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Reasons for logging flights?

Catweazle

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Apart from warranty history, is there other valid reasons for logging flights? I have not found one yet so I don,t bother.
 
I don't know about the rest of the world, but FAA requires you to do so as part of Part 107. It also helps to keep track for maintenance.
 
I think you are going to start seeing more and more requirements to keep logs even if you are flying recreational. Here in Canada I am required to log every flight for which I have a App for. Having some kind of record from my drone helps me fill in the blanks when I get home. I am also required to have my pilots certificate, a copy of my registration, my UAV manual and some kind of check list if asked for. Not sure who would be asking but I do have a hard copy and on my 3 devices I carry when out and about. Has never slowed me down and actually is good to keep track of for maintenance like Ansia has said.
 
I,ll give logging a bit more thought..
CASA here in Oz were supposed to start rego in July. Gossip is that they have suspended it for recreational for 2 years.
Doesn,t mean they do not have restrictions. Hefty $ fine whacks if caught. One guy ended up with two fines totalling $AU1900 for crashing into a farmers field. Not sure why. May have been a crop dusting airstrip there or he may have caused a stampede of their cattle.
 
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I,ll give logging a bit more thought..
CASA here in Oz were supposed to start rego in July. Gossip is that they have suspended it for recreational for 2 years.
Doesn,t mean they do not have restrictions. Hefty $ fine whacks if caught. One guy ended up with two fines totalling $AU1900 for crashing into a farmers field. Not sure why. May have been a crop dusting airstrip there or he may have caused a stampede of their cattle.

Good for you. Flying these things we tend to forget that we are the "Pilot In Command" and god forbid if anything happened that we needed back up for the flight then a log could come in handy.
 
I assume you are referring to a physical log book for documenting your flights since the Explorer app automatically creates a telemetry log on your device with the respective Google map overlay if you had a map loaded into your device or you were generating the map in real time. So in a way you are logging every flight. But of course you can delete those logs from your device using the app. But NOTE, if you SYNC your logs to the Cloud, those flight records will remain on the server permanently with no way of deleting them in the future. IOW, if you happened to have a flight that was not up to par with local or government regulations as a case of pilot error you wouldn't want that sync'd to the cloud. Courts are allowed to subpoena any company for internal records in the event of a legal action against the pilot. So it would be best to delete that(those) log(s) from the app device prior to sync'ing.

From a USA business owner stand point, small businesses are required by the IRS to maintain a Travel Log on their vehicle use, what day, start/stop mileage, and notes about reason. This justifies the deductions on your tax return related to the vehicle like fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc. And supports your position in an audit.

I would recommend that if anyone is using their drone(s) in a commercial Part 107 venture as a business (at least in USA) that they also keep detailed log book records on the drone use. Not only to defend oneself in the event of a tax audit but also as a secondary record that can protect yourself from 'mistaken identity' if there was some illegal incident in an area you may be flying in. The hard cover log book I keep is a great field record for documenting where and when I was flying but I also take notes on the things that were my objectives on that flight day. Like testing out and practicing features of the software and hardware, what I drained each battery and RC down to that day and every time I charge each of them even though the app is keeping track that. Software and its database can fail and lose everything. My log book is a backup since battery cycles are not part of the flight log.

If I am just going out to get some flight time practicing my 'cinematic skills' of camera moves and placement I may have thought of some things in advance to try so I'll put them on a post'em note and stick them in the log as a temporary reminder on the day I go out.

The name of the game is PROTECT THY A-S-S! You can't be too thorough in today's sue-crazy world. Even if you are a recreational pilot. There are risks for everyone. That is another discouraging thing about taking a drone on vacation to a foreign land. You may end up with an extended vacation with free room and board if you violated their rules. Or at least leave with a much lighter wallet.
 
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Looking forward to seeing some of your footage there trox. I don't think I have ever seen any of your videos yet. Maybe I missed your posts of them. I'm sure you have plenty to share and would love to see them.
 
It isn't really complicated. I use Autel's flight log to keep track of the location, flight times, altitude, etc. I keep a small notebook where I log physical inspection of the AC, battery percentage at take off and landing, battery cycles, etc. I understand there are some people who do not like letting Autel keep their logs, but I fly 99.95% for work and I prefer to be completely transparent in the case these are required.
 
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If i,m going to have a log then I have an old head mic from previous singing in a band. I,m sure I could utilise this to capture speech while flying and store it on to cdrw..including the panic expletives when my EVO decides to lose site of me o_O
 
Here is a link for the most common questions about flight logs. It appears it isn't required by the FAA and I was wrong. Still going to continue doing it.

 
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