Drones Background and Terminology

 

TERMINOLOGY & DEFINITIONS

Air Traffic Control (ATC) — the ground-based personnel and equipment concerned with monitoring and controlling air traffic within a particular area

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) — refers to flight where the pilot has no visual reference of the aircraft

Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) — an authorization issued by the Federal Aviation Administration granting approval for a specific flight operation 

Drone – a common term used to describe a remote-controlled pilotless aircrafts

Line of Sight (LOS) — maintaining direct visual contact with the aircraft from your position on the ground

Model Aircraft — a drone used for recreational purposes weighing less than 55 pounds and flown within visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft

Remote Pilot in Command (Remote PIC or RPIC) — a person who holds a remote pilot certificate with an sUAS rating and has the final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of an sUAS operation conducted under part 107

Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) — an unmanned aircraft system weighing less than 55 pounds typically used for non-recreational operations

Unmanned Aircraft (UA) — an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) — the entire package needed to operate the system, including the aircraft, controls, software, and attached components such as cameras

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) — the actual aircraft taking flight

Visual Observer (VO) — a person who assists the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS (if that person is not the remote pilot in command) to see and avoid other air traffic or objects aloft or on the ground

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