Our Training Program
Our mission at Wounded Eagle UAS is to provide a quality, professional, and educational experience to our wounded American veterans. To provide them a Hand Up approach with the skills, tools, education, and experience necessary to compete in the hobby and unmanned aerial systems industry as a career.
Academic
Qualifying for a Small Unmanned Aerial System (s-UAS) Pilot’s license is a very challenging task, involving a wide variety of subject matter. Our students will learn such things as reading and understanding Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Charts, being able to obtain and understand aviation weather reports and forecasts, operational requirements related to FAA Section 107, and other related information. This coursework provides the base of knowledge which all other flight training builds upon. Basic academic study includes:
Safety of Flight Operations
Safety of flight operations is a concept we instill in our students from the first day of training. Understanding that most aviation related incidents are related to pilot error, we mandate that our students practice the most stringent safety procedures possible. We teach them to have multiple checks and cross-checks in place in all aspects of their flight operations, from understanding how personal attitudes and emotions during piloting affect safety, to performing regularly scheduled equipment maintenance and conducting detailed pre/post-flight inspections. We also teach the need to recognize and act when a mission should be canceled or aborted due to safety considerationsinspections. We also teach the need to recognize and act when a mission should be canceled or aborted due to safety considerations
Privacy Considerations in s-UAS Operations
Second only to safety of flight operations in importance, the need to respect other’s reasonable expectations of privacy during the course of s-UAS operations is something s-UAS pilots must remain aware of at all times. Our students are taught flight planning procedures which take privacy considerations into account, and they are taught that it is their responsibility as PIC (Pilot in Command) to both prevent any activities which might impact those considerations, as well as review captured video or still photography for any inadvertently captured images of this nature. Any such images are to be edited out and permanently destroyed before the video or still photography is released from the PIC’s custody or made public in any way.
Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Sectional & Terminal Area Charts
VFR Chart studies make up the majority of our student’s academic training. VFR charts are very detailed maps which provide information an s-UAS pilot must have to safely plan and execute flight operations. Controlled and restricted airspaces, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR), training routes and special activity areas, obstruction location and heights are all included, as well as airport and controlled / restricted airspace contact information required for requesting clearance. A large portion of the 107 certification exam deals with these charts.
Theory of Flight
Understanding how flight is possible is an important part of any pilot’s training. This portion of the course provides our students with a basic level of knowledge on aerodynamics, along with airframe performance limitations and weight and balance considerations affecting flight.
Basic Aviation Meteorology – Reports, Forecasts, and Direct Observations
The majority of s-UAS pilots are restricted to flying under Visual Flying Rules, and must maintain a specified horizontal and vertical separation from clouds and fog which might obscure the pilot’s view of the s-UAS. This requires a basic understanding of aviation related meteorology. Our students are taught how to obtain and understand weather reports and forecasts as well as how to view and understand weather conditions in the area of flight operations.
FAA Part 107 Rules, Regulations, and Requirements
The Pilot in Command (PIC) of the s-UAS is required to understand and comply with all FAA directives related to operations of an s-UAS. These include both operational as well as administrative requirements. Our training covers all aspects of FAA 107
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules, Requirements, and Licensing
Some of the radio frequencies utilized in longer-range video and control telemetry communications require an FCC Amateur Radio Operator’s License. This course equips our students with the knowledge required to pass the licensing test.
Small Business Administration
Some of our graduates choose to operate independently, and start their own s-UAS services company. To that end, we provide training in Business Administration, including licensing requirements, basic accounting, tax preparation, and insurance needs. We also refer our graduates to various coaches who provide specific training on small business related matters such as sales and marketing, and increasing cash flow.
Video Editing
This portion of the course provides our students with the fundamentals of video editing using GoPro software.
Practical
Our graduates are required to be capable of building, configuring, and maintaining / repairing their s-UAS. This requires comprehensive, hands-on training in many different disciplines, including airframe and power plant configuration, and sub-systems configuration and installation. On their first day of this training module, students are presented with a complete s-UAS, which must be assembled and configured by the student. Basic practical fields of study are as follows:
Airframe and Powerplant Configuration and Assembly
This portion of the course provides the student with a working knowledge of the assembly and configuration of an s-UAS airframe and powerplant. The student completes all phases of construction, including frame assembly, power distribution soldering, and Electronic Speed Control (ESC) / Motor installation.
Flight Control Systems / Data Link Installation and Setup
After the airframe and power plant are complete, students install the flight control system as well as the autonomous piloting datalink. These systems require a moderate amount of computer set up as they are installed, and have complex cabling requirements. Advanced training in more sophisticated and mission specific flight control systems is available to our graduates upon completion of basic training.
Radio Frequency (RF) Communications Systems Installation and Setup
This portion of the course provides our student with the basics of RF communication equipment as associated with s-UAS, including flight control, return telemetry, and video/sensor data transmission. Students learn to configure and install transmitters and receivers on both the airframe as well as the ground station.
Video Systems Installation and Setup
This portion of the course teaches our students the fundamentals of gimbal stabilized high resolution cameras. The student will install and configure a gimbal and camera on their s-UAS as a part of the course.
Preventative Maintenance
FAA 107 regulations require the establishment of a regularly scheduled and logged preventative maintenance program. This portion of the course provides the student with an in-depth view of the systems requiring preventative maintenance, what maintenance is required, and how to schedule and log it.
Diagnostic Repairs
An s-UAS, like all equipment, is subject to mishap and / or manufacturing errors. Crashes happen, and equipment is sometimes defective. This portion of the course provides our student with the basic trouble-shooting, diagnostic, and repair skills to determine the extent of the malfunction or damage, and decide if it is fixable in house or must be returned to the factory.
Multi-Rotor Flight Training
Our flight training program goes far beyond the requirements of FAA 107. Each of our graduates will be well versed in all phases of s-UAS operations, gained during the course of at least 20 hours of logged, real-world piloting under the direct supervision of one of our FAA 107 certificated pilots. Advanced flight training in fixed wing and high performance multi-rotor aircraft is available to graduates of our basic flight training course. Basic flight training includes:
Pre-Flight Activities, Planning, and Checklists
In this portion of the course, we train our students on the many tasks involved in planning a flight operation in order for it to be executed in the safest and most efficient manner possible. We teach that proper planning of each mission, along with identifying hazards specific to that mission, is a basic necessity of flight operations, and that diligent pre-flight inspection and testing of all equipment are an integral part of each and every flight. Students are taught to establish and use standard operating checklists which identify each and every step in the pre-flight process.
Communications Procedures During Flight Operations
In this portion of the course, we teach our student the methods of efficiently communicating with all members of the flight operations crew. Safety observers and other ground crew as may be involved in a mission must have clear direction from the PIC and communications must be standardized as much as possible to avoid misunderstandings.
Basic Flight Training
This portion of the course teaches our student the actual piloting and operation of s-UAS. Everything from takeoff and landing, to advanced flight maneuvers, to emergency procedures are practiced under the supervision of experienced s-UAS pilots at various locations. Once trained in basic flight, students will log a minimum of 20 hours of operational flight for donors and others, performing various duties under the supervision of an FAA 107 Certificated PIC.