Operational Risk, Logs and Emergencies

A job is not ready just because the aircraft is ready

Operational readiness includes crew briefing, bystander control, aircraft serviceability, payload implications, technical logs, emergency options and the decision path for approvals.

The latest C10 MOS includes tethered operations in RKOP, so this web guide treats tethering as an operational topic to be planned, controlled and reviewed rather than as a shortcut around normal discipline.

A 14 second loop. Six stations sit on an oval loop: plan, brief, launch, monitor, recover and log. A marker travels round the loop and the name of each station appears in the centre as it becomes active. With "defect found" selected, a defect warning appears while monitoring, the aircraft is recovered, and the defect is written into the log in red. The marker then carries the defect back to plan, where a repair badge shows that it must be fixed before the next job. With "normal" selected, the log entry is a normal record. The still frame shows the log step with the defect recorded.

General operations begin on the ground

Starting motors, ground running, launch layout, bystander control and crew briefing are all operational controls. The aircraft may be ready to fly, but the site may not be ready for flight.

The remote pilot must also work inside the operator's documented practices and procedures, not just the manufacturer's app workflow.

• Brief roles, boundaries, stop words, emergency actions and the landing area.
• Control bystanders before propellers turn.
• Think about noise, wildlife and site impact before and after the operation.

Risk assessment is a working tool

A job safety assessment should identify hazards, assess the operational risk, choose controls and leave a decision trail. It should not be paperwork written after the real decision has already been made.

Strategic risk assessment happens during planning. Tactical risk assessment continues at the site and during flight as weather, people, aircraft state and airspace conditions change.

• Hazard: what can cause harm or loss of control?
• Risk: how likely is it and how serious would it be?
• Control: what action reduces likelihood, consequence or exposure?
• Decision: go, modify, delay or stop.

Read the Planning a safe flight transcript

Airworthiness is a pilot responsibility too

The remote pilot is not expected to rebuild the aircraft before every job, but they are expected to determine whether the RPAS is serviceable for the specific operation.

Technical logs, defect reporting, maintenance status, firmware state, propeller condition, battery history and payload fit all feed that decision.

• Do not launch with unresolved defects that affect safe operation.
• Use the technical log to track problems instead of relying on memory.
• Report unserviceability through the operator's procedure.

Payloads change the aircraft and the job

Role equipment and sensors can change mass, balance, endurance, electrical demand, drag, privacy considerations and the way the aircraft must be flown.

A camera, thermal sensor, LiDAR, spray tank, winch or tether is not just attached equipment. It changes the operational risk picture and should be part of the briefing.

Accidents and incidents must be reported through the right channel

The study guide can explain the difference between ordinary defects, incidents and accidents, but the actual reporting decision must follow current law, operator procedures and any applicable transport safety reporting requirements.

The conservative habit is to preserve information early: time, location, aircraft, crew, sequence of events, injuries, damage, battery state, logs and any downloaded aircraft data.

Emergency actions must be chosen before launch

Return-to-home, immediate landing, holding points, parachutes and flight termination are not interchangeable. The right response depends on airspace, people, terrain, aircraft state and what the failure actually is.

A 12 second loop. A drone is hovering when a warning appears and it starts to wobble. Three numbered priorities appear in order on the left. First, aviate: the pilot keeps the aircraft under control and the wobble settles; a red control ring stays on the drone and a pulse keeps running across the aviate card for the rest of the emergency, because control is the continuing task. Second, navigate: a path to a landing area is drawn and the drone follows it. Third, communicate: the pilot makes a radio call while the drone keeps flying under control. The drone then lands on the pad. The still frame shows all three priorities, with the pilot communicating while still flying the drone to the landing area.

• Motor failure immediately after launch needs a different response from a slow battery warning.
• Lost link should already have a known failsafe action and recovery area.
• Bird attack, flyaway, fire, crash, injured person and loss of navigation all need pre-briefed decision paths.

Read the When something fails in flight transcript

Aerodrome and above-400-ft operations need extra discipline

Operations near aerodromes and operations above 400 ft AGL are not ordinary field jobs with a bigger number. They need careful source checking, approval pathways, traffic awareness and a clear understanding of what the operator is authorised to do.

If the legal or procedural basis is uncertain, the job should pause until the chief remote pilot or nominated aviation reviewer resolves it.

Tethered operations are still operations

A tether can reduce some risks and introduce others. It may affect launch setup, snag hazards, bystander control, electrical safety, emergency response, aircraft performance and recovery options.

Treat tethering as a specific operating method with its own checks and limitations, not as a casual shortcut.

Practice Questions