Method over madness

Ideally, you should begin recording your brand-new drone’s life history from the moment you unbox it. It's always harder to circle back after you've flown a few dozen times and capture the details. A new drone’s arrival is very exciting, especially for new operators, and in the rush to get flying it is easy to overlook something as seemingly mundane as starting a logbook. If you make logging the details such as flight time and battery cycles (the number of times a given battery is charged and discharged) part of your postflight routine right from the start, you will find it becomes second nature.

There are many ways of storing and organizing this information. You will find that great online services such as DroneLogbook, AirData UAV, AlarisPro, and Kittyhawk provide a set of tools ranging from the very basics up to much more advanced tracking and analytics. Most of these services will decode information recorded by your drone, such as in-flight wind conditions and battery performance over time, that would be otherwise difficult or impossible to decode from the data files. Be aware that some useful features may require a paid subscription; however, most of these providers offer some basic services for free. This allows you to check out what they offer and see if you like it and decide if you need to spring for premium features.

Most of these online services allow you to synchronize data across multiple devices, and make record collection more or less automatic. This allows you to access or record data easily whether you are in front of your desktop computer or in the field with your tablet or smartphone via their app.

Some drone operators prefer paper. Rut Patel, CEO at Drone Hero Aerial Productions in central Florida, said he is among them. While manual-entry paper records may seem “old school,” analog hard copies can sometimes be easier to physically manage. Also, a hard copy can be easier to file and work with in the office, depending on your workflow. Keep in mind, you can always scan your hard-copy records and store the digital copy in the cloud, then access it from anywhere on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Keeping paper records is basically free, and allows you to customize the details. You can create a template and print hard copies to carry and mark up on your missions.

Something as simple as a spreadsheet with the correct information can be a great way to gather and keep your information. Widely used spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or Apple Numbers both work very well for this. Keep in mind that a spreadsheet will likely not offer the advanced analytics and pretty interface of the online services. While cloud services allow you to sync spreadsheets via Apple iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, or something similar, you may find it a little more challenging to work with more complex spreadsheets on smaller screens such as smartphones and even some tablets. The upside is that you will not have the monthly subscription fee and you can customize your documents specifically to your needs.

What to keep track of

As mentioned earlier, before your first flight you should document the details about your new aircraft. Information including the brand, model date, and location purchased should be kept with the serial number and price paid. If possible, you can also add a scan of your purchase receipt for quick reference. This is also a good time to label your drone with your FAA registration number since you will have it right there in front of you.

Don’t forget the serial numbers! You might be surprised to know that you have more than one serial number, even with a basic kit. If your new drone came with the aircraft, battery, and controller, you likely have a distinct serial number for each of these items, and as you add more serialized accessories like extra batteries, they too will have their own serial number. Even the gimbal and cameras on some models have their own serial numbers. You can refer to the manufacturer's documentation or support site to find out more regarding your equipment.

Recording serial numbers can be useful when filling out tax forms, filing insurance claims, or recovering your property if it is lost or stolen, and making warranty repair claims.

Serial numbers tend to be long, so it’s not a bad idea to give every drone and battery your own name or number. That makes it easier to keep track. You may also want to record the details of your tablets (whatever you use for a flight control display).

Flight logs

Flight documentation actually has two elements to be mindful of. Of course, you will want to keep a record of the flight and its details, particularly if anything unusual happens that you might want to refer to later. It's not a bad idea to make a logbook entry part of your preflight checklist. This also helps ensure that you stick to a safety and operational plan and complete the checklist of critical tasks and items before taking off.

The flight log itself should include date and time of the flight, drone make and model, location (GPS coordinates or address), airspace class, total flight time, batteries used, and purpose of flight. Also note any unusual instances such as wind gusts, bird encounters, abnormal aircraft behavior, or other issues that may be helpful to know for future flights, or when conducting maintenance.

Maintenance logs

Just like your car, home, computer, or most any other complex device, your drone and related parts need regular maintenance. If the manufacturer recommends a maintenance schedule, it’s a good idea to follow that. If not, make your own, and follow it. Keep track of when you’ve checked screws and other fasteners for tightness and integrity; keep track of each battery’s charge and discharge cycles, and follow the manufacturer recommendations on updating battery, aircraft, and controller firmware.

Manufacturers often recommend that you “deep-cycle” the batteries at regular intervals, which means discharging them as much as possible (usually on the ground, with minimal electrical load to avoid getting the battery too hot) and then fully charging them. This kind of attention to detail will minimize surprises while in the air.

While checking propellers, batteries, and firmware is part of every good preflight checklist, along with making sure there are no obvious signs of damage, more in-depth inspections should be conducted at longer intervals, such as after 25 or 50 flights. Those usually include checking and retightening all components.

Batteries have a finite life, so a log will be a huge help figuring out when a battery was placed in or out of service and also how many charge cycles it has. (You can often find this information in the settings of your flight control app.)

Maintenance records should include important events, such as the date maintenance was performed and what was done (including software or firmware updates). If a drone is damaged and repaired, either by you or the factory or another provider, record the details. Take note of any damaged parts that were replaced or repaired and any applicable calibrations that were done.

While the “business side” of operating a drone may not be as exciting as taking flight and working the sticks, it is nonetheless a crucial part of drone ownership. It is your responsibility to be sure that your aircraft is operating safely and efficiently at all times, and neglecting proper maintenance through poor record keeping can cause a domino effect of failures.

Once you have your system in place, you will see that it only takes a few minutes to update and keep your drone’s health and history available at your fingertips.