuning Process 144 6–Flight Operations 146 Mission Planning 147 Fixed-Wing Commands 147 Rotor-Wing Commands 152 Common Actions 154 Developing a Checklist 158 Power Off Preflight Checks 158 Power On Procedure 161 Power On Preflight Checks 162 Arming and Launch 163 In Flight 166 Recovery and Shutdown 167 Building a Field Kit 169 Glossary 172 Index 180 The incredible advancements in the field of uncrewed aircraft over the last decade have made it possible for almost anyone to build their own drone, creating exciting business opportunities in numerous fields ranging from video production to agriculture. However, many beginners and even more experienced hobbyists find these ventures daunting because reliable information for construction and programming of uncrewed aircraft is often scattered across various sources, and the industry is still establishing standards for safe and efficient operation of UAVs. The Droner's Manual compiles the most important and relevant knowledge into a guide for both beginner and experienced operators. With his expertise as a UAV operator for government, industry, and hobby uses, author Kevin Jenkins offers step-by-step guidance to build, program, test, and fly multicopter, fixed-wing, and hybrid airframe aircraft for a variety of purposes. This comprehensive manual covers uncrewed system components, aircraft set up, flight controller fundamentals and failsafe features, the flight-testing process, and flight operations. This second edition incorporates regulation exceptions for recreational flying and The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) as well as offering new and updated information on smart batteries, solving GPS complications, drone photography, remote identification requirements, and the concepts of PID tuning. More than 70 illustrations provide detailed schematics and diagrams for the construction of complex systems such as first-person view (FPV) and imaging payloads. You will fly with confidence applying this book's direction on mission planning, checklists, and safe flight operations. Whether you use it to build your first unmanned aircraft or as a handy reference in the field, The Droner's Manual is essential for drone builders, pilots, and operators. "The incredible advancements in the field of unmanned aircraft within the last decade have made it possible for almost anyone to build their own UAV, opening up exciting business opportunities in numerous fields ranging from video production to agriculture. However, many beginners and even more experienced hobbyists find this daunting, as reliable information for construction and programming of unmanned aircraft is often scattered across various sources, and the industry lacks established standards for the safe and efficient operation of small uncrewed aircraft. The Droner's Manual compiles the most important and relevant knowledge into a guide for both beginner and experienced operators. With his expertise as a UAV operator for government, industry, and hobby uses, author Kevin Jenkins offers step-by-step guidance to build, program, test, and fly both multicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for a variety of purposes. This comprehensive manual covers uncrewed system components, aircraft set up, flight controller fundamentals and failsafe features, regulations for recreational and commercial use, the flight testing process, and flight operations. The more than 70 illustrations include detailed schematics and diagrams for the construction of complex systems such as first-person view (FPV) and imaging payloads. You will fly with confidence by following this book's direction on mission planning, checklists, and safe flight operations. Whether you use it to build your first uncrewed aircraft or as a handy reference in the field, The Droner's Manual is an essential for drone builders, pilots, and operators"-- Provided by publisher