In June 2020, I attended the Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) training course for proctors for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards for sUAS basic pilot proficiency. The course was held in Dublin at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Regional Training Facility. Several of my CAP colleagues attended the course with me, and I wrote this article (scroll to page 30) for our California Wing magazine.
“The establishment of standards— for performance, safety, and training consistency— is a key to the widespread adoption of an emerging technology like small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). Technical standards provide a common understanding of a technical topic, permit interoperability, and capture lessons learned. … The flights require the pilot to () demonstrate placing the sUAS into the correct position at the correct angle, with the appropriate gimbal (camera) angle; () take images at various speci- fied locations; () perform a couple of accurate landings; and () do all of this with a reasonable degree of efficiency so as to “beat the clock” by completing the flight within the maximum allowed time. While perfection is not required, each image is scored individually, and a minimum number of “passing” images is needed to gain enough points to pass the test-– with only one shot allowed to acquire each image. …” [click to the article for more..]
Many of us believe that there is a gap in practical flight evaluations and standards for sUAS basic pilot proficiency. The NIST standards are one step in the right direction.
If you’re curious about the NIST standards, you can find a description of them by clicking here. You can also learn more about the APSA courses related to these standards by clicking here.
If you’re interested in flight training or in developing your own sUAS program, please contact me.
Photo credit: Garth Howard