sUAS program a long way from being functional

Likewise, sUAS can be effective in imaging without the need for section 31 and 33 waivers. I fly my Chinese Mavic Air knockoff out to a mile or more and can maintain awareness of attitude and altitude.

107 31 doesn't say "aware" it says "Fly a UAS beyond your ability to clearly determine its orientation with unaided vision".
That's not physically possible at a mile unless you are a "strange visitor from another planet".

You're making my point - your liberal interpretation of 31 violates the FAR, and we all know this would be something
extremely tempting for CAP members, especially gung ho cadets with proficiency on the UAV but lack of knowledge of
CAP procedure and rules.

Likewise, sUAS can be effective in imaging without the need for section 31 and 33 waivers. I fly my Chinese Mavic Air knockoff out to a mile or more and can maintain awareness of attitude and altitude.

107 31 doesn't say "aware" it says "Fly a UAS beyond your ability to clearly determine its orientation with unaided vision".
That's not physically possible at a mile unless you are a "strange visitor from another planet".

You're making my point - your liberal interpretation of 31 violates the FAR, and we all know this would be something
extremely tempting for CAP members, especially gung ho cadets with proficiency on the UAV but lack of knowledge of
CAP procedure and rules.

Agree completely. It would be an extreme circumstance that we would need a VLOS waiver, and if so, it would be a Hdqs decision and they would apply for it.  CAP is Part 107 and will comply. 

Cadets? None in my Wing will fly the drones until they get their Part 107 first. So far the number is zero.

I wish I had the optimism that E Todd has but I do not.  We are returning the P4P  we were assigned to the Wing to be put in the closet until National gets their stuff together.  I was one of the first two technicians to get qualified in our region.  I really do not want to get into the fiasco we went through when Hurricane Barry hit but suffice it to say, no one seems to know what is going on with this program since it was rolled out.,.  Our wing has been fooling with these things for the past three years when they had the other machines that we could not keep in the air. 

In addition, they bring WALDO down here and it does some really beautiful 3D imaging. It starts at $35,000. you cannot get it wet and oh yeah, it takes 3 days to get the pictures back.  Who comes up with these pipedreams?

DB

I wish I had the optimism that E Todd has but I do not.  We are returning the P4P  we were assigned to the Wing to be put in the closet

Oh man, send it my way. I have folks standing in line wanting to train. I need more gear! LOL

Yes ... some Wings jumped onboard quickly and got sUAS Instructors and Check Pilots in place and are in full training mode. One of the biggest I know of is Maryland. They were up to 25 fully trained and qualified sUAS Mission Pilots a month ago.

Some Wings don't have the "self starters" this program needs. No one is being spoon fed. We spread the word in our Wing, and then waited for the enthusiastic ones to contact us. We train those.

 

In addition, they bring WALDO down here and it does some really beautiful 3D imaging.

Yes. The current Puerto Rico Mission that is lasting several weeks is using WaldoAir.  CAP supplies the planes and aircrews, while FEMA rents the WaldoAir equipment.  A win-win.

DSLR .... Garmin Virb .... sUAS Drone .... WaldoAir    <<  Many tools in the toolbox. Each with unique uses.

...  put in the closet until National gets their stuff together.

HDQS IT folks will eventually get sUAS into eServices and WMIRS. But if you are then expecting some "different" national training stuff to come down the pike and everyone get spoon fed ... Not gonna happen.

The sUAS Mission Task Guide is in place, all the documentation is there for anyone "willing" to dive in and make it happen in their Wing and Squadron.

No ... its not for everyone. Isn't designed to be simple to participate. The Part 107 requirement knocks out a lot of folks for sure. All those FEMA courses will keep many from "getting round to it".

Some things in CAP you can study a little and practice a little and pass (ICUT, Basic ES) , some things take more commitment.  sUAS is one of the more difficult ones.  By design. We don't want the "Hey! Can I play with the drone?" folks. My reply is always the same:   "Sure, you can train and I'll teach you. Call me after you have your Part 107 and completed all the FEMA courses. THEN, we will start flight training".

Here's the nutshell from the seasoned members...

NHQ and individual wings should not be issuing press releases that indicate "fully operational UAV, etc."
when no such mission or capability exists.

That's the major cart before the horse issue here.

Send out some toys, get people interested and involved based purely on the merits of
them being cool in and of themselves as STEM tools, but all the rhetoric about
"operational capability" just makes it look like a typical "wings before the work" CAP initiative.

Here's the nutshell from the seasoned members...

NHQ and individual wings should not be issuing press releases that indicate "fully operational UAV, etc."
when no such mission or capability exists.

Agree completely.  Earlier in this thread or another one, I mentioned we may still be two years out. We are very early in the training phase. Sure some Wings have large numbers of sUAS MPs trained, but CAP as a whole is NOT mission capable. Heck, we can't even get missions in WMIRS yet. LOL

No, all I'm doing in my Wing now is the slow as snails process of waiting for people to get their Part 107 ... then spend weeks or months to get round to completing all the FEMA courses. Then we start flight training and teaching all the software.

But thats the deal .... without folks like me starting 'now' to train members ... imagine how much further down the road we would be if I were to sit on my thumbs?  Due to the nature of people and the slow process, its actually very prudent to get people moving 'now' so that MAYBE in a couple years we can be ready for customer missions.

Why in the world do sUAS MP and sUAS MT need hazmat training?

Why in the world do sUAS MP and sUAS MT need hazmat training?

Batteries?

Why in the world do sUAS MP and sUAS MT need hazmat training?

Batteries?

So are they going to add those 2 FEMA courses to the SQTR for GTM3, GTM2, GTM1 and GTL?  I can't imagine that the handling of UAS batteries is much more risky than handling the batteries in an L-Per, a Sniffer, a handheld radio, a flashlight, etc.....

Hey, it was just a SWAG. Shoot me.

If those batteries are LiOn, they are much different than those in an Lper, flashlight, etc.

If those batteries are LiOn, they are much different than those in an Lper, flashlight, etc.

But no different then the ones in your cell phone.

Why in the world do sUAS MP and sUAS MT need hazmat training?

If it's just the basic level of haz mat training, the goal of it is to be able to identify hazardous materials, not respond to haz mat incidents.

Why in the world do sUAS MP and sUAS MT need hazmat training?

If it's just the basic level of haz mat training, the goal of it is to be able to identify hazardous materials, not respond to haz mat incidents.

Yes ... identify.

Once we are mission ready (still a long way off) ... when you are talking with your local EMA and discussing your MOUs, let them know that we could, from a few blocks away from the overturned railcar, send out a sUAS to help identify the car and its contents.  No CAP member would ever approach the railcar and respond in any other way.  Basic reconnaissance only, from a distance.

Or overturned tank truck on the highway, etc.

May never get the call for anything like that. But its something to market to our customers. Will sound great in marketing materials, even if we never do it.

It's not just hazmat, the other required course is "Radiological Emergency Management."  Maybe we should resurrect our RadMon kits.

If there is an overturned railcar anywhere in our state, CAP isn't even close to being on anyone's list to call to "help identify the car and its contents."  Nor will it be added to the list.  Marketing it to our customers? Silliness.

Mike

Marketing it to our customers? Silliness.

Maybe so, but with the cell phone team taking credit for over 90% of the saves now .... from the comfort of their homes .... CAP has to keep grasping at straws. Finding a new relevance, somewhere.

While UAS aircraft might be a bit 'unready' for CAP missions, this innovative effort in the great 'Down Under' https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-29/footage-of-man-fishing-from-drone-being-investigated-by-casa/11460604 suggests an alternative use of UAS that could revitalize and expand CAP ground team capabilities.  Would a CAPF5 or CAF91 be necessary?

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=21765.msg398364#msg398364

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=21765.msg398364#msg398364

Love it.   

As for reality.  CAP sUAS drone teams are in PR now, practicing with the InstantEye sUAS gear mentioned in the other thread. Waiting it out there to be ready for deployment in Florida.

Yes its real. Yes, its official missions for FEMA.  So thankful for the members and Wings who jumped on board early and have us to the point of actually being able to respond when FEMA asks.  Its a good thing for CAP.