Observer Training

Model Flying New Zealand uses observers to add to situational awareness when operating model aircraft, the role of observers is varied and depending on the operation may be required to maintain observation of the airspace, ensuring separation to manned aircraft, or to observe any potential ground hazards, such as public encroachment on the flying area. It may be required to maintain observation of both the air and ground area.

By holding Model Flying New Zealand Wings, in any discipline, part of the Wings syllabus MUST include training for role of Observer, and any Wings qualified Pilot is deemed to have been trained in the role of Observer, as dictated by CAR101 and in the MFNZ CAR102 Unmanned Aircraft Operations Manual

The observer qualification is unique in that it is also available to non MFNZ members. This process is available via an online training and certification process, ensuring that those performing the observer role have the required knowledge of aviation law and health and safety principals. Any MFNZ Wings qualified member can assess and approve an Observer.

The human eye has evolved into an amazing sense, however what you see, and “what you see” are not the same thing! The brain interprets data sent to it by the eye and processes it into an image we can understand. Without this processing the raw image we would see would have gaps in it and would jump around (eyes don’t actually move smoothly, they move in steps called saccades).

There are numerous examples that can be used to trick this processing!

The sensing cells in the back of our eye, making up the retina, are referred to as Cones and Rods.

Cones are our HD sense, they have amazing visual accuracy, can resolve things in great detail and in colour, however they require a reasonable amount of light to be effective, without reasonable amounts of light… they are next to useless. Cones are stacked up around the centre of the back of the eye and provide much of our normal vision when we look directly at a scene in good lighting.

Rods are our primitive vision and are spread much further around the back of the retina. Rods work relatively well in low light, however, are poor at resolving detail or clarity and see in grey scale. Due to the location of the Rods in the eye, they are purely in our peripheral vision. They exist to allow us to spot predators in the night!

As well as all these cones and rods in the retina there is the optic nerve, which feeds all this imagery to our brain… unfortunately where is attaches to the retina there are no optical cells at all, giving us a blind spot (that the brain tricks us into thinking doesn’t exist!)

Observers must be familiar with their responsibilities as part of a flight operation, which are referenced in the MFNZ CAR102 Unmanned Aircraft Operations Manual (Chapter 4.8)

1. Monitor airspace and inform the pilot if any other aircraft are in the vicinity; and
2. Monitor activities on the ground and take necessary actions to keep the pilot free from distraction.
3. Maintain airspace knowledge in alignment to CAR [101.12]
4. All Observers will be briefed prior to each flight by the Pilot as to their specific responsibilities for that operation.
5. Observers will carry out all duties assigned to them in conformance with the procedures set out in the Model Flying New Zealand exposition.

Observers must:

1. Adhere to all instructions given by the Pilot
2. Take full responsibility in the area designated to them by the Pilot.
3. Demonstrate a positive commitment to the Model Flying New Zealand Health & Safety Policies.

Observers are not to have any known visual or aural impairment unless they can be corrected easily (e.g. prescription glasses or hearing aid).

The following scanning routine is designed to mitigate the known deficiencies in human vision, such as phenomena like the 10 degree blind spot where the optic nerve attaches.

1. Begin your scan by looking at the 12 o’clock position, high in the sky.
2. Scan from left to right, from the 9 o’clock to the 3 o’clock positions on the clock, making sure to cover the same points/airspace the pilot is currently flying in.
3. Then, starting at the 3 o’clock position, look down and scan back to the left 9 o’clock position.
4. If necessary, look farther downward and scan back to the 3 o’clock position.
5. Rotate 180 degrees to scan the 3 to 9 o’clock position, covering 3 to 9 o’clock positions that are directly behind the pilot, using the same high/medium/low sky sections.
6. Start over and repeat.

Aviation safety relies on clear concise communication with a common language, because of this, standard phrases that all parties understand will be used.

Standard phrases to be used by the observer:

• “Approaching distance limit”—To be used when the visual observer is in danger of losing his or her line of sight with the drone.
• “Distance is a go”—To be used when the pilot has moved the drone back into a range where the visual observer can comfortably observe it.
• “Bring it down!”—To be used when the visual observer determines there is imminent danger and the drone needs to be grounded immediately.
• “Climb, climb, climb!”—To be used when the pilot needs to climb immediately to avoid an imminent collision.