Skip to content
DJI Mavic 2 Pro FDrone number: 163CH92R0A3VD3 sets 5 buckets Set up according to the NIST OTL guidelines1st set of buckets 3 meters from the launch pad, 2nd set of buckets 3 meters from the first, and 3rd set of buckets 3 meters from bucket set 2.
METAR KLAF 041954Z 25009KT 10SM CLR 19/06 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP094 T01940061 All parameters were in Part 107 and FAA regulations for this flight to be performed.
UAS pilots are not allowed to operate the drones over the turf grass. Refer to Figure 40. There are a few trees near the flight area to be aware of.
There is a parking lot at the flight location to be aware of.
While Isabella Avedician was transitioning to PIC, team 1 changed the battery. Once the drone was powered on, an alert came up on the screen that the drone was unable to take off. Upon further investigation, team 1 was able to figure out that the battery was not clicked in all the way. After taking out the battery and putting it back in, all alerts were clear, and Isabella Avedician was able to take off and perform the flight. While Venkata Devapatla was performing his pre-flight checklist, team 1 realized that the gimbal was not moving correctly. To fix this issue, team 1 recalibrated the gimbal through the app’s settings, and then the issue was resolved.
AT 209 NIST Open Test Lane for Pilot Acuity
Introduction to the lab
The mission of this flight was to complete the NIST Open Test Lane (OTL) test for pilot acuity. The goal was to become familiar with the testing procedures, get practice flying the course under the time limit, and get a better understanding of the score sheet.
Figure 38. PIC is completing NIST OTL test
Team 1 Members
Isabella Avedician
Kenzie Florkiewicz
Clayton Brown
Venkata Devapatla
There are no rows in this table
Equipment
Figure 39. The buckets were set up 3 meters (10 feet) apart and 3 meters
from the launch pad.
Location, Weather, and Hazards
Location
William H. Daniel Turf-grass Research and Diagnostic Center
Figure 40. The William H. Daniel Turf-grass Research and Diagnostic Center
The turf-grass farm falls under Class D airspace, about 2.3 miles from the Purdue University Airport. Due to this, team 1 submitted and got approval from LAANC to fly this mission. Each team member submitted their own LAANC.
Figure 41. LAANC for location of flight.
Weather
Hazards
Figure 42. Tree hazards
Figure 43. Tree hazards
Figure 44. Parking lot
Set up
As stated previously, the NIST OTL test guidelines are for the sets of buckets to be 3 meters, or 10 feet, from one another in a straight line. The first set of buckets is to be 3 meters from the launch pad, as shown in Figure 39. To ensure the buckets were set up properly, team 1 had a field measuring tape.
In addition to the proper setup of the buckets, Team 1 performed multiple pre-flight checks. The first was at the Purdue University UAS Dispatch. Team 1 made sure that all equipment was present, there was no damage to any parts, and there were 4 fully charged batteries. At the site, team 1 performed another pre-flight check. This time it was to ensure proper setup. Team 1 communicated with one another about the goals and intent of this flight. Each team member had a set role, and each team member performed each role at least once. The roles were Pilot In Command (PIC), Visual Observer (VO), timer, and test proctor. Each time a new PIC took control, team 1 changed batteries and performed another pre-flight checklist.
The test was conducted with the PIC standing behind the launch case, which was behind the launch pad. The PIC was facing the UAS, and the test proctor was standing directly beside the PIC. The VO and timer were both standing near and around the test area to ensure the UAS was flying safely. The proctor would tell the PIC a command, and the PIC would conduct it. The goal was to complete the entire test sheet under the 10-minute time constraint.
Issues Encountered
While operating this mission, team 1 came across two obstacles. They were as follows:
The Flight and Summary
As stated previously, each team member took on each role: PIC, VO, timer, and test proctor, at least once. The time restraints of this flight were set at a maximum of 10 minutes. The overall mission was a success. Each team member successfully completed the NIST OTL test within 10 minutes. Below are Isabella Avedician’s pictures taken from her flight test of the NIST OTL. 
Figure 1. Isabella Avedician’s NIST OTL Score Sheet
Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.
This is not the way.
Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (
CtrlP
) instead.