CAA online competency test (UK) - strange questions

[Congoblue]

I just had a go through the CAA online test (Overview : Flying drones and model aircraft | UK Civil Aviation Authority). I got some really weird questions and dubious answers.
---------------------
Nick is out flying a drone when it starts to snow.
What does he need to consider to stay safe?

You answered:

That other people can still see his drone.

Correct answer:

That he is not getting too cold to be able to use his controller.
---------------------
???? Surely maintaining view of the drone is more important than "getting too cold"


And this one. None of the 4 answers seemed correct to me.
---------------------
Ameen wants to fly his drone over a flower show being held in a country field to get some good images from above. About 150 people are at the show.
Which of the following is correct?

You answered:

He can fly here, but he should remain at least 150m above the show to avoid invading people's privacy.

Correct answer:

He can fly here as long as his drone remains at least 50m away from the people at the show.
---------------------
Soooo.... a show of 150 people isn't a "busy area" that you need to keep 150m away from then? They seem to be saying you could fly over this group of 150 people as long as you are 50m up. This is not my interpretation of the "drone code" which is basically don't fly over anyone if you can help it, especially not any sort of event with a group of people.


I'm interested in what questions other people got that they might disagree with...

 

[schojac]

Yeah I know, really need to read carefully and keep it logical. Got 18 right. Top of the hill got me lol.
Anyway, now legal and £9 lighter.

 

[schojac]

Addition, registration, test and fee can be found at: Overview : Flying drones and model aircraft | UK Civil Aviation Authority

Took me ages to find but that might be me being thick.

Good look and research first.

 

[zocalo]

Agree with you on the snow one. That seems like an error since snow could absolutely interfere with maintaining VLOS.

On the Flower Show, and looking at the new drone code poster, there is a 150m exclusion for built-up areas, but a flower show isn't "built up" - it's essentially parkland or similar, and the only images in the Drone Code that relates are the ones with some people. The 150m exclusion zone image specifically states "1,000 people or more", so doesn't apply, which leaves the 50m one and avoiding direct overflights.

By the letter of the law, I'd say they're totally correct , but since when has erring on the side of caution been a bad thing when it comes to safety? A better option might have been to give that one a pass, but point out that 50m would actually be OK, although I doubt their software would allow for that kind of thing.

 

[schojac]

That’s not what I posted, should read:

register-drones.caa.co.uk

 

[Congoblue]

On the Flower Show, and looking at the new drone code poster, there is a 150m exclusion for built-up areas, but a flower show isn't "built up" - it's essentially parkland or similar, and the only images in the Drone Code that relates are the ones with some people. The 150m exclusion zone image specifically states "1,000 people or more", so doesn't apply, which leaves the 50m one and avoiding direct overflights.

By the letter of the law, I'd say they're totally correct , but since when has erring on the side of caution been a bad thing when it comes to safety? A better option might have been to give that one a pass, but point out that 50m would actually be OK, although I doubt their software would allow for that kind of thing.

Yes I guess whoever has written the questions is not a drone flyer and has just been given the written rules to work from. If it had mentioned avoiding flying over people in the question then that would have been a much better question.

 

[Meta4]

And this one. None of the 4 answers seemed correct to me.
---------------------
Ameen wants to fly his drone over a flower show being held in a country field to get some good images from above. About 150 people are at the show.
Which of the following is correct?
Correct answer:
He can fly here as long as his drone remains at least 50m away from the people at the show.
---------------------
Soooo.... a show of 150 people isn't a "busy area" that you need to keep 150m away from then? They seem to be saying you could fly over this group of 150 people as long as you are 50m up. This is not my interpretation of the "drone code" which is basically don't fly over anyone if you can help it, especially not any sort of event with a group of people.

Perhaps the problem is that you are thinking of flying directly above people (so all you see is the top of their heads) but they are thinking of being 50 metres away (not directly above).
You don't have to be directly above your subject to get good aerial photography.

 

[Hiwayman]

Just tried to register as a PfCO holder I expect to be able to avoid the test... can't seem to do that. Perhaps it's an android issue???

 

[revdancatt]

20 out of 20 for me, but I found the 2,000 people music festival one interesting, in their use of "public footpath".

"Rory walks along a public footpath until he's 150m away from the festival crowds and stands in a neighbouring field"

Sure the question is about "taking off and flying safely", which is all about the distances, but nothing about the legality of just taking off in someone's field. If you've just bought a drone, go do this test, read that and go "Oh right, public footpath; check. Correct distance away; check. Awesome I'm good to go".

I mean, I'm all for that ?just struck me as weird, somewhere it's been through committees and focus groups, and someone's gone "Ooooh, better make sure we specify public footpath", as though that makes a difference.

 

[Congoblue]

Is it the same 20 questions every time or a random selection?

 

[Congoblue]

Legally you couldn't do a direct overflight at 150m when the ceiling is at 120m.

No you couldn't. None of the answers provided to that question seemed to be good answers but you had to pick one...

 

[old man mavic]

registered as a drone owner ,i found the test easy but i dont think it will make me a better or safer flyer, it is just a test to see if you can read a set of rules and regs really, and to demonstrate to police that you are a law abiding citizen

 

[zocalo]

I mean, I'm all for that ?just struck me as weird, somewhere it's been through committees and focus groups, and someone's gone "Ooooh, better make sure we specify public footpath", as though that makes a difference.

Technically it does make a difference, although not in the context of safety. If it's private land you're supposed to have permission from the landowner in order to fly, so I guess that inclusion of "public land" was to avoid complicating the question.

Legally you couldn't do a direct overflight at 150m when the ceiling is at 120m.

Yeah, that hemisphere should be clipped at the top, but it's N/A to the original question anyway since the crowd at the flower show isn't large enough. The general context of the questions seems to be find the most applicable case study in the Drone Code poster then respond with whatever that stipulates, even if one of the other possible responses is less risky. Or, to put it another way, you're being asked what the law actually says, not what is the safest thing to do.

 

[Congoblue]

Of course there was a right answer. According to the code, since there are less that 1000 people, 50m

I said "none of the answers seemed to be good answers", not "there wasn't a right answer". A good answer would have been "He can fly here as long as his drone remains at least 50m away from the people at the show and avoids flying directly over them" which is actually what the code says. I just think the test answers are suggesting things are OK that the code says are not.


And it appears that you always get the same 20 questions, but in a different order. So not like the driving theory test where you get a random selection of different questions every time.

 

[schmooit]

I just had a go through the CAA online test (Overview : Flying drones and model aircraft | UK Civil Aviation Authority). I got some really weird questions and dubious answers.
---------------------
Nick is out flying a drone when it starts to snow.
What does he need to consider to stay safe?

You answered:

That other people can still see his drone.

Correct answer:

That he is not getting too cold to be able to use his controller.
---------------------
???? Surely maintaining view of the drone is more important than "getting too cold"


And this one. None of the 4 answers seemed correct to me.
---------------------
Ameen wants to fly his drone over a flower show being held in a country field to get some good images from above. About 150 people are at the show.
Which of the following is correct?

You answered:

He can fly here, but he should remain at least 150m above the show to avoid invading people's privacy.

Correct answer:

He can fly here as long as his drone remains at least 50m away from the people at the show.
---------------------
Soooo.... a show of 150 people isn't a "busy area" that you need to keep 150m away from then? They seem to be saying you could fly over this group of 150 people as long as you are 50m up. This is not my interpretation of the "drone code" which is basically don't fly over anyone if you can help it, especially not any sort of event with a group of people.


I'm interested in what questions other people got that they might disagree with...

#Im in the process of doing this test now and agree some of the questions are a bit ambiguous and seeing as there is only one correct answer it seems silly to confuse the taker and your are right I think the busy area is subject to interpretation!

 

[Congoblue]

Avoiding an overflight of people is a suggestion, not the rule

Sheesh. I know that. It is just my opinion that the test should promote safe flying rather than slavish adherence to the rules. Which are all only guidelines/suggestions anyway apart from the 120m altitude and airport avoidance.

 

[schmooit]

Are the CAA going to issue some form of official card stating my flyer ID? I think they should really either a printed credit card or a laminated one so if anyone does ask its not just one ive made up?
The FAA do in the US you have to print it your self and laminate but it wouldnt be that hard.

Also what happens when I sell a drone on the second hand market should we be able to check that the person we are selling to has a valid operator and flyer id? We would need to be able to verify it with the address were are shipping to ensure we are not selling to someone who isnt going to operate safely?

Maybe they need to make this ID and Registration more official in the fact that each serial number of the drones owned are registered and then transferred at the point of sale like a car, granted this would be a ball ache for us law abiding people but perhaps would create and obstacle for anyone wishing to purchase ether second hand or new that has no intention of registering.

This doesnt seem to be very well thought out (not that I thought it would be seeing as the gov were involved!) but for all intents and purposes I could fly one of my drones as a good citizen and then the next day fly one of the others as bad boy and so long as I didnt get caught they couldnt track that drone to me at all because this whole process is based around giving me a flyer and operator id that I need to place on the drone! rather than registering a serial number for each craft to my operator ID

 

[Congoblue]

This whole scheme has just been rushed in so the politicians appear to have done something after the Gatwick incidents. As you say it will have no effect in real life except making things a bit harder for the law abiding folk.

 

[schmooit]

I know right! Im all for making it safer but it just seems a half arsed approach in my mind and is really a way of taxing us, I think I remember the CAA saying that in 2018 there could be up 1.5 million extra drone being sold so add that to however many others are already out in the uk thats a fair few quid with very few costs, its a website a test and a database of the details!

I suppose the only saving grace is that fee isnt per drone! (but I can see that one coming!)

 

[Lastrexking]

The FPVUK text was better and more thorough than the CAA's and only ten questions.