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Date: 9/4/2025Weather: Sunny, clear skies, 65°FWind: 15 mph, gusting to 20 mphDrone: DJI Mavic 2 Pro ELocation: Purdue Turf FarmTeam Members: Mason Cramer, Joseph Salcik, Ryan Pirrio, Maddie Baker
Verified firmware and battery levelsChecked GPS signal strengthCleared surrounding area of hazardsSet up drone on flat, open spaceAll crew wore high-visibility vestsVO’s (visual observers) positioned on each side of the test lane
Altitude changesPrecision hoveringOrbiting around standsCentering over and photographing designated buckets
Crew:RPIC: Mason CramerVO: Joseph SalcikSupport: Ryan Pirrio, Maddie BakerSummary:Wind gusts created moderate hover challenges, but no incidents occurred. Weather was favorable, visibility remained excellent.
Flight 1: Nadir shots directly over the standsFlight 2: Orbiting around the perimeter to capture oblique anglesFlight 3: Combined maneuvers with variable altitude
Wind challenged stable hover and alignmentManual corrections tested RPIC’s control and responseStrong VO-to-PIC communication improved coordinationReinforced proficiency with manual VLOS navigation
🛠️ AT 209 – Lab 02: NIST OTL Flight
🔎 Metadata
📝 Test Procedure
Before initiating the Level 1 proficiency test, our team completed a full pre-flight checklist:
Testing
The NIST Open Test Lane included:
Despite wind gusts, we corrected flight paths in real time. VO-PIC communication kept the mission safe and efficient. The test was completed with no deviations and all scoring criteria were met.
📸 Photos of Setup and Flights
📋 Score Sheet
📚 Logbook Entry
💬 Discussion
The NIST OTL test involved executing verbal commands from a VO, which guided the PIC through precise flight tasks including:
Key takeaways:
This lab strengthened team flight operations and piloting skills in a real-world test environment.
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