# Ay r e s 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 collect ion or training operations

with out the express a pproval 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 employ e es 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 checklis ts, policies and procedures and as amended from time to time.

The foll ow ing 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 wei ght of approximately 6.8 pounds ;
b. The 3DR X8

- M has a maximum gross wei ght of approximately 7.7 pounds ;

c. T he Mavrik has a maximum g ross weight of approximately 6.8 pounds and

d. T he DJI Phantom 3 has a maximum gross weigh t of approximately 6.0 pounds

.

e. All three systems are equipped with propel ler 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 FAA

issued airman medical certificate.

6. The use of first person view (FPV) by the pi lot 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 co mmunicate 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 t hat 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 permitte d 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 follo wed.

b. T he opera tor will follow the procedures as outlined in the operating documents.

c. The operator may update or re vise 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 opera tor will present updated and revised documents if it petitions for extension or amendment to the grant of exe mption.

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 con tacted 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

releva nt sections of the operating documents.

a. The opera tor 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 accompl ished, 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 hour s wil l be logged in a manner consistent with 14 C.F.R. § 61.51(b).

b. The VO will c omplete 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. T raining operations will only be conducted during dedicated training sessions.

i. During training, proficiency, and experience

- bui lding flights, all persons not essential for flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC will operate theUA 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 referenc e 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 w ith 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 unpre dicted 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 landi ng 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 r equire 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 FederalCommunications 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 operati ons 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 traine es 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 O ffice (AFS

- 80)

within 24 hours. Accidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the

NTSB We bsite: www.ntsb.gov.