The Droner’s Manual compiles the most important and relevant knowledge into a guide for both beginner and experienced operators. With his expertise as a UAV operator for government, industry, and hobby uses, author Kevin Jenkins offers step-by-step guidance to build, program, test, and fly multicopter, fixed-wing, and hybrid airframe aircraft for a variety of purposes. This comprehensive manual covers uncrewed system components, aircraft set up, flight controller fundamentals and failsafe features, the flight-testing process, and flight operations.

This new edition incorporates regulation exceptions for recreational flying and introduces The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), as well as offering new and updated information on smart batteries, solving GPS complications, drone photography, remote identification requirements, and the concepts of PID tuning. More than 70 illustrations provide detailed schematics and diagrams for the construction of complex systems such as first-person view (FPV) and imaging payloads.

Readers will fly with confidence applying this book’s direction on mission planning, checklists, and safe flight operations. Whether it is used to build a first unmanned aircraft or as a handy reference in the field, The Droner’s Manual is essential for drone builders, pilots, and operators.