Pre-Flight Checklist and Pre-Flight Inspection

[canopydi]

Hello all,

Is anyone willing to share their Pre-Flight Checklist and Pre-Flight Inspection?
Per my FAA Part 107 I have to create both documents. I would assume someone out there is in the same boat I am.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JarrodF]

Here you go.
https://phantompilots.com/attachments/drone-checklist-pdf.41608/

 

[deltamike]

I would challenge point 15 though. Is that REALLY necessary?

Some people might construe that as calibrating every time you get airborne perhaps.

Better to leave it off the list and let the a/c tell you that calibration is required.

 

[JarrodF]

I agree entirely. Coincidentally, I just finished Part 107 training & testing myself and one thing they said (in the course) was to make sure firmware is always updated and compass calibration is done before every flight. It is my understanding that compass calibration should actually only be done when you are prompted to do so and we all know about the potential pitfalls of upgrading firmware too soon.

 

[deltamike]

Mr Singer - who is eminently qualified for all types of aircraft (Except the Shuttle) supports calibration when called for, so its got to be right.

 

[JarrodF]

I don't know about that. He could probably handle the Shuttle.

 

[canopydi]

I have read in other forums that compass calibration is only done if you drive more than 50 miles from your home location. Any thoughts?

 

[KevMo Photog]

I have not done a compass calibration but one time on my P4P in over a year and a half. And I have never had one issue with it. I have had compass errors when I get too close to steel or iron. But I just move away and it's fine. I would not do compass calibrates at all until aircraft ask for it.

 

[canopydi]

What about IMU calibration?

 

[Ripper7620]

The first thing I look at is the overall status menu that pops up when you first connect with the aircraft, that gives me a good idea where I'm at, and what, if anything, needs to be calibrated or adjusted, then I go into camera settings and readjust everything to the conditions. Then, when I ascend to my cruising altitude, before I start recording, I adjust again to light level and conditions.

 

[KevMo Photog]

What about IMU calibration?

Def only do one when the aircraft ask for it or your bird is drifting some in a hover. Like moving up and down a tad here and thereon its own. Or your bird is not flying in a straight line. With no wind obviously. LOL. Then I would do one. I have done mine one time in a year and a half as well. My bird was bobbing up and down in the hover some and it fixed that instantly.

 

[BigAl07]

Food for thought:

I have been fortunate enough to be in this industry for over 4 decades and my "Compass Calibration" only takes place after one of the following conditions have been met:

• A) After a Firmware Update (we do FULL calibrations across the board after a FW update)
• B) After an incident which involves heavy repairs/replacements on aircraft components
• C) If Compass Calibration warning occurs in flight App

*NOTE* The above is not a manufacturer's suggestion.. this is how ALLEN does his procedure so follow at your own risk. Don't do ANYTHING just because someone told you to... know WHY you're doing it or NOT doing something so you can make an informed decision for yourself.


IMHO doing a Compass Calibration is incurring some potential for error and it should only be done when it is genuinely NEEDED.

We have flown from one end of the state to the other and NOT done a compass calibration.

 

[canopydi]

I calibrate my compass only if I have driven any sort of distance away from my house (where I typically fly). I have calibrated my IMU a few times and I notice once before my P4P wasn't flying in a straight line....kind of off to the right a little bit. Do you think its a good idea to stop calibrating as often and let it do its thing? Could calibrating too much hurt?

 

[BigAl07]

I calibrate my compass only if I have driven any sort of distance away from my house (where I typically fly). I have calibrated my IMU a few times and I notice once before my P4P wasn't flying in a straight line....kind of off to the right a little bit. Do you think its a good idea to stop calibrating as often and let it do its thing? Could calibrating too much hurt?

This is JUST a personal opinion and nothing more...

Over calibration doesn't "hurt" but every time you do it you "could" introduce erroneous data and end up worse off than before. Although many of us are natural born "tinkers" sometimes the more you tinker the worse it gets.

 

[deltamike]

I always do as I am told. There is not much difference between my wife and my P3a. They both start moaning if something is not right - and then I leap into action - slowly for the wife but quickly for my aircraft.

The system will let you know if something is bothering it and that is the only time I take action. Lets face it, its designed to tell you whether something is wrong, but if it does not then the initial flight control check at 20 feet will test if the a/c is okay or not. THEN calibrate.

 

[canopydi]

Makes perfect sense. Thanks to all who are sharing opinions.

 

[ChipperRay]

I agree entirely. Coincidentally, I just finished Part 107 training & testing myself and one thing they said (in the course) was to make sure firmware is always updated and compass calibration is done before every flight. It is my understanding that compass calibration should actually only be done when you are prompted to do so and we all know about the potential pitfalls of upgrading firmware too soon.

I think it is the FAA's way of trying to make a "One size fits all" application. They are trying to throw all drones into the same guidelines. With the DJI P4P you never should calibrate the compass unless the software recommends it.

 

[flockshot]

I think it is the FAA's way of trying to make a "One size fits all" application. They are trying to throw all drones into the same guidelines. With the DJI P4P you never should calibrate the compass unless the software recommends it.

This is new information to me. I have never heard of anyone recommending that compass calibrations be done less often.

 

[ChipperRay]

This is new information to me. I have never heard of anyone recommending that compass calibrations be done less often.

It is even in the manual for the DJI P4P pg. 57 on "Calibrating the Compass".

 

[ChipperRay]

The whole time I've owned my P4P, I was only alerted to recalibrate the compass once on the DJI Go 4 app. Never had a compass or IMU problem. Of course, I always check this on the preflight check list before launch.