Drone Basic Exam (RPAS): Theory of flight and drone systems

All 14 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. What does a drone's inertial measurement unit (IMU) do?

   1. Records video and stores it on the memory card in flight
   2. Calculates the remaining battery time from the motor speed
   3. Senses motion and attitude with gyros and accelerometers
   4. Measures the distance to the controller using radio signals

2. Connecting two identical LiPo battery packs in series does what?

   1. Halves both the voltage and the capacity
   2. Leaves both the voltage and capacity the same
   3. Doubles the capacity while voltage stays the same
   4. Doubles the voltage while capacity stays the same

3. In attitude (ATTI) mode with no GPS hold, what will a multirotor do in a steady wind?

   1. Fly back to the take-off point on its own
   2. Hold its exact position over the ground
   3. Land immediately and shut down its motors
   4. Stay level but drift with the wind

4. When are wing-tip vortices from a large aircraft strongest?

   1. When the aircraft is heavy, slow and in a clean setup
   2. When the aircraft is light, fast and climbing gently
   3. Only when the aircraft is parked with engines running
   4. Only in heavy rain or thick fog at night

5. Why must a drone's payload keep the centre of gravity within limits?

   1. It changes the drone's registration category
   2. The centre of gravity affects stability and control
   3. The camera only works with a centred load
   4. Transport Canada checks it at every registration

6. Why should a drone's compass be calibrated away from cars and steel structures?

   1. Nearby metal and magnetic fields distort the compass reading
   2. Cars give off heat that damages the drone's battery
   3. Steel structures block all GPS signals during calibration
   4. Calibration only works when the drone is above 400 ft

7. What causes an aerofoil to stall?

   1. Running the battery below 50 percent charge
   2. Climbing higher than 400 ft above the ground
   3. Exceeding its critical angle of attack
   4. Flying too slowly for the GPS to keep up

8. How does a quadcopter turn (yaw) left or right?

   1. By tilting all four motors sideways at exactly the same angle
   2. By slowing all four rotors down by exactly the same amount
   3. By changing the speed of clockwise vs counter-clockwise rotors
   4. By moving a small rudder fitted just behind the camera gimbal

9. Why should a multirotor avoid descending fast and straight down into its own downwash?

   1. It can lose lift in its own disturbed air
   2. The GPS stops working during any vertical descent
   3. Descending straight down always overheats the battery
   4. Fast descents are banned by Part IX in all cases

10. On a helicopter, what is the job of the tail rotor?

    1. To counter the torque of the main rotor and control yaw
    2. To provide most of the lift during the take-off phase
    3. To tilt the main rotor disc forward to gain speed
    4. To cool the engine while hovering in hot weather

11. What are the four forces acting on an aircraft in flight?

    1. Lift, weight, thrust and drag
    2. Weight, drag, inertia and torque
    3. Thrust, inertia, gravity and pressure
    4. Lift, gravity, torque and friction

12. What is good practice for drone firmware updates?

    1. Install verified updates from trusted sources only
    2. Never update, since updates void the registration
    3. Update the drone but never the controller app
    4. Install any update found on a hobby forum quickly

13. How does a wing or rotor blade produce lift?

    1. By heating the air beneath it so that the air rises
    2. By storing static electricity across its upper surface
    3. By creating lower pressure above it and pushing air downward
    4. By spinning fast enough to cancel out gravity entirely

14. What happens when an aircraft makes a steep turn?

    1. Its drag disappears during the whole turn
    2. It needs less lift because it is turning
    3. Its weight drops as long as it is turning
    4. It needs more lift, which also increases drag