Requested drone flights

Keith Smith
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Requested drone flights

Post by Keith Smith »

If you're interested in recording a flight so that it can be played back as a 24/7 drone, please select a flight from the list published here:
http://www.pilotedge.net/object/drone_requests.html

The list of guidelines for recording a flight can be found here:
http://www.pilotedge.net/object/recordi ... lines.html

I'm focusing on Socal drones for now, but if you have a burning desire to fly in Norcal, feel free, per the guidelines.
Rauerb3
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:27 pm

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Rauerb3 »

I'll be spending some time this weekend getting the client set up. This Tuesday i'll be online with you and i'll do some drone recording.
Charan Kumar
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:12 am

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Charan Kumar »

Hi Keith, you probably would have to tell me how to do the recording too, other than the default recording I have seen on XPlane, I don't know what you mean, but if that's what it is, then I shall most certainly do that.

I noticed that the drone flights are mostly (actually all ;)) in the ZLA area. Mind if I record some in the ZOA area? If you have any pairs in mind do let me know, if not I will pick some non-towered airports to fly between!! I first got to get my sim controls fixed, acft keep banking left, not sure why!!

Cheers!!
Charan Kumar
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:12 am

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Charan Kumar »

Nice to be here too Mike...btw, are we also recording UNICOM calls for the drones? The article mentions using voice!!
Keith Smith
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Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Keith Smith »

Charan,

I've been focusing on SoCal because that's the facility that I anticipated being involved in the initial beta testing, but given that we have secured a healthy number of NorCal controllers, it looks like we'll be on track to launch with Norcal/Socal. Go ahead and start recording them at will. Please do read and digest the guidelines prior to recording, though (start on the ramp, lights off ,etc, and most importantly, stay clear of A/B/C/D airspace).

In absence of a formal list of airport pairs, feel free to fly between any non-towered fields, however, for ease of sequencing, please don't use a given airport with more than one other airport. For example, it's fine if we have 4 drones going back and forth between HAF and WVI. However, HAF and WVI should not be used in conjunction with any OTHER airports. If you're the only one recording norcal drones for now, then this won't be a problem. If others want to join in, though, then we should come up with a city-pair list for norcal, just like I did for socal.

I could see why you might relate the voice calls with the drone recording, I've changed the order of those sections on the page to remove the potential association. Voice is NOT recorded with the flight.

Keith
Charan Kumar
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:12 am

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Charan Kumar »

I saw quiet a number of ZOA flights now, I even tried following the KHAF pattern drone only to fly into IMC at 500 ft, should've know better. Whoever put the overflight at KSFO is now really challenging us :lol:, it will be very interesting with GOLDN5 arrivals for KSFO and KSJC...tfc, at your 11 o clock, 4 miles 11500 south bound, an unidentified drone, report it in sight... ;)

I will see what else I can add.

As for the UNICOM voice, I got a little carried away that I was actually going to hear drones making CTAF calls that way anybody else flying into those airport can use that :D
Keith Smith
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Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Keith Smith »

Hi Charan,

I realize you're probably joking but we won't, of course, tell the pilots that the traffic is a 'drone', right? :) As a controller, you have 'no idea' what kind of airplane that unidentified VFR target is....you're not even sure if that's his correct altitude. "altitude indicates 11,500, type unknown" ;) Or, to spice it up, you can simulate that he's got flight following with you, in which case you could give the type and altitude. This will be most interesting at LAX for the eastbound deps..."traffic 12 oclock 5 miles, northwest bound, flight of 2 F18's at 16,500." There's a lot of military overflight traffic there, should make for good times. The good news is, they're in an out pretty fast!

I will eventually consider adding some basic weather detection that disables the drones so they don't enter IMC, that, or the ability for controllers to manually remove drones when the weather comes in. That shouldn't happen too often, though, HAF has _great_ weather most of the time, right?!

And yes, it was intentional to have the VFR traffic overflying the Bravo. There's lot of traffic in socal which crosses the departure/arrival paths of the busy airports, all while remaining clear of A/B/C/D airspace....it's a wonderful thing that happens in the real world all the time, so I figured it would be interesting to simulate here as well. The controllers will certainly be giving point outs, but remember, you're not on the hook for separating IFR/VFR aircraft outside of B/C airspace.

Keith
Charan Kumar
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:12 am

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Charan Kumar »

Yes, I was joking...but the exact phraseology has escaped me. I used to fly a lot and learn, now I have been spending a lot of time controlling that I don't hear other controllers enough anymore. Need to start flying again to learn.

Oh, and BTW, as you can see, I can see the forums again!!

Cheers!!
David Carman
Posts: 67
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:09 pm

Re: Requested drone flights

Post by David Carman »

I got x-plane up and running, when I get back from my trip this weekend I'm going to record NorCal drones as well. I'll start a new thread with the flights I'm doing so we don't overlap.
Keith Smith
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Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:38 pm
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Re: Requested drone flights

Post by Keith Smith »

Socal drone list has been cleared, we're good for now. List has been updated to show an initial cut at some norcal suggestions:
http://www.pilotedge.net/object/drone_requests.html
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