Personal Responsibility

It is your responsibility to make sure you understand how your drone works and that it is in good working condition before flight. A damaged drone may not fly the way you expect it to. Do not fly your drone too high, beyond your visual line of sight, or in areas that are hazardous. For example, you should know how your drone responds to wind and how to use any automated functions before you fly it.

Pre-Flight Checks

Before each flight, check yourself, the weather, the area where you plan to fly, and your drone. Make sure everything is in the best possible condition for a safe flight. Think about how you will respond to sudden changes, such as turbulence, signal interference, or loss of power.

Remember, the person flying the drone is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the flight, including where it flies, how high it flies, and that all rules and regulations are followed.

Checking Yourself

Make sure that you are physically and mentally ready to safely operate the drone. Sickness, stress, and medications can affect your ability to fly safely and respond to unplanned situations.

Some of the factors which can affect manned aircraft pilots also can affect your ability to fly your drone safely. Recreational drone flyers need to be aware of how conditions like stress, fatigue, and dehydration can affect their flying abilities.

Additionally, alcohol and drugs (including over-the-counter medication) can have a detrimental effect on decision-making and hand-eye coordination needed to safely fly your drone.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are mentally and physically fit to fly!

Checking the Weather and Your Surrounds

The environment around you, and the weather itself, may make it harder for you to control your drone. Before you fly you should always:

• Check the weather

  • High winds, poor visibility, and turbulence can make a drone more difficult to control

  • In certain conditions, ice can form on your drone which could make your drone heavier or fly in unexpected ways

  • Cloud cover or the sun’s angle may make it harder for you to see your drone

• Look around for obstacles like trees, power lines, buildings, and people

• Avoid distractions and be aware of your surroundings

  • Other aircraft may appear suddenly

  • Concentrating on your flight and avoiding distractions will help avoid any collisions

Checking Your Drone

You should check your drone before and after each flight to make sure it’s working properly and there isn’t any damage:

Check all parts of the drone: propellers/rotor blades, landing gear, and structure for signs of damage or wear

Replace any damaged parts before flying again

Check the battery strength and condition

Do not fly if the battery has nicks in the casing or bulging sides

Damaged batteries can cause fires

Do not fly with low battery power as many drones have been lost because they crashed after losing battery power

Check the control station

Make sure you have the most current software updates, good command and control signal strength, and adequate Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coverage