Advanced Flight Practice

The following exercises are designed to help operators who have thoroughly practiced both the basic and intermediate exercises and who are able to fly nose out proficiently and consistently.

DO NOT attempt these exercises if you are a beginning or novice operator.  Remember that if something goes wrong, THROTTLE DOWN and let your multirotor fall before it damages something or causes injury.

Flying Left- and Right-Side Out in a Square

In the previous exercise, you practiced flying straight out and back in with the nose of your sUAV pointed to the right and again with the left.  In this exercise, you will be continuing to practice with nose-left and nose-right flights, but you will be adding maneuvers to these flights. 

• Ensure that your flying area is properly set up and that the area is clear of any hazards.
• Set up a single marker in the center of your flying area, or set up four markers in the shape of a square.
• Place your sUAV on the ground with its nose pointing to your right.
• Throttle up to take off and establish a hover at about 5 ft (1.5 m) altitude.
• Use the right stick to slowly fly your sUAV in a square, stopping at each corner to make sure you understand which way to push the right stick to travel the to next corner.

• Once you have completed the square, gently land your sUAV.
• Repeat until are are able to fly the path comfortably, increasing your speed each time.
• Turn your sUAV around so that its nose is pointed to your left.
• Repeat the entire exercise multiple times flying in the opposite direction, increasing your speed each time until you are again able to fly this path comfortably.

Flying Left- and Right-Side Out in a Circle

In this exercise, you will be flying right-side in and left-side in, but you will be flying in a circle.  Flying in a circle will require you to use both the elevator and aileron at the same time as you move through the path.

• Ensure that your flying area is properly set up and that the area is clear of any hazards.
• Set up a single marker in the center of your flying area.
• Place your sUAV on the ground with its nose pointing to your right.
• Throttle up to take off and establish a hover at about 5 ft (1.5 m) altitude.
• Use the right stick to slowly fly your sUAV in a complete circle.

• Once you have completed the circle, gently land your sUAV.
• Repeat until are are able to fly the path comfortably, increasing your speed each time.
• Turn your sUAV around so that its nose is pointed to your left.
• Repeat the entire exercise multiple times flying in the opposite direction, increasing your speed each time until you are again able to fly this path comfortably.

Flying Nose-Forward in a Square

In this exercise, you will be keeping the nose of your sUAV pointing in the same direction that it is moving.  This will require you to use the Rudder on the left stick to Yaw in addition to the Elevator and Aileron to move laterally.

• Ensure that your flying area is properly set up and that the area is clear of any hazards.
• Set up a single marker in the center of your flying area, or set up four markers in the shape of a square.
• Place your sUAV on the ground with its nose pointing to your right.
• Throttle up to take off and establish a hover at about 5 ft (1.5 m) altitude.
• Use the right stick to slowly fly your sUAV in a square, stopping at each corner to use the left stick to turn the sUAV 90 degrees.  Make sure you understand which way to push the right stick to travel the to next corner.

• Once you have completed the square, gently land your sUAV.
• Repeat until are are able to fly the path comfortably, increasing your speed each time.
• Turn your sUAV around so that its nose is pointed to your left.
• Repeat the entire procedure in the opposite direction multiple times, increasing your speed each time until you are again able to fly this path comfortably.

Flying Nose-Forward in a Circle

In this exercise, you will again be flying nose-forward, but you will be flying in a circle.  Flying in a circle will require you to use both the left and right sticks to continually alter the sUAV’s motion as you move through the path.

• Ensure that your flying area is properly set up and that the area is clear of any hazards.
• Set up a single marker in the center of your flying area.
• Place your sUAV on the ground with its nose pointing to your right.
• Throttle up to take off and establish a hover at about 5 ft (1.5 m) altitude.
• Use the both sticks to slowly fly your sUAV in a complete circle while keeping it’s nose pointed forward (in the direction it’s moving).

• Once you have completed the circle, gently land your sUAV.
• Repeat until are are able to fly the path comfortably, increasing your speed each time.
• Turn your sUAV around so that its nose is pointed to your left.
• Repeat the entire procedure in the opposite direction multiple times, increasing your speed each time until you are again able to fly this path comfortably.

Flying Through an Obstacle Course

In this exercise, you will again be flying nose-forward in a circle, but you will be varying the altitude of your sUAV to fly over and through/under obstacles.  Flying through an obstacle course will require you to use both the left and right sticks to continually alter the sUAV’s motion as you move through the course.

You can use a variety of objects to create a course, but the best materials are both lightweight and sturdy.  Covering long lengths (8-10 feet) of small diameter (1/2″ or 3/4″) PVC pipe with pool noodles or pipe insulation works well.

• Continue flying until are are able to fly the path comfortably, increasing your speed each lap.
• Turn your sUAV around so that its nose is pointed to your left.
• Repeat the entire procedure in the opposite direction multiple times, increasing your speed each lap until you are again able to fly this path comfortably.