1
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 R ev. J



# Aircraft Flight Manual

Date of Approval: 29 Jan 2015

P/N: 100110 S/N: 100121 AND UP2
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

## Table of Contents

1 Foreword

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 4

1 System Components

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................... 5

1.1 Vapor Helicopter Components

................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 5

1.1.1 Transmission

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 5

1.1.2 Tail Rotor

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 7

1.1.3 Main Rotor

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 8

1.1.4 Landing Gear

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................. 9

1.1.5 AFCS

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 9

1.1.6 Data Link

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 12

1.1.7 Motor

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 12

1.1.8 Electronic Speed Controller

................................ ................................ ................................ . 13

1.1.9 Main Rotor Governor

................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 13

1.1.10 Servos

– Swas hplate

................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 13

1.1.11 Servo

- Tail Rotor

................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 13

1.1.12 Rotor Blades

................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 14

2 Ground Control Station

................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 15

2.1 Setting up the GCS

................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 15

2.1.1 PC Requirements and Licensing

................................ ................................ ........................ 16

2.1.2 Calibration of Map

................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 16

2.1. 3 Magnetic Declination

................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 17

2.1.4 Upload Firmware to Vapor AFCS

................................ ................................ ....................... 18

2.1.5 Hardware

- In

- The

- Loop Simulation (HWIL)

................................ ................................ ....... 18

2.2 GCS Modes of Operation

................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 19

2. 3 Mission Planning Principles

................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 22

2.3.1 Waypoint Types

................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 22

2.3.2 Mission Definition

................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 23

2.3.3 Altitude Computation

................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 23

2. 3.4 Planar Coordinate Computation

................................ ................................ ........................ 24

2.3.5 Uploading a Mission to the Helicopter

................................ ................................ .............. 243
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.6 Trajectory Characteristics

................................ ................................ ................................ ... 24

2.3.7 Mission Interruption

................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 27

2. 3.8 Sharp Turning Waypoints

................................ ................................ ................................ .... 28

2.3.9 Mission Planning Remarks

................................ ................................ ................................ . 28

2.3.10 Beware of Obstacles

................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 28

2.4 GCS Troubleshooting

................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 31

3 Ba ttery Care and Charging

................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 31

3.1 FCS and Servo Batteries

................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 31

3.2 MAIN Motor Power Battery

................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 31

4 General Maintenance

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 33

4.1 Ge neral

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 33

4.2 Cleaning

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 33

4.3 Lubrication

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 33

5 Vapor Flight Log and Procedures

................................ ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

5.1 VAPOR Pre

- Flight and Takeoff Procedure (RC TX)

................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

5.2 VAPOR Pre

- Flight and Takeoff Procedure (No RC Tx)

........... Error! Bookmark not defined.

5.3 GCS Checklist (Tape copy to GCS laptop for convenience)

... Error! Bookmark not defined.

5.4 Vapor Landing Procedure

................................ ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.4
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

## 1 Forewo rd
This Airplane Flight Manual has been produced by Pulse Aerospace, Inc to familiarize operators
with the VAPOR 55 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the Airplane Flight Manual is current at all times. Additi onal copies of the manual and revisions can be obtained from Pulse Aerospace at the following Address:

Pulse Aerospace, llc

. 450 N Iowa St. Ste A1 Lawrence, KS 66044 785

- 289

- 8402 contact@pulseaero.com5
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

## 1 System Components
The Vapor UAS system can include several variations of th e following main subcomponents:

1. Vapor 55 h elicopter

2. Vapor 55 automatic flight control system

3. Data Link

4. RC link (optional)

5. Groundstation Computer

6. Groundstation Software

7. Payload system (optional)

Figure 1 : VAPOR 55 with Optional LIDAR Payload



### 1.1 Vapor Helicopter Components

1.1.1 Transmission
The transmission consists of 2

- stage gearing between the motor and the main rotor. The primary pinion gear (attached to t he motor) is the only gear where belt tension can be adjusted. This tension should be adjusted so that the belt cannot contact the carbon sideframe surrounding the

1 st stage gear

. The second stage of the transmission and all torque convertors for the tai l drive are factory set and do not requir e adjust ment

.

The tail belt is driven from the 1 st stage of the transmission through a torque convertor and torque
tube drive . It can be observed that the tail is driven smoothly as the main rotor turns. The metal lic
tail bevel gear set and the metallic portions of the second stage transmission gears are to be lightly
lubricated with a spray prior to flight . Care should be taken to not over

- lubricate these areas as this creates an attraction for dust and dirt, thu s defeating the purpose.6
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 2 : Vapor 2

- Stage Transmission7
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 3 : Vapor Structural Chassis

1.1.2 Tail Rotor The tail rotor mechanism provides yaw stabilization and torque compensation . The helicopter tail rotor plane is aligned perfectly with the helicopter’ s Z

- axis (positive down) , and this should be verified prior to flight by eye. The helicopter tail rotor mechanism must be securely clamped and all bolts secure to maintain the integrity of the veh icle. Because of the high RPM associated with the tail rotor, Loctite should be used when securing bolts in this area to prevent them from backing
out under vibration.

The tail rotor collective pushrod connects the tail rotor collective arm to the tail ro tor servo. This arm should be inspected for damage, particularly in the area of the ball ends to ensure that slop in these joints is minimal and operation is smooth.8
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 4 : Vapor Tail Boom Assembly

1.1.3 Main Rotor The Vapor 55 ut ilizes a flybarless main rotor system . This means that there is no Bell

- Hiller stabilizer bar and therefore, the mechanics and maintenance are simpler. The helicopter is digitally stabilized through the use of the Vapor 55 automatic flight control system

. Nonetheless, the helicopter is equipped with a 120 degree CCPM actuated swash

- plate that handles collective, lateral cyclic, and longitudinal cyclic. Loctite is used throughout t he main rotor head assembly and regular care should be taken to ensure the mechanical integrity of the head.

The main rotor head is mounted to the main rotor shaft made of high grade, heat treated steel. No modification of this shaft is allowed. The shaft and entire rotor head should be kept clean (wipe down with cloth) . The s haft can be brushed with light oil after wipe

- down. Only a tiny amount of
oil should be used.

ALL BOLTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROTOR HEAD, TAIL ASSYMBLY, CONTROL JOINTS, POWER TRAIN, AND AUTOPILOT BOX SHOULD BE SECURED WITH LOCTITE BEFORE FLIGHT! This does not apply to bolts fixed with nylon joints or nylon locking nuts.9
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 5 : Vapor Main Rotor Head

1.1.4 Landing Gear The main landing gear on the Vapor is easily dismounted by removing 4 x M4 bolts that secure each side. If replacement bolts are required, care should be taken to ensure that the bolts do not protrude beyond the aluminum side

- frames of the helicopter. If they protrude, items could come
in contact with the bolts which could lead to failures

.

1.1.5 AFCS The Vapor UAS integrates state of the art helicopter control technologies into a simple to maintain and operate utility vehicle. The main components of the control system are:

 Core AFCS Unit

o GPS/INS

- Global Positioning and Inertial Navigation System

o CPU

– Core Processor

o FPGA

– Field Programmable Gate Array

o Digital I/O

o A/D and D/A

o Air Data

- barometer

o Auxiliary RS

- 232/TTL interfaces

 Magnetometer (Digital Compass)10
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012  GPS Antenna

 Data Link (Encrypted Tac tical Digital Data Link)

The following algorithms are utilized and controlled with the use of a supervisor managed
software architecture:

 Extended Kalman Filter for fusion of GPS, inertial, and air data sensors

 Robust flight controller based on H

∞ methods.

 Bumpless transfer between modes

 Monitoring of GPS and Glo nass solution, inertial measurement, magnetometer, PWM inputs, and power supply.

Navigation, guidance, control, and supervisor are comprehensively satisfied.

Figure 6 : VAPOR Electrical Diagram

1.1.5.1 Core AFCS Unit
The Core AFCS Unit is an aluminum housing containing GPS/INS, CPU, FPGA, Digital I/O, A/D and D/A, Air Data, and Auxiliary RS

- 232/TTL interfaces. It is EMI shielded and designed to maintain rigidity even in the eve nt of aircraft failure. The Enclosure is isolated with specialized vibration isolators to provid e a tailored signal to noise ratio of the inertial sensors. The vibration isolators also protect the core from shock and vibration related damages. These dam pers should remain tight and are not to be modified in any way. If the damage to one of the isolators is noticed, please11
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 contact Pulse for a replacement before further operation of the helicopter. No additional equipment should be mounted such that it ma kes contact with the core AFCS or alters its range
of motion. Connectors includeing the HDB

- 44, DB

- 9 (data link), and GPS connector, should remain tight

1.1.5.1.1 Magnetometer The Honeywell HMR 2300 3 axis digital compass is mounted inside the tail

- boom of the helicopter. Detailed information regarding this sensor can be found in Appendix A. In General, th is device
should NOT be touched with ferrous metal objects, objects that may result in static discharge through the device, or objects which may cause static buildup on the device.

If, during pre

- flight checks, you find that the magnetometer is out of calibration, please follow the magnetometer calibration procedure detailed in this manual.

Figure 7 : Magnetome ter & GPS Antenna Mounted on V APOR 's Tail Boom

1.1.5.2 GPS Antenna The GPS antenna used is designed specifically to accept signals in the bands correlating to GPS and Glonass satellite broadcast frequencies. Do not replace GPS antenna with alternate model
without first consulting Pulse Aerospace. The GPS antenna does not require maintenance or12
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 attention other than to keep it clean with a damp cloth and make sure it stays secure, both at its base mounting plate, and also at its connection to the Core AFCS unit.

1.1.6 Da ta Link
The standard data

- link for the Vapor consists of a 9 00Mhz secure digital datalink with an Ethernet

or RS

- 232 interface . One transceiver is mounted on the tail boom of the Vapor and connected to
the dipole antenna. This onboard transceiver also h as a special cable with a special Ethernet/ DB

9 connector to interface with the “LINK” connector on the core AFCS. This cable passes power
and data between the two modules. Never try to plug any other device or cord into the “Link” port
on the FCS or dam age to the FCS will occur!

The ground based transceiver is connected through a serial port to the laptop, or tablet designated Ground Control Station (GCS).

The standard data

- link will update telemetry to the GCS application. This can be increased if required. Please contact Pulse Aerospace for supplemental instruction.

It is important to make sure that the antenna connection for both the data link and GPS remain
clean and secure.

1.1.7 Motor
The 3

- Phase brushless in

- run ner electric motor supplying up to 8H P to the Vapor must always remain securely mounted with proper belt tension to the transmission stage. Multiple high quality bearing s support the main shaft of the motor to ensure long life and smooth operation. Bearing replacements are available from Pu lse up on request. In this case, the m otor should be returned to the factory by disconnecting it from the ESC and unbolting it from the upper chassis. Users who operate often in damp climates should take care to keep moisture from building on all steel ba ll bearings. While stainless steels are used throughout the machine, it is still good practice to keep all parts of the system clean.13
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 To remount the motor, plug it back into the ESC and remount the motor while leaving the bolts finger tight. Once belt te nsion is adjusted, tighten the motor bolts and re

- check the b elt tension

. The tension is set correctly when you can , with your finger, only move the belt 3mm (halfway between the motor and the first stage transmission)

. This tension is demonstrated durin g your training course.

1.1.8 Electronic Speed Controller The Electronic speed controller, or ESC, should provide trouble free operation for the life of the helicopter. No changes to programming, mounting, and wiring should be performed without first consulting Pulse. The temperature of the ESC should be measured through the use of an infrared temperature gauge and logged in the Vapor Log. Typical temperatures are 4 0

- 8 0degF above ambient temperature. If temperatures exceed these values due to the client’s spe cific operational environment, Pulse can supply a fan to provide additional airflow to the ESC and Motor. This is

not common.

1.1.9 Main Rotor Governor The Vapor UAS has a main rotor sensor and controller which allow for excellent speed control of
the main roto r, as well as rotor RPM protection and automatic autorotation functions. Furthermore, the system automatically chooses its RPM based upon the altitude at which the system is started. For example, if the helicopter is started at sea level, the RPM of the main rotor will automatically be set to ~850 rpm. If the helicopter is started at 2000m above sea level, the helicopter will automatically set its rotor speed to ~95 0rpm. This is a linear relationship, and so,
we can calculate that the RPM for 1000m abov e sea level flight will be controlled to ~90 0 rpm.

1.1.10 Servos

– Swashplate
Six servos control the 120 ° CCPM swashplate. The servos are digitally controlled and use brushless motors to maximize care free operation for the length of the service interval. The servos should be kept clean and securely mounted. Importantly, the servo arm and linkage to the

sw ashplate must remain secure at all times. During pre

- flight inspection, while checking manual control aspects of the helicopter, the sound the servos make while rotating through the travel range should be noted. The servos should not be grinding, binding , screeching, heavily buzzing, or producing other abnormal sounds when operating. A special calibration procedure is used when mounting new servos and must be done at the factory.

1.1.11 Servo

- Tail Rotor The tail servo for the Vapor is a specialized high speed digital brushless servo. The servo provides care free operation for the length of the service interval. The tail servo should be kept clean and securely mounted. Importantly, the servo arm and linkage to the tail rotor must remain secure at
all times. During pre

- flight inspection, while checking manual control aspects of the helicopter, the sound the servo makes while rotating through the travel range should be noted. The servo should14
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 not be grinding, binding, screeching, heavily buzzing, or producing other abnormal sounds when operating.

1.1.12 Rotor Blade s Spinning rotors can be dangerous. Not only can severe injury occur if a rotor comes in contact with any object or body

- part, but the blades can, in rare cases, launch FOD (foreign object debris)
that could reach the operator or other material objects. Please ensure that the takeoff and landing zones are free from FOD before spool

- up of the rotor blades.

The rotor blades (both tail and main) should be kept free from the buildup of dirt, grass, grime, t ar, and bug guts. A mild soap can be used, but a damp cloth can usually get the rotor blades clean. The blades are inspected before each flight for damage including nicks, cracks, warpage, deep scratches, or any other damage that may compromise the integ rity of the blade.

Proper attention to the torque of the lead

- lag bolts of both the main and tail rotors is important. Not only can this torque effect the helicopter dynamics, incorrect tightening can lead to sever oscillation during spool

- up and shutdown (over torqueing ), or can lead to a boom

- strike (und er torqueing). The proper torqueing method is demonstrated thoroughly during the Vapor Training

Course.15
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

## 2 Ground Control Station
The Vapor Standard GCS is designed to be a simple application that allows the user to monitor flight telemetry in the form of alarms, attitude, position, speed, and mode information. The GCS is also useful for calibrating maps and planning missions that are then uploaded to the helicopter for
execution. Figure 8 shows the GCS window as it sits in a window of the groundstation computer.

Figure 8 : GCS Window



### 2.1 Setting up the GCS The steps to setting u p the GCS are as follows:

1. Connect the Data Link to the Laptop (through the Ethernet port)

2. Power on the data link using AC power

. 3. Connect the joystick through USB (optional)

4. Power the GCS laptop

5. Start the weGCS application on the desktop (ensure that your USB Dongle License Key is inserted)

.16
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 9 : GCS Physical Setup

2.1.1 PC Requirements and Licensing The Vapor Standard GCS software runs on any W indows 7 based PC with the following requirements:

 Minimum x1 USB port

 Minimum x1 Ethernet port

 Select Windows 7 OS

 Ethernet/serial translator software (can be obtained by Pulse)

2.1.2 Calibration of Map Map Calibration can be performed within the weGCS software. 2 se ts of information are required:

1. A map or image in bitmap or JPEG file format (.bmp , .jpg )

a. Accurate images can be found at www.msrmaps.com free of charge. Google

maps or Google earth images can also be used.

2. 2 known calibration points ( Upper left and lower right ) 

### DataLink & Antenna

POE Power Injector GCS Computer

Joystick17
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 1 0 : Calibrating a Map from Google Earth

2.1.3 Magnetic Declination Magnetic declination is defined as the difference between true north (vector to the north pole), and
the magnetic north vector. These vectors are rarely coincident on our planet and can vary by large angles in some parts of the world. Because the Vapor uses both magnetic reference and GPS reference sensors, it is important to know the correct magnetic decli nation value appropriate for the region of operation. Figure 11 is a 2009 map of the measured magnetic declinations. For example, for Kansas City Ka nsas, we can see that the magnetic declination is +3 °

. The Vapor system, upon bootup, automatically loads your actual magnetic declination which is displayed in the upper right corner of the navigation tab. The operator should verify this value is

accur ate (within 1

- 2 degrees) for your current flight region prior to launch.18
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Figure 11 : Magnetic Declination Map (with Vapor sign convention) 2009

2.1.4 Upload Firmware to Vapor AFCS From time to time, you may be asked for one reason or a nother, to upload a firmware update onto your helicopter which would be downloaded from our website or sent to you directly. In this case, you will be provided a software called wePilotTool which performs CRC firmware uploads, blackBox downloads, as well as image metadata downloads.

2.1.5 Hardware

- In

- The

- Loop Simulation (HWIL)

The Vapor comes standard with an integrated HWIL simulator. This allows mission simulations to be evaluated while running with the helicopter hardware and thus, the helicopter firmware, in the simulation loop. When the simulation is running (simulation m ode is active), the system
simulates GPS and inertial data.

The HWIL simulator is useful to test and practice procedures, as well as to evaluate mission plans.

To enter the Vapor into simulation mode=on, simply drag the command icon to the
command box after system bootup. More information about simulation mode and its capabilities and customizations can be gathered from the weGCS manual.19
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Note: NEVER attempt to fly Vapor while in simulation mode! This is very dangerous!

Note: N EVER plug in MAIN pow er batteries for simulation! This is very dangerous!



### 2.2 GCS Modes of Operation

The Vapor UAS has three flight modes:

1

. Ma nual Mode (Note: This mode is often referred to as Assisted Mode

, Pilot Directed Mode, Sticks Mode, etc.)

In Manual Mode, the flight control system performs all the autopilot stabilization functions of Automatic mode (see below) except for the guidance c ommands, which are sent from the RC transmitter, or the USB joystick. These commands include climb/descend, forward/reverse, translate left/right, and heading rate of change . When this mode is engaged, the autopilot will
receive velocity command inputs dir ectly from the pilot handheld transmitter, the GCS joystick, or
the GCS sliders :

a. Heading Rate Command : This command, which is generated by the pilot’s tail rotor collective (rudder) gimbal, will cause the aircraft to perform a steady, level turn at a

rate proportional to the joystick or transmitter rudder gimbal. This command is limited to a maximum of 30 deg/s standard.
b. Climb/Descend Command : This command, which is generated by the pilot’s
collective gimbal, will cause the autopilot to change its reference altitude at a rate proportional to the input, which will cause a climb or descent at a maximum rate of
2 m/s standard

.
c. Forward/Reverse Command : The right gimbal provides for forward and reverse. Standard speed limiters are 10 m/s forward and 4 m/s reverse. There is no need to try to use this stick to “brake” the helicopter if a hover is desired. Simply let off
all sticks and set the climb/descend stick to neutral to return to hover.
d. Left/Right Translation Command : The right gimbal provides for low speed left and right translation of the vehicle. Do not use this command when in fast forward flight. It is limited to 4 m/s left or right.

2

. Mission Mode (Note: This mode is often referred to as A uto Mode )

In Mission Mode, the autopilot does not respond to the 2.4 G Hz pilot console, other than to disengage the autopilot. The aircraft is flown via waypoint guidance and figure patterns (Circle, Figure 8, Hippodrome, etc.).20
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 3

. Home Mode

In Home Mod e, the autopilot commands the aircraft to fly towards the home waypo int, which is defined as a position, altitude, and speed

. When the Home Mode is engaged, t he aircraft will immediately climb or descend according to the altitude controller within the spe cified climb limits (2m/s) to achieve the altitude of the Home Waypoint.

Home mode is automatically entered in the case of lost link and the lost link timer has expired. This lost link timer is user configurable and is set t o 10 seconds from the factory.

Note: When the helicopter leaves the region defined by its center at the start location and its radius is 3000m (standard), the helicopter will automatically stop listening to or observing any commands given by any RC transmitter. This is a safety featu re to disable any other RC transmitter from accidentally taking control of your helicopter. While this is really no longer a problem with modern
receivers which must be “bound” properly to the aircraft, it is still a nice safety feature to be aware
of

.

No te: Never try to “Bind” your Vapor to another RC transmitter. Special bind settings are used and set by the factory. Improper binding is unauthorized and may cause erratic behavior of the
system.21
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 201222
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

### 2.3 Mission Planning Principles

2.3.1 Waypoint Types Waypoints are programmed through the use of the GCS. Each waypoint consists of the following:

1. Latitude and longitude of the waypoint

2. Altitude or above ground level (AGL) of the waypoint

3. Ground speed that is observed when tracking the waypoint

4. Turn Payloa d on/off for each waypoint.

5. Optional hover heading.

6. Optional hover timer.

7. Optional waypoint trigger.23
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 The standard GCS for the Vapor supports x2 waypoint types:

1. Stop Waypoints

a. Always stops at waypoint
b. Mission continuation with GCS command or timeout par ameter
2. Cruise Waypoints

a. Always p ass through waypoint
b. If sp e ed zero, then stop and go

2.3.2 Mission Definition An uploadable mission must always consist of the following:

1. 1 START waypoint (ID=0):

a. Near takeoff location of helicopter
b. Always at ground altitude

2. 1 HOME waypoint (ID=1):

a. Location where helicopter flies in the case of:
i. Execution of GCS “HOME” command
ii. Data link lost timeout period
b. Altitude typically above trees, buildings, or fences in the mission area.

3. Stop and Cruise waypoints

A minimal mission consis ts of a start waypoint and a home waypoint.

2.3.3 Altitude Computation The helicopter operates with relative altitudes. Zero altitude is where the GPS becomes valid at a

pre

- defined PDOP accuracy value. The helicopter now computes the reference altitude always with respect to the START waypoint:

Reference altitude

waypoint X = altitude waypoint X

– altitude START waypoint24
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.4 Planar Coordinate Computation

2.3.5 Uploading a Mission to the Helicopter A mission can be uploaded from the GCS to the helicopter onc e the mission has been saved. The upload can only occur when the helicopter is in the “READY” state and the helicopter is not currently executing a mission . If you want to upload a new mission during flight, first place the helicopter in hover by enterin g the “ Assisted M ode” with joysticks neutral, then upload the mission. The new mission can now be executed by returning to “Mission” Mode. Only 1 mission can be stored on the helicopter at a time, however, multiple missions can be loaded and executed by the helicopter per flight. The helicopter must be in “Hover” state to enter “Mission” Mode.

2.3.6 Trajectory Characteristics The following subsections show examples of the behavior of Vapor to several common types of waypoint transitions.25
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.6.1 Acceleration and Climb Example

2.3.6.2 Deceleration and Descend Example26
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.6.3 Travel Speed Not Defined Examples27
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.6.4 Stacked Waypoint Example

2.3.7 Mission Interruption The helicopter mission can be interrupted at any time by switching to the “Assisted” Mode. In this case, the mission can be continued by switching back to “Mission” Mode and continuing at the specified waypoint.

A HOLD command is provided. The Hold command overrides automat ic mode, as well as manual mode, and places the helicopter in a hover.28
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 2.3.8 Sharp Turning Waypoints

2.3.9 Mission Planning Remarks

 Maximum number of waypoints = 255

 Maximum cruise speed = 10 m/s groundspeed (standard limit from factory )

 Maximum climb/descent rate = 2 m/s

 Default speed between waypoints = 10 m/s

 START waypoint defined by WP0

 Home waypoint defined by WP1

2.3.10 Beware of Obstacles The standard Vapor helicopter does NOT have automati c obstacle avoidance measures. It is the operators responsibility to make sure that the path specified does not contain obstacles! Failure to plan accordingly can result in crash! This is often refered to as “controlled crash into terrain”.29
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Fi gure 12 : Beware of Obstacles
Abnormal and Emergency Procedures

Abnormal Procedures

within Line of site GPS lost mode GPS Jamming, loss of antenna connection,
GPS antenna obstruction Helicopter will automatically revert to attitude controller. Pilot takes control with handheld unit and lands aircraft in attitude control mode.

RPM fluctuations RPM Sensor failure, motor/powertrain

pre

- failure Land helicopter at safe landing zone immediately and inspect.

Abnormally high Collective settings Payload is too heavy, altitude is too high, incorrect RPM setting for altitude and payload Land helicopter at safe landing zone immediately and inspect.

Pilot commands forward but helicopter flies diagonally Magnetometer need calibrati on, magnetic declination setting
incorrect Land helicopter at safe landing zone immediately and perform magnetometer check on ground.

Tail Wagging Gusty wind conditions Point helicopter heading into wind
Unusual sounds from helicopter Gusty wind conditions, mechanical problem Land helicopter at safe landing zone and inspect.

Unusual oscillations of helicopter Gusty wind conditions, magnetometer needs calibration, object in contact with FCS box Land helicopter at safe landing zone and inspect.30
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 Helicopter is not responding to

com m ands and data

link is lost Data

- link is lost due to range, interference, jamming, or loss of

antenna Wait for user defined timeout period (usually 1 0 sec). Helicopter will return to HOME waypoint and land. Home waypoi nt is at takeoff location if GCS not used.

Emergency Procedures Beyond Line of site GPS lost mode GPS Jamming, loss of antenna connection,
GPS antenna obstruction Depending on flying location, follow flight area procedures for lost aircraft. Possible actions are 1. Dead reckoning navigation recovery 2.engine shutdown/autorotation 3. controlled crash Loss of tail control Tail powertrain, actuator, or blade failure Immediately shutdown motor and perform
autorotation

Loss of main rotor power (Helicopter is descending) Powertrain Failure If possible, provide forward speed command and steer aircraft to safe landing zone. Release forward speed and turn commands at ~10

- 20 ft AGL to provide autorotation flare.
Severe oscilla tory or unstable behavior Gusty wind conditions, magnetometer needs calibration, object in contact with FCS box

. Depending on severity, pilot should try to land immediately. If oscillations become too sever for safe landing, an engine shutdown and autorotation procedure is recommended. Helicopter is not responding to

com m ands and primary and se c ondary data

- link is NOT lost FCS failure Depending on flying location, follow flight area procedures for lost aircraft. Possible actions are 1.engine sh utdown/autorotation 2. controlled crash3 1
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

### 2.4 GCS Troubleshooting



## 3 Battery Care and Charging

3.1 FCS and Servo Batteries The AFCS and Servos are powered by redundant parallel 3

- cell lithium batteries of the following specification:

 3

- cell packs V nominal = 11.1VDC, V max = 12.6VDC, capacity = 32 00mAh

These packs can be charged only with the use of a LIPO battery charger that can be supplied by Pulse Aerospace. The charge current setting on a li thium charger should be 3S, ( 3.2 A)

In practice, these batteries should be fully charged whenever the voltage drops to 11.5V to ensure battery life throughout the flight.

Batteries should be stored indoors. Please read and fully understand the precautions associated with LIPO batteries before using or charging the system. Never leave LIPO batteries charging
unattended!



### 3.2 MAIN Motor Power Batter y The MAIN Motor Power Battery consist s of x2 12

- cell 2 2 ,000mAh packs run in series. The packs are charged separately as x4 6s packs. The Vapor power connector implements these packs together in series to create 12s, 44 ,000mAh (44Ah) power to the ESC.32
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 The MAIN Motor Power Battery c an be charge at up to 40 Amps each. A large power supply is required to achieve this charge rate. The standard charger and power supply provided can supply

20 A to each battery side for simultaneous charging of the x 2 internal power packs.

Batteries should be stored indoors. Please read and fully understand the precautions associated with LIPO batteries before using or charging the system. Never leave LIPO batteries charging
unattended!

Figure 13 : Representative Vapor 35 Performance Chart
Table 1: Vapor 55 Battery Minimum Voltage Requirement Variation with Flight Altitude

18 Tooth Motor Pinion AMSL (m) 0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000

Rotor RPM 860 870 880 890 900 910 920 930 940

Motor RPM 10893 11020 11147 11273 11400 11527 11653 11780 11907
Minimum “Under Load” Voltage required 37.12 37.55 37.98 38.41 38.84 39.27 39.70 40.14 40.57
Minimum “Under Load” Volts/cell required 3.09 3.13 3.16 3.20 3.24 3.27 3.31 3.34 3.38

19 Tooth Motor Pinion AMSL (m) 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3250 3500 3750 4000

Rotor RPM 940 950 960 970 980 990 1000 1010 1020

Motor RPM 11280 11400 11520 11640 11760 11880 12000 12120 12240
Minimum “Under Load” Voltage required 38.43 38.84 39.25 39.66 40.07 40.48 40.89 41.29 41.70
Minimum “Under Load” Volts/cell required 3.20 3.24 3.27 3.30 3.34 3.37 3.41 3.44 3.4833
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012 

## 4 General Maintenance

4.1 General The Vapor should be checked over before and after each flight to ensure smooth rotation of the main/tail rotors, smooth operation of the servos and mechanics. At this time, all bolts should be checked to ensure tightness especially but not limited to:

 Main rotor and tail rotor assemblies

 Servo mounting and linkages

 Tail boom

 Landing gear bolts

 Motor attach ment

 Uppe r and lower sideframe bolts

 FCS mounting bolts (x4) x2 upper and x2 lower

 Magnetometer and GPS support platform

 FCS connector bolts (4

- 40)



### 4.2 Cleaning

Cleanin g of all components should be performed with a cloth (old t

- shi r t, etc) and a glass cleaning product such as Windex sprayed on the cloth

. Do not spray the helicopter directly. Do not use harsh cleaners and avoid getting water or moisture on the following areas:

 Ball bearings

 Electrical connectors

 Battery leads

 Electric motor

 ESC (electronic speed contr ollers)

 Any electronics

 GPS and Data Link antenna connectors

If any of these areas get wet or moisture is noticed, dry off with cloth and let air dry fully before power up or operation.

Cleaning should be performed each day of operation.



### 4.3 Lubrication

The following areas should receive light oil lubrication after cleaning:34
Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospace 2012  Main rotor shaft

 Tail Rotor shaft

The second stage transmission and the tail bevel gears should be sprayed with a special cooling lubrication prior to flight. This lubrication is DRY FLU ID Extreme Gear Lube High End Gleitstoff, Pulse Aerospace Part # 800

- 0004.

For each 10 hrs of flight:

 A small amount of grease should be applied inside the main rotor head

.Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospa ce 2012 35 

## 5 Vapor Flight Log and Procedures

Before Each Flight Servo Test

Item Check Initial Item Check Initial
Motor Secure Cyclic roll Noise Backlash Smoothness Transmission gear condition Stage 1 Cyclic pitch Noise Stage 2 Smoothness Main Rotor Blades Condition Collective Noise Clean Smoothness Main rotor head Play Rudder Noise Lube Smoothness Condition Main rotor bolts Drag Blade Grips and Ball Links Play

Condition Notes and Auxiliary Data: Tail rotor head Play Lube Tail rotor blade grips Drag Tail rotor blades Condition Tail Boom Tightness Alignment

Drive Shaft (tail) Smooth rotation

Battery terminals Tightness Clean Landing Gear Tightness

Core AFCS Box Tightness
Connectors Magnetometer & GPS Antenna Tightness NOTES: Post Flight Post Flight Initial Main Batteries Unplugged!
AFCS off Transmitter & GCS off Wipe down inspection Date Starting Hrs. Pilot(s)

Time Session Hrs. Ground Crew

Weather / Temp. Total Hrs. Location

Barometer PA

- 01 Number :Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospa ce 2012 36 

### 5.1 V APOR Pre

- Flight and Takeoff Procedure

1. Check and record initial battery voltage and current.

2. Power up ground station, then transceiver, then open the GCS application

. 3. Configure map page as required for the mission within the GCS software

. 4. Verify flight plans. Verify waypoints above ground level using “Profile View” in weGCS.

5. Verify mission limits including lost communication home waypoint and link

- lost timeout
parameter

. 6. Place Helicopter at takeoff location with rotor blades spread evenly (1 rotor blade pointed directly out nose of aircraft).

7. Power on Helicopter Flight Control System (toggle) ( DO NOT PLUG IN MAIN BATTERIES AT
THIS TIME! )

8. Step away from the aircraft.

9. Verify link to weGCS ground

- station software (up to 15 sec)

10. Wait until weGCS indicates “READY” status (up to 2 min)

11. Upload flight plan.

12. Check for aircraft traffic and make any radio calls mandated by air traffic control. Verify TFR’s and NOTAM’s as required by your flight area.

13. Final checks: See GCS checklist and complete.

14. Perform Servo Test Command via GCS.

15. Plug in MAIN BATTERIES on helicopter.

16. Step away minimum 50ft. from aircraft

17. Start timer

18. Initiate the automatic takeoff command via the GCS.

19. Select “Precision Mode” for Joystick Interface

. 20. Perform heading che ck by rotating the helicopter heading 45 deg. each direction.

21. If stable flight is observed, climb out and continue mission.

22. If problems are detected, initiate automatic landing via GCS.

# HMR2300

Solid St a te Ele c troni c s Center • ww w .magneti c sensors

. c o m • ( 800) 32 3

- 8295 • Page 37 

### APPENDIX A



### 5.2 GCS Checklist (Tape copy to GCS laptop for
convenience)

1. AFCS status is "Ready".

2. No "Alarms" on GCS Alarm Block

. 3. Position AND Heading of helicopter located on GCS map is accurately reflecting observed attitude and heading of helicopter.

4. Current Forward, Side, and climb Velocity are all < 0.1m/s or less

. 5. "Attitude" telemetry is accurate.

6. Verify altimeter reading on GCS for your area, is accurate.

7. Ground control is ready

.


### 5.3 Vapor Landing Procedure

1. Use “Manual Mode ” to direct the helicopter into a HOVER over a suitable landing zone typically

~5

- 7m ab ove ground level

. 2. Initiate the Automatic Landing Command via the GCS.

3. Wait for the helicopter to land, shut down the motor, and the rotors to stop turning.

4. Immediately unplug MAIN BATTERIES once the rotor has stopped

– the helicopter is now

DISARMED !
5. Turn off helicopter Flight Control System (Toggle switch on power panel of Vapor ), and turn
off handheld transmitter (If RC Transmitter Used)

.

Note: Auxilliary flight data and payload meta

- data is stored in the non

- volatile memory sector of
the AFCS. T his is not deleted, and therefore is available for download, until the next time that aircraft reaches the “Ready State” for flight.

# HMR2300

Solid St a te Ele c troni c s Center • ww w .magneti c sensors

. c o m • ( 800) 32 3

- 8295 • Page 38 

### APPENDIX A

Appendix A: Co mponent Manufacturer Data SheetsConfidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without writt en approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospa ce 2012 General Terms and Conditions of Sales

1. General: All orders and deliveries are made subject to the terms and conditions as herein set out. Any conditions stipulated by the Customer which ar e in contradiction of our general conditions of supply shall be valid only if expressly acknowledged by us in writing. Any loca l ge neral terms and conditions or specific conditions of sales shall take precedence over the above; these terms and conditions as herein set out shall be a pplicable if any loopholes, contradictions or uncertainties should arise. 2. Software: Special condition s apply for software. We guarantee that software can be operated under the specified computer operating systems, or in the case of embedded software, the specified platform. We grant no warranty for functionality, completeness, accuracy or timeline ss. The purchase or provision of software provides the right for use on one system only. The software may not be reproduced, copied, re

- engineered or transmitted in any way whatsoever. 3. Quotations: Quotations given by us are valid for 30 days and are confidentia l. If the Customer does not place a purchase order according to our quotation, the Customer will return all specifications and documents upon our request. 4. Price: All prices are in the indicated currency. Delivery is ex works Lawrence Kansas, packing inc luded, non insured, VAT or any other tax or duty excluded. We reserve the right to modify prices for goods not yet delivered if circumstances so require and to notify the Customer as s oon as possible unless otherwise stated in the order documentation. Spec ial packaging is subject to extra charge. 5. Payment Terms: Except and to the extent otherwise stipulated, payment is due 30 days from date of invoice. Checks and money drafts are not r egarded as constituting payment until they have been cleared. We may a t any time demand advance payment, satisfaction security, such as a confirmed and irrevocable letter of credit or a guarantee of prompt payment, prior to shipment. Such a payment shall not necessarily consti tute payment in full. 6. Overdue Accounts: If the Customer delays in payment, he shall be liable, without reminder, for default interest at the rate of 6% above the actual dis count rate of the National Bank at the place of his business with effect from the agreed date on which the payment was due.
7. De livery Times: Whilst we will do our best to adhere to any promise of delivery time, delivery shall not be deemed to be of the essence of th e contract nor shall the delay be a reason for a claim in respect of damages or cancellation. Part shipments are allo wed. 8. Call

- off Orders: Call

- off Orders are subject to the Customer's obligation to accept full delivery within one year after the date of our order confi rmation. The cost of special storage agreed is to be borne by the Customer. Delivery dates for call

- o ffs orders are fix and cannot be changed, unless approved from our side. 9. Quantities delivered: Invoicing of deliveries is performed according to actual delivery quantity and at the unit prices as stipulated in the order acknowledgement. 10. Order Cancel lation: In the event the Customer cancels all or any part of any order or fails to meet any obligations hereunder, causing cancellati on of any order or portion thereof, the Customer agrees to pay a cancellation charge of 50% of product price. Recognizing t hat our damages arising from any cancellation or rescheduling of any order will be difficult to estimate, the parties agree that the foregoing charges are rea sonable and are intended as liquidated damages and not as a penalty. 11. Return Material: We accep t returned material only if a Return Material Authorization (RMA) has been obtained from us. We accept no returns for any products specifically manufactured for the Customer. Material received without any prior authorization will be returned at th e Custome r's expense. A fee for administrative cost and product inspection will be levied on the Customer. 12. Warranties and Guarantees: Any other claims excluded and upon written request of the Customer, we undertake at our discretion to repair, replace or credit as quickly as possible any parts of the goods which, before the expiry of the guarantee period

- a maximum of 12 months from the date of delivery

are proved to be defective due to bad material, faulty designed or poor workmanship. Replaced parts shall be come our property. The Customer shall bear the costs of remedying (i.e. removing, transporting, and reinstalling) the defective parts. Excluded from our guarantee and l iability are all deficiencies in the goods delivered by us, which cannot be proved to ha ve their origin in bad material, faulty design or poor workmanship, those resulting from normal wear (e.g. current consumption, recuperation, weather conditions, air pollution, prohibited electromagnetic effects or other extra neous cause), improper mainten ance, lack of fitness for a particular use, failure to observe the user manual and mounting instructions, excessive loading, testing, use of any unsuitable material, influence of chemical or electrolytic action, or resulting from other reasons beyond the s upplier's control. All claims on the part of the Customer, irrespective of the grounds on which they are based which are not allowed under these general conditions, in partic ular any claim not expressly mentioned, such as for damages, reduction of price or withdrawal from the contract, are excluded. In no case whatsoever shall the Customer be entitled to claim damages, in particular but not only for loss of production, loss of use, loss of orders, loss of profit and other di rect or indirect or consequential damage. This exclusion of liability, however, does not apply to unlawful intent or gross negligence on our part, but does app ly to unlawful intent or gross negligence of persons employed or appointed by us to perform any of our obligations. It is the cust omer's responsibility to arrange and pay for the return shipment to us. 13. Claims (Complaints): Customer claims must be submitted in written form immediately upon receipt of goods or immediately upon detection of hidden faults. 14. Ownership of Goods: Own ership of the goods sold shall, notwithstanding delivery, or attachment of these to other property, remain with us until we have received full payment for them. 15. Pledge or Lien: The Customer shall have no pledge or lien on the property of the manufactur er. 16. Law: Any contract between the Parties shall be construe in accordance with US material law. Place of venue is Douglas County Kansa s. 17. Technical Specifications: Unless otherwise agreed upon, brochures and catalogues are not binding. Data provided for in documentation are only binding in so far as expressly stipulated as such. We reserve the right to modify any specification without notice. 18. Design Ownership: Information and drawings delivered in addition to the sales documentation may not be tr ansmitted to any third party. The Customer may not transmit or make use, in any form whatsoever, of any information concerning the design and the functionality. In the event of infringement of this clause we retain the right to claim damages. 19. Exclusion of Liability: Pulse Aerospace llc. is not liable for any material or personal injuries that could occur with products or systems provided b y Pulse. In particular, Pulse is not responsible for any mis

- operation, for mechanical deficiencies, for any errors occuring during the flight, for crashes or crash landings excluding gross negligence on the part of Pulse. This includes damages or injuries that could occur during the training. In order to guarantee optimal operation and reliability of the products and s ystems, all components have to be maintained and looked after according to the given guidelines. It is up to the buyer to obtain any flight allowances needed for the operation of systems provided by Pulse. Unmanned aircraft are sophisticated, complex, dan gerous, and often crash in the hands of inexperienced operators and maintainers. This should be understood by the operators and the necessary precautions to prevent damage and injury shall be taken by customer in preparation for system failure.Confidential This Document is the property of Pulse Aerospace. No communication, reproduction or dissemination without written approval of Pulse Aerospace LLC. © Copyright Pulse Aerospa ce 2012 40 20. Insura nce: Any operation of systems provided by Pulse must be done by persons who have been trained by Pulse. Each operator is responsib le to have his own liability insurance before operating the system.

Issued 201 3, Pulse Aerospace in c. Lawrence KS, USA