Lester Forsythe of the Unmanned Safety Institute discussed safe UAS operations, including the need to have a minimum of two adequately trained people operating the UAS (a pilot and a spotter). “One of the biggest UAS operation technology issues is lack of training,” said Forsythe. “Even commercial users that have Section 333 exemptions today, most still don’t get professional training or have the aviation mindset. We’re trying to make sure that people understand that we have to treat these things as aircraft.”

Forsythe listed a number of operational considerations that non-aviation UAS operators may not think of, including proximity to an airport, GPS non-availability in certain areas and winds aloft. “If the UAS has operating limitations of 30 mph, and there is a 25 mph wind on the ground, the operator might say it’s OK to launch without realizing that winds aloft are likely stronger. As soon as the UAS gets up a couple of hundred feet, the wind could exceed the UAS’s capability.”

Source: ainonline.com (to be continued)