# Midwest Aerial Vantage

FI ight Operations and Procedures Manual

August 15` h , 2015 Version 1

### Introduction

Midwest Aerial Vantage (M.A.V.) is a business that operates sUAS equipment for the purpose of aerial data acquisition. These operations include videography, still photography and other forms of data acquisition for many purposes, including but not limited to, enhanced real estate marketing, inspections, precision agriculture, aerial surveys and support of local emergency services. M.A.V. uses only licensed operators that meet FAA mandated experience and currency requirements. M.A.V. also carries liability insurance to cover accidental damages to people and/or property in the very unlikely event that an incident should occur. 

### Personnel

Officers Owner and Chief Pilot

Michael Romanowski 500 N Dominic Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57107 605-413-8490 

### Essential to Flight Operation The minimum personnel required to conduct a flight operation is the Pilot in Command (PIC) and a Visual Observer (VO). M.A.V. will maintain a list of qualified/approved PIC's and VO's. Pilot in Command (PIC) — The duty to ensure the safety and legality of a flight operation rests entirely with the PIC.

• It is the PIC's responsibility to ensure that the sUAS is operated within the bounds of the restrictions listed in the FMRA Section 333 exemption granted to M.A.V. (see Appendix A) The PIC must be the sole operator of the sUAS flight controls at all times during flight operations. At no time during the flight can PIC duties be transferred to another pilot. • The PIC must maintain, unaided verbal communication with the VO at ali times during the flight. • The PIC is responsible for the safe transport of the sUAS system being used and ensuring that the sUAS is legally and physically ready for flight before the flight commences.
• Prior to the first flight of any sUAS operated by M.A.V. the PIC must read and understand all materials provided by the manufacturer pertaining to safety, maintenance and operation of the sUAS. This includes ensuring that aircraft log entries show that all required maintenance, as indicated by the recommendations in the manufacturer's maintenance manual, has been performed. • The PIC must ensure that permission has been obtained from all property owners or authorized personnel prior to flying over a property. Visual Observer (VO) — The VO's role is to provide an additional set of eye's for the PIC and help the pilot look for and avoid other aircraft and people within the vicinity of the sUAS.

• The VO must maintain the ability to communicate with the PIC verbally for the duration of the flight operation. • If the VO observes another aircraft or person approaching or in the vicinity of the sUAS it is their responsibility to inform the PIC of the situation.• If the VO is able to maintain communication with the PIC, while also communicating with the pilot of the other aircraft or person they should alert the other pilot/person of the ongoing operation and ask them to remain at a safe distance. 

### Optional Camera/Sensor Operator — At times M.A.V. may use a camera or sensor operator to improve efficiency of the data acquisition process and for their artistic skills and ideas in getting creative images for customers that require such imagery. At no to time shall the camera/sensor operator be given control of the sUAS or interfere with its safe operation. 

### Qualifications

PIC Qualifications

• Must be an FAA licensed pilot holding at least a Sport Pilot's license. • Must have a 3" class medical or a state issued driver's license • Must be current in the category and class of aircraft listed in their pilot's certificate including biennial flight review. • Must meet all requirements as indicated in the Section 333 exemption granted to M.A.V. • In addition to the FAA's requirements any PIC operating equipment for M.A.V. must also meet the following qualifications: o Have a minimum of 20 hrs of documented flight time with the same or similar equipment to that operated by M.A.V. o Must read and prove by answering questions from the chief pilot that they understand and have retained the content of this operations manual as well as the manuals for all sUAS systems they will operate for M.A.V. o Be able to demonstrate to M.A.V. Chief Pilot that they possess the skills and ability to operate the sUAS safely. o Must be able to demonstrate these skills while operating the sUAS that they will pilot for M.A.V. during a training/demonstration flight. VO Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old • Must be able to read and speak English so that they can read this manual and communicate effectively with the PIC. • Must be able to understand the technical direction of the PIC and follow commands. 

### Site Safety At all times the safety of people and property must be the highest priority. Never push to get a shot or collect data when the safety of any person or property is in question. It is always better to miss the shot and try again later or think of a different approach than it is to jeopardize safety.



### Procedures AII M.A.V. flight operations will be conducted only over property with permission from the owner or controlling entity prior to flight. It is the responsibility of the PIC to ensure that if any condition arises on or over the site that mayjeopardize the safety of any person or property that the flight be terminated as soon as it can be safely.

Prior to any flight, permission must be obtained from the subject properties owner/controller as well as from the owner/controller of any surrounding property that is located within theminimum safe distance from the sUAS operations as described in the Section 333 exemption restrictions and applicable FARs. • Once flight operations begin, if any person, ground vehicle or aircraft enters the operations area that is not a participant in the operation, the sUAS must be landed as soon as it can be safely.
• The sUAS must not be operated at a site where the ability to operate safely is in doubt. 

### Equipment

Maintenance Maintenance will be performed by qualified personnel per the manufacturers' recommendations. For simple preventative maintenance items such as updating firmware or changing propellers any one qualified as a PIC will be considered qualified to perform such maintenance. For any major maintenance or repair items such as repairing or replacing electronic parts, motors or other items essential for flight, the sUAS will be sent to a manufacturer authorized repair facility. Documentation AII maintenance performed on any sUAS owned and operated by M.A.V. will be logged in an aircraft maintenance log. Each sUAS will have a dedicated maintenance log. Transport AII M.A.V. owned equipment will be transported in the case provided by M.A.V. AII sUAS will be powered down with batteries removed before transport. 

### Flight Operations

Pre-flight

• The PIC will ensure that a NOTAM has been filed at least 24 hours prior to the time of the flight operation. • The PIC will log the date, time, location, PIC name and VO name for the flight operation as well as any other data that may be required for reporting to the FAA as listed in the Section 333 exemption restrictions. • The PIC must confirm that the current weather conditions are within the sUAS manufacturers' recommended limits. • The PIC will perform a pre-flight inspection prior to the first flight after removing the sUAS from its transport container. • The pre-flight inspection will be done by following the manufacturer's recommended procedures. • The PIC will follow the manufacturer's recommended procedure to get the aircraft ready for flight. • AII manufacturers' recommended calibrations will be done at each new location or as otherwise described in the manufacturers' operation/owner's manual. • Prior to takeoff the PIC will ensure that no non-participant people are in the operation area. The operation area includes any part of a subject property or surrounding property that falls within the minimum safe distance of the sUAS at takeoff and while operating. The minimum safe distance is described in Appendix A in the list of restrictions contained in the Section 333 exemption granted to M.A.V. • The PIC will ensure that the batteries of the sUAS have sufficient power to perform the desired flight and safely return to the home position and land with 25% power remaining. • The PIC shall ensure that the sUAS GPS is tracking sufficient satellites to be ready for GPS guided flight if that is the mode in which it is being used.• If equipped with a Return to Home function, the PIC will ensure that the home position has been recorded appropriately before flight. The PIC will also ensure that the Return to Home altitude has been set adequately to clear all obstacles on the return path home from any point in the operations area. • The PIC shall ensure that the sUAS is ready for flight according to all indicators provided by the ground station software and aircraft lights if so equipped. During flight

• Immediately after takeoff and reaching a safe height for doing so, the PIC must test the aircraft controllability about all axis. • The sUAS must be operated within the visual line of site (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. • The flight operation must be terminated when the battery level of the sUAS reaches 25% or after 30 minutes of flight, whichever occurs first. • The sUAS shall not be operated in a reckless manner, such as at high speed while heading toward any person or property or closer than necessary to any subject structure. • The PIC shall concentrate on maintaining situational awareness and controlling the aircraft first and getting the shot or data second. • At no time shall the PIC operate the sUAS in a manner that is contrary to FAA regulations except with respect to the exemptions granted by the Section 333 exemption granted to M.A.V. Post-flight (debrief) After each flight the PIC and VO should talk about the flight and communicate anything of interest. For instance if either observed a potentially unsafe situation that could have developed. This would also be a good time to discuss how to better improve efficiency when applicable or how to get a better, more aesthetically pleasing shot on the next flight, etc. This would also be a good time to record any "squawks" or negative comments about the performance of the system for further investigation and improvement later. AII squawks should be reported to the Chief Pilot. Every flight operation should be thought of as a learning experience and a time to share and transfer knowledge amongst M.A.V. personnel. 

## Packing up

After concluding flight operations at a site, the PIC must pack up the sUAS equipment following the manufacturer's recommended procedures for transport and storage. The PIC and VO should police the area to make sure that nothing is left there that wasn't there when they arrived. This includes all equipment and documents pertaining to the sUAS as well as any litter that may have been produced. Please leave the area as clean as or cleaner than when you arrived. 

## Emergency Procedures

UAS Contact Causing Injury to Person If a sUAS comes into contact with a person and the sUAS is still airborne afterwards, immediately terminate the flight in a way that will not cause any more harm to that person or any other person or property. If possible while the PIC is safely landing the sUAS alone, the VO should immediately assess the

need for medical attention.• Immediately after getting the sUAS on the ground the PIC should also make an assessment as to the need for medical attention for the injured person. • If the injured person asks for emergency medical attention, emergency medical personnel should be contacted immediately by dialing 911. • AII M.A.V. crews must carry a first aid kit with supplies to handle lacerations and minor burns.
• If the injured person has lacerations, don the appropriate protective gear from the first aid kit and dress the wounds. Insist that the injured person get medical attention right away and offer to transport them to the nearest medical facility. If lacerations are severe call emergency medical services by dialing 911 regardless of whether the injured asks for medical attention or not. • If the injured person has sustained a blunt impact injury, especially to the head, but they are still conscious, insist that they get medical attention and/or advice. Offer to drive them to the nearest medical facility. If they are unconscious, contact emergency medical services by dialing 911 immediately. • Once the injured persons medical needs have been addressed, contact the M.A.V. Chief pilot and inform him of the situation. • Provide the injured person M.A.V.'s insurance contact information. UAS Contact Causing Damage to Property If a sUAS comes into contact with and damages anything other than a person, do the following:

• Contact the owner of the property or an agent of the controlling entity and inform them of the damage. Assure the owner/agent that the property will be repaired or replaced as necessary to return it to its prior condition or better. • Provide the owner or agent with M.A.V.'s insurance company contact information.
• Contact the M.A.V. Chief pilot and inform him of the situation.

Appendix A FMRA Section 333 Exemption granted to Midwest Aerial Vantage

Appendix B Acronyms sUAS — Small Unmanned Aircraft System VLOS — Visual Line of Site FAA — Federal Aviation Administration PIC — Pilot in Command VO — Visual Observer M.A.V. — Midwest Aerial Vantage FMRA — FAA Modernization and Reform Act