The Droner's Manual

Book excerpt: The progress made in the field of unmanned aircraft within the last decade have made it possible for almost anyone to build their own UAV in their garage. For many, this is an exciting business proposition in fields from video production to agriculture. However, for beginners and even more experienced hobbyists, it can be a daunting. In this infant industry, reliable and relevant information for construction and programming of unmanned aircraft is often scattered across various sources.Similarly, the industry lacks an established set of standards for the safe and efficient operation of these small unmanned aircraft. "The Droner's Manual: A Guide to the Responsible Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft" compiles the most important and relevant UA knowledge into a guide for both beginner and experienced operators. With his expertise as a UAV operator in government, industry, and hobby applications, author Kevin Jenkins offers step-by-step guidance to build, program, test,and fly both multicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for a variety of purposes. The purpose of this book is to compile the most important and relevant collective knowledge into a guide for both beginners and the experienced. Inside you will find step-by-step guidance to build, program, test, and fly unmanned aircraft of various types and purposes including tips from experienced operators. Also included are detailed schematics and diagrams for the construction of complex systems such as First Person View (FPV) and mapping payloads. Ultimately, you will be able to fly with confidence by following the guidance provided for mission planning, checklists, and safe flight operations contained within. Whether you use it to build your first unmanned aircraft or as a handy reference in the field, this guide is an essential for drone builders, pilots, and operators.