UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 1



# Operations Manual

Preface

The following procedures are intended to promote safe, efficient and lawful operation of unmanned

aerial system s (UAS). Safety above all else is the primary concern in each and every operation,

regardless of the nature of the mission.

Philoso phy

Skyland Photography

, L L C

. ( SP ) ’s philoso phy is to deliver the best real estate marketing video

and detailed building inspection report to its clients at a very competitive price, higher quality

and delivered in a shorter time compared to traditional video and inspection services.

SP is focused on the applications of video filming and inspections for residential, commercial

and industrial real estate. SP ’s focus is to capture and provide to its clients high quality, state of

the art, beautifully captured video used to market to possible buyers the feat ures of a homes,

commercial and industrial building and property. Additionally, SP provides precision inspections

of same homes, buildings and property through the use of sensors, special multispectral cameras

and other technology used to collect data of t he state of service of the facility inspected.

Currently, t h e F AA views UAS operations in four overarching categories

, (1) Close Set Film

Production, (2) Video and Photography, (3) Data Collection and (4) Communications

. When

following the FAA’s category determinations and reviewing the many application uses, SP ’s

applications fall under the categories of ; Video and Photography and D ata collection. These

categories are the underlying bases for 89% of all UAS applications exclud ing delivery

applications where an item would be delivered at a location or to person after landing

.

I t shall be the mission of SP to perform controlled flights for multiple real estate application s in

various practices as defined and detailed in the 333 Exemption Letter of Petition

. T he use of

(UAS) as a complete aerial resource provide s a system that at its core will illuminate a digital path

to real world navigation al needs

. SP ’s aerial UAS applications are based in the categories of

videography a nd data collection. SP ’s professionals deliver video imagery, knowledge and

experience to its clients provid ing the highest quality UAS video and data collection

. The use of

SP ’s UAS video and data collection p rograms provides important information and data that can’t be

supplied by any other means. Such important programs provide endless opportunities of application

specific operations flying hundreds if not thousands of missions.

P rotection of Rights and Privacy

It is the intent of every SP ’s trained and qualified pilot to make every reasonable effort to not violate

pri vacy laws or invade a

ny person's expectation of privacy when operating a UAS in all situations.

When operating the UAS, SP ’s PIC will abide by all FAA Regulations and receive the proper

authorization as related to such flights

.

SP ’s trained PIC s and VOs will assure that the protection of citizen ’ s civil rights and reasonable

expectations of privacy as a key co mponent of any decision made in deploy ing a UAS.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 2

PIC s and VO s will be accountable for ensuring that operations of UAS have minimal i ntrusion

upon citizens

.

To accomplish this primary goal SP will provide training for a variety of scenarios :

a) In the event of services being deployed were UAS are being flown

, the onboard camera(s)

will be turned so as to be facing away from occupied structures to minimize inadvertent

video or still images of uninvolved persons.

b) All video and still images will be maintained in strict compliance with state and federal

privacy policies and procedures.

c) A website for employee s, personnel and public input will be maintained and regularly

monitored to address employee s, personnel and citizen concerns and recommendations

.

d) SP employee s and personnel will not conduct random surveillance activities. The use of

UAS will be t

ightly controlled and regulated.

UAS Applications

There are hundreds of UAS applications and uses. The following is a list of several of th e more

popular application uses and identifies SP ’s UAS application uses highlighted in bold type

.

Pipeline Inspection

Stratospheric Telecommunications

Motion Picture Production

Real Estate Photography

Real Estate Inspection

Real Estate Marketing

Event Performances

News Gathering

Security Operations

Aerial Mapping

Mining

High Altitude Imagery

Maritime Surveillance

Environmental Sensing

Media and Traffic Monitoring

Law Enforcement

Emergency Management Natural disasters

Meteorology

Hurricane Monitoring

Cryospheric Research

- Arctic and Antarctic

Bridge Inspection

Transmission Line Inspection

HAZMAT Inspection

Emergency Medical Supply

Traffic Monitoring

Aerial Surveying

Damage Asses sment

Insurance Claim AppraisalUAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 3

Concert Security

Environmental

Geomatics

Agriculture

Sports Video

Runway Inspection

Virtual Tours

Landmark Inspection

Coffee Harvest Optimiz ation

Crop Disease Management

Herd Tracking and Management

Entomology

Forestry Inspection

Fisheries Management

Species Conservation

Wildlife Inventory

Mineral Exploration

Remote Aerial Survey

Forest Fire Surveillance

Forest Fire Mapping

Volcano Monitoring

Remote Aerial Mapping

Oil Spill Tracking

Snow Pack Avalanche Monitoring

Ice Pack Monitoring

Poaching Patrol

e) SP ’s employees will meet quarterly for the purpose of reviewing the existing UAS

procedures as well as new technolog ies, laws and regulations on UAS usage . The committee

will consist of SP ’s personnel , clients and community leaders . The committee will follow the

leadership of the community and will help present proposed policies, procedures and changes

meeting the needs of City Council s , legal and comm unit y groups. Additionally, the UAS

committee will solicit feedback prior to meetings referencing to research and education

strategies and policy changes.

f) SP and its employees will operate strictly within the letter of the law s and regulations

maintaining public safety, privacy and freedom from intrusion.

Definitions

COA (Certificate of Authorization)

— Given by the FAA grants permission to fly within specific

boundaries and perimeters. Training fli gh ts cannot take place without UAS research and

education mission critical personnel who will be the only people authorize to perform such

training missions

.

VO ( Visual O bservers)

— VO’s are required by the FAA for the flights of UAS defined as a person

who uses only his or her eyes to scan for traffic and inform the pilot of an unmanned aircraft (UA)

when traffic is in the vicinity of the UA so that its pilot can avoid it. See additi onal definitions and

aviation abbreviations on the FAA.gov website

.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 4

PIC (Pilot in Command)

— The pilot in command ( PIC ) of a UAS is the person who is

ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight.

VFR (Visual Flight Rule)

— VFR flight is based on the principle of “see and avoid.” The

presumption made in establishing the basic VFR weather minimums is that aircraft flying at

lower altitudes flight in an unobstructed visual flight path.

Administration

5.1 Operations Manual

The policies and procedures contained in this manual are issued by authority of the SP leaders hip . As

such it is an official document of SP “Aerial Robotics Company” and is not intended to be all

inclusiv e, but is to be used as a supplement to FAR’s, F ederal Aviation Regulations, Aircraft

M anufacturers' manuals, directives and approved flight manual guides

.

This m anual has been written to address SP ’s available UAS safety and operations information as of

the date published. Technology advancement in a e ri a l e q uipment, personnel and operations change s

over time drives SP ’s management to a systematically monitor, edit, organize and change critical

part s of the and other safety and operations manuals and systems to reduce UAS flight and operations

risk of aircraft failures or loss of operations.

Given this, it is essential that this manual be continually updated as necessary. The entire manual will

be reviewed at a minimum, annually to assure it provides current and correct information

. A copy of

the manual (electronic and/or paper) will be issued to every all SP personnel having UAS flight

operations responsibilities.

5.2 Organization

a) The SP shall be comprised of those personnel approved in part by the Federal Aviation

Administration and SP

. SP ’s UAS personnel include UAS PIC s, VO s and other personnel

assigned to UAS flight operations

.

b) The SP administration is comprised of SP ’s president , officers and personnel that have

business and UAS safety and training knowledge

.

5.3 Personnel

a) The UAS Flight Director is responsible for the overall direction and performance of SP ’s

fight operations

.

b) The UAS Flight Director is responsible for the day to day supervision and management of SP

flight operations and flight personnel

.

c) UAS Flight Director

Responsibilities:

i. M aintaining all training, flight and maintenance records for each UAS PIC and

VO a s well as individual airframes.

ii. M aintain contact with the FAA and regulations as they are published.

iii. E valuate flight personnel based on mission type and need

. iv. The UAS Flight Director must maintain a working knowledge and proficiency on all

UAS operated by SP personnel

.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 5

v. UAS PIC employee s t o be considered for selection a s a UAS PIC instructor are

currently required to possess a n FAA sport pilot ’ s certification a nd a Class II FAA

physical examination and or a current state driver’s license

.

UAS PIC s interacting with Air Traffic Control (ATC) shall have sufficient expertise to perform

readily. UAS PIC s must have an understanding of, and comply with FAA and Military Regulations

applicable to the airspace where the UAS will operate.

A UAS PIC 's primary duty is for the sa fe and effective operation of UAS in accordance with the

manufa cturers' approved flight manual and FAA regulations policies and procedures. UAS PIC s

must remain knowledgeable of all FAA regulations; UAS manufacturer's flight manual and

bulletins and City and State UAS policy

.

UAS Flight Director may temporarily remove any employee s and personnel or UAS PIC from flight

status at any time for any reasons including ; performance, proficiency, physical condition, etc. Should

this become necessary, the person will be notified verbally and in writing of the reason, and the

further action to be taken and expected duration of such removal.

UAS VO s

Personnel t o b e considered for selection as a VO , are not required to possess a Class II FAA

certification (private pilots) or a Class II FAA physical examination. However will be required to

hold a current valid state driver’s license.

a) VO s must have been provided with sufficient training to communicate clearly to the PIC any

instructions required to stay clear of conflicting traffic. VO s will receive training on rules

and responsibilities described in 14 CFR 91.111, Operating Near Other Aircraft, 14 CFR

91.13, Right

- of

- Way Rules, cloud clearance, in

- flight visibility, and the pilot controller

glossary including standard ATC phraseology and communication.

b) PIC s and VO s must hav e in their possession a current 14 CFR 91.17, Alcohol or Drugs,

test as applies to PIC s and VO s

.

c) A VO 's primary duty is to see and avoid all other aircraft traffic, stay clear of all other

building, structures and obstacles.

d) A VO's secondary duty is to operate the UAS's equipment including cameras, sensors

, radio communications as well as perform anything activities that may affect the UAS

PIC 's primary duty

.

e) The UAS Flight Director shall maintain a file for each PIC and VO which shall include

copies of FAA certifications, training records, etc. This file can be reviewed in accordance

with current Federal policies and procedures.

5.4 Scheduling

a) To maintain a level of proficiency UAS personnel will be required as part of their continued

participation to attend online training updates as they are made available

. UAS personnel

t raining will be coordinated through the UAS Flight Director and announced in advance for

scheduling purposes for participating personnel

.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 6

5.6 Miscellaneous

a) R equests for immediate UAS flight launch, support and assistance will be responded to

by the Flight Director. Should the request involve an immediate th reat to life, or property, an

SP trained UAS PIC is authorized to accept or decline such request based on previously

approved authorization or their flight and operations experience. Proper policy and

procedure, as well as FAA regulations shall be followed when accepting emergencies

.

b) Complaints or inquiries regarding UAS oper ations shall be referred to SP ’s Flight Director for

immediate cure and a ccountability then referred to the SP president

.

6.1 Safety Policy

SP is committed to promoting a safe and healthy workplace, including:

a) P ersonnel wil l at all times protect and prevent d amage to equipment, the environment and

property.

b) Company culture of open reporting of all safety hazards or incidents

.

c) The personnel will s upport all UAS safety training and awareness programs.

d) The Flight Director is trained i n c onduct ing regular reviews of safety policies, procedures

and practices with all p ersonnel

.

e) The Flight Director continuously m onitors the UAS comm unit y at large to, ensure that best

safety practices are incorporated into the SP UAS flight operations

.

f) It is the duty of every person to contribute to the goal of continued safe operations. This

contribution may come in many forms and always includes operating in the safest manner

practical and never taking unnecessary extreme risks.

g) Any safety hazard s , whether procedures , operational or maintenance operations should be

identified if possible before, an incident occurs. Any suggestions in the interest of safety

should be made directly to the UAS Flight Director as soon as known

.

If any UAS PIC s , VOs or other personnel has knowledge of unsafe or dangerous act s committed by

anyone, the UAS Flight Director is to be notified immediately so that corrective action (s) may be

taken. Hazards requiring immediate attention will be brought to the attention of the Flight Director

verbally, without delay.

6.20 Operational Hazard and Occurrence Report (OHOR) and Investigations

Occurrences are unplanned safety related events, including accidents and incidents that could

impact safety or become a hazard that may be cause of potential harm.

a) The OHOR concept provides a mechanism to report hazards and occurrences, real and

perceive d, to those responsible for SP and operations.

b) There is no specific format for the OHOR as the information provided is what is important,

not the format and should be used without hesitation to report any anticipated, current, orUAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 7

experienced safety hazard s , or occurrence. OHOR can be submitted anonymously to the

Flight Director to g et the matter proper attention.

c) Every hazard and/or occurrence that involves UAS will be investigated, with the results

and corrective a ction taken communicated to SP personnel . The investigation will be

conducted by the Flight Director and Personnel under the direction of SP ’s officer s or

personnel who have the technical skill necessary to perform correct actions

.

d) UAS o perational Hazards requiring immediate attention will be brought to the attention of

the Flight Director

, verbally, without delay firstly, then to the attention of SP

.

e) ALL SP PE RS ONNEL ARE AUTHORIZED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO

CORRECT A NY POSSIBLE HAZARD OR HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHERE AN

OPINION OR DELAY MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. The

Flight Director will be notified immediately ASAP in such situations.

6.3 The SP President, Flight Director , Safety Officer, PIC

, VO and all personnel are all

responsible for the following time of change, monthly, quarterly and yearly activities :

a) Ensuring that UAS flight operations personnel understand applicable regulatory requirements,

standards and organizational safety policies and procedures. (M)

b) Observe and direct safety educational p rograms by monitoring all procedure s

. (Q)

c) Observe standards and best practices how they impact UAS operational safety. (M)

d) Communicate all reported safety related problems and the corrective action taken and the

proper procedures for handling that problem should be discussed and documented

. (M)

e) All safety incidents should be circulate d with pertinent safety information. (TOC)

f) All safety incidents should be circulate d with emergency safety bulletins. (TOC)

g) Place any electronic copies of safety information or bulletins on SP ’s UAS website for

personnel access. (TOC)

It is emphasized again that safety is the responsibility of ALL personnel.

6.5 Medical Factors

a) UAS PIC s, VO s and participating personnel shall only deploy the UAS when rested and

emotionally prepared for the tasks at hand.

b) Physical illness, exhaustion, emotional problems, etc., can seriously impair judgment, memory

and alertness. The safest rule is not to act as a UAS PIC or VO when suffering from any of

the above. PIC s, VO s and participating personnel are expected to "stand down" when these

problems could reasonably be expected to affect their ability to perform UAS flight

operations

.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 8

c) A self

- assessment of physical condition shall be made by all personnel before or during pre

flight activities.

d) Performance can be seriously hampered by prescription and over the counter drugs. The

Flight Director will be advised anytime such drugs are being taken. If it is determined that

the medica

t ion being taken could hamper a flight operations team member that person shall be

prohibited from all flight operation exercise s for a time period of no less than 48 hours

.

e) No personnel shall act as a UAS PIC within eight een hours after consumption of any

alcoholic beverage, while under the influ ence of alcohol, or while consuming an alcohol

concentration of 0.04 % (FAR 91.17)

7. Training

7.1 Objective

The key to continued safe operations is by maintaining a professional level of competency. The

first step in this process is establishing minimum qualifications and the sec ond step involves

training personnel, “ employee s” to acceptable levels of flight ope rations competency

.

7.2 On

- site Basic I nstructors

a) F AA certified private pilots will be given instructor duties

. Such duties can include

developing training courses, provide full knowledge training and employee evaluation and

documentation.

b) Duties for the training of new employee s fall s upon the UAS Flight Director or PIC that has

the most flight logged time, UAS equipment and operations knowledge . Instructors will be

designated by the Flight Director

.

7.3 Training Plans

a) All employee s will have a UAS training plan on file that outlines training objectives . This

training plan will be held in conjunction with a employee s , personnel training file.

b) The SP approved training plan can be developed by the SP Flight Director, the education

staff or outside 3 rd parties

.

c) All UAS deployments or exercises will be documented and count toward a employee

, personnel ’s time in operations training.

d) It is the employee , personnel ’s responsibility to verify their training file contains all

pertinent information.

7.4 Initial Training

a) Upon acceptance by the Flight Director as the education source, the Flight Director shall

review FAA UAS operations requirements at FAA.gov, review UAS flight, user and other

manufactures guides and manuals and review SP ’s 333 Exemption grant for UAS restrictions

and directives

.

b) The PIC and VO must have completed sufficient training to communicate to alerts, directives

or instructions required to remain clear of con flicting traffic. This training at a minimumUAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 9

shall include knowledge of the rules and responsibilities described in 14 CFR 91.111,

Operating Near Other Aircraft; 14 CFR 91.113, Right

- qt.

- Way Rules: Except Water

Operations; and 14 CFR 91.155, Bask VFR Weather Minimums; knowledge of air traffic and

radio communications, including the use of approved ATC/pilot phraseology; and knowledge

of appropriate sections of the Aeronautical Information Manual.

c) UAS PIC must enroll in (fixed wing) training to obtain their private or sport pilot license

/certifica te if not already in possession.

d) UAS PIC s who fail to successfully complete the initial SP Flight Director’s training program

may be re

- scheduled for additional UAS training

.

e) After a PIC has received their FAA private or sport pilot ’s license but b efore a PIC can

provide UAS training to employee s

, they must complete at least 8 hours of flight training

with the Flight Director for proficiency of fl ight training exercises and airframe knowledge

. T his must be accomplished to demonstrate their ability and general knowledge of UAS.

7.5 Recurrent Training

a) Student s who do not have any documented training or flight time within a span of 90 days

will have to attend SP ’s UAS update training proficiency programs

.

b) Recurrent tra ining is not limited to actual UAS flight skills only, it also includes

knowledge of all pertinent UAS operations and aviation matters.

7.6 Miscellaneous

a) Depending on the nature of the training request, all efforts will be made to accommodate SP

personnel

.

b) All requests for UAS training shall be approved through the Flight Director and timekeeping

during those training hours.

c) Students are encouraged to attend all UAS training opportunities and participate in FAA

sponsored safety seminars.

d) Training shall be conducted at SP locations and follow the Flight Director’s flights

provisions within the COA.

8.2 Call

- out Operations Procedure s

a) The Flight Director will contact the PIC a nd VO to meet at the fight and mission location s

.

b) The PIC and flight operations p ersonnel are responsible for transporting the UAS and the

re quired equipment to the location and setup the base of operations

.

c) Upon arriving at the requested location the UAS PIC will contact the Flight Director and

receive a briefing on the training mission

.

d) The PIC will make an on location determination of the UAS , equipment and personnel

required to perform the requested mission safely within SP ’s and the FAA policies and

procedures.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 10

e) If the PIC determines that the use of the UAS would violate safety measures, SP policy or

directives then the PIC will inform the Flight Director of the potential conflict along with

recommendations for modifying the requested mission to conform to safety measures and

SP ’s policies and procedures.

f) If this modification is a major change from the original approved mission

, the PIC will

contact the Flight Director for direction on how to proceed.

g) Upon completion of the mission, the PIC will make a full report of the modified mission

circumstances and their concern s and issues associated with the flight to the Flight

Director

.

h) PIC s will have sole discretion for declaring safety

, SP or FAA rules violations

.

i) If a PIC determines that a requested mission would violate SP or FAA rules or en danger

personnel and civilians, then the PIC will respectfully inform the Flight Director of the

reasons for refusing to operate th e UAS

.

j) T he PIC ’s has the final and absolute authority to cancel or abandon a mission because of

safety circumstanc e s it is the decision of the PIC only.

k) If the PIC determines that the requested mission may potentially damage the UAS or its

assoc iated equipment the PIC will inform the Flight Director of their concerns and may or

may not chose to cancel the mission

.

8.3 Flight Boundaries

Although there may be requests for UAS support outside the b oundaries of mission, no person at any

level in the chain of command has the authorization to authorize deployment our side of the COA. Any

mission requests for such uses are restricted from flight until a new COA is submitted to the FAA and

by the Flight Director and approved for such flight.

a) At no time shall UAS support be granted outside the flight plan or COA without the Flight

Director first obtaining an emergency FAA

- COA approval

.

b) Information regarding flight boundaries can be found in the FAA

- COA and the use of the

NAS National A ir space System

.

c) Maximum mission altitude shall not ever, under any circumstance s exceed 400' (AGL) per

the FAA COA.

8.4 Minimum Personnel Requirements

Due to the nature of the SP UAS mission s , the m inimum personnel required for any mission will be

the UAS PIC and VO . Under no circumstances will a PIC attempt to complete a deployment or

mission alone.

8.5 Personnel Responsibilities for Deployments

“ OPEN COMMUN SP ATION S ACHIEVES SAFE OPERATIONS ”

a) The UAS PICUAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 11

I. The PIC is directly responsible for safety and is the final authority over the actual

mission operation s of the UAS.

II. UAS PIC s have absolute authority to reject a ny missions based on personnel safety or

violation of SP or FAA regulations.

III. No one has the authority, regardless of their position

, to order a PIC to conduct a

flight of any type when, in the opinion of the PIC , the mission poses risk to personnel

or is in violation of SP or FAA regulations.

IV. PIC s are responsible for compliance with this manual, SP policy and procedure s and

FAA regulations.

V. The PIC 's primary duty during a mission is to operate the UAS safely and protect all and

any ground personnel while accomplishing the goals of the mission

.

VI. PIC s shall avoid any and all obstacle s that will lessen flight safety during the mission.

VII. PIC s shall be responsive to the requests of the VO in order to accomplish the mission

.

VIII. PIC s shall be r esponsible for documentation of each mission updating flight logs and

notating post flight UAS or equipment issues.

b) The UAS VO

I. VO s shall see

- and

- avoid any obstacle that will lessen safety during all mission s

.

II. VO s are responsible for the g round safety enforcement per

- during and post mission

.

III. Under rare and specific missions have high visibility, VO s shall operate any attached

syste ms and accessories to the UAS such as cameras or sensor arrays.

IV. A VOs primary duty during a mission is to have continuous eyes

- on the UAS during

all modes of operation allowing the PIC to maintain complete focus on the operation

of the UAS.

V. VO s shall remain alert of suspicious persons or activities on the ground and coordinate

response by informing the Flight Director and other security and or operations ground

perso nnel

.

VI. VO s shall provide verbal commands and monitor UAS flight position delivering rad io

flight safety updates as needed

.

VII. VO s shall update and assist the PIC with safe operation alerts of the UAS mission as

needed

.

VIII. VO s shall be re sponsible for assisting the PIC with completing all documentation of each

mission and the updating of flight logs and other notations

.

c ) Personal EquipmentUAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 12

I. PIC s/ VO s shall wear eye sun protection at all times when required while the UAS is

in flight to improve their line of sight quality during a mission

.

II. The Flight Director, PIC

, VO and flight operations personnel should take necessary

measures to deploy in a professional manner and assure that they are recognized via

standard group colors

.

III. PIC s, VO s and personnel will take into consideration the current weather conditions

when planning a mission and wear appropriate clothing to deploy comfortably.

IV. U se of additional personal radio s or cellular phones during mission s are not to be

operated or in use during any flight operation unless being used as backup

communication s resources. (Use of personal radio s or other electronic device s are

strictly prohibited during all flight s .)

V. PIC s, VO s and personnel should at all time s take into consideration safe operati on of

the UAS when using radio s or another communication electronic device s associated

with flight operations or the mission

.

9. Pre

- Flight/Post

- Flight Actions

9.1 Inspections

a) PIC s/ VO s are both responsible for a thorough preflight inspection of the UAS and other

important inspection operations with regards to UAS equ ipment

.

b) Before and after each mission deployment the PIC

, VO and flight operations personnel shall

conduct a thorough inspection of the UAS in accordance with UAS instructions contained

in the manufactures user's manual.

c) PIC , VO and flight operations personnel shall perform all pre

- deployment operations needed

such as UAS to radio calibration and of bench testing processes to help insure a safe mission

when deployed.

d) Any issues found that could place the flight or ground personn el, the UAS or systems and

equipment in jeopardy of safe operation s, shall be documented and resolved immediately

prior to flight.

e) It has been recognized that the use of a checklist is a significant method to combat UAS

accidents. A pre

- flight checklist is contained at the Base Station and will be utilized prior to

each flight.

f) Any system and or physical equipment issues that cannot be resolved through additional

inspection and on

- site testing may change the UAS’s airworthy and ready status.

g) Any system and or physical equipment issues that may have an impact on safety of the

mission will change the UAS’s airworthy and ready status to “Not Ready for Fight”

. All

deployment and pre

- flight issues with personnel or equipment must be resolved before

flight.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 13

9.2 Weather

Before each deployment the Flight Director, PIC and or VO will ensure that he/she gathers

enough information to make themselves familiar with the weather conditions existing throughout

the area of deployment for the Flight Duration of the mission.

a) The PIC shall utilize FAA approved weather resources to obtain the latest and most current

weather conditions.

b) An anemometer will be utilized at the mission location in order to better estimate the wind

speed and determine if it is within the flight performance envelope of the UAS being

deployed

.

c) UAS PIC s, VO s and flight operations personnel will use the Beaufort scale when making

deployment decisions in regards to wind conditions. This scale can be located in the UAS

manufacture's user's manual. If not visit: www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/beaufort.html

d) The weather conditions reported for the operation shall be recorded in the flight log

pre and post flight

.

e) The PIC shall ensure that the flight s will occur within VFR weather requirements.

9.4 Planning

a) T he PIC

, VO and flight and ground personnel shall familiarize themselves with all

available information concerning the UAS deployment including, but not limited to, the

weather conditions, flight zone or area, hazards, and the mission goals

.

b) PIC will ensure that the location for take

- off and eme rgency landing is adequate for safe

UAS deployment and recovery

.

c) The take

- off/landing location should be clearly marked and identifiable with electric lights,

brightly colored short cones or by other appropriate methods

.

d) The PIC will identify a t least one emergency landin g area pre

- mission deployment and

clearly mark and make all personnel aware of its location

.

e) PIC s will ensure that they are aware of their surroundings in the event that an emergency

landing is necessary. This includes the ability to recover the UAS in encumbered areas

.

9.5 Checklists

a) PIC s shall utilize checklists to ensure the highes t level of safety

.

b) Prior to flight, the flight log shall be notated and other flight documents of record will be

completed with important entries of data

.

9.6 Maintenance

a) Although there are few parts on the UAS that need servicing, it is necessary that the

manufacturer's maintenance schedule is followed and properly documented

.UAVSA Release 1.4

U.S. D e p a rtme n t of T r a n sport a t io n

P a g e 14

b) Any issues that arise during maintenance that cannot be resolved by routine methods shall be

forwarded to the manufacturer for further technical support and repair

.

9.7 Other

a) UAS PIC s/ VO s will ensure that no items are attached to the UAS prior to flight that are

not required for safe operation and to complete the mission goal.