Crew roles and the observer brief — transcript

00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.729 Crew roles and the observer brief: who does what, and how to call a hazard.

00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:12.039 Every crew is built around the remote pilot in command. Depending on the job,

00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:17.375 it can add visual observers, and a payload operator to run the camera or sensor.

00:00:19.900 --> 00:00:24.189 The pilot flies the aircraft, and is responsible for the flight.

00:00:24.189 --> 00:00:29.600 The observer is extra eyes: watching the drone's position, scanning for aircraft,

00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.316 and watching the weather.

00:00:32.400 --> 00:00:36.608 An observer extends your awareness. Unless the operation is approved for it,

00:00:36.608 --> 00:00:38.958 they don't replace your own line of sight.

00:00:38.958 --> 00:00:41.909 And they should be trained to your operations manual.

00:00:45.400 --> 00:00:50.311 Quick check. On a normal VLOS job, who must keep the drone in sight?

00:00:51.400 --> 00:00:55.762 You, the remote pilot. The observer is a second pair of eyes.

00:00:57.400 --> 00:01:02.619 Before you start, brief everyone: risk findings, weather and airspace, obstacles,

00:01:02.619 --> 00:01:06.438 known traffic, and the landing areas, including the backup.

00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:13.278 Then the words you'll use. Agree the stop words, like stop, hold and land.

00:01:13.278 --> 00:01:19.469 Agree what each person calls: traffic, people, visual lost, battery, boundary.

00:01:19.469 --> 00:01:21.428 And who can call a hold.

00:01:21.778 --> 00:01:25.445 Brief the emergencies too: the lost-link plan, where you'll land,

00:01:25.445 --> 00:01:28.779 and who makes any radio call, so the pilot can keep flying.

00:01:32.778 --> 00:01:37.569 To give a direction, use the clock code. Twelve is ahead, three is right,

00:01:37.569 --> 00:01:41.390 nine is left. Agree the reference first: the drone's nose,

00:01:41.390 --> 00:01:43.462 or the way the pilot is facing.

00:01:46.278 --> 00:01:51.241 Then add plain words: what it is, where, high or low, and which way it's moving.

00:01:53.778 --> 00:01:58.886 The pilot is head-down on the camera feed. The observer spots a helicopter. Traffic,

00:01:58.886 --> 00:02:02.372 two o'clock, low, helicopter, moving left to right. Hold.

00:02:04.778 --> 00:02:10.363 Close the loop. Call, acknowledge, act, confirm. Copy, holding. Holding. No answer?

00:02:10.363 --> 00:02:11.361 Call it again.

00:02:12.778 --> 00:02:15.786 Anyone on the crew can call a stop, whatever the rank,

00:02:15.786 --> 00:02:20.379 and whatever the client wants. An observer who won't interrupt isn't doing the job.

00:02:23.778 --> 00:02:30.131 Recap: the pilot flies, the observer watches, brief the words, call it plainly,

00:02:30.131 --> 00:02:31.719 and close the loop.

00:02:32.069 --> 00:02:37.032 Final check. The observer calls traffic, and hears nothing back. What next?

00:02:37.469 --> 00:02:41.048 Call it again until it's acknowledged. A call isn't complete until it's confirmed.