GVC Flight Planning and Navigation — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When planning a commercial UAS flight in the UK, which source should a remote pilot consult for active airspace restrictions and NOTAMs?
- Local council planning department
- NATS Drone Assist app or the UK AIS website (Correct answer)
- The Met Office website only
- Google Maps satellite view
Correct answer: NATS Drone Assist app or the UK AIS website
The NATS Drone Assist app and UK Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) website are the authoritative sources for checking active airspace restrictions, NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), and temporary danger areas. These provide real-time and planned restriction data essential for safe flight planning.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a site survey before conducting a commercial UAS operation?
- To check the mobile phone signal strength for live streaming
- To identify hazards, assess the operating environment, and determine suitable take-off and landing areas (Correct answer)
- To negotiate land access fees with the property owner
- To test the drone's maximum speed in the area
Correct answer: To identify hazards, assess the operating environment, and determine suitable take-off and landing areas
A site survey allows the remote pilot to identify physical hazards (power lines, trees, buildings), assess ground conditions, determine suitable launch and recovery points, evaluate electromagnetic interference risks, and identify uninvolved persons who may be present. This feeds directly into the operational risk assessment.
Question 3: What is the 'Flight Restriction Zone' (FRZ) around a UK aerodrome?
- An area where all drone flights are permanently banned
- A defined zone around an aerodrome where drone flights require permission from the air traffic control unit (Correct answer)
- A 1 km radius circle where only military drones may operate
- A zone that only applies to drones above 50 kg
Correct answer: A defined zone around an aerodrome where drone flights require permission from the air traffic control unit
A Flight Restriction Zone is a defined area of airspace around a UK aerodrome (typically extending to a radius of approximately 2.5 nautical miles) where UAS flights are restricted. Drone pilots must obtain permission from the relevant air traffic control unit before flying within an FRZ.
Question 4: Which coordinate reference system is most commonly used for UAS flight planning and navigation in the UK?
- British National Grid (OSGB36) only
- WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984) (Correct answer)
- UTM Zone 30N exclusively
- Maidenhead Locator System
Correct answer: WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984)
WGS84 is the standard coordinate reference system used in aviation worldwide, including UK UAS operations. GNSS receivers (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) use WGS84, and aviation charts and airspace definitions are based on this datum.
Question 5: When planning a UAS flight, what is the significance of 'magnetic declination'?
- It determines the battery discharge rate
- It is the angular difference between true north and magnetic north, affecting compass-based navigation (Correct answer)
- It only affects flights above 500 metres
- It measures the signal strength between the controller and the drone
Correct answer: It is the angular difference between true north and magnetic north, affecting compass-based navigation
Magnetic declination (or variation) is the angle between true north and magnetic north at a given location. It affects any compass-based navigation and must be accounted for when correlating chart bearings (referenced to true north) with compass readings on the UAS or controller.
Question 6: What information would you expect to find in a NOTAM that is relevant to UAS flight planning?
- Weather forecasts for the next 7 days
- Temporary airspace restrictions, military exercises, or aerial events that affect the planned route (Correct answer)
- Insurance requirements for the specific flight
- The names of other drone operators in the area
Correct answer: Temporary airspace restrictions, military exercises, or aerial events that affect the planned route
NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) provide time-critical aeronautical information including temporary airspace restrictions, military exercises, aerial work, temporary danger areas, and other hazards. UAS pilots must check NOTAMs as part of pre-flight planning to ensure they do not fly into restricted areas.
GVC Flight Planning and Navigation
When planning a commercial UAS flight in the UK, which source should a remote pilot consult for active airspace restrictions and NOTAMs?