Remotely Piloted Vehicle Flight Test Technique Development and Training at NTPS

Ryan T. Olson, Flight Test Instructor, National Test Pilot School, Mojave, CA, USA
Chris M. McElroy, Flight Test Instructor, National Test Pilot School, Mojave, CA, USA

Abstract

The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) began offering a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) flight test short course in April of 2006. Initially various flight test techniques were taught solely via simulation. To improve the value of training provided it was considered necessary for NTPS to operate a RPV. Accordingly, a Cessna 150 was converted into an Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA). The aircraft was certified in August of 2010 as an OPA by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and following comprehensive ground testing the first flight of the OPA occurred in June 2011. Subsequently two phases of flight testing were completed the second of which was completed in early 2013. Current certification requires that the OPA be operated with a certified safety pilot on-board who can deactivate the ground-controlled autopilot system if necessary. The system is capable of being controlled via command direction or in a remotely piloted vehicle mode. This paper incorporates a description of the development, evaluation, and validation of flight test techniques using the OPA as a surrogate for RPVs. Additionally, this paper focuses on the unique considerations required for effective OPA/RPV flight test team collaboration, due to the increased complexity of Crew Resource Management (CRM).