“PREFLIGHT” — The 5-Minute Commercial Drone Preflight

02 / ENVIRONMENT

Read the conditions at the actual location

Check wind, gusts, visibility, temperature, precipitation, sun angle, obstacles, nearby people, traffic, wildlife, and electromagnetic or GNSS concerns.

• →What changes if the wind shifts after takeoff?
• →Where is the safest emergency landing area?
• →What obstacle becomes hard to see from the planned pilot position?

03 / AIRCRAFT

Inspect the system—not just the battery percentage

Inspect the airframe, propellers, batteries, controller, storage, firmware state, payload, home point, return-to-home behavior, and the settings that matter for this location.

04 / PEOPLE

Brief roles and stop conditions

Confirm who is pilot in command, who is observing, how the team communicates, where the public may enter, and exactly who can call an immediate stop.

ANYONE CAN CALL “STOP” → PILOT STABILIZES → TEAM REASSESSES

05 / DELIVERABLE

Know what the client actually needs

Confirm the required shots, orientation, frame rate, time of day, must-have features, property boundaries, delivery format, and the one shot you will cut first if conditions tighten.

Important: This checklist is educational and does not replace current FAA rules, authorization conditions, manufacturer instructions, or a mission-specific risk assessment.