Lesson 1Recording and reporting incidents: logs, insurance notification, and client communicationHere you will learn how to document incidents and near misses, maintain accurate flight and maintenance logs, notify insurers when required, and communicate transparently with clients while protecting legal interests and improving safety practices over time.
Defining incidents, accidents, and near missesStandard flight and maintenance log structureCollecting evidence: photos, telemetry, and videoInternal reporting and root cause analysisInsurance notification triggers and timelinesClient communication and confidentialityLesson 2GPS and communications risks: multipath, loss of signal near structures, mag interferenceYou will analyze GPS and communication vulnerabilities near buildings and infrastructure, including multipath, signal loss, and magnetic interference, and learn techniques to detect, mitigate, and respond to navigation or control link degradation in real time.
Causes and signs of GPS multipath errorsLoss of GNSS and transition to ATTI modesRF interference sources near urban structuresMaintaining robust control and video linksCompass calibration and magnetic anomaliesFailsafe settings for link or GPS lossLesson 3Pre-flight risk matrix and residual risk scoring methodsHere you will learn to build and apply a pre-flight risk matrix, assign likelihood and severity scores, calculate residual risk after mitigations, and document acceptance decisions that align with regulations, company policy, and client expectations.
Components of a practical risk matrixScoring likelihood and severity consistentlyDocumenting initial and residual risk levelsDefining acceptable and unacceptable riskUsing checklists to support scoringArchiving risk assessments for auditsLesson 4Emergency procedures: lost link, flyaway, forced landing, battery fire, and injury responseHere you will develop emergency procedures for lost link, flyaway, forced landing, battery fire, and injuries, learning how to pre-plan responses, assign responsibilities, coordinate with emergency services, and conduct post-incident reviews.
Lost link and return-to-home proceduresManaging flyaway and uncontrolled driftForced landing site selection and executionResponding to battery fire and thermal runawayTreating injuries and calling emergency servicesDebriefing and updating emergency plansLesson 5Site control measures: signage, barriers, ground spotters, and traffic control coordinationThis section explains how to control the ground environment at a drone site using signage, barriers, spotters, and coordination with vehicle and pedestrian traffic, ensuring that third parties remain clear of launch, landing, and flight paths.
Designing safe launch and landing areasSelecting and placing safety signageUsing cones, tape, and barriers effectivelyRoles and training for ground spottersCoordinating with site traffic controllersManaging public curiosity and crowdingLesson 6Human factors: crew roles, competency checks, temporary safety zones and public briefingsThis section focuses on human factors in drone operations, including crew roles, competency checks, fatigue, communication, and how to establish temporary safety zones and conduct public briefings that keep non-participants informed and protected.
Defining PIC, visual observer, and payload rolesCompetency checks and recurrent trainingManaging fatigue, stress, and workloadBriefing the crew before each operationSetting up temporary public safety zonesConducting clear public safety briefingsLesson 7Identifying site hazards: vehicular traffic, pedestrians, power lines, structures, parked equipmentThis section teaches systematic methods to identify on-site hazards, including vehicles, pedestrians, power lines, structures, and parked equipment, and to translate observations into documented risks that guide planning and mitigation actions.
Structured site walkdown and observationRecognizing vehicular and pedestrian hazardsLocating power lines and utility equipmentAssessing risks from buildings and cranesDocumenting hazards with maps and photosPrioritizing hazards for mitigation planningLesson 8Air traffic risks and interaction with nearby private airstrip operationsThis section examines risks from nearby airstrips and other air traffic, teaching you how to identify controlled and uncontrolled airspace, coordinate with aerodrome operators, and plan safe drone operations that avoid conflicts and airspace violations.
Identifying controlled and uncontrolled airspaceReading VFR charts and NOTAMs for the siteCoordinating with airstrip owners and managersEstablishing radio and phone contact protocolsDesigning vertical and lateral separation buffersProcedures for unexpected manned aircraftLesson 9Environmental and meteorological risks: wind, precipitation, temperature, and microclimates near buildingsThis section covers how wind, precipitation, temperature, and local microclimates around buildings affect drone performance, sensor reliability, and flight safety, and how to interpret forecasts and on-site observations to set safe operating limits.
Reading aviation and local weather forecastsWind gradients, gusts, and turbulence near structuresEffects of rain, snow, and icing on airframesTemperature impacts on batteries and payloadsRecognizing microclimates around buildingsDefining weather-related go or no-go criteriaLesson 10Mitigation strategies: flight corridors, exclusion zones, launch/recovery site selectionYou will explore practical mitigation strategies such as designing flight corridors, establishing exclusion zones, and selecting safe launch and recovery sites, balancing operational objectives with regulatory requirements and on-site constraints.
Mapping hazards into flight planning softwareDesigning lateral and vertical corridorsDefining and enforcing exclusion zonesSelecting launch and recovery locationsTime-based mitigations and schedulingDynamic re-planning during live operations
