RPC UAS Loading, Performance & Emergency Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A remote pilot must abort a flight when the UAS enters a fail-safe return-to-home (RTH) sequence. The FIRST action should be:
- Turn off the transmitter to reset the system
- Cancel RTH and regain manual control if safe to do so (Correct answer)
- Allow RTH to complete without any input
- Immediately notify the FAA of the emergency
Correct answer: Cancel RTH and regain manual control if safe to do so
The pilot should attempt to cancel RTH and resume manual control first, because RTH may navigate the UAS into obstacles if the home point or environment has changed.
Question 2: What effect does a strong crosswind have on a multirotor UAS's battery consumption?
- It decreases consumption because the wind assists forward movement
- It increases consumption as motors work harder to maintain position (Correct answer)
- It has no effect if GPS hold is active
- It only affects fixed-wing UAS, not multirotors
Correct answer: It increases consumption as motors work harder to maintain position
In a crosswind, the flight controller commands motor speed changes to counteract wind drift, increasing power draw and reducing overall flight time.
Question 3: During an emergency, a sUAS propeller separates mid-flight. The CORRECT immediate action is to:
- Increase throttle to compensate for lost thrust
- Cut throttle and attempt to land immediately in the safest available area (Correct answer)
- Activate GPS hold and wait for the aircraft to stabilize
- Switch to manual mode and perform a go-around
Correct answer: Cut throttle and attempt to land immediately in the safest available area
A separated propeller makes controlled flight impossible or highly unstable; the pilot must immediately reduce throttle and guide the aircraft to the safest available landing area.
Question 4: The maximum endurance airspeed for a fixed-wing UAS is BEST described as the speed that:
- Produces the greatest lift-to-drag ratio
- Minimizes total power required to maintain level flight (Correct answer)
- Allows the longest glide after motor failure
- Matches the wind speed to achieve zero ground speed
Correct answer: Minimizes total power required to maintain level flight
Maximum endurance is achieved at the speed of minimum power required, which allows the aircraft to stay airborne the longest on available battery energy.
Question 5: A remote pilot is operating a UAS on a hot summer day and notices sluggish motor response. The MOST likely cause is:
- The remote controller is too far from the aircraft
- Motor windings overheating, causing thermal protection throttle reduction (Correct answer)
- The aircraft has entered a GPS compass calibration mode
- The propellers are generating too much lift
Correct answer: Motor windings overheating, causing thermal protection throttle reduction
Excessive heat causes motor winding resistance to increase and activates thermal protection circuits, reducing available power and making the aircraft respond sluggishly.
Question 6: When planning a flight in a confined area with obstacles, which loading consideration is MOST critical?
- Ensuring the UAS is painted a high-visibility color
- Keeping the CG within limits to maintain maneuverability for obstacle avoidance (Correct answer)
- Maximizing payload weight to justify the operational risk
- Mounting sensors on the rear of the airframe only
Correct answer: Keeping the CG within limits to maintain maneuverability for obstacle avoidance
A CG within manufacturer limits ensures predictable and responsive handling needed to safely navigate around obstacles in confined spaces.
Question 7: Which emergency procedure is correct when a sUAS experiences a fly-away due to compass interference?
- Increase altitude to 400 AGL immediately
- Switch off GPS, take manual control, and land as soon as possible (Correct answer)
- Activate return-to-home to let the system self-correct
- Continue the mission and correct interference at the next waypoint
Correct answer: Switch off GPS, take manual control, and land as soon as possible
Compass interference corrupts GPS-based navigation; switching to manual/attitude mode removes the erroneous GPS input, giving the pilot direct control to execute an emergency landing.
RPC UAS Loading, Performance & Emergency Procedures 3
A remote pilot must abort a flight when the UAS enters a fail-safe return-to-home (RTH) sequence.
The FIRST action should be: