Weather & Micrometeorology for Drone Operations Flashcards
7 cards from real RPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Weather & Micrometeorology for Drone Operations flashcards as text
A remote pilot checks a TAF and sees 'TEMPO 1416 3SM TSRA BR OVC008'. What does this indicate between 14Z and 16Z?
Answer: Temporary periods of 3-mile visibility, thunderstorm with rain, mist, and 800-foot overcast ceiling
'TEMPO' means temporary conditions lasting less than one hour each occurrence, with 3SM visibility, thunderstorm rain (TSRA), mist (BR), and an overcast at 800 feet AGL (OVC008).
In mountainous terrain, a katabatic wind (drainage wind) most commonly flows:
Answer: Downslope at night as cooled dense air drains into valleys
Katabatic winds occur at night when radiative cooling creates dense, cold air on slopes that drains downhill into valleys under the force of gravity.
What hazard does a temperature inversion create for drone operations with regard to turbulence?
Answer: Turbulence is often present just below the inversion layer due to wind shear at the inversion boundary
The boundary between the stable inversion layer and the turbulent air below it often features significant wind shear, generating turbulence for aircraft operating near that level.
According to the standard atmosphere, the approximate standard sea-level temperature is:
Answer: 59°F (15°C)
The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) defines sea-level temperature as 59°F (15°C) and uses this baseline for all performance calculations.
A drone pilot plans to operate near a large dark parking lot on a sunny afternoon. Compared to adjacent grassy areas, the parking lot is more likely to produce:
Answer: Stronger thermal updrafts because dark pavement absorbs more solar energy
Dark asphalt absorbs significantly more solar radiation than grass, heating faster and generating stronger thermal updrafts above it compared to vegetated surfaces.
Which weather condition would most severely reduce the effectiveness of a drone's downward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors?
Answer: Heavy rain, snow, or fog obscuring the sensors' field of view
Precipitation and reduced visibility conditions obscure optical and ultrasonic sensors' line of sight, severely degrading or disabling obstacle detection capability.
A remote pilot obtains a weather briefing and is told that VFR flight is not recommended. The correct action under Part 107 is to:
Answer: Postpone operations until conditions improve, as the drone must operate within visual line of sight in VMC
Part 107 sUAS operations require visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and visual line of sight; a 'VFR not recommended' advisory signals conditions that do not meet these requirements.