Ayres sUAS Safety Policy

This document is intended to provide the Policy and Direction for the safe 

operation of sUAS (small Unmanned Aerial Systems) 

Safety is no accident.

No employee shall operate, or support field collection or training operations 

without the express approval of the authorized Pilot-In-Charge (PIC)

All employees will undergo mandatory flight, field, applicable State, Federal 

regulations review and formal training by qualified Ayres Associates staff prior to 

being involved in field collection operations.

All employees will be required to read, review all user, safety and training 

manuals as provided by the manufacturer

All employees will adhere to all Safety and field checklists, policies and 

procedures and as amended from time to time.

The following are the Critical and mandatory field safety operations as required 

by Ayres Associates in order to maintain as safe job site environment

In accordance with current FAA regulations, the Operation and Safety procedures 

as outlined as follows:
1. Operations authorized by Ayres Associates are limited to the following 

aircraft described in the operating documents, which are fixed and rotary

wing, propeller driven aircraft with the following characteristics:

a. The 3DR Solo has a maximum gross weight of approximately 6.8 

pounds;

b. The 3DR X8-M has a maximum gross weight of approximately 7.7 

pounds;

c. The Mavrik has a maximum gross weight of approximately 6.8

pounds and 

d. The DJI Phantom 3 has a maximum gross weight of 

approximately 6.0 pounds. 

e. All three systems are equipped with propeller systems driven by a 

Lithium Polymer battery powered electric motor.

2. UAS operations under this POLICY will be limited to conducting 

operations for the purpose of aerial acquisitions.

3. The UA will not be flown at an indicated airspeed exceeding 50 knots.

4. The UA will be operated at an altitude of no more than 500 feet above 

ground level (AGL), as indicated by the procedures specified in the 

operating documents. All altitudes reported to ATC will be in feet AGL.

5. The UA will be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC at 

all times. This requires the PIC to be able to use human vision unaided by 

any device other than corrective lenses, as specified on the PIC’s FAAissued airman medical certificate.

6. The use of first person view (FPV) by the pilot in command PIC or visual 

observer (VO) will not be permitted.

7. All operations will utilize a visual observer (VO). The VO may be used to 

satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maintains VLOS 

capability. The VO and PIC will be able to communicate verbally at all 

times. Electronic messaging or texting will not be permitted during flight 

operations. The PIC will be designated before the flight and will not

transfer his or her designation for the duration of the flight. The PIC will

ensure that the VO can perform the functions prescribed in the operating 

documents.

8. The VO will not perform any other duties beyond assisting the PIC with 

seeing and avoiding other air traffic and other ground based 

obstacles/obstructions and will not be permitted to operate the camera or 

other instruments.
9. The operating documents and the grant of exemption will be accessible 

during UAS operations and made available to the Administrator upon 

request.

a. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and limitations 

contained in the grant of exemption and the procedures outlined in 

the operating documents, the conditions and limitations contained 

in the grant of exemption take precedence and must be followed. 

b. The operator will follow the procedures as outlined in the 

operating documents. 

c. The operator may update or revise the operating documents. 

d. It is the operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and 

present updated and revised documents to the Administrator upon 

request. 

e. The operator will present updated and revised documents if it 

petitions for extension or amendment to the grant of exemption. 

f. If the operator determines that any update or revision would affect 

the basis upon which the FAA granted the exemption, then the 

operator will petition for amendment to the grant of exemption. 

g. The FAA’s UAS Integration Office (AFS-80) will be contacted if 

questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the operating 

documents.

10. Prior to each flight the PIC will inspect the UAS to ensure it is in a 

condition for safe flight.

a. If the inspection reveals a condition that affects the safe operation 

of the UAS, the aircraft is prohibited from operating until the 

necessary maintenance has been performed and the UAS is found 

to be in a condition for safe flight. 

b. The Ground Control Station will be included in the preflight 

inspection.

c. All maintenance and alterations will be properly documented in the 

aircraft records.

11. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the 

UAS operation or flight characteristics, e.g. replacement of a flight critical 

component, will undergo a functional test flight. The PIC who conducts 

the functional test flight will make an entry in the aircraft records.

12. The pre-flight inspection will account for all potential discrepancies, e.g. 

inoperable components, items, or equipment, not already covered in the 

relevant sections of the operating documents.

a. The operator will follow the UAS manufacturer’s 

aircraft/component, maintenance, overhaul, replacement, 

inspection, and life limit requirements.
b. The operator must carry out its maintenance, inspections, and 

record keeping requirements, in accordance with the operating 

documents. 

c. Maintenance, inspection, alterations, and status of 

replacement/overhaul component parts will be noted in the aircraft 

records, including total time in service, description of work 

accomplished, and the signature of the authorized person returning 

the UAS to service.

d. Each UAS operated under this exemption will comply with all 

manufacturer Safety Bulletins.

e. The authorized person will make an entry in the aircraft record of 

the corrective action taken against discrepancies discovered 

between inspections.

1. The PIC will hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, 

recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC will also hold a current 

FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a

state, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or 

the Federal government. The PIC will also meet the flight review 

requirements specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC 

is rated on his or her pilot certificate. This is per exemption as granted in 

Docket 11238 Dated March 26, 2015.

2. The operator will not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC meets the 

operator’s qualification criteria and demonstrates the ability to safely 

operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be 

operated under the exemption, including evasive and emergency 

maneuvers and maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, 

vehicles and structures. 

a. The PIC qualification flight hours will be logged in a manner 

consistent with 14 C.F.R. § 61.51(b). 

b. The VO will complete the operator’s training requirements. 

c. The record of training will be documented and made available 

upon request by the Administrator. 

d. Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs 

(training, proficiency, and experience-building), are permitted 

under the terms of the exemption. 

e. Training operations will only be conducted during dedicated 

training sessions. 

i. During training, proficiency, and experience-building 

flights, all persons not essential for flight operations are 

considered nonparticipants, and the PIC will operate the 
UA with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in 

accordance with14 C.F.R. § 91.119.

3. UAS operations will not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 

C.F.R. § 1.1. All operations will be conducted under visual meteorological 

conditions (VMC). Flights under special visual flight rules (SVFR) are not 

authorized.

4. The UA will not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference 

point as denoted on a current FAA-published aeronautical chart unless a 

letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained, and the 

operation is conducted in accordance with a NOTAM as required by the 

operator’s COA. The letter of agreement with the airport management will

be made available to the Administrator upon request.

5. The UA will not be operated less than 500 feet below or less than 2,000 

feet horizontally from a cloud or when visibility is less than 3 statute miles 

from the PIC.

6. If the UA loses communications or loses its GPS signal, it will return to a 

pre- determined location within the planned operating area and land or be 

recovered in accordance with the operating documents.

7. The PIC will abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or 

emergencies in accordance with the operating documents.

8. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind 

and forecast weather conditions) there is enough power to fly at normal 

cruising speed to the intended landing point and land the UA with 20% 

battery power remaining.

9. The operator will obtain an Air Traffic Organization (ATO) issued 

Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) prior to conducting any 

operations under the grant of exemption. This COA will also require the 

operator to request a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) not more than 72 hours 

in advance, but not less than 48 hours prior to the operation. All operations 

shall be conducted in accordance with airspace requirements in the ATO 

issued COA including class of airspace, altitude level and potential 

transponder requirements.

10. All aircraft operated in accordance with the exemption must be identified 

by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 C.F.R. part 47, and 

have identification (N- Number) markings in accordance with 14 C.F.R. 

part 45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable.

11. Before conducting operations, the radio frequency spectrum used for 

operation and control of the UA must comply with the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) or other appropriate government 

oversight agency requirements.

12. The UA will remain clear and yield the right of way to all manned aviation 

operations and activities at all times.

13. The UAS will not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or 

vehicle.

14. The UA will not be operated over congested or densely populated areas.

15. Flight operations will be conducted at least 500 feet from all 

nonparticipating persons (persons other than the PIC, VO, operator 

trainees or essential persons), vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:

a. Barriers or structures are present that sufficiently protect 

nonparticipating persons from the UA and/or debris in the event of 

an accident. 

b. The operator will ensure that nonparticipating persons remain 

under such protection. 

c. If a situation arises where nonparticipating persons leave such 

protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations will

cease immediately and/or;

d. The aircraft is operated near vessels, vehicles or structures where 

the owner/controller of such vessels, vehicles or structures has 

granted permission and the PIC has made a safety assessment of 

the risk of operating closer to those objects and determined that it 

does not present an undue hazard, and;

e. Operations nearer to the PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential 

persons do not present an undue hazard to those persons per § 

91.119(a).

16. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled-access 

property with permission from the land owner/controller or authorized 

representative. 

a. Permission from the land owner/controller or authorized 

representative will be obtained for each flight to be conducted 

and will be documented.

17. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or 

vertical boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable 

COA will be reported to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS-80) 

within 24 hours. Accidents must be reported to the National 

Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the 

NTSB Website: www.ntsb.gov.