Pre-flight Checklist

I'm working on a APM pre-flight checklist. Here is what I have so far. What would you add? How would you change the order?

ArduPilot Mega Drone Pre-flight Checklist

1. battery voltage
2. motor disconnected - power ON
3. switch APM to test mode
4. run planner - enter terminal mode
  1. radio setup / test
  2. verify senors - gyros, IMU
  3. load way points verify HOME location
  4. verify PID
5. switch APM to flight mode
6. run ground station
  1. verify telemetry data
  2. load flight plan way points
7. radio / receiver range check
8. check balance
  Your should always balance your RC airplane before coming to the flying field. However, it is always a good idea to check the forward/backward balance one more time before the first flight of
  each day. Remember that the fuel tank must be empty when checking the
  balance.
9. verify all connections - connect motor
10. verify GPS lock and BUTTON UP
  1. R/C equipment correctly located and fixed (not loose).
  2. R/C equipment connections OK (this can be visual if you have plugs cable tied or otherwise secured).
  3. All linkages correctly attached (check clevises etc).
  4. All flying surfaces correctly and securely attached (for models with removable wings etc).
  5. All control surfaces correctly attached and unobstructed (elevator / rudder / aileron / undercarriage etc).
  6. Propeller correctly attached and undamaged.
  7. Undercarriage correctly attached with free movement of wheels and retracts (where installed).
  8. Pitot tube clear (where installed).
  9. Static ports clear (where installed).
  10. Canopy / hatches secure.
11. start engine and tune (gas engine)
  It's a good idea to hold your airplane vertically with the nose upward while running your engine at full throttle to make sure it will run when in
  this position while in the air.
12. Manual control - elevator, rudder, aileron's, throttle
  Make sure the control surfaces are moving correctly with each stick movement of the transmitter.
13. switch to each UAV mode. In each, move plane to confirm that the control surfaces are moving correctly when you pitch and roll the plane.
14. Clear for takeoff

As a daily pre-flight, this is good. My suggestions as follows:

For the radio checks, perhaps add a failsafe check (where configured).

I would perhaps add some further checks to the airframe such as :

R/C equipment correctly located and fixed (not loose).
R/C equipment connections OK (this can be visual if you have plugs cable tied or otherwise secured).
All linkages correctly attached (check clevises etc).
All flying surfaces correctly and securely attached (for models with removable wings etc).
All control surfaces correctly attached and unobstructed (elevator / rudder / aileron / undercarriage etc).
Propeller correctly attached and undamaged.
Undercarriage correctly attached with free movement of wheels and retracts (where installed).
Pitot tube clear (where installed).
Static ports clear (where installed).
Canopy / hatches secure.

Clearly, inbetween flights on the same day, you will need nothing like the full check-list, but it's a good daily. Should take all of 10 minutes at most to pre-flight and could save you a lot of problems. I am amazed at just how many r/c aircraft pilots do not properly pre-flight.

There is a whole other gamut of checks for helicopters that I would be happy to supply.

Replies

3D Robotics

Chris Anderson January 4, 2011 at 8:52am

Mark, once you've got all the input if you can edit the post to reflect the latest greatest thinking, I can copy it over to the wiki. Thanks for starting this!
Rupert Kent January 4, 2011 at 4:52am
As a daily pre-flight, this is good. My suggestions as follows:

For the radio checks, perhaps add a failsafe check (where configured).

I would perhaps add some further checks to the airframe such as :
- R/C equipment correctly located and fixed (not loose).
- R/C equipment connections OK (this can be visual if you have plugs cable tied or otherwise secured).
- All linkages correctly attached (check clevises etc).
- All flying surfaces correctly and securely attached (for models with removable wings etc).
- All control surfaces correctly attached and unobstructed (elevator / rudder / aileron / undercarriage etc).
- Propeller correctly attached and undamaged.
- Undercarriage correctly attached with free movement of wheels and retracts (where installed).
- Pitot tube clear (where installed).
- Static ports clear (where installed).
- Canopy / hatches secure.
Clearly, inbetween flights on the same day, you will need nothing like the full check-list, but it's a good daily. Should take all of 10 minutes at most to pre-flight and could save you a lot of problems. I am amazed at just how many r/c aircraft pilots do not properly pre-flight.

There is a whole other gamut of checks for helicopters that I would be happy to supply.
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson January 3, 2011 at 4:23pm

I'd add 13: switch to stabilize mode with the plane in your hand and confirm that the control surfaces are moving correctly when you pitch and roll the plane.

This reply was deleted.

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