Lesson 2: Drone Registration and  Flying with a Crew

A Quick Review 

Which one is not a nickname for a drone?

• Drones

• UAS

• sUAS

• sUA

• sUAP

What are Part 107 rules for? 

• A) For professionally and safely flying a small drone in the USA 

• B) Rules for flying airplanes in busy airports 

• C) Rules for driving remote- controlled cars

• B) Rules for playing aviation video games online

What are Part 107 rules not for? 

• A) Rules for operating drones for delivering packages

• B) Rules for flying a tiny drone for fun, no money involved 

• C) Rules for using drones to inspect construction sites 

• B) Rules for getting a job as an aerial videographer 

Nice work, future pilot! You’re getting the hang of the business of flying. 

Registration & Categories of Drones 

Stuff to do when you get your first drone as a Pro! 

Once you do all the studying to get your certificate and buy your very first drone, you’ll need to register it with the FAA. If you plan to make money off your drone in any way, and not just be a hobbyist, you need to register your drone!  And just like you need to register a car, you need to register your drone – with the FAA!

You don’t need to register tiny little drones you use for fun. They’re not really dangerous. Once you fly a drone professionally, let’s see how you’d have to register your drone.  

First, you have to be at least 13 years old and a U.S. citizen (or a permanent resident) to register a drone – or, ask an adult to do it! And, drones within a certain weight limit have to be registered with the FAA. Any UAS that weighs over 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds must be registered. Here’s what the FAA has to say! 

“Failure to register a drone that requires registration may result in regulatory and criminal penalties.”

Scary, right? 

So, where can we actually register our drones? 

The FAA has a website called The Drone Zone – it’s an online portal where you can register your drones, fill out waivers, and get helpful, updated resources for flying. To register it, head to the website, create an account, and follow the instructions. You'll need to provide details like the drone's make, model, and serial number – just like a car!  There’s a small fee, usually around $5, which covers three years of registration.Once you register your drone, your drone will get its own registration number, just like a license plate for a car!  

How can I register a drone?

After knowing you’re qualified, you need to: 

• Register it on the FAA Drone Zone website 

• Pay $5 – your registration lasts 3 years

Which answer is false about registering a drone? 

• A) It costs $5 to register a drone 

• B) Your registration only lasts for 3 years

• C) You need to register a drone if it flies above 100 feet

• D) You register a drone through the FAA’s Drone Zone website.

What’s next?

To show the FAA you registered it, you need to display the registration number on your drone so it's easy to see – that’s called labeling! 

Next up, after you’ve purchased and registered a drone, you always need to label it! Labeling your drone means attaching your contact information and the registration number to the drone. 

Why do you think labeling your drone is important? 

Great answers! First, it’s the law. And second, it helps identify your drone if there’s any issues with it during flight. And if your drone gets lost, someone can return it to you! There’s a correct way to label your drone! You can’t just write anything on it and call it a day. 

The registration number should be visible on the outside of the drone, either directly or on an attached label. Make sure it’s easy to read! Use a durable label that can stand weather conditions and won’t easily peel off or fade. You can also use a permanent marker! If you’re a certified drone pilot, your drone needs to have a label, almost like its own, unique drivers license! 

Labeling Your Drone

Labeling your drone means attaching a sticker or tag to your drone with your registration number and contact information. This is important because it helps identify the owner if the drone gets lost or is involved in an incident, making it easier to return it to you.

If your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs (everything except Category 1), you need to put a label on it so the FAA can see it.

You need to add a special label on your drone if: 

• A) It weighs less than 0.55 lbs

• B) It weighs more than 55 lbs

• B) It weighs more than 0.55 lbs

• D) It flies slower than 10 MPH

Great work. Registration and labeling – check! Now, let’s move onto something a bit more complicated, and that’s the 4 different categories of operations. 

Categories of Operations

Depending on what you want to use your drone for, sometimes you might need to attach one more special label on it – in addition to adding your registration number. And this label will show the FAA what category your drone falls into. So, let’s talk about these different categories and look at an example. These are both drones. 

Do you think both should have to follow the exact same rules? 

Nope! The drone on the right could do a lot more damage! 

You could easily fly the drone on the left over people or cars and no one would get hurt if it falls. Exactly! These are both drones, but because of their sizes, they are in different categories, since some can do way more damage. 

And that’s why the FAA doesn’t treat all drones equally. Bigger ones need extra safety tests – imagine if that big drone was poorly built, and fell out of the sky! 

The FAA makes sure that doesn’t happen, so people in the sky and the ground are safe. And that’s why they’ve created these 4 Categories. Before we talk about what these 4 categories are, let’s explain when your drone would even need to be categorized in the first place. 

Categories of Operations are based on how risky the drone mission is to people who are on the ground. You should label which category your drone is in only if you want to use your drone to:

✓   Fly over people
✓   Fly over moving vehicles
✓   Fly at night (if you already have special permission from the FAA, of course) 

If you only fly your drone in remote areas where there are barely any people or cars, you don’t need to categorize your drone. 

When would you need to categorize your drone? 

• A) When you plan a recreational flight in your backyard

• B) When you fly a drone in an deserted area, like a forest or desert 

• C) When you plan to fly over people. moving vehicles, or at night 

• D) When you buy your first drone  

Great! And now, let’s dive into what these 4 Categories of Operations are. 

Drones can fall into one of four different categories. The first is the least dangerous – and the smallest! It follows less rules. 

• Category 1 is when your drone poses zero damage to people – it weighs 0.55 pounds or less, with everything that’s on it. Because they’re so tiny, Category 1 drones have to follow less regulations than other drones. 

• Category 2 and 3 drones have more rules to follow, because they’re heavier. They both weigh more than 0.55 pounds.

• Category 3 has more safety requirements, because it can do more damage.

• And Category 4 drones are the biggest drones. So big, that they’re the only one you’d need a special certificate for, called an Airworthiness Certificate. 

And remember! If you are not flying over people, moving cars, or at night, you do not need to label your drone as having a category.

The 3 Roles on a Drone Mission 

Get ready to meet your flight team 

Welcome back! Once you’re ready for your first flight, you’ll need a helpful team of people – your crew.  On any drone mission, there are three roles that someone can have. 

• The Remote Pilot in Command: The Leader of the mission

• The Person Manipulating the Controls: The Controller of the mission

• The Visual Observer: The Watcher of the mission

Every team needs them! So let’s see what each team member does. 

The Remote Pilot in Command is the leader of the entire drone mission.

They have a Part 107 license and we call them rPIC for short! They are responsible for keeping track of everything and they make sure the drone flies safely. The rPIC has the most responsibilities out of all the crew members. They are responsible for the drone, for knowing the Part 107 rules, and they have the final say in everything.

Here’s all the responsibilities that a remote pilot has: 

1. They carry all important documents with them at all times like their remote pilot certificate and drone registration  in case the FAA ever asks for them. 

2. They know about all the local rules and restrictions (like where and when they can’t fly) – before the flight.

3. Kind of like a location scout, they have to know where there might be people, buildings, and other risky things before they go flying there, so they don’t crash into them!

4. Before flying, they always check the weather, and know how the weather can affect their drone missions. 

5. They make sure everyone in the mission knows their role and they prepare them on what to do in case of an emergency!

6. They make sure all their equipment and major parts of their drone work, and the drone is safe enough to fly.  

7. They keep a flight log with them for every flight! That’s kind of like a drone journal where they describe what happened during the mission. 

Hold on… A Flight Log ?  

It’s time to peel the onion!  Just kidding! This is a term for next week.

So keep an eye out for you to see the key term ‘Flight Log’ next week.

Summary of my responsibilities: 

1. I carry all the important documents 

2. I know the area’s local flight rules 

3. I identify hazards (people & buildings) 

4. I check the weather first 

5. I manage the team & assigns roles 

6. I make sure the drone works & is charged

7. I keep flight logs! 

Wow, that’s a lot of responsibilities! 

How do you suggest we create a way to remember them? 

A Tip for the rPIC: 

When in doubt, use a checklist! A pilot’s favorite thing is using checklists, as you’ll see throughout this class. 

Heads up! After you pass the test, this will be you! So, you’re going to want to have a copy of this checklist yourself!

The Controller - Person Manipulating Controls

The second member of the drone crew is the Person Manipulating Controls. They help the pilot control the drone! 

The Person Manipulating Controls is the person who controls the drone, in addition to the rPIC. They need to follow everything that the rPIC says. 

We call them the PMC for short! 

The PMC has two responsibilities: 

1. They let the rPIC take control of the drone immediately at any time if they find it necessary.

2. They have to be close enough to the drone's control station that allow them take over instantly if they need to.

The Watcher- The Visual Observer

And finally, the third member of the drone crew is the Visual Observer. They help see and scope out anything that could get in the way of the drone operation. The Visual Observer’s job is to keep an eye on the drone during the entire flight and alert the crew about any potential dangers. We call them VO for short. 

The Visual Observer has three responsibilities: 

1. They keep an eye on the drone during the entire flight.

2. They tell the crew about any dangers they see.

3. They always have a have way to be able to communicate with the rPIC
   and PMC.

Great work! Now that we’ve learned about the three roles on a drone mission, let’s learn about a way of thinking that can help pilots fly safely

ADM & CRM

Making good decisions while we fly.

All throughout aviation, pilots use a system called Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) and Crew Resource Management (CRM). ADM is like a toolkit of strategies to handle any situation that comes your way, from weather changes to unexpected technical issues.It’s all about using the best ways to make safe and smart choices during your flight. ADM helps you know about potential hazards you might run into, like bad weather forecasts and obstacles might be in the area you want to fly. ADM relies on situational awareness, which means being fully aware of your surroundings. It’s what everyone on your team should be doing, especially the rPIC. It also means having plans in case anything goes wrong, and making sure that all your crew members are on the same page.

Speaking of crew members—often you won’t be navigating your drone missions alone.

Exactly! Your VO and PMC are there to help, but you also might talk to locals in the area where you’re flying, FAA personnel, or even other drone pilots when gathering info for your mission.

As we mentioned, checklists are a pilot’s BFF. There’s a handy one called ‘I’M SAFE’ that will help the rPIC figure out if they’re okay to fly.  

It stands for Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion.

These are all things that can influence our decision-making skills. So make sure you
check in with yourself, too!  

Let’s Reflect

Apply the I’M SAFE checklist to yourself right now.

Do you think you’d be fit enough to fly?

Checklists

Checklists for drone pilots are step-by-step guides that outline important tasks to complete before, during, and after flying a drone. They are important because they help ensure the drone is safe to fly, prevent accidents, and make sure all necessary steps are followed for a successful mission.There are all sorts of checklists, including ones to remember everything you need to do before flying, ones to check in with yourself, and ones to respond to emergency situations. Next, Let’s explore Crew Resource Management (CRM). It’s all about teamwork! Communicating effectively, sharing info, and supporting each other will make sure that
your mission is safe and smooth. Everyone's skills and knowledge come together to make the flight successful!

To sum it up, ADM helps pilots make the best decisions, and CRM ensures you and your team work together seamlessly. They make your drone missions successful! 

And finally, let’s share a really important tip for the Remote Pilot in Command. 

All right, let’s say you just bought a shiny new drone and you’re ready to start flying. But wait! What should you do first? You should read the manual! It’s packed with all the information you need to get the most out of your drone and fly it safely.

Manual  

For this drone model, manuals are super useful. Let’s look at their suggested pre-flight checklist. Your drone has a lot of cool features, but you won’t know about them unless you read the manual. 

Did you know some drones have a “return to home” function? That’s an autopilot feature that brings your drone back to where it took off from with just one button.  If your drone starts acting up, the manual often has solutions to common problems. To keep your drone in top shape, you need to know how to take care of it. The manual gives you tips on maintenance and battery care. And, every drone has limits, like how far it can fly and how high it can go. The manual tells you these limits so you don’t push your drone too hard and risk losing it.

So, before you take off, the manual helps walk you through the setup process step by step. It’s like a pre-flight checklist that ensures everything is good to go.

Optional Activity 

Look at page 52 in the manual and find a word you haven’t heard before! 

For teachers: Create slides for each student, one slide for icons. They can choose one checklist from the lesson and personalize them for when they become rPICs. 

Wrapping Up

Let’s Play a Game

Now, let’s play a Drone Simulator game and each of us can take on one role in a mission. 

Steps

• In small groups, choose who will be rPIC, the PMC, and the VO.

• The rPIC will scope out the level and let the rest of the team know what to watch out for. Brief the team on the terrain, the obstacles, how the weather looks, etc.

• The rPIC tells the PMC where to go. You can use directions like "up, down, left, right" or "clockwise" and "counterclockwise". You can instruct the PMC to gather all the coins.

• The VO calls out what the PMC should watch out for. For example, "You missed a coin there!" or "Watch out for that building!".

Flight Log

Create a simple Flight Log, noting things like: The date and time of the flight. The length of the flight. The weather during the flight (in the game). Any incidents that occured (crashes)? 

Great work! I see you’re all a few steps closer to becoming a drone pilot.

Safety

• Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs when operating a drone

• Even a little alcohol can impair your abilities and judgement 

• Certain drugs can affect your judgment and have delayed effects

• Be cautious with prescription and over-the-counter medication

• Violations can lead to losing your drone pilot certificate

• Avoid dehydration, heat stroke, hyperventilation, and stress

• Avoid flying when tired

• Good vision is crucial for safe flying

• Use "I'M SAFE" to assess your readiness.

THE “I’M SAFE” CHECKLIST

• ILLNESS

• MEDICATION

• STRESS

• ALCOHOL

• FATIGUE

• EMOTION

• EATING

See You Next Time!
Over and Out.