A2 CofC - Drone Certificate of Competency Emergency and Flyaway Procedures Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During an operation, your UAS becomes completely unresponsive to controls and begins to fly away from your location, eventually crossing a busy road before you lose sight of it. According to UK regulations, what is the most critical reporting action you must take after this event?
- A. Inform the drone manufacturer's technical support department.
- B. Report the incident to the police only if it caused a traffic accident.
- C. Submit a mandatory occurrence report to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). (Correct answer)
- D. Post the details on a popular UK drone forum to warn other pilots.
Correct answer: C. Submit a mandatory occurrence report to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
A 'flyaway' where the UAS is not recovered and has endangered third parties (by crossing a busy road) is classified as a serious incident. UK aviation law requires that such occurrences are reported to the CAA via the ECCAIRS 2 portal to help improve air safety.
Question 2: A remote pilot is flying in an area with good GPS reception. Suddenly, the control link between the remote controller and the UAS is lost due to unexpected radio interference. What is the most common pre-programmed failsafe action the UAS will initiate?
- A. Shut down its motors and descend ballistically.
- B. Continue flying on its last commanded heading and altitude.
- C. Enter a hover at its current position until the battery is depleted.
- D. Execute an automatic 'Return to Home' (RTH) procedure. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: D. Execute an automatic 'Return to Home' (RTH) procedure.
The standard failsafe protocol for most GPS-enabled drones upon loss of the control link is to initiate a Return to Home (RTH) procedure. The UAS will typically ascend to a pre-set safe altitude to clear obstacles, navigate back to its recorded take-off point via GPS, and then land automatically.
Question 3: While flying, a remote pilot receives a "GPS Signal Lost" warning and observes that the UAS is no longer holding its position, instead starting to drift with the wind. This behaviour indicates the UAS has most likely reverted to which flight mode?
- A. Sport Mode
- B. Attitude (ATTI) Mode (Correct answer)
- C. Headless Mode
- D. Failsafe Mode
Correct answer: B. Attitude (ATTI) Mode
ATTI mode is a flight mode where the UAS uses its barometer to maintain a stable altitude but does not use GPS for horizontal positioning. When GPS is lost, the aircraft will default to this mode, requiring the pilot to make constant manual inputs to counteract wind drift and maintain position.
Question 4: A remote pilot observes their UAS making erratic, tight circling movements shortly after take-off near a steel-framed building. This dangerous behaviour, often called the 'toilet bowl effect', is a classic precursor to a flyaway and is most commonly caused by what?
- A. A critical drop in battery voltage.
- B. The propellers being attached in the wrong order.
- C. Strong, gusting wind conditions overwhelming the motors.
- D. Severe magnetic interference affecting the onboard compass. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: D. Severe magnetic interference affecting the onboard compass.
The 'toilet bowl effect' occurs when the flight controller receives conflicting information between the GPS, which knows the aircraft's true position, and the compass, which is providing an incorrect heading due to magnetic interference. This conflict causes the UAS to fly in erratic circles as it tries to correct its path.
Question 5: During a flight, you receive a critical low battery warning from your UAS, indicating that an immediate landing is required. Which of the following actions is the most appropriate and safe response?
- A. Attempt to fly back to the precise take-off point, regardless of distance.
- B. Immediately gain as much altitude as possible to improve the chances of gliding.
- C. Identify the nearest safe and clear area to perform a controlled landing without delay. (Correct answer)
- D. Continue the mission until the UAS initiates its own automatic landing procedure.
Correct answer: C. Identify the nearest safe and clear area to perform a controlled landing without delay.
When a critical battery warning occurs, the primary responsibility of the remote pilot is to ensure the safety of people and property on the ground. The safest action is to immediately abandon the mission plan and land the UAS in the closest available area that is clear of hazards and uninvolved persons, rather than risking a total power loss while trying to return to the original take-off point.
Question 6: A remote pilot briefly loses direct Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) with their UAS as it passes behind a large building. According to standard UK emergency procedures, what is the most appropriate immediate action to safely regain VLOS?
- A. Stop all horizontal movement and increase the UAS's altitude vertically until it is visible above the obstruction. (Correct answer)
- B. Immediately activate the Return to Home (RTH) function and wait for the UAS to return.
- C. Continue flying the intended path using the map on the controller, assuming it will reappear shortly.
- D. Rely on a remote observer, if present, to guide the aircraft back into view.
Correct answer: A. Stop all horizontal movement and increase the UAS's altitude vertically until it is visible above the obstruction.
The correct and safest procedure when VLOS is temporarily lost behind an obstacle is to stop any forward, backward, or sideways movement and command the UAS to ascend vertically. This allows the pilot to quickly re-establish visual contact over the top of the obstruction without flying blind into potential unseen hazards.
A2 CofC - Drone Certificate of Competency Emergency and Flyaway Procedures Questions and Answers
During an operation, your UAS becomes completely unresponsive to controls and begins to fly away from your location, eventually crossing a busy road before you lose sight of it.
According to UK regulations, what is the most critical reporting action you must take after this event?