FIELD LESSON
Briefing
Pre-decide responses
Emergency procedures are not written for calm moments. They exist so the pilot does not invent a plan during a failure. Keep them short, rehearsed, and aircraft-specific.
Common triggers
Plan for lost link, compass/GNSS errors, unexpected aircraft, people entering the work area, battery warnings, payload issues, weather changes, controller failure, and flyaway risk.
After the event
Secure people first, then aircraft if safe, then data and evidence. Record time, location, aircraft, battery, weather, logs, witness details, client communication, and corrective actions.