107part107drill
← the bank
⚖ Operations · AIM 8-1-6OPS-053 · 222 of 261

According to FAA guidance, what is the recommended technique for a remote pilot scanning the sky for other aircraft?

ASweep the eyes continuously from left to right across the full field of view without stopping
BUse a series of short, regularly spaced eye movements, pausing at least 1 second on each area, with each movement covering no more than 10 degrees✓
CFocus on the area directly in front of the drone's flight path and expand outward only when movement is detected

Why →The AIM (8-1-6) recommends systematic scanning using short, regularly spaced eye movements. Each movement should not exceed 10 degrees, and each area should be observed for at least 1 second to allow the eye to detect a target. The eye can only sharply focus within a narrow field at one time, so a continuous sweep does not provide enough dwell time to register a small aircraft.

The trap →A continuous sweep feels like it covers more sky, but the eye cannot resolve a small aircraft during motion. The 10-degree / 1-second method is more deliberate but gives the visual system time to register what is there.

Field note →Pick a consistent pattern (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) and use it every flight. Consistency ensures no area of sky is missed during the scan cycle.

SOURCE → AIM 8-1-6CHECKED JUL 16ACS V.E.K6MED
▶  Try it in a drillall operations questions →browse all 261 →report an issue
← OPS-052OPS-054 →