So --- you pull up on site. You're alone - your medium range FPV rig/tripod in tow. This rig and GS has been maidened and tested at your "home" site to 3km although no1 on RCG knows this (woops, did I say that out loud??). You have no automated RTH capability nor do you have a lost-model locator. This will be your 1st and likely last time at this site. You have exactly an hour to burn. In addition to your rig you have these items at your disposal:

1) laptop : wireless card (internet access)
2) Blackberry PDA with full saturation and internet
3) your vehicle
4) binocs

You grab your FPV field-kit... check all the batteries for the gear and backup batteries. You are good to go.

What do you do before

a) setup
b) launch

and what do/can you do during the flight to make sure your chances of success are in your favor? What things do you look for?

Quick ground scan. Look for significant landmarks. Get a general idea of flight.

Launch - climb out to 400' or so and take a look around. Try to pick a landmark near where I am. Couple of quick circles - and off I go.

Hope that the OSD doesn't cr@p out on me and fly as I normally would. As long as I'm not getting bad interference - I'll keep doing what I want. It's not like the loss of video signal hits all at once - typically you have some warning - unless there is a total failure - in which case - procedures for finding a lost plane vary.

I wouldn't go for a distance record at a place that I have never flown before - but if I fly to 3km regularly - and know that my equipment can handle it - I would have no reason to fear. Just for precaution - becasue I may not know if there are sources of interference - I might stay within 2km... might.

Overall - I repeat the exact same routine every time - including making a couple of circles at 400 or so feet... it's just how I do it.

So you roll out - have a look --- head further - have another look - further, random circles to make sure you have a solid link in a bank - etc. I think I got it. What online tools (I'm a computer systems engineer so I'm never more than an arms length away from the web) do you use to look at topology? Cell phone tower map? Etc. Also are there any trajectory or signal propagation tools that people use for simulating LOS in all directions/ranges from a given point?? I'd like to develop a checklist and kinda have these online tools in a holster so I can do quick research on-site or doing mission-planning before a flight.

Best I'll do is Google Earth for a look around. I'm more concerned with my landmarks than anything. It's easy to get turned around without an OSD.

If you can, check the area with google earth, look for good landmark. Find visually a good place to launch and the most important, a good area to land (no obstacles in the axes and facing the wind). Check any cell phone/TV etc... transmission tower, if you find one be carefull and don't go for your max range at the beginning.

Be sure you won't be distured by peoples (you don't want to explain 100 times how fpv is working when you wear googles and you need to be focused on your plane)

Per 1. Google map the area. (Top off batteries while looking)
Per 2. Drive to site.
Per 3. Put gun in pocket
Per 4. Turn off phone.

1. Setup.
2. Plug batteries in.
3. Look around. (While getting GPS lock)
4. Put chair out.
5. Press record.
6. Fly.

1. Check for RF noise floor. Disconnect your RX antenna and move the aircraft away until the video feed goes out. The distance is proporional to the amount of noise. Then turn of your airplaned, reconnect your antenna and see if you have any competing video feed (doubtful, but possible).

2. Identify landmarks and a runway. You need a good clear place to land. Identifying more than one runway is even better.

3. Get out of the way of people traffic or prepare for it. If in a parking lot, guard yourself with your car. If in a field in the open, stay away from people who could walk up and touch your equipment.

4. Fly

-Alex

Never thought of the noise floor checks in that manner. Keep the tips coming guys - thank you.

Originally Posted by IBCrazy

If in a field in the open, stay away from people who could walk up and touch your equipment.

-Alex

Wow! So far I haven't had my equipment touched while flying, I'll make sure I stay inside with windows rolled up, last thing I need is a lot lizard trying to drum up business when I'm trying to fly!

Originally Posted by Po73

Wow! So far I haven't had my equipment touched while flying, I'll make sure I stay inside with windows rolled up, last thing I need is a lot lizard trying to drum up business when I'm trying to fly!

Then you've never read this.

www.windfinder.com for forecasts and current weather.

http://skyvector.com/ for airspace.

Originally Posted by Po73

Wow! So far I haven't had my equipment touched while flying, I'll make sure I stay inside with windows rolled up, last thing I need is a lot lizard trying to drum up business when I'm trying to fly!

Or this

CNN: John Tyner to TSA security 'Don't 'touch my junk' (2 min 6 sec)

Don't touch my junk when I'm tryna fly.

I could say the same for a site you usually fly at as well... ...when snow covered it is totally different.. flew today for the first time (i think) in the snow, and whoah i was disoriented for the first 30 seconds... and i did a loop too haha that was fun

It might be worthwhile to pick up some inexpensive traffic cones from your local hardware store as well. If you are flying near a roadway put them around your vehicle.

This will warn drivers of your presence and also tend to keep pedestrians away. A "Men At Work" sign also helps. With all the electronics people will assume you are a local workman doing... something they don't understand and aren't interested in.

Like this?

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orrrrr.... maybe...