June 1 st 2015

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590

RE: Exemption Request Under Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

Dear Sir or Madam,

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Reform Act”) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, drone2GIS Inc. (“drone2GIS”), seeks an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”)
listed below and discussed in Appendix A to all ow it to operate the MAP

- M4 Vertical Take

- off and Landing Unmanned Aircraft System (“MAP

- M4”).

14 C.F.R. Part 21 , Subpart H 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b)

14 C.F.R. 91.7 (a),(b)

14 C.F.R. 91.9(b)(2)

14 C.F.R. 91.113 14 C.F.R. 91.203(a),(b)

14 C.F.R. 61.113(a), (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.103
14 C.F.R. 91.119(c)

14 C.F.R. 91.151
14 C.F.R. 91.203
14 C.F.R. 91.405(a) and (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.407(a)(1)

14 C.F.R. 91.409(a)(1)

- (2)

14 C.F.R. 91.417(a).

14 C.F.R. 43.7
14 C.F.R. 43.11
14 C.F.R. 45.21
14 C.F.R. 45.29Drone2GIS Inc. is a licensed mapping company in the state of Florida providing professional geo

- spatial

solutions and services. Drone2GIS Inc. p lans to use the sUAS for precise aerial mapping, precision agriculture, 3D modeling, and infrastructure and asse t management/inspections

, for its projects locate d throughout the United States through the use of passive and active off

- the

- shelf payload sensors such as
infra

- red, multispectral and hyperspectral cameras and LiDAR scanners mounted to smal l, lightweight

UAS.

By approving these exemptions, the FAA will allow Drone2GIS Inc. to provide a safer, more economical and efficient solution to the acquisition and production of high resolution and high accuracy geo

- spatial
data than the conventional method of capturing such data which involves having human inspectors and surveyors in dangerous environments and/or the use of manned aircraft.

The name and contact information of the applicant is:

Drone2GIS Inc.
4509 NW 23 rd Ave. STE 8
Gainesville , FL 32606

Drone2GIS Inc. is prepared to modify or amend any part of this request to satisfy the need for an equivalent level of safety. Please contact us via email at info@drone2gis.com at any time if you require
additional information or clarification.

Sincerely,

Oliver Volkmann

President

Drone2GIS Inc.
4509 NW 23 rd Avenue, Suite 8 Gainesville, FL 32606

### Basis for Petition:

1. Applicable Legal Standard Under Section 333:

Grant of this exemption application for use of the sUAS in precision aerial surveys, mapping and inspection operations will advance the Congressional mandate in Section 333 of the Reform Act to accelerate the
introduction of UAS into the national air space system ("NAS") if it can be accomplished safely. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation to consider whether certain UAS may operate safely in the NAS before completion of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of the Reform Act. In makin g this determination, the Secretary is required to determine which types of UAS do not create a hazard to users of the NAS or the public, or pose a threat to national security in light of the following:

a) The UAS's size, weight, speed, and operational capability; b) Operation of the UAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas; and c) Operation of the UAS within visual line of sight of the operator.

Reform Act § 333(a)(1). If the Secretary determin es that such vehicles "may operate safely in the national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft in the national airspace system. " Id. §333(c) (emphasis added). 1

The Federal Aviation Act expres sly grants the FAA the authority to issue exemptions. This statutory authority, by its terms, includes exempting civil aircraft, as the term is defined under §40101 of the Act, from the requirement that all civil aircraft must have a current airworthiness certificate and those regulations requiring commercial pilots to operate aircraft in commercial service:

The Administrator may grant an exemption from a requirement of a regulation prescribed under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any of sections 44702

- 44716 of this title if the Administrator finds the exemption is in the public interest.

49 U.S.C. §44701(f). See also 49 USC §44711(a); 49 USC §44704.

The grant of the requested exemption is in the public interest based on the clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act; the additional authority in the Federal Aviation Act, as amended; the strong equivalent level of safety surrounding the proposed operations; and the significant public benefit, including enhanced safety and cost savings assoc iated with transitioning to UAS for aerial surveys, mapping and inspections. Drone2GIS Inc. therefore respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without delay.

1 This provision places a duty on the Administrator to not only process applications for exemptions under Section 333, but for the Administrator, if he deems the conditions proposed herein require modification in order to allow approval, to supply conditions for the safe operation of the UAS.2. Airworthiness of the Small Unmanned Aerial System:

One element of the exemption application involves evidence of the airworthiness of the sUAS. Drone2GIS Inc. has been operating this platform for over 50 hours both domestically and internationally without incident which we believe is sufficient to prove the sUAS airworth y a nd compliant with a significant level of safety. As the MAP

- M4 sUAS system utilizes the same flight controller (produced by 3DRobotics) as

current recipients of 333 Exemptions including Olson & Associates (Exemption No. 11626) it is our belief

t hat the FAA acknowledges the safety and redundancy of th e main operating control system. As a matter of enhancing safety, the MAP

- M4 sUAS is programmed and configured with multiple automated flight and safety features as described in detail in Appendix B of this petition

.

To maintain airworthiness, Drone2GIS Inc. will follow a strict inspection and maintenance program of the sUAS which is further enhanced by multiple automatic checks performed by the sUAS autopilot on the navigational sensor health both prior to and during flights. Malfunctions that occur prior to or during flight will be automatically detected by the sUAS which communicates the warnings to the pilot in command to take necessary action. Additionally, the sUAS will perform actions automatically in the event t hat
communication is lost. Further details to the Fail

- Safe /Fault Detection and Response systems of the MAP

M4 are described in Appendix B. Drone2GIS Inc. will maintain emergency checklists and protocols for appropriate malfunction responses by the operator during all sUAS operations. In the event of any malfunction, the sUAS will undergo all maintenance and endure extensive and demanding ground testing and flight tests to ensure full functionality and safety prior to recommencing commercial oper ations.

3. Operations and Associated Conditions

Drone2GIS Inc. intends to use the MAP

- M4 sUAS for the purposes of capturing high resolution aerial imagery and footage to produce high resolution ortho

- photos and digital surface models, 3D Models and
visual documentation for the surveying, mapping and inventory & asset management and inspection
market s

. The production of these high resolution products will facilitate the possibility of surveying in the virtual world with highly accurate data thus removing survey crews and inspectors from potentially dangerous environments where health and sometimes life are at risk. The data produced through the use of these light weight sUAS will additionally facilitate pre

- production/pre

- construction pla nning, land use management, land development, environmental monitoring, architectural design, project budgeting, insurance estimations, facility decommissioning plans and feasibility studies for future projects. Drone2GIS Inc. aims to provide these service s with the sUAS to all industries which could benefit from highly accurate and high resolution geo

- spatial data

- sets. This includes, without limitation, the infrastructure, utility, transportation, agriculture, construction

, mining and land development markets.

The sUAS operations will occur under controlled conditions on public or privately owned land at the owner’s request and consent and will only take place during daylight hours and at altitudes well below those which would po se a risk to manned aircraft. Typical Drone2GIS Inc. sUAS operations will be flown below 200ft and slower than 17mph which we believe to be sufficient to further minimize the risk of
interference with another aircraft.Grant of the exemptions to Drone2GI S Inc. will be subject to the conditions listed in Appendix B and C

which are based upon the operating conditions required by the FAA’s previous grants of exemption.

4. Operator Requirements:

Drone2GIS Inc. will use fully trained staff for all sUAS operati ons. The operator will be required to have accumulated and logged a minimum number of flights and hours for daytime operations, as necessary. The operator in command will complete a manufacturer approved training program for the MAP

- M4 sUAS. The training i s specific to each sUAS and fully educates the operator on the sUAS capabilities, operational constraints/limitations, manual and automatic functions as well as safety protocols. Training
in the MAP

- M4 system will also include discussion on the fundamenta ls of Vertical Take

- off and Landing (VTOL) platforms and the autopilot to increase general knowledge such that through understanding of how the system functions, further risks can be mitigated.

It is to be noted that the owners of Drone2GIS Inc. are i n disagreement with the FAA stance on the requirement for manned aircraft certification, medical certification and the related costs and operating
conditions there

- of for the purpose of operating the sUAS

. H owever, Drone2GIS Inc. finds itself essentially forced to abide by these requirements as a condition to the grant of exemptions in order to pursue
commercial sUAS work within the United States and will thus comply as a matter of economic necessity

. Drone2GIS Inc. reserves the right to amend its operatin g conditions and requests exemptions from the relevant FARs to operate without such conditions at such time that the FAA realizes that such requirements (re: Airman Certification, Medical Certificate) are unnecessary, with immediate effect.

5. Public Intere st:

The benefits to the public relating to this petition for exemption are significant and enumerated as follows:

a. Public Safety: Because the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) is unmanned and flights are performed at low altitudes (no more than 400’ above ground level) in pre

- determined and confined airspace, inherent risks to pilots and their crews, evident in traditional manned flight s, are eliminated. In the event that a mishap may occur, the risks to persons or personal property on the ground are also minimized, as compared to traditional manned flights, based on the relative small size, weight
and momentum of the UAV as compared to that of a manned fixed wing aircraft or helicopter.

b. Operator Safety: In the past, essential tasks such as bridge inspections, commonly placed inspectors in a multitude of dangerous and precarious situations such as busy traffic, ste ep slopes, rugged terrain, balancing atop extended ladders and scaffolding, and in close proximity to dangerous waterways. The use of a small multi

- rotor vertical take

- off and landing (VTOL) UAV virtually eliminates all risks associated with the above mentioned tasks . The rotary powered UAV can safely and efficiently maneuver beneath bridges, over dangerous terrain, and over water, in
order to obtain either live video feeds or high resolution photos. This provides the inspector quick and easy access, to safely view existing bridge conditions, as well as providing digital documentation to be included within bridge reports. In areas of open pits, mines, quarries, and pipeline/electrical

- line right of ways, the use of a sUAS (small Unmanned Aerial System) makes itpossible to quickly and accurately generate surface models without the costs and perils of placing

a survey crew in dangerous terrain and amidst heavy earth moving equipment.

c. Agricultural Benefits: The use of the UAV in the agricultural industry enables the farmer to be more efficient, lower operating costs, and help minimize environmental impacts. Utilizing the UAV, allows the farmer to more easily recognize early pest infestations, which in turn helps the farmer to pinpoint areas of need and eliminates the over application of pesticides . A sUAS assists the farmer in monitoring seasonal soil conditions to conserve water

. A sUAS can be used to determine periodic crop health thus enabling the farmer in differentiating between areas in need
of fertilizer and those not in need . A sUAS can also periodically monitor livestock movement, grazing patterns and health and safety. These efficiencies provided by sUAS technology can in turn provide the American consumer with a better product and lower food prices.

d. Environmental Impact: The use of a UAV in lieu of traditional manned aircraft is also of benefit to the public based on the reduction of pollution emitted into the air. Our proposed UAV is powered with rechargeable batteries where as traditional manned aircraft are powered with fossil fuels. Thus the use of the UAV greatly minimizes carbon emissions when compared to similar missions
flown with traditional manned aircraft.

e. Impacts Related to Extraordinary Events: The UAV can be uti lized for the benefit of the public during times of extraordinary events. The UAV can be quickly and safely deployed to acquire photos and videos to assess damage from tornadoes, floods, forest fires, toxic chemical spills and other disasters without placi ng emergency personnel in peril. It can be used to locate lost, injured, or stranded people in remote areas that are difficult and dangerous for emergency and rescue personnel to access.

f. Monetary Impact: When utilizing a UAV instead of conventiona l manned aircraft, the public at large can experience measurable cost savings. The inherent cost of operating and equipping a UAV as compared to the cost of traditional manned aircraft utilization is minimal . These savings can be further promulgated through the savings in pilot (crew) time and fuel costs as well as efficiencies gained through the benefit of greater operational flexibility.

The MAP

- M4 sUAS is a commercial grade system with absolutely no m ilitary association and given the limited size, speed, payload capacity and payload type (imaging sensors) as well as the fact that the MAP

M4 does not carry armament, explosives or other dangerous materials, no national security issue is raised by the gra nt of the requested exemptions . The use of the MAP

- M4 poses no significant threat to the safety
of individuals and society and national security. Due to the low weight and the operational constraints in operatin g altitudes and speeds

, the MAP

- M4 sUAS will cause no significant risk to damage personal and public property or national infrastructure

.

In conclusion , the use of small, lightweight unmanned aerial systems such as the MAP

- M4 which weighs
less t han 11lbs and flies slower than 20mph is a far safer alternative to the capturing of important high spatial and temporal resolution data than a) the exposure of persons on the ground in environments suchas mines, roadways, railroads, bridges, natural disa ster zones, and rough terrain, and b) the use of manned

aircraft which pose a far greater risk to life and property in the event of a malfunction. The intrinsic safety factors of low weight, slow speed and small form factor)

, the additional autom atic safety features and protocols of the MAP

- M4 sUAS and the operating environments and conditions clearly offer economic and safety advantages compared to manned aerial engagements

.

The grant of the requested exemption is in the public interest based on the clear direction in Section 333, the Federal Aviation Act, 2 the high and equivalent level of safety of the proposed operations, and the significant public benefit, incl uding enhanced safety and cost savings to be realized as a result of the use of sUAS for aerial inspection and mapping services. Drone2GIS Inc. respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without delay.

Sincerely,

Oliver Volkmann

President
Drone2GIS Inc.
4509 NW 23 rd Avenue, Suite 8 Gainesville, FL 32606

2 The Federal Aviation Act ("FAAct") expressly grants the FAA the authority to issue exemptions: The Administrator may grant an exemption from a requirement of a regulation prescribed under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any of sections 44702

- 44716 of this title if the Administrator finds the exemption is in the public interest. 49 U.S.C. § 44701(f).APPENDIX A

EXEMPTION REQUEST AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY SHOWINGS UNDER APPLICABLE RULES
SUBJECT TO EXEMPTION

14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness
Certificates 14 CFR 91.203(a)(1)

Section 91.203(a)(1) requires all civil aircraft to have a certificate of airworthiness. Part 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the issuance of
airworthiness certificates as required by FAR § 91.203(a)(1). Given the very small size of the aircraft and the limited operating area associated with their utilization, it is unnecessary to go through the certificate of airworthiness process under Part 21 Subpart H to achieve or exceed current safety levels. 3 Such an exemption meets the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act and Section 333 of the Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the UAS involved. In this case, an analysis of these criteria demonstra tes that the sUAS operated without an airworthiness certificate, under the conditions proposed herein, will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) with an airworthiness certificate. The MAP

- M4 has a maximum t ake

- off weight of 11lbs (including payload and power source), will not carry flammable fuel, passengers or operators and will operate in a controlled environment and with safety being the primary focus for all operations. Operation of the sUAS will by tigh tly controlled by the operator and in accordance with the training and manual provided by the sUAS assembler/configurator (detailed in Appendix C ) as well as by local public safety requirements. All flight operations on private property will have the expre ss permission by the land owner (or lessee). The MAP

- M4 sUAS provides a level of safety greater than that of conventional manned aircraft in orders of magnitude due to intrinsic safety and the fact that the sUAS will
not be laden with flammable fuel. Safet y features including the redundant sensor system are described in
further detail in Appendix B

.

14 C.F.R. 91.7(a)

- (b); Civil Aircraft Airworthiness

Section 91.7(a) requires that a civil aircraft must be in airworthy condition to be operated. The FAA has concluded that no exemption is required under 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a) to the extent that the requirements of Part 21 are waived or otherwise found inapplicable. See FAA Grant of Exemption to Astraeus Aerial,
Docket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352, Exemption No. 11062, pp. 14

- 15, 19, 22. Drone2GIS Inc. therefore respectfully requests that the FAA find the requirements for section 91.7(a) in accordance with the agency’s determination on 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H, discussed supra. The agency similarly found that relief from

3 The FAA has stated that no exemption is needed from this section if a finding is made under the Re form Act that the sUAS provide an equivalent level of safety when compared to aircraft normally used for the same application. These criteria are satisfied and therefore no exemption is needed. See, e.g., Grant of Exemption to Astraeus Aerial, Docket No. F AA

- 2014

- 0352 at 13

- 14, 22. Should the FAA determine that some characteristics of the sUAS fail to meet the requirements of the Reform Act, Olsson respectfully requests an exemption.section 91.7(b) is not warranted, which places responsibility on the PIC to ensure an aircraft is in a

condition safe for flight. See Grant of Exemption to Astraeus Aerial, Docket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352, Exemption No. 11062, p. 19. To the extent, an exemption is required under section 91.7(a) or (b), Drone2GIS Inc. respectfully requests that the FAA find compliance with the manufacturer’s manuals and requirements of the grant of exemption, a sufficient means for ensuring the sUAS are and remain in an airworthy condition.

14 C.F.R. 91.113; Right

- of

- Way Rules

Section 91.113 requires that vigilance be maintained by each person operating an aircraft to see and avoid other aircraft. Unlike manned aircraft, the sUAS pilot is not on

- board the aircraft to observe and avoid other aircraft, operating the sUAS from the ground. Drone2GIS Inc. operating conditions will achieve an equivalent or greater level of safety by operating solely in class G airspace, below 400ft AGL and at a low rate of speed. All operations will inv olve two individuals, the Operator and one Visual Observer who will monitor the immediate and surrounding airspace of the operation for hazards. Additionally, Drone2GIS Inc. operating conditions recognize that in the event that a manned aircraft enters int o the sUAS project area that the sUAS must yield to manned aircraft.

14 C.F.R. 61.113(a) & (b); 61.133(a): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations; Pilot in Command; Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations.

Section 61.113(a) & (b) limit private pilo ts to non

- commercial operations. Unlike a conventional aircraft that carries a pilot, passengers, and cargo, the sUAS in this case are remotely controlled with no passengers or property of others on

- board. Section 61.133(a) requires an individual with a co mmercial pilot’s license to act as pilot in command of an aircraft for compensation or hire. Drone2GIS Inc. respectfully proposes that operator requirements should take into account the characteristics of the particular UAS. The MAP

- M4 sUAS has a high degr ee of automatic controls and features which prevent the operation of the sUAS outside of the operating conditions set forth in Appendix C and the exemption application. The MAP

- M4 sUAS is incapable of carrying persons and additional cargo other than the

se nsors required for the production of geo

- spatial products. Commercial operations will be strictly limited to conducting aerial surveys and inspections through the capturing of aerial imagery. The risks associated with the operation of the sUAS (given their small size, speed, operational capabilities and limitations, and lack of combustible fuel) are so diminished from the level of risk associated with commercial operations (and even operations permitted with a private pilot certificate) contemplated by Part 61 with manned aircraft, that allowing operations of the sUAS as set forth in Appendix C meets and exceeds the present level of safety provided under 14 C.F.R. 61.113(a)

- (b), and does not call for a commercial pilot certificate as set forth in § 61.133.

14 C.F.R 91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes

Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Specifically, 91.119(c) limits aircraft flying over areas other than congested areas to an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. As set forth herein, the sUAS will not operate at higher

than 400 feet AGL. The sUAS will, howe ver, be operated to avoid congested or populated areas. Because aerial survey work must be accomplished at relatively low altitudes and at altitudes less than 500 feet AGL, an exemption from Section 91.119(c) is needed. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weight, speed, and material with which the sUAS are built. Also, no flight will takeoff or land without the permission of the land owner or those who control the land. Because of the advance notice to the landowner, all affected individuals will be aware of the flights. Compared to operations conducted with aircraft or rotorcraft weighing far more than the sUAS, and carrying flammable fuel, any risk associated with these operations will be significantly less than those currently allowed with conventional aircraft operating at or below 500 feet AGL. Indeed, the low

- altitude operations of the sUAS will maintain separation from operations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119.

14 C.F.R. 91.151(a): Fuel Requir ements for Flight in VFR Conditions

This regulation prohibits an individual from beginning “a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed

– (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes.” The MAP

- M4 sUAS is powered by a pair of removable and rechargeable Lithium

- Polymer (“LiPo”) batteries in parallel for redund ancy which provides
the MAP

- M4 with up to 30 minutes of flight time. Without an exemption from 14 C.F.R. 91.151(a), the

MAP

- M4 flights would not be permissible. An exemption from 14 CFR § 91.151(a) is safe and within the scope of many prior exemptions. See Grant of Exemption to Olsson Associates, Docket No. FAA

– 2015

– 0537 (allowing operations without compliance with 91.151(a). Operating the sUAS, without 30 minutes of reserve fuel does not engender the type of risks that Section 91.151(a) was meant to preve nt given the size and speed at which the sUAS operate. The fact that they carry no pilot, passenger, or cargo also enhances their safety. As does the fact that the operations will be conducted within the VLOS of the PIC and in a strictly controlled locatio n. In the unlikely event that the sUAS should run low on fuel, the MAP

M4 is designed to land on its own (e.g., an auto

- land function is initiated upon a critical battery warning).
The MAP

- M4 provides an equivalent level of safety by maintaining 5 minutes of reserved fuel which is adequate to return the sUAS to the planned landing zone given that the system is designed to be flown within direct visual line of sight of the operator and given the automatic low battery level fail

- safe
functions which include a utomatic return to launch position or pre

- programmed landing zones.

Similar exemptions have been granted to other operators and systems. See Docket Nos. 2689F, 5745, and

10673.

14 C.F.R. 91.9(b)(2); 91.203(a)

- (b); Carriage of Civil Aircraft Airworthines s Certificate and Registration

Sections 91.9(b) and 91.203(a)

- (b) require an aircraft operator to carry airworthiness documents and other aircraft manuals onboard the aircraft at all times. sUAS are small in size and incapable of carrying
the size and wei ght of such documents and manuals. The reason behind these regulations is to ensure that the operator (PIC) has access to these important documents during flight. As the operator (PIC) is not

on

- board the sUAS, the need for these documents to be on

- board i s unnecessary. An equivalent level of safety is achieved if the operator has access to these documents from the Ground Control Station fromwhere the operator is operating the sUAS. This is consistent with a prior opinion of the FAA Office of the

Chief Cou nsel, and other grants of exemptions for commercial UAS operations. See Memorandum from Mark Bury, FAA Assistant Chief Counsel for International Law, Legislation and Regulation, to John Duncan, FAA Flight Standards Service (Aug. 8, 2014); see also FAA Gran t of Exemption to Astraeus Aerial, Docket

No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352, Exemption No. 11062, pp. 16

- 18.

14 C.F.R. 91.405(a); 407(a)(1); 409(a)(2); 417(a): Maintenance Inspections

Section 91.405(a) requires that an aircraft operator or owner “shall have that aircraf t inspected as prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this chapter....” Section 91.407 similarly makes refere nce to requirements in Part 43; Section 91.409(a)(2) requires an annual inspection for the issuance of an airworthiness certificate. Section 91.417(a) requires the owner or operator to keep records showing certain maintenance work that has been accomplishe d by certificated mechanics, under Part 43, or licensed pilots and records of approval of the aircraft for return
to service.

An equivalent level of safety will be achieved as the sUAS are small in size, will solely operate in restricted predetermined ar eas and are not complex mechanical devices. Drone2GIS Inc. will perform all maintenance and inspections in accordance with the manufacturers’ manuals and any required manufacturer Safety or Service Bulletins. In addition, the PIC will conduct a preflight i nspection of the sUAS and all associated equipment to account for all discrepancies and/or inoperable components as Drone2GIS Inc. primary concern is safety and secondly, the ability to utilize this technology for the capturing of data at a more efficient and affordable rate than conventional methods. Maintenance will be performed and verified to address any conditions potentially affecting safe operation of the sUAS and no flights will occur unless and until all flight critical components of the sUAS have been found to be airworthy and in a condition for safe operation. In the event that maintenance is required, Drone2GIS Inc. will perform all necessary tests including ground based stress tests and non

- commercial flight tests in
controlled environments to e nsure that the maintenance was performed properly and that the unit is safe for further commercial operations. Repairs will be documented and kept with the sUAS maintenance records. Drone2GIS Inc. furthermore will maintain and observe the life limit requir ements for all applicable components used in the MAP

- M4 sUAS and replace such items prior to their life limits.

14 C.F.R. 91.103: Preflight Action

Section 91.103 requires that each pilot in command take certain actions before flight to ensure the safety of flight. An exemption is needed from this requirement as the pilot will take separate preflight actions including checking the weather conditions, flight battery conditions, system hardware and electronic conditions, take

- off and landing locations, obser ving for obstacles and ensuring that any automatic mission is appropriate and safe. Additionally, the MAP

- M4 sUAS performs independent and strict automatic checks on the electronics and navigational sensors prior to the sUAS being started and will
prevent the MAP

- M4 from flying if issues are detected. These actions will provide an equivalent level of safety.14 C.F.R. 45.23(b): Marking of the Aircraft

Section 45.23(b) requires that certain experimental, provisionally certified aircraft or light

- sport ca tegory aircraft to e marked with letters between 2 and 6 inches high as “Limited”, “Restricted”, “Light

- Sport”, “Experimental”, or “Provisional” near each entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilot station. The MAP

- M4
sUAS will have no airworthiness certifica te should this 333 exemption be approved

, is not of a size on which 2 inch lettering is possible and does not have a cabin or pilot station on which the word “Experimental” can be placed . For these reasons, Drone2GIS Inc. respectfully requests an exemption from this regulation.

14 C.F.R. 43.7: Persons Authorized to Approve Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Operation

Drone2GIS Inc. requests an exemption from 14 C.F.R. 43.7 which requires tha t only a holder of a mechanic certificate or a repair station certificate may approve an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance or component part for return to service. Drone2GIS Inc. operators will conduct all inspections
and maintenanc e based on self

- imposed guidelines that will provide or exceed an equivalent level of safety pursuant to Section 333 for this type of sUAS, its intended use and the operating environments.

14 C.F.R. 43.11: Records for Inspections

14 C.F.R. 43.11 provides that maintenance record entries be maintained, that the inspector list discrepancies and to affix placards to the aircraft. The MAP

- M4 sUAS does not have room for said placards to be placed in or on it and no inspec t ions for UAS have been certifie d by the FAA to date. Drone2GIS Inc. is willing to maintain repair and maintenance records for its MAP

- M4 sUAS should that be a condition of the requested exemption.

14 C.F.R. 45.21: General

14 C.F.R. 45.21 provides that except as provided in 14 C.F.R. 45.22, no person may operate a U.S. registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays nationality and registration marks in accordance with this section and sections 45.23 through 45.33. Drone2GIS Inc. respectfully requests an exemption to this requirement on the basis that the sUAS is too small for such markings that would make the markings visible while in operation.

14 C.F.R. 45.29: Size of Marks

14 C.F.R. 45.29 requires that the registration marks for rotorcraft must be at least 12 inches high. The

s UAS due to its size and shape does not have any surface area large enough to display marks of this size. As a condition to the grant of exemption, Drone2GIS Inc. is willing to place an aircraft mark on one or

mor e of the motor booms being used. The size of the markings will be determined by the size of the motor booms which may be less than 1 inch in diameter.APPENDIX B

SMALL UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

MAP

- M4

MAP

- M4 Systems Overview :

The MAP

- M4 system can carry payloads up to 2.2 lbs. The M AP

- M4 system flies with a maximum wind threshold of 22 M.P.H. for sustained winds and wind gusts up to 30 M.P.H. The MAP

- M4 system utilizes 11 sensors on board the UAS including 3 gyros, 3 magnetometers, 3 accelerometers, a barometric pressure sensor and G PS module for stability, positioning, and safety. These sensors allow for the removal of human control of the platform stability by automatically leveling the platform and adjusting the variable propeller thrust outputs for movement with a limited angle of 40 degrees. This results in the operator only needing to focus on steering the platform and adjusting its altitude when in a flight mode that requires operator input. The MAP

- M4 system is primarily flown in GPS enabled modes during which the
UAS will main tain its position when no operator instructions are given for movement, and alternatively,
in the MAP

- M4 Automatic mission program, the UAS will perform a pre

- programmed waypoint flight based on GPS coordinates (X,Y,Z) planned in the flight planning softwa re. The result of flying the MAP

- M4 in GPS enabled modes is the ease of use and limitation of human error. Should the GPS conditions degrade while in GPS enabled environments, the MAP

- M4 system will automatically revert to a dead reckoning to
return to the launch site, or, if desired, switch over to Altitude Hold at which point the operator is notified of this change via the real time telemetry data link and the operator is instructed to land the vehicle. In Altitude Hold mode, altitude is maintained throug h the use of the barometer however position is now subject to operator input.

The MAP

- M4 System has an operational range of 2 miles however is designed to be flown within direct visual site of the operator at all times. Most operations take place within 5 50 yards of the operator at which distance the orientation and altitude of the UAS can easily be identified.

All flight operations take place as a result of direct input of the pilot in control. Flight adjustments are made based on a two joystick control system which allows for very precise movements and makes it very easy to navigate in either Manual or GPS Posi tion Hold.

Description of Flight Modes:

Altitude Hold: In this flight mode, the UAS uses all its sensors other than GPS to maintain the platforms stability and altitude. The UAS is not capable of maintaining its horizontal position and there

- for the

ope rator is responsible for doing so. This mode is primarily used for operations within GPS denied environments or in the event of GPS signal degradation resulting in poor position maintenance.GPS Position Hold: In this flight mode, the UAS utilizes all it s sensors to maintain stability, altitude and

position. When the operator releases control of the UAS by releasing the control sticks, the platform will immediately maintain its position. This flight mode is the primary flight mode as the MAP

- M4 unit is
de signed to be used in GPS enabled environments. In GPS Position Hold mode, the operator can make precise changes to the platform without having to compensate for external forces such as wind.

Automatic Waypoint Program: In this flight mode, the UAS perform s an automatic mission which was designed prior to the flight based on GPS positions. Once the flight plan is uploaded to the MAP

- M4, the operator can engage the mission through the use of a dedicated switch on the controls. At any point during the automat ic mission, the operator can change the platforms current heading and position. Additionally, the operator can abort the mission at any point during the mission. This flight mode is the most commonly used flight mode on the MAP

- M4 as the system is designed for high resolution aerial mapping. The Automatic Waypoint Programs uploaded to the MAP

- M4 may also include “Rally Points” which serve as emergency landing locations making the entire operation much safer.

The three flight modes listed above ensure that the operation of the MAP

- M4 is simple and safe and helps to eliminate operator error. Various Fail

- Safe parameters are enabled on the MAP

- M4 which further enhance the safety of the UAS operation. In the event of any failure within the system, the operator is immediately notified and depending on the failure, for example a low battery, the system will automatically either return to the launch location or the closest rally point.

The MAP

- M4 is also capable of being operated within a Geo

- fenced location. A ma ximum distance and elevation from the launch location is defined in the global system settings and should the unit breach the

geo

- fence, it will report that it has done so and then return to the launch location.

A real

- time telemetry data link is constant ly operational during any MAP

- M4 missions and all pertinent flight data including battery levels, GPS position, attitude, altitude, heading, remote signal strength as well as distance to the operator and the next waypoint are clearly displayed on the MAP

- M 4 Ground Control
Station.

Physical Characteristics:

- Width: 640mm (25.2in)

- Length: 600mm (23.6in)

- Height: 207mm (8.15in)

- Diameter (Motor to Motor): 877mm (34.5in)

Weight and Payload Specifications:

- Weight Without Battery: 2170g (4.78lbs)

- Weight With Battery: 3790g (8.35lbs)

- Maximum Payload Capacity: 1000g (2.2lbs)

- Maximum Take

- off Weight: 4790g (10.56lbs)Flight Characteristics:

- Radio Range: 2 Miles

- Flight Time: 30 Minutes Maximum

- Recommended Operational Ground Speed 4 : 17mph

- Maximum Altitude AGL 5 : 400ft

- Maximum Climb Speed: 6ft/second

- Maximum Sink Speed: 3ft/second

- Landing Accuracy: 3ft Diameter from planned landing location.

Take

- off and Landing Style: Vertical Take

- off and Landing

Propulsion System

• Engines

- The MAP

- M4 utilizes 4 electric direct drive brushless DC motors.

• Power Source

- Lithium polymer batteries. Charge level status from the battery on the MAP

- M4 is continually monitored by the flight controller and real time levels are displayed on the control system used by the Pilot in Control as well as on the Ground Control Station. Predefined voltage levels indicating;

Low Battery Warning

– The operator is alerted by audible alarms on both the control system as
well as the Ground Control Station and visual warnings on the Ground Control Station. The operator is
instructed to land the unit.

Critical Battery Warning

– The operator is alerted by audible alarms on both the control system as well as the Ground Control Station and visual warnings are d isplayed on the ground control station.
The MAP

- M4 will automatically go into an emergency landing which takes control of the UAS and flies to the closest rally point or directly to the launch location where it will automatically land at a controlled rate and turn itself of as soon as it has determined it has landed. During the automatic emergency low battery landing, the operator still has control over the system allowing the operator to re

- position the platform if needed. Batteries are charged using the s upplied 12

- 24V Lithium Polymer Charger and Cell Balancer.

Maintenance

- The MAP

- M4 is virtually maintenance free. The only moving parts on the system include the 4 propellers and 2 ceramic bearings per motor. Maintenance consists of a physical inspection of the system to ensure the propellers are tight and damage free, the batteries are fully charged and all communication hardware is performing properly. The above mentioned items are checked prior to each flight.

4 This is not the maximum flight speed, only the recommended maximum opera tional speed for automatic
missions.

5 Restricted to 400ft within the global settings of the flight controller.Preflight checklist includes but is not l imited to:

• Visual inspection of the airframe including; side arms, landing gear, rotors, motors, canopy

• Visual inspections of rotor integrity

• All payload system connections and components

• Check charge of all batteries (aerial vehicle, control syst em)

Reliability

- The system is designed for maximum reliability and to maintain performance over its life. The only components experience routine wear are rotors, batteries, and motors. Battery and motor conditions are monitored by the system with deviations reported to the operator.

Contact with other objects during flight may cause other components, particularly rotors, and motor arms, to become damaged and may cause a flight system failure. Damaged components are likely to be detected during the full visual inspection of the airframe performed before each flight.

The MAP

- M4 flight controller detects numerous conditions which may make flying unsafe, such as reduced GPS accuracy, magnetic anomalies, low battery charge, control signal strength, IMU d eviations, and any other sensor anomalies. Should the system check identify a potential problem prior to flight, the operator is immediately notified and the system blocks any instruction to arm and fly the platform until
the issue has been addressed and c leared. The MAP

- M4 has the following Fail

- Safe options for inflight emergency actions:

Loss of GPS: The MAP

- M4 will firstly alert the operator both visually and audibly via Ground Control Station then either a) switch to Altitude Hold Flight Mode or b) if instructed to return launch, will do so using dead reckoning during. During the return to launch operation, the operator still has the ability to control the position and orientation of the UAS.

Low Battery: The MAP

- M4 will firstly alert the operator both visually and audibly via the Control Unit as well as the Ground Control Station, then will initiate a Return to Launch sequence in which it will fly back to the launch location at a pre

- defined altitude and perform an automatic landing and turn off the mot ors once on the ground. If a Rally Point is closer than the launch location, the Return to Launch destination will change to the closest Rally Point. Multiple rally points can be programmed into the MAP

- M4 non

volatile flash memory to ensure that the UAS i s capable of landing safely prior to a critical battery situation.

Loss of Communications: The MAP

- M4 will automatically return to the Launch location or the closest rally point where it will perform an automatic landing and turn off the motors once on th e ground.

Command and Control Systems

The MAP

- M4 Control unit allows the operator simultaneous control over UAS and payloads. The joystick controls allow for manual navigation, changing flight modes, engaging Return to Launch Commands and controlling the payload. The Ground Control Station (GCS) displays all flight critical as well as non

- flight critical data on screen including sensor status, GPS condition, attitude, altitude, speed, distance to launch location, distance to waypoint (when in Automatic Way point Flight Mode), direction to Launch locationand more. The GCS also provides verbal status updates on flight time, battery voltage, altitude and a

variety of other status messages. The real

- time telemetry data is transmitted at least once per second.

Displayed on GCS:

• UAS Barometric Altitude

• UAS Bearing

• UAS Heading

• UAS Ground Speed

• UAS Climb Rate

• Flight Time

• Data Link

• UAS Position

• GPS Satellite number of Satellites

• GPS Satellite HDOP

• UAS Battery Level (Percentage as well as volta ge)

• UAS Altitude

• Flight Time

• Local Time

• UAS Failsafe Action

• UAS Status

Onboard Flight Instruments

- The MAP

- M4 is equipped with an Inertial Navigation System consisting of:

- 2 x 3 Axis Gyroscopes

- 2 x 3 Axis Accelerometers

- 2 x 3 Axis Magnetometers

- 1 x GPS Receiver

- 1 x BarometerOn

- board computer systems

- The MAP

- M4 is equipped with an on

- board computer utilizing a 32bit

processor. The on

- board computer is also equipped with data

- flash logging which records all sensor data during each and every flight. This on

- board computer monitors all sensor data and will only allow take

- off if all sensor data passes the pre

- flight safety checks based on sensor health. In addition, the on

- board computer constantly checks the various sensors whi le in flight and will switch to the redundant sensors in the event that one is not healthy.

Onboard guidance and navigation equipment

- The MAP

- M4 can operate semi autonomously (Altitude Hold Mode, GPS Position Hold Mode) or automatically (Automatic Waypoint Flight Mode). Before the unit
can take

- off, the On

- board computer will do a complete system check to ensure that all sensor data is within acceptable ranges. Should the system identify that there is a potential error, the operator will be
notified via the GCS and the on

- board computer will prevent the operator from engaging the motors to
take

- off. Should the system check clear, the op erator must initiate an arming sequence to engage the motors and then complete a take

- of sequence.

Frequency Allocations

–

915 MHz Used for the Real

- Time Telemetry Downlink to the Ground Control Station (Bi

- directional)

2.4 GHz Used for the Control Uni t (Bi

- directional)

Takeoff and Landing

- The MAP

- M4 is a Vertical Take

- off and Landing (VTOL) UAV which has the ability to
take

- off and land both manually as well as automatically. A manual take

- off involves the operator instructing the platform to increas e its thrust and thus altitude until a safe altitude has been reached (typically 15ft). An automatic take

- off is performed when the operator engages the automatic flight mode switch when an automatic mission containing a take

- off command (with pre

- defined altitude) is loaded
to the on

- board computer once the motors are armed. The MAP

- M4 will then automatically climb to the

pre

- defined altitude and then begin its mission. During both take

- off methods, the operator has the ability to alter the horizontal posi tion of the UAV. Landing can also be done both automatically and manually. Performing a manual landing involves the operator reducing the throttle input (limited to a maximum descent rate of 1.5 meters per second) until the desired rate of descent has been achieved (viewable on the GCS). The operator must then slow the rate of descent down prior to making contact with the ground to prevent damage to the landing gear of the platform. During a manual landing, the operator can control both the rate of climb/de scent as well as the horizontal position of the MAP

- M4. Automatic landings are executed when part of an Automatic Waypoint Mission. The MAP

- M4 will automatically fly over to the landing location (either Launch Position or Rally Point), then reduce altitude at a pre

- defined rate of 1.5 meters per second until it has reached 5 meters (~15ft) above the launch height. At this stage, the MAP

M4 will wait for 5 seconds then proceed to reduce its altitude at a rate of 30cm per second until the on

board computer de termines that no altitude has changed for over 5 seconds, at which point the MAP

- M4
will disarm and turn off its motors.Navigation System

- Operation of the helicopter for navigational purposes is done by the pilot keeping

the multirotor in direct line of sight at all times. Autonomous flight (grid pattern and points of interest) are available if a flight route has been uploaded to the UAS prior to takeoff. Autonomous flight can only be executed once the autopilot has cleared all pre

- flight checks and th e pilot physically engages the automatic waypoint mission. Depending on whether the automatic flight path includes return to launch and landing commands, the unit will either land itself or the operator must take control to perform a landing. Any failsafe engaging events will result in notification to the operator and/or the MAP

- M4 unit performing the automatic failsafe protocols.

Redundant Systems

- The UAS combines the input from a multitude of sensors including duplicates of sensors such as the magnetom eter and IMU. Even though the data from all sensors is required for optimal system performance, dependent on the sensor, a single sensor malfunction is likely to result in the autopilot switching to the redundant sensor , otherwise the result will be degra ded performance rather than leading to a fatal response.

Emergency Procedures and System Failures

Sensor Failure

- Failure of onboard flight instruments/sensors may result in degraded UAS flight performance should redundant sensors be compromised, otherwi se the on

- board computer will switch from one pair of sensors to the other to maintain optimal flying conditions. Should a critical failure of both redundant sensors occur, a fatal system error will occur. If the UAS becomes unstable due to sensor failure, this may result in loss of performance or features but still allow for stable Pilot in Command flight, an automated landing or in extreme cases a fatal response.

Motor Failure

- This will cause a fatal response in the UAS flight performance if one or more motors fails.

Airframe Failure

- Depending on the nature and severity, this may result in decreased flight performance or a fatal response.

Navigation System Failure

- In a navigation system failure, degraded GPS will result in a response warning to the pilo t where

- by the system would be flown in manual mode. This will result in degraded GPS position performance, manual Pilot in Command flight will not be effected.

Power Failure

- A complete battery failure which results in power loss to the UAS will result in a fatal

response.

Low Battery Condition

- Operator will be alerted of a low battery condition and will land the UAS as soon
as able unless the on

- board computer assumes control when the voltage has reached the low voltage threshold in which case the unit will perform an automatic landing.

Crit ical Battery Condition

- Operator will be alerted of a Critical low battery condition and will land the UAS as soon as able, the UAS will begin to descend at a controlled rate automatically.Line of Sight Loss

- All flight operations will be conducted with the UAS within visual sight of the pilot. If

the pilot's view becomes obstructed and line of sight is lost, the pilot may instruct the UAS to hover in place until line of sight is re

- established, to return to the takeoff position, or to land at the current position.

Altitude Failsafe

– The MAP

- M4 has a 121m (397 ft) altitude geo

- fence enabled by default. If the altitude

geo

- fence is breached, the MAP

- M4 will report this to the operator and initiate an automatic Return to
Launch.

Security

The system and comm unication links are encrypted by the manufacturer's proprietary software.

Appendix C: MAP

- M4 Manual

# MAP

- M4

USER MANUAL

Version 1.0

## Contents:

MAP

- M4 Description: Page 3

MAP

- M4 Specifications: Page 3

MAP

- M4 Assembly: Page 5

Unfolding Page 5 Attaching Landing Gear Page 8 Attaching Battery Trays Page 11 Attaching Propellers Page 12 Mounting Batteries Page 14



### Flight Controller Description: Page 15
Flight Controller LED Indicators: Page 16
Flight Controller Safety Switch: Page 16

Software Installation and Overview: Page 17
Powering the MAP

- M4: Page 22
Battery Voltages and Relative Status: Page 22
Compass Calibration: Page 22
Flight Modes: Page 22

The Remote Control: Page 27
Taking Off: Page 33
Landing: Page 33

Pre

- Flight Check List: Page 34

Fail

- Safe Functions: Page 36

Maintenance: Page 37
Support: Page 39

Radio Controller Manual: Appendix 1

## MAP

- M4 Description:

MAP

- M4 Systems Overview :

The MAP

- M4 system can carry payloads up to 2.2 lbs. The MAP

- M4 system flies with a maximum wind threshold of 22 M.P.H. for sustained winds and wind gusts up to 30 M.P.H. The MAP

- M4 system utilizes 11 sensors on board the UAS including 3 gyros, 3 magnetometers, 3 accelerometers, a barometric pressure sensor and GPS module for stability, positioning, and safety. These sensors allow for the removal
of human co ntrol of the platform stability by automatically leveling the platform and adjusting the variable propeller thrust outputs for movement with a limited angle of 40 degrees. This results in the operator only needing to focus on steering the platform and adju sting its altitude when in a flight mode that requires operator input. The MAP

- M4 system is primarily flown in GPS enabled modes during which the UAS will maintain its position when no operator instructions are given for movement, and alternatively,
in the MAP

- M4 Automatic mission program, the UAS will perform a pre

- programmed waypoint flight based on GPS coordinates (X,Y,Z) planned in the flight planning software. The result of flying the MAP

- M4
in GPS enabled modes is the ease of use and limitation of hum an error. Should the GPS conditions degrade while in GPS enabled environments, the MAP

- M4 system will automatically revert to a dead reckoning to return to the launch site, or, if desired, switch over to Altitude Hold at which point the operator is notifie d of this change via the real time telemetry data link and the operator is instructed to land the vehicle. In Altitude Hold mode, altitude is maintained through the use of the barometer however position is now subject to operator input.

The MAP

- M4 System has an operational range of 2 miles however is designed to be flown within direct visual site of the operator at all times. Most operations take place within 550 yards of the operator at which distance the orientation and altitude of the UAS can easily be identified.

All flight operations take place as a result of direct input of the pilot in control. Flight adjustments are made based on a two joystick control system which allows for very precise movements and makes it very easy to navigate in either Manua l or GPS Position Hold.



## MAP

- M4 Specifications:

Physical Characteristics:

- Width: 640mm (25.2in)

- Length: 600mm (23.6in)

- Height: 207mm (8.15in)

- Diameter (Motor to Motor): 877mm (34.5in)

Weight and Payload Specifications:

- Weight Without Battery: 2170g (4.78lbs)- Weight With Battery: 3790g (8.35lbs)

- Maximum Payload Capacity: 1000g (2.2lbs)

- Maximum Take

- off Weight: 4790g (10.56lbs) Flight Characteristics:

- Radio Range: 2 Miles

- Flight Time: 30 Minutes Maximum

- Maximum Recommended Operational Speed 6 : 17mph

- Maximum Altitude AGL: 400ft

- Maximum Climb Speed: 6ft/second

- Maximum Sink Speed: 3ft/second

- Landing Accuracy: 3ft Diameter from planned landing location.

Take

- off and Landing Style: Vertical Take

- off and Landing

Propu lsion System

• Engines

- The MAP

- M4 utilizes 4 electric direct drive brushless DC motors.

• Power Source

- Lithium polymer batteries. Charge level status from the battery on the MAP

- M4 is continually monitored by the flight controller and real time level s are displayed on the control system used by the Pilot in Control as well as on the Ground Control Station. Predefined voltage levels indicating;

6 This is not the maximum flight speed, only the recommended maximum operational speed for automatic
missions.

## MAP

- M4 Assembly:

Un

- Folding :

Front Booms:

To un

- fold the system, firstly pull the front booms away from the rear and push them into their respective clips.Ensure that the front booms are properly secured in the front boom clips.

Rear Booms:

Rotate the clips which held the front booms in their folded position so they are parallel to the carbon plate and are facing back.

Pull the rear booms out of their folded position and press into the un

- folded locking positionEnsure that the rear booms are secure within their clips.

Attaching Landing Gear :

Turn the MAP

- M4 over taking care not to damage the GPS antenna mast:Slide the landing gear over the aluminum landing stand mounts such that the carbon fiber rods are on

the outer side:

Slide the landing gear locks over the carbon fiber rod and on to the aluminum landing stand mounts:Screw the landing gear locking screw in the hole circled above until it is fully inside the aluminum. Take

care not to go too deep as it will press against the carbon rod.

Slide the rubber O

- ring over the carbon fiber tube and around the screw:

Repeat these steps for all 3 legs.Attaching Battery Trays :

Open the boom clamps and them between the front and rear booms such that they sit properly on the booms then slide the screw through the bottom part of the clamp and se cure using the supplied butterfly nut:

Repeat this process for both trays ensuring that the battery trays are parallel to the side of the MAP

- M4 and to each other.Attaching Propellers :

The MAP

- M4 utilizes self

- tightening propeller mounts for added safety. For this reason, it is of particular importance that the correct directions are used to tighten (and loosen) the propeller nuts.

Propeller/Orientation:

Front Right and Rear Left Moto rs rotate counter clockwise. Place the counter clockwise rotating propellers on these motors such that the top is facing up and the leading edge is facing such that whenthe motor spins counter clockwise that the thicker edge is leading. Place the washer o n top of the

propeller and then secure with the supplied nut. Tighten the nut by turning clockwise.

Front Left and Rear Right Motors rotate clockwise. Place the clockwise rotating propellers on these motors such that the top is facing up and the leading edge is facing such that when the motor spins clockwise, the thicker edge is leading. Place the washer on top of the propeller and then secure with the supplied nut. Tighten the nut by turning counterclockwise.

Identifying Propeller Direction:

Left Two Propellers rotate CLOCKWISE and are for the FRONT LEFT and REAR RIGHT Motors

Right Two Propellers rotate COUNTER CLOCKWISE and are for the FRONT RIGHT AND REAR LEFT

MotorsEnsure to tighten the propeller nuts securely then hold the motor and attempt to tu rn the propeller by

hand. You should not be able to rotate the propeller independently of the motor.

Mounting Batteries :

To mount the batteries, slide them so that the leads are towards the rear into the Velcro strap and seat them on the battery tray, then pull the strap tight and secure. The battery should not wiggle when mounted properly.

## MAP

- M4 Flight Controller Description :

Pixhawk is an advanced autopilot system designed by the PX4 open

- hardware project and manufactured by 3D Robotics. It features advanced processor and sensor technology from ST Microelectronics® and a NuttX real

- time operating system, delivering incredible performance, flexibility, and reliability for controlling any autonomous vehicle.

The benefits of the Pix hawk system include integrated multithreading, a Unix/Linux

- like programming environment, completely new autopilot functions such as Lua scripting of missions and flight behavior, and a custom PX4 driver layer ensuring tight timing across all processes. Th ese advanced capabilities ensure that there are no limitations to your autonomous vehicle. Pixhawk allows existing APM and PX4 operators to seamlessly transition to this system and lowers the barriers to entry for new users to participate in the exciting w orld of autonomous vehicles.

The flagship Pixhawk module will be accompanied by new peripheral options, including a digital airspeed sensor, support for an external multi

- color LED indicator and an external magnetometer. All peripherals are automatically d etected and configured.

Features:

 Advanced 32 bit ARM Cortex® M4 Processor running NuttX RTOS

 14 PWM/servo outputs (8 with failsafe and manual override, 6 auxiliary, high

- power compatible)

 Abundant connectivity options for additional peripherals (UART, I2C, CAN)

 Integrated backup system for in

- flight recovery and manual override with dedicated processor and stand

- alone power supply

 Backup system integrates mixing, providing consistent autopilot and manual override mixing modes

 Redundant power supply inpu ts and automatic failover

 External safety button for easy motor activation

 Multicolor LED indicator

 High

- power, multi

- tone piezo audio indicator

 microSD card for long

- time high

- rate logging

Additional Sensors included with the MAP

- M4:

1) GPS with integrated Compass:

A GPS module provides in

- flight positioning data for full autonomy. The GPS module with integrated compass provides the platform with stand

- alone GPS positioning accuracy of 3

- 5 meters however this does not imply that the platform itself will vary by this amount as a specialized Kalman filter has been composed to correct for GPS drift using the Pixhawk accelerometers. The GPS with integrated compass allows for the MAP

- M4 to maintain position in all 3 cardinal axis with the assistance of a barometer for altitude maintenance. In addition to the ability to hover in place, the GPS module with Compass allows for the execution of pre

- planned missions based off of GPS coordinates as well as the Return to Launch flight mode which relies on GPS to guide the MAP

- M4 back to the point of first GPS fix which should always be the take

- off location.2) Telemetry Radios:

The MAP

- M4 is also equipped with a pair of transceivers which allow for the transmission of real time flight data down to a base station which can either be a portable laptop, cellphone or tablet. These radios operate at 915Mhz and can be setup to have unique network IDs so that no interference can occur when more than one platform with this type of transceiver is flying in the same location.



## Fligh t Controller LED Indicators:

The PixHawk flight controller on the MAP

- M4 includes an LED indicator to visually state the status of the platform.

LEDs and their meanings:

1) Flashing Red and Blue: Initializing Gyroscopes

2) Double Flash Yellow: Failing Pre

- Arm C hecks

3) Flashing Blue: Disarmed, no GPS lock found

4) Flashing Green: Disarmed, GPS lock acquired (with quick double beep tone at time of disarming)

5) Solid Green: Armed, GPS lock acquired (with single long tone at time of arming)

6) Solid Blue: Armed with no GPS lo ck

7) Flashing Yellow: Radio failsafe activated

8) Flashing Yellow with quick beeping tone: Battery failsafe activated

9) Flashing blue and yellow with high

- high

- high

- low tone sequence (dah

- dah

- dah

- doh): GPS glitch or GPS failsafe activated



## Flight Controller Safety Switch:

The MAP

- M4 system is equipped with a safety switch which prevents accidental arming of the motors. The safety switch prevents signals from the flight controller from reaching the speed controllers/motors thus eliminating the risk that the un it can become live through remote commands. An LED is included inside the switch itself showing what the current status of the switch is:

Quick, Constant Blinking: Performing System Check. Please Wait.

Intermittent Blinking: System ready. Press safety switch to enable outputs to the motors (prerequisite for arming on MAP

- M4).

Solid: Outputs to motors enabled (MAP

- M4 can now be armed).

## Software Installation and Overview:

The MAP

- M4 utilizes one of the most comprehensive and advanced open source flight controller software packages available. Mission Planner is utilized to configure the MAP

- M4 as well as to design and execute automatic missions. When used in combination with the MAP

- M4 Telemetry link, all flight data can be remotely monitored and recorde d.

Download the most recent Mission Planner installer file at http://copter.ardupilot.com

.

Go to the Mission Planner download page and click on the “Mission Planner

– MSI

– Permanent link to latest” and then on the next page push the Download button.

Run the installation utility

Open the Microsoft installer file (.msi) and select Run to run the installation utility.Follow the instructions to complete the setup process. The installation utility will auto matically install any

necessary software drivers. If you receive a DirectX installation error, please update your DirectX plug

- in from the DirectX Download Center.

If you receive the warning pictured here, select Install this driver software anyway to cont inue.

Mission Planner is normally installed in the C: \ Program Files (x86) \ APM Planner folder or the C: \ Program Files \ APM Planner folder. That is where your log files folder is located. An icon to open the Mission Planner is created according to your i nstructions during the installation.Once installation is complete, open Mission Planner by clicking on the Icon. Mission Planner

automatically notifies you about available updates. Please always run the most current version of Mission Planner.

The “Head s Up” Display:

1) Air speed ( Ground Speed if no airspeed sensor is fitted)

2) Crosstrack error and turn rate (T)

3) Heading Direction

4) Bank Angle

5) Wireless Telemetry Connection (% bad packets)

6) GPS Time

7) Altitude ( Blue Bar is Climb Rate)8) Air Speed

9) Ground Speed

10) Battery Status

11) Artificial Horizon

The above is the main Ground Station view of the Mission Planner, showing the Heads

- up Display (HUD).

A few tips:

◾ The map will only show current position when you have GPS lock or are using a flight simulator

◾ Remember how artificial horizons work: when the aircraft tilts to the right, the horizon tilts to the left.

◾ For APM:Copter status, the output meaning is as follows: ◾ “WPDist” : Distance to next waypoint in
meters

◾ “Bearing ERR”: How far your UAV is from the perf ect line to the next waypoint

◾ “Alt ERR”: How far your UAV is from the target altitude

◾ “WP”: Next waypoint to hit

◾ “Mode”: Current autopilot mode.

◾ You can issue mode changes and other action commands in the air with the Mission Planner and other GCSs, bu t note that you must be under autopilot control for them to take effect.

◾ If you double

- click the HUD it will pop out, allowing you to run the hud full screen on a second screen.

◾ If you double

- click on the Speed Gauge you can modify the max scale you want to display.◾ You can change the voice used in the speech synthesis in the Ease of Access center in Windows

Control Panel. Go to the “Text to Speech” options.

◾ If you enable the Tuning checkbox and double

- click tuning you can graph any data that is availab le in the status tab. This means you can have alt, attitude, or many other options in real time.

◾ You can use custom imagery instead of Google Maps. Press control

- F. This allows you to upload your own orthophotos. Use will require Globalmapper, as this is currently one of the key steps in exporting in the required format for use in the planner.



## Powering the MAP

- M4:

IMPORTANT: Before every flight, ensure that all batteries are fully charged and balanced. The MAP

- M4 system utilizes 2 6 cell LiPo Batteries in parallel for increased available power and redundancy.

Plug in ONE battery to the MAP

- M4. As soon as a connecti on is made, the MAP

- M4 will begin to beep and the Status LED will begin to flash. ENSURE NOT TO MOVE THE UNIT DURING THIS TIME UNTIL THE RED AND BLUE FLASHING LED SEQUENCE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. During the red and blue flashing LED sequence, the MAP

- M4 is cal ibrating the Gyroscopes. Any movement of the platform during this time will result in a poor calibration. If movement during this period is experienced, unplug and then reconnect the battery.

Once the red and blue LED sequence is complete, plug the remain ing battery in.



## Battery Voltages and Relative Status:

FULL: 25.2 V

- Voltages between 25 and 25.2 can be expected after charging

NOMINAL: 22.2 V

- Flight time at a particular voltage will be longest at this voltage

LOW: 21.4 V

- Be prepared to land or Return to Launch will automatically be activated

CRITICAL: 21.0 V

- If battery failsafe is deactivated, the operator must perform an emergency landing immediately.



## Compass Calibration:

This calibration MUST be performed when the location being flown at is new and has a different magnetic declination than the previous location. Failure to calibrate the compass will result in unexpected flight behavior which may result in a crash.

To perform the basic compass calibration please open Mission Planner and follo w the instructions below:

◾ Under Initial Setup > Mandatory Hardware select Compass. Select the correct orientation for your setup.

◾ Ensure the Enable and AutoDec check boxes are checked

◾ Click the “Live Calibration” button

◾ Next select the option Pixhawk/P X4 with the image of the Pixhawk.◾ A window should pop

- up informing you that you are about to begin the compass calibration along with

instructions. Follow these instructions until Mission Planner reports that the compass calibration has been completed successfully.

◾ Upon completion, another window will pop up showing you the new offsets that it calculated.

◾ Note, for PX4 and Pixhawk values may be greater than 150 and less than

- 150. Press “OK”.



## MAP

- M4 Flight Modes:

GPS Dependent Flight Modes:

Flight modes that use GPS

- positioning data require an active GPS lock prior to takeoff. To see if your autopilot has acquired GPS lock, connect to a ground station or consult your autopilot’s hardware overview page to see the LED indication for GPS lock. B elow is a summary of GPS dependent flight modes setup for MAP

- M4.

1) Loiter

When in Loiter Mode, the MAP

- M4 maintains a consistent location, heading and altitude. A good GPS position is indicated by a low HDOP value (<2.0) and more than 6 satellites as well as low magnetic interference.

The pilot can control the MAP

- M4 location horizontally and vertically with the control sticks.

◾ Horizontal location can be adjusted with the Roll and Pitch control sticks with the default maximum horizontal speed being 5m/s (Adjustable in Mission Planner

- > Config/Tuning

- > Extended Tuning). When the pilot releases the sticks the copter will slow to a stop.

◾ Altitude can be controlled with the Throttle control stick just as in AltHold mode

◾ The heading can be set with the Ya w control stickWith the current firmware version on the MAP

- M4 (FW 3.1.5) you may arm in Loiter mode but only once

the GPS has 3D lock and the HDOP has dropped to 2.0 or lower.

A GPS fix is indicated on the MAP

- M4 by a constant flashing Green LED on the flight controller and in the Heads Up Display.

The HDOP value can be made clearly visible through the mission planner’s Quick screen by double clicking and then selecting “gpshdop” from the large grid of checkboxes.

2) Return to Launch:

When RTL mode is s elected, the MAP

- M4 will return to the home location. The copter will first rise to RTL_ALT before returning home or maintain the current altitude if the current altitude is higher than RTL_ALT. The default value for RTL_ALT is 30m.RTL is a GPS

- depende nt move, so it is essential that GPS lock is acquired before attempting to use this

mode.

RTL will command the MAP

- M4 to return to the home position, meaning that it will return to the location where it was armed. Therefore, the home position is always s upposed to be your platforms actual GPS takeoff location, unobstructed and away from people. For the MAP

- M4 if you get GPS lock and then ARM, the home position is the location the MAP

- M4 was in when it was armed. This means if you execute an RTL in MAP

- M4 will return to the location where it was armed.

Warning: In RTL mode the flight controller uses a barometer which measures air pressure as the primary means for determining altitude (“Pressure Altitude”) and if the air pressure is changing in your flight area, the copter will follow the air pressure change rather than actual altitude.

Options:

These options can be configured in Mission Planner:

RTL_ALT: The minimum altitude the copter will move to before returning to launch.

◾ Set to zero to return at the current altitude.

◾ The return altitude can be set from 1 to 8000 centimeters.

◾ The default return altitude Default is 35 meters (3500)

◾ RTL_ALT_FINAL: The altitude the copter will move to at the final stage of “Returning to Launch” or after completing a Mission.

◾ Set to

- 1 to automatically land the copter.

◾ The final return altitude may be adjusted from 0 to 1000 centimeters.

◾ RTL_LOIT_TIME: Time in milliseconds to loiter above the “Home” position before beginning final
descent. ◾ The “Loiter” time may be adjusted from 0 to 60,000 milliseconds.

◾ WP_YAW_BEHAVIOR: Sets how the autopilot controls the “Yaw” during Missions and RTL.

◾ 0 = Never change Yaw. (Default)

◾ 1 = Face Next Waypoint including facing home during RTL.

◾ 2 = Face Next Waypoint except for RTL (i.e. during RTL vehicle will remain pointed at it’s last heading)◾ LAND_SPEED: The descent speed for the final stage of landing in centimeters per second. ◾ The

landing speed is adjustable from 20 to 200 centimeters per second and is set to 30 centime ters per second by default.

3) Auto (Waypoint Mode)

In Auto mode the MAP

- M4 will follow a pre

- programmed mission script stored in the autopilot which is made up of navigation commands (i.e. waypoints) and “do” commands (i.e. commands that do not affect the l ocation of the copter including triggering a camera shutter).

AUTO mode incorporates the altitude control from AltHold mode and position control from Loiter mode and should not be attempted before these modes are flying well. All the same requirements apply including ensuring that vibration levels and compass interference levels are acceptable and that the GPS is functioning well including returning an HDOP of under 2.0.

If starting the mission while the copter is on the ground the pilot should ensure t he throttle is down, then switch to the Auto flight mode, then raise the throttle. The moment that the throttle is raised above zero, the copter will begin the mission.

If starting the mission from the air the mission will begin from the first command the moment that the flight mode switch is moved to Auto. If the first command in the mission is a take

- off command but the vehicle is already above the take

- off command’s altitude the take

- off command will be considered completed and the vehicle will move on to the next waypoint.

At any time the pilot can retake control from the autopilot by returning the flight mode switch to another flight mode. If the pilot then switches to AUTO again, the mission will continue from the last completed waypoint position/comm and.

During the mission the pilot’s roll, pitch, yaw and throttle inputs still active.This allows the pilot to for example aim the nose of the copter (which might have a hard mounted camera on it) as the copter flies the mission or to move the MAP

- M4 quick ly if an obstacle is detected. The autopilot will re

- take control as soon as there is no input from the operator.Missions can be entered and amended through the Mission Planner’s Flight Plan screen.

Missions should normally have an RTL as their final c ommand to ensure the copter will return after the mission completes. Alternatively the final command could be a LAND with a different location. Without a final RTL or LAND command the copter will simply stop at the final waypoint and the pilot will need to retake control with the transmitter.

Remember that when using RTL, the copter will return to the “home” position which is the location where the copter was armed.

As the copter touches down at the end of the mission the pilot should move the throttle to zero at which point the autopilot will disarm the motors if it also believes that it has landed.

Flight Modes not requiring GPS Lock:

The MAP

- M4 can be configured with multiple “GPS free” flight modes. Below are two of the recommended ones. Please note t hat Stabilize mode is delivered on all MAP

- M4 systems to allow for complete pilot control over the entire system:

1) Stabilize:

◾ Pilot’s roll and pitch input control the lean angle of the copter. When the pilot releases the roll and pitch sticks the vehicle automatically levels itself.

◾ Pilot will need to regularly input roll and pitch commands to keep the vehicle in place as it is pushed around by the wind.

◾ Pilot’s yaw input controls the rate of change of the heading. When the pilot releases the yaw stick the vehicle will maintain its current heading.

◾ Pilot’s throttle input controls the average motor speed meaning that constant adjustment of the throttle is required to maintain altitude. If the pilot puts the throttle completely down the motors will go to their minimum rate and if the vehicle is flying it will lose attitude control and tumble.

◾ The throttle sent to the motors is automatically adjusted based on the tilt angle of the vehicle (i.e. increased as the vehicle tilts over more) to reduce the compe nsation the pilot must do as the vehicle’s attitude changes.

Warning: it is very important to master flying in stabilize before moving on to other flight modes and it is highly recommended that the pilot is always able to easily and rapidly switch back to stabilize mode from other flight modes in case of unexpected or undesirable flight behavior. .

2) Altitude Hold:

When altitude hold mode (aka AltHold) is selected, the throttle is automatically controlled to maintain the current altitude. Roll, Pitch and yaw operate the same as in Stabilize mode meaning that the pilot directly controls the roll and pitch lean angles and the heading. The altitude will only be maintained if the throttle stick is in the middle position. The difference in throttle control between Stabilize mode and Altitude Hold mode is that in Stabilize, the throttle controls the average motor speed where as in Altitude Hold, the throttle functions as a rate controller. The amount either above or below the center point on the throttle stick transl ates directly to rate of climb or decent.

The MAP

- M4 allows for arming and disarming in altitude hold mode. When disarming, the copter may need to rest in the landing position for a few seconds to allow the internal calibration to indicate that the copter has landed before you are able to disarm.

## The Remote Control:

Flight Mode Switches:

Upon turning on the remote control, all switches must be facing forward (towards the antenna)

Primary Flight Mode Switch: 

## Throttle (Up & Down) Yaw (Left & Right) Power (Down = Off, Up = On) Horizontal Movement Flight Mode Switch Come Home SwitchReturn to Launch Switch:

Primary Flight Mode Switch Explained:

This is the primary flight mode switch which is a 3 position switch with the following assigned flight modes:Altitude Hold: With the switch pointing towards the antenna, Altitude Hold mode is active (Provided that the Return to Launch Switch is OFF). In Altitude Hold Mode, the operator is responsible for maintaining the horizontal position by moving the right joy stick. Altitude Hold Mode allows the operator to fly as fast as the platform can fly, to climb and fall as quickly as the operator will allow. While in Altitude Hold, the Throttle Stick functions as a rate contr oller rather than a throttle. In other words, any movement of the left stick out of the center position translates to a rate of climb/decent. The speed of that climb or decent is based on how far away from the center the stick is. With your system, we have set a limit of 2 meters per second for vertical changes in position

Loiter: Loiter (GPS Position Hold) is engaged when the primary flight mode switch is in the middle position. This mode allows the operator to remove his/her fingers from the controls while GPS is utilized to maintain the current position of the platform. PLEASE NOTE: The MAP

- M4 unit will not maintain altitude unless the Throttle Stick (left stick) is in the center position while in this mode. While in Loiter Mode, the Throttle Stick fu nctions as a rate controller rather than a throttle. In other words, any movement of the left stick out of the center position translates to a rate of climb/decent. The speed of that climb or decent is based on how far away from the center the stick is. Wi th your system, we have set a limit of 2.5 meters per second for climb and 1.5m/s for decent and 5 meters per second for horizontal movements while in Loiter Mode.Auto/Waypoint Mission: When the primary flight mode switch is in the third positio n, towards the LCD screen, the automatic mission mode is selected. When a waypoint mission has been designed and uploaded to the MAP

- M4 and this mode is activated, the MAP

- M4 will automatically execute the pre

- programmed flight. The MAP

- M4 stores one pre

- p rogrammed flight at a time and keeps it in non

- volatile memory, there

- fore it is imperative that the operator know exactly which mission is loaded before engaging this flight mode. While in this flight mode, it is important to remember to keep the throttle stick in the center positon.

About the Auto/Waypoint Mission Mode:

1) Engaging Auto while on the Ground:

a. After the MAP

- M4 unit is armed the primary flight mode switch can be set to the Auto/Waypoint Mission mode however special care must be taken to ens ure that the throttle stick is at the lowest position. As soon as the throttle stick is increased the auto

pilot will execute the waypoint mission. The operator must ensure that there are no objects above the unit during this time and that a “Take

- off Comm and” with an appropriate and safe altitude is programmed into the current automatic mission. After the MAP

- M4 has automatically taken off in this mode, the MAP

- M4 will climb to the programmed take

- off altitude. Once the altitude has been reached, the MAP

- M 4 will begin to move directly to the next waypoint. This is done not only by moving laterally, but also vertically if there is a difference between the programmed take

- off altitude and the altitude of the next waypoint, there

- for it is very important that no vertical object be higher than the take

- off altitude between that altitude and the next waypoints altitude. As long as the RTL switch is not engaged and the Primary Mode switch remains in Auto, the MAP

- M4 will complete the pre

programmed flight. Pre

- pro grammed flights should contain a Return to Launch command at the end. When the MAP

- M4 unit has completed the mission it will perform a Return to Launch (see section on RTL below) and land. The throttle must be set to the lowest position when the unit has l anded in order for the unit to automatically disarm and shut off the
motors. 2) Engaging Auto while in the air:

a. If the operator has already taken off and is flying an automatic mission can be engaged by moving the primary flight control switch into the Auto position depending on: i. The currently loaded flight mission DOES NOT have a take

- off command ii. The MAP

- M4 is higher than the take

- off command altitude when the switch is engaged.3) Switching in and out of Auto while flying:

a. Once the platform is in the air and the waypoint mission has been engaged, the operator may switch out of the mission at any time by moving the Primary Mode switch out of the Auto Flight Mode position. The operator must be aware of what flight mode is bein g engaged when doing so and the throttle stick MUST be in the center position in order to maintain the current altitude. After the MAP

- M4 has exited the automatic mission the operator must assume control of the unit. Should the operator re

- position the pla tform and then re

- engage the automatic mission by moving the Primary Mode switch back into the Auto Flight Mode position, the MAP

- M4 will automatically move directly to the next waypoint which follows the last one which was completed. Special care must be taken to ensure that there are no obstacles between the current position of the unit prior to re

engaging the mission. 4) Landing in Auto Mission Mode:

a. If the Automatic Mission being executed includes a LAND command, the MAP

- M4 will perform an automatic land ing. As soon as the MAP

- M4 makes contact with the ground, the operator MUST ensure that the throttle stick is at 0 so that the unit can shut the motors off and disarm. The operator need not perform the disarming sequence while in Auto mode after landing as the platform will do this automatically. b. During the landing stage of an automatic mission which contains a LAND command, the operator is still able to re

- position the MAP

- M4 should the need arise.

Return to Launch Mode Switch Explained:

The MAP

- M4 Plat form has a dedicated two position switch configured to over

- ride the Primary Flight Mode switch so that at any point, the operator can engage this flight mode to bring the platform back to the location from which the unit was armed and took off.

RTL DISENGAGED RTL ENGAGED

When RTL is engaged, the MAP

- M4 will return to launch in the following manner:

1) If the platform is below 35 meters, the MAP

- M4 will increase altitude first until it has reached 35 meters. Once the RTL altitude has been reached, the platform will fly directly to the location where the MAP

- M4 was armed at the RTL altitude. Once over the launch position, the MAP

- M4 will decrease its altitude until it is approximately 5 meters above the ground where it will wait for 5 seconds. If the RT L switch is left active after these 5 seconds, the MAP

- M4 will gradually decrease altitude at 30cm per second until it has touched down. At this point, the throttle must be at 0 in order for the MAP

- M4 to turn off the motors and disarm.2) If the MAP

- M4 plat form is above 35 meters and RTL is engaged, the platform will return to over the launch position at the current altitude. Once over the launch position, the MAP

- M4 will decrease its altitude until it is approximately 5 meters above the ground where it will wait for 5 seconds. If the RTL switch is left active after these 5 seconds, the MAP

- M4 will gradually decrease altitude at 30cm per second until it has touched down. At this point, the throttle must be at 0 in order for the MAP

M4 to turn off the motors a nd disarm.

Disengaging RTL:

As RTL overrides the flight mode active on the Primary Flight Mode switch, it is imperative that the operator know what flight mode the MAP

- M4 will return to when the RTL switch is returned to the OFF position. As soon as the R TL switch is put back into the OFF position, the flight mode associated with the position of the Primary Flight Mode switch will become active. For example, if while in Auto Flight Mode RTL is enabled and allowed to occur and the Primary Flight Mode switch is moved from the Auto Position to Altitude Hold and subsequently RTL is disengaged, the MAP

- M4 will revert to Altitude Hold and not back to the mode it was in prior to RTL being engaged.

The MAP

- M4 is equipped with a 2.4Ghz Radio controller which has a digital LCD display which shows the following information while connected:

1) Percentage of Radio Controller Battery Remaining 2) Voltage of MAP

- M4 UAV 3) Flight Time (Time since throttle was increased above 5%) 4) Current Flight Mode 5) Throttle Position in Percentage

The most critical piece of information displayed on the remote control is the voltage level of the MAP

- M4. The operator must at all times pay attention to this voltage to ensure safe operation of the platform.

## Taking off:

Before take

- off i t is important to ensure that there are no persons or animals within a 4 meter radius around the platform. Ensure that all systems are functional and that there are no pre

- flight warnings or errors displayed on the Heads Up Display in Mission planner and t hat the LEDs indicate that it is safe to take

- off.

Once all systems are clear, depress the safety switch until it glows red to allow signals to pass to the motors from the flight controller.

Ensure that the platform is in the desired take

- off flight mode then move the throttle stick to the bottom right for 5 seconds.

After 5 seconds, the motors will begin to spin at which point increase the throttle until the platform has taken off. After that, the operator is in charge of selecting the desired flight mo de and maintaining safe operation. 

## Landing:

To land, either manually bring the platform over the desired landing location or engage RTL to automatically return the platform to the location of first GPS fix attained at arming of the platform. Gradually redu ce the throttle until the platform has landed. If landing in Loiter or Altitude Hold, let the platform rest on the ground until the motors have returned to idle speed then move the throttle stick to the bottom left until the motors turn off. Once the platf orm has touched down, no matter what flight mode is currently enabled, it is the operators duty to ensure that the throttle is set to 0 in order to turn off and safely disarm the motors.

IMPORTANT: Ensure that you depress the safety switch for 2 seconds a fter the motors have been turned off to disable any signals being sent to the motors and accidental arming of the platform.

## Pre

- Flight Check List:

Ground Control Station:

MAP

- M4

Flight Controller

Flight Controller ConnectionsPre

- Flight Operations Check List

MAP

- M4

Battery Voltage (Flight Packs) 25.0

– 25.2V

## Fail

- Safe Functions:

Reliability

- The system is designed for maximum reliability and to maintain performance over its life. The only components experience routine wear are rotors, batteries, and motors. Battery and motor conditions are monitored by the system with deviations reported to the operator.

Contact with other objects during flight may cause other components, particularly rotors, and motor arms, to become damaged and may cause a flight system failure. Damaged components are likely to be detected during the full visual inspection of the airframe performed before each flight.

The MAP

- M4 flight controller detects numerous conditions which may make flying unsafe, such as reduced GPS accuracy, magnetic anomalies, low battery charge, control signal strength, IMU deviations, and any other sensor anomalies. Should the system check identify a potential problem prior to flight, the operator is immediately notified and the system blocks any instruction to arm and fly the platform until the issue has been addressed and cleared. The MAP

- M4 has the following Fail

- Safe options for inflight emergency actions:

Loss of GPS: The MAP

- M4 will firstly alert the operator both visually and audibly via Ground Control Station then either a) switch to Altitude Hold Flight Mode or b) if instructed to return launch, will do so using dead reckoning during. During the return to launch operation, the operator still has the ability to control the position and orientation of the UAS.

Low Battery: The MAP

- M4 will firstly alert the operator both visually and audibly via the Control Unit as well as the Ground Control Station, then will initiate a Return to Launch sequence in which it will fly back to the launch location at a pre

- defined altitude and perform an automatic landing and turn off th e motors once on the ground. If a Rally Point is closer than the launch location, the Return to Launch destination will change to the closest Rally Point. Multiple rally points can be programmed into the MAP

- M4 non

- volatile flash memory to ensure that the UAS is capable of landing safely prior to a critical battery situation.

Loss of Communications: The MAP

- M4 will automatically return to the Launch location or the closest rally point where it will perform an automatic landing and turn off the motors once on the ground.

## Maintenance:

Periodic Maintenance Checklist Description Checked

Airframe
Check that all the screws on the frame, gimbal and motor mounts are still securely fastened.
Check that all the ABS parts are still intact and do not show signs of wear or fatigue, particularly the inner mounts. Check the carbon plates and tubes for wear and damage that would reduce the structural integrity of the frame.

Motors
Check that the prop holder is still secure fastened to the motor with all three screws and that the nut and tread that secures the prop is still in good condition.
Check that the motor is still securely fastened to the motor mount with all 4 screws.
Check that the motor runs smooth when turned by hand and that there is not any play in the bearings.
Check that the motors are free of dust and any other foreign particles.
Check that the motor windings do not show any damage or bubbling/melting. Also check that the motor wires are not damaged.

Electronics
Check that the battery connector is in good condition and that the soldering is still secure. Also make sure the wires are not damaged.
Check that the wires between the ESC and the motors are not damaged.

Check that all the different electronic modules are still securely fastened. Check the ESC, Gimbal Control Board, Receiver, Flight Controller, GPS/Compass, etc.
Check that all the various plugs that connect all the electronics are still securely plugged in.
Where possible, check that all the solder joints are still in good condition.

Check that all the electronics are free of dust or dirt.
Check sensor readings for abnormalities. (Check in Mission Planner, Compass reading, GPS, attitude, etc. See ArduCopter Wiki for more information.)

Radio
Check that the control gimbals are free from dust and other particles.
Check that the battery is still in good condition.
Perform a radio range check. (See radio manual for details)LiPo Batteries

Check that the battery is not punctured or does not have any other physical damage. The battery should also not be swollen at all.
Check that all the cells of the battery are balanced. (Within 0.1V of each other)
Check that the battery connector is in good condition and that the soldering is still secure. Also make sure the wires are not damaged.

## Support:

For support please consult:

http://copter.ardupilot.com http://www.diydrones.com

or contact:

Micro Aerial Projects L.L.C. info@microaerialprojects.com