China Civil UAV Theory Questions — Questions 932–941

Takeoff and landing control of civil UAV systems in China today mainly uses autonomous control, manual remote control, or combined control. Further reading: autonomous control means that during takeoff and landing the operator does not intervene in the control loop; using onboard sensor information or necessary guidance information, the onboard computer executes programmed control and automatically completes takeoff and recovery. Manual remote control means the pilot uses the UAV's status information from the ground station via a radio data link to send control commands guiding launch and recovery.

After being assigned by the operator to run a UAV system, the first thing the remote pilot in command or pilot does is learn and master the system's key performance, especially flight-related performance.

Takeoff and landing operations: (1) Short reaction time for handling problems: during takeoff and landing, the aircraft's power and altitude are relatively limited, leaving possibly too little time and space to adjust and handle an emergency. (2) Complex weather conditions: during takeoff and landing the aircraft is in the troposphere and is easily affected by unstable airflow. (3) High operational complexity: different systems must work together and depend on each other.

The traffic pattern, also called the five-leg circuit, consists of takeoff, establishing the pattern, visual landing, and landing. The traffic pattern does not include mission flight.

Mission execution status need not be considered in the traffic pattern, so option C is correct. Further reading, establishing an (emergency) pattern includes: (1) checking the flight platform, engine, and onboard equipment for faults, and fuel and battery levels; (2) deciding on a landing field or forced-landing field; (3) deciding on the control mode; (4) deciding when the flight operator and the takeoff-and-landing operator hand over; (5) deciding when to extend or retract the landing gear and flaps; (6) if conditions allow, flying back over the home field at the first opportunity.

In level flight at constant altitude, all the forces and moments acting on the aircraft should balance. But the aircraft's balance is often disturbed by various factors. The pilot must therefore spot and continuously correct deviations during flight. Main tasks: (1) judge the aircraft's pitch attitude and whether it is banked, from the attitude indicator; (2) judge the flight direction from the direction of the target point; (3) continuously check the airspeed, altitude, and heading indications; (4) watch the engine indications to understand how the engine is working.

The pilot must watch closely and must not rest. In level flight at constant altitude, all the forces and moments acting on the aircraft should balance. But the aircraft's balance is often disturbed by various factors. The pilot must therefore spot and continuously correct deviations during flight. Main tasks: (1) judge the aircraft's pitch attitude and whether it is banked, from the attitude indicator; (2) judge the flight direction from the direction of the target point; (3) continuously check the airspeed, altitude, and heading indications; (4) watch the engine indications to understand how the engine is working.

In level flight at constant altitude, all the forces and moments acting on the aircraft should balance. But the aircraft's balance is often disturbed by various factors. The pilot must therefore spot and continuously correct deviations during flight. Main tasks: (1) judge the aircraft's pitch attitude and whether it is banked, from the attitude indicator; (2) judge the flight direction from the direction of the target point; (3) continuously check the airspeed, altitude, and heading indications; (4) watch the engine indications to understand how the engine is working.

In level flight at constant altitude, all the forces and moments acting on the aircraft should balance. But the aircraft's balance is often disturbed by various factors. The pilot must therefore spot and continuously correct deviations during flight. Main tasks: (1) judge the aircraft's pitch attitude and whether it is banked, from the attitude indicator; (2) judge the flight direction from the direction of the target point; (3) continuously check the airspeed, altitude, and heading indications; (4) watch the engine indications to understand how the engine is working.

Study note: extending the flaps or the landing gear calls for more throttle; retracting them calls for less. The question specifies constant speed, so the engine thrust originally equals drag. After the flaps are extended, drag increases. To keep the forces balanced, the pilot must increase throttle to increase thrust.