During attending my training program, and as I dug deeper into the nuances of UAV flight, I kept hearing the phrase beware of your spacial awareness as this is the key to successful flight operations.
Losing spacial awareness almost inevitably leads to loss of control and a premature end of the flight. There are lots of reasons for this, but the main one, the one that can cost you dearly, is a difficult one to master.
Most current systems require the use of three things. The UAV itself, the remote control and the tablet/smartphone. The key is to keep your wits about you and do not panic. Know and understand your emergency procedures, and if in doubt, generally letting go of everything will lead to assertion of control.
When concentrating on the tablet, you will easily be sucked into observing the screen and will be totally unaware of your surroundings. When concentrating on the UAV you will lose sight of your mission and may lose directional awareness. When merely monitoring what your hand is doing to control the UAV you may lose sight of the situation.
Try to keep a balance between screen, UAV observation and flight control. This will keep you aware of your surroundings, able to orientate the aircraft through the screen and be able to manoeuvre effectively under all circumstances.
Be aware that all you need to do is place the craft in GPS mode and let go of the controls and it will hover. It may not be where you want it to be, but you can regain control without panicking.
Here is what happens when you lose spacial awareness and concentrate on the screen rather than balancing your efforts.
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