Drone Basic Exam (RPAS): Site survey, pre-flight checks and emergencies

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. Which item is a required part of the site survey?

   1. The names of the owners of all the nearby buildings
   2. The battery serial numbers you plan to use that day
   3. The location and height of wires, masts and towers
   4. The make and model of every car parked near the site

2. When must a site survey be done?

   1. Only when flying for a paying client
   2. Only once a year for each site
   3. Only for flights near an airport
   4. Before every drone operation

3. What should you consider when choosing a take-off and landing site?

   1. Only how close it is to where you parked the car
   2. Only whether the ground surface is grass or pavement
   3. Obstacles, interference and keeping the public away
   4. Only whether the site has good cell phone coverage

4. After troubleshooting fails, your drone is flying off toward controlled airspace. What should you do next?

   1. Wait at least an hour before telling anyone about it
   2. Chase it by car until its battery finally runs out
   3. Post its last known location on social media for help
   4. Alert the air navigation service provider

5. Which pre-flight check is required by regulation?

   1. A full software update before every single flight
   2. A test flight of at least five minutes the day before
   3. Written consent from every person within 100 m
   4. Enough battery or fuel to finish the flight safely

6. Your controller shows a lost link but the drone is still in sight. What is an appropriate first action?

   1. Turn the controller off and on repeatedly
   2. Troubleshoot, e.g. by re-orienting the antennas
   3. Call 911 and report a missing aircraft at once
   4. Walk quickly toward the drone with the controller

7. Why should you check NOTAMs during your site survey?

   1. They can show temporary restrictions or hazards
   2. They list the batteries approved for use at your site
   3. They are required only for flights above 400 ft AGL
   4. They give the landowner's phone number for the site

8. The manufacturer lists a 30-minute flight time. Why plan for less?

   1. Transport Canada caps every drone flight at 20 minutes
   2. Wind, cold and battery age can shorten the real endurance
   3. The listed time includes the time spent charging
   4. Endurance figures only apply to drones flown indoors

9. Before take-off, what distance must the pilot determine?

   1. How far the drone can go without endangering anyone
   2. How far the controller's maximum radio range reaches
   3. How far the drone could glide if all motors stopped
   4. How far the nearest hospital is from the launch site

10. A lithium polymer battery looks slightly swollen. What is the right decision?

    1. Use it only in cold weather
    2. Use it but land at 50% charge
    3. Do not use it for the flight
    4. Use it if the voltage reads normal

11. Which is an example of a flight termination method for a small drone?

    1. Switching the camera from photo to video mode
    2. An automatic return-to-home (RTH) function
    3. Turning on the drone's navigation lights
    4. Reducing the camera gimbal angle to zero

12. Which item belongs in the crew briefing before take-off?

    1. Where the safety equipment is and who can use it
    2. The pilot's home address and personal phone number
    3. The price the client paid for the whole flight
    4. The serial number of every spare propeller in the kit

13. When should the most thorough inspection of the drone be done?

    1. After the very last flight of each working week
    2. Only after the drone has flown its first 100 hours
    3. Only when the manufacturer sends a service reminder
    4. Before the first flight of each day of operations

14. During your walk-around you find a small chip in a plastic propeller blade. What should you do?

    1. Sand it smooth and fly as normal
    2. Tape over it and limit the flight to 5 minutes
    3. Replace the propeller before flying
    4. Fly gently and replace it next week