It was “a good day for ground school,” joked members of the local Experimental Aircraft Association Saturday as they gathered at the Mineola Civic Center. The gray overcast day was indeed designated IFR (instrument flight rules) and presented an excellent opportunity to host Dr. Glyn Gowing of LeTourneau University to offer a presentation on drones.

Gowing was uniquely qualified to present the whole range of considerations regarding drones and their use. A computer scientist by trade, 98Gowing has built a career in the field, which led him to the burgeoning field of cybersecurity. 

Now a tenured professor of computer science at LeTourneau University, Gowing also founded the university’s cybersecurity program. His interest in drones stemmed from the crossing trajectories of computer science and cybersecurity.

“What are drones,” he posed, “but flying computers?”

What Gowing put together for the gathered pilots and aviation enthusiasts was a quality summation on drones and the range of issues associated with them.  

Presented with exactness founded in science, along with the subjectivity of practical application, Gowing first established the spectrum of drones in use today – from the 162’ wingspan of the Global Hawk to the miniaturized DJI Mini 2 which weighs in at under 250 grams.

He commented that everyone had their idea of what a drone is, but that the array of drones is limited only by one’s imagination. He explained that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines drones as “any remotely controlled vehicle.” This would logically include underwater and land-based vehicles. The discussion at hand, however centered on unmanned aircraft systems.

A brief discussion of drone usage ensued. It ran the gamut from search and rescue (with artificial intelligence capability) to surveying, maintenance, agriculture (crop-dusting), delivery and military applications. Nefarious uses of drones were also highlighted, especially the potential uses of drones in data acquisition, human trafficking and espionage.

Of particular note was Gowing’s mention of the use of drones in scientific research. The professor was in the process of petitioning the FAA to establish a FAA-Recognized Identification Area at LeTourneau University to allow ease of drone employment for research purposes.  

From usage, Gowing delved into the mechanics of drone flight. The brief discussion of how drones negotiate the movements of pitch, roll and yaw was appreciated by the audience. Gowing noted two areas, toroidal propellers and airfoil shapes, wherein drones have played a huge role in research and development.

Salted throughout his presentation were examples of technical capabilities which drones can routinely carry aloft. He described the “frighteningly powerful computers” which drones can be equipped with. Also of note was the growing use of first-person view drones carrying exceptionally-high quality cameras.

Gowing noted that drones can generally be controlled through two methods: manual flight controls or programmable flight controls. Failsafe modes and return-to-home features were explained, as was the importance of multi-channel flight controller boards.

With each technical feature available in drones today, there comes a security risk. Gowing gave examples of how some security risks – such as photographing a person’s property from a drone --are mitigated through state laws and others through federal regulations and registration.     

Miniaturization was a particular point of emphasis in the security discussion. The ability to land or loiter a very small drone in a place where it can collect radio frequency, infrared, audio or other intelligence represents a huge capability for good as well as for  exploitation by criminal elements and national enemies. 

Gowing also described drones as the “autonomous digital carrier pigeons” of the 21st Century because of their potential use as communications relays, as jammers or as  laser platforms. 

In short, Gowing highlighted just how wide-open the field of drones is through his brief. 

After building an appreciation for the complex environment of drones, Gowing led the group through registration conventions. A discussion of applicable federal regulations ensued. 

Gowing specifically highlighted three points: the broad definition used by the FAA for the term “commercial activity,” the 400’ ceiling for recreational flying and the date when the remote identification requirement goes into effect – Sept 16, 2023. Options to meet the remote identification were also introduced.

The session concluded with a discussion of resources available to anyone interested in drones, from flight simulators to formal education. Gowing’s complete presentation will be made available through EEA chapter 1475.  

Lupita Wisener took advantage of the session to provide the EEA’s lineup of events through the summer. Of note are a pancake breakfast at Wisener Field Saturday, April 22; the Young Eagles Day planned for Saturday, May 13 at the Wood County Airport; and the Saturday July 8 Cessna 150 fly-in at Wisener Field.