My Wing Officially Rolls Out ...

[etodd]

So while another CAP sUAS Check Pilot and myself have been training people in our local Squadrons for a couple months, our Wing is fully onboard now and we are developing plans to roll it out to other Squadrons in the Wing.

BTW, some of you will laugh and others will raise an eyebrow, when I tell you I have been made sUAS Program Director for my Wing. Going to be a wild ride.

Have surveyed the Wing members and are identifying those who are already are Part 107, with some experience, who could be quickly trained as Instructors. They could then train members in nearby Squadrons. sUAS training really needs to be done locally. With batteries having short times, there is no way to try and get 40-50 people to meet centrally on a Saturday or two, and get enough actual flying hours.

For anyone interested, I'll keep you apprised of our progress in this thread, over time.

[Lord of the North]

Now if you only had NHQ approved and published directives and forms to use.

[Holding Pattern]

Now if you only had NHQ approved and published directives and forms to use.

They literally can't until they finish the publications rewrite. They can, however, continue to operate in a compliant manner simply by working within the confines of CAPR 60-3 Para 1-31, "Technical or Specialized Operations."

[etodd]

^^^ While I do understand your disbelief, it is CAP National Headquarters telling us to go ahead and use all the documents (70-1U, F5U, SQTR, F91U, etc., etc.,) even though they are still in draft form.

As your Wing rolls out its sUAS Program, you'll get the official instructions. I've been mistaken in the last few months thinking all Wings were rolling out at the same time. But after hearing from all the folks here at CAPtalk, and other places, its obvious that its rolling out in Wings at different timetables.  My understanding is that all Wings 'could" be starting now, but I guess its Wing Commanders that call the shots for their folks. You might want to inquire.

[Fubar]

70-1U, F5U, SQTR, F91U, etc., etc.,) even though they are still in draft form.

Where are these documents posted for use?

[CAP9907]

70-1U, F5U, SQTR, F91U, etc., etc.,) even though they are still in draft form.

Where are these documents posted for use?

More than that, who to contact to get them? Is there a Duty Assignment for  "DOu" or even a position for "sUAS Program Director" in eServices or anywhere? I can't find any of this when pulling reports and contacts for duty positions (let alone a SQTR or a training manual relating to signoffs). And how are these people chosen, by what criteria, what training, and to what standards are they to be held?

Without transparency, this is just another Good ol' boys club that the the average Member cannot access, which fosters resentment and doubt.

~9907

[NIN]

I can't use a new member inprocessing checklist that hasn't been approved up thru NHQ without an SUI finding.

Yet I'm supposed to assign people to non-existent position, and operations are supposed to use unapproved draft publications and forms, and it's "OK?

[THRAWN]

And Nero fiddles....

I can't use a new member inprocessing checklist that hasn't been approved up thru NHQ without an SUI finding.

Yet I'm supposed to assign people to non-existent position, and operations are supposed to use unapproved draft publications and forms, and it's "OK?

[etodd]

If your Wing is not rolling it out yet and your Wing Commander isn't informing you of the process and what documents to use, etc. ..... then don't worry about it for now. Its simply not time for you yet.

[CAP9907]

..... then don't worry about it for now. Its simply not time for you yet.

You've made my point better than I ever could have

[Live2Learn]

If your Wing is not rolling it out yet and your Wing Commander isn't informing you of the process and what documents to use, etc. ..... then don't worry about it for now. Its simply not time for you yet.

Do you envision a MOU with the FAA that would allow recreation UAS qualified operators to fly quasi commercial missions like crewed aircraft?

[etodd]

Do you envision a MOU with the FAA that would allow recreation UAS qualified operators to fly quasi commercial missions like crewed aircraft?

Really not sure what you are asking. I'm not interested in recreational flyers. CAP sUAS Mission Pilots are Part 107.

[NIN]

Really not sure what you are asking. I'm not interested in recreational flyers. CAP sUAS Mission Pilots are Part 107.

I think the question was basically would there potentially be, when flying under CAP's aegis, for non-Part 107 pilots to fly.

For example, currently CAP pilots who are private-only are allowed to fly AFAMs under an exemption to FAR 61.113(e), which allows a private pilot to be reimbursed for expenses.

(Just off the top of my head, I would guess that the answer is "no" because the current FAR 61 exemption still requires pilots to be properly certificated pilots, like Part 107 requires sUAS pilots to be properly certificated...)

[etodd]

AFAM Missions?  No.  Certain limited Demonstration flights can be non Part 107:

4.1. CAP sUAS Pilot Qualifications

        4.1.1. CAP sUAS Demonstration Pilot

        4.1.1.1. To operate as a CAP sUAS Demonstration Pilot, the member be qualified to operate a sUAS under 14 CFR Part 101, with appropriate endorsements from a CAP sUAS Instructor Pilot for the make and model aircraft flown and have completed a CAPF 5U check flight by an CAP sUAS Check Airman within the last 12 calendar months.

(But until I see a specific need for Demonstration Pilots that for some reason cannot be performed by our Part 107 Pilots, I'm not pushing the idea of training Part 101 only Pilots)

[Live2Learn]

Would CAP use of AFAM numbers be constrained for DJI and other UAS by national concerns of Chinese manufactured drone security concerns?  See:  https://www.npr.org/2019/05/29/727612692/we-re-not-being-paranoid-u-s-warns-of-spy-dangers-of-chinese-made-drones

[Eclipse]

Not as of today, but it's a possibility and would be hilarious.

[etodd]

Would CAP use of AFAM numbers be constrained for DJI and other UAS by national concerns of Chinese manufactured drone security concerns?  See:  https://www.npr.org/2019/05/29/727612692/we-re-not-being-paranoid-u-s-warns-of-spy-dangers-of-chinese-made-drones

A couple things.  The CAP issued DJI drones we are currently using for "training" are only being used with similar tablets that were issued for the Garmin Virb, eliminating the Apple connection. And the software to fly, has been modified to eliminate using the cloud.

Now, that being said, if we showed up to some Mission with a state EMA, would they take our word for it?  Maybe, maybe not.

But realistically, I see it taking at least a year, maybe a little more, before we have enough Wings with enough qualified sUAS Mission Pilots to be able to start working Missions for customers.  By then, drones more suited to real world scenarios will be obtained for actual customer work.  Would still be fine to keep using off the shelf DJI consumer models for training. Cheaper to replace when a newbie crashes one.

[Live2Learn]

[... CAP issued DJI drones we are currently using for "training" are only being used with similar tablets that were issued for the Garmin Virb, eliminating the Apple connection. And the software to fly, has been modified to eliminate using the cloud. ...

Where are Garmin VIRB controller tablets built, and by whom?  Are ANY commercially available tablets or other hand held devices built in "secure" countries, i.e. in the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, or Western Europe?  Are the alternate tablet/smart phone devices ever connected at any time to the internet?  It seems like the security holes might not be that easy to close.

[Eclipse]

Soon we'll hear that Huawei was chosen as the official controller vendor.

[etodd]

Looks like the Army is going toward the Euro made Parrot.

https://www.suasnews.com/2019/05/parrot-selected-by-u-s-dept-of-defense-to-help-develop-next-gen-drone-for-army/

If itworks out for the Army, maybe it would be OPSEC good enough for CAP to use for FEMA flood photos. 🤣

[sardak]

Looks like the Army is going toward the Euro made Parrot.

No, reading the full article, not the press release from Parrot, finds that:

In this process, the U.S. Army is partnering with the Pentagon's internal startup accelerator to adapt small commercial drones for the battlefield. Parrot, the leading European drone group, is one of the 6 companies that have met the standards set in the solicitation issued in November 2018 to develop and prototype the next generation of small-unit surveillance drone.

The six chosen companies are based in the U.S, with the notable exception of French manufacturer Parrot. The remaining five are Skydio, Altavian, Teal Drones, Vantage Robotics, and Lumenier.

https://dronelife.com/2019/05/29/parrot-among-manufacturers-chosen-by-dod-for-u-s-army-recon-drone-program/

Mike

[etodd]

Point being that the DOD will eventually decide on models, and then big brother AF will tell us what to use. 

In the interim, it matters little what we are training with at this old golf course. China can see it just fine on Google Earth. 🤣

IOW ... much too early for any of us CAP folks to be going all OPSEC yet. We will have the proper gear before any customer needs us.

For now it's just training.

[Mitchell 1969]

Soon we'll hear that Huawei was chosen as the official controller vendor.

Why? Are they going to pay a kickback?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Luis R. Ramos]

I would bet that was sarcasm. Huawei has been accused of electronic spying of US and other nation's corporations.

[etodd]

When we shoot photos of hurricane damage, flooding, etc. with our DSLRs or Virbs and at Mission Base using whatever internet connection we can muster up, upload them to the FEMA website, I have no doubt that the Chinese or anyone else could have been seeing all these all along over the years.  We do what we can, but I don't think FEMA has ever been all freaked out that our Texas flooding images might be going to Kim in North Korea.  For 99% of our typical drone missions I envision in the future, it'll be the same. OPSEC a non-issue. When it is an issue, the proper gear and precautions will be in place. Give our big brother AF some credit for watching over us, as well as our customers' requirements.

[N6RVT]

I don't think FEMA has ever been all freaked out that our Texas flooding images might be going to Kim in North Korea.

Google Maps Street View tells them far more than our drones ever will.

[Spam]

I hear where y'all are coming from, but interception of our imagery is not the concern, teammates. The concern is that we'll have nonsecure components interfacing within an extended system which may interface with critical response infrastructure, and may thereby introduce a vulnerability path through FEMA links into DHS, participating DoD agencies, and many more.

You may laugh and roll your eyes at what you may consider paranoia, but its not paranoia when they really are out to penetrate us via supply chain attacks. And they are.  So in concert with our customers we will grow to appreciate the necessity for required countermeasures. FEMA is only now starting to wake up to their massive vulnerability problem in the wake of their recent penetrations and data spills, and is starting to take action in compliance with the new law enacted last fall.

https://www.dhs.gov/CISA

So, I expect that we'll end up inheriting some of the measures that FEMA, DHS, and DoD among others have been struggling with for some time now (from the physical - no thumb drives, accountable audits, etc.) to procedural, to getting rid of equipment from known bad actors (e.g. Huawei, any iPhones or Alexas or the like, that sort of thing).  Mother USAF is still, after all this time, finding airmen somehow loading inappropriate material via newly discovered vulnerable paths into critical systems, so it may take some time for the process to work with us.


R/s
Spam

[etodd]

  Mother USAF is still, after all this time, finding airmen somehow loading inappropriate material via newly discovered vulnerable paths into critical systems, so it may take some time for the process to work with us.

In the meantime, we'll still keep having fun training. When time comes for actual missions, we'll be issued the proper gear. That's above our "pay grade".  The average CAP member is only required to use the gear issued and follow the task guide. Let the DOD worry about the rest.   

[Spam]

  Mother USAF is still, after all this time, finding airmen somehow loading inappropriate material via newly discovered vulnerable paths into critical systems, so it may take some time for the process to work with us.

In the meantime, we'll still keep having fun training. When time comes for actual missions, we'll be issued the proper gear. That's above our "pay grade".  The average CAP member is only required to use the gear issued and follow the task guide. Let the DOD worry about the rest.   

Agreed... lets not borrow trouble.