## Flatwater Studios **UAV Flight Operations Manual**

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# UAV	Flight	Operations	Manual

**Introduction** This manual describes the operations of the Flatwater Studios Octocopter . This includes roles and responsibilities, mission phases and emergency procedures. The document outlines basic procedures required during a mission. It will act as a reference point for pilot and photographer
. 

## Roles	and	Responsibilities **Pilot** ● Flying the UAV in Manual or FBW mode. This may include takeoff, landing or during emergency procedures (when the UAV is circling Airfield Home and nee ds to be landed) ● Assembling the UAV (Wings, Tailplane, Hatches) and acting as a point of contact on the flight line during pre

-flight checks ● The Pilot will be the only team member on the flight line ● Monitors overall progress of the UAV through all phases of the mission ● Perfo rms pre-flight checks of the Pixhawk flight controller and APM Planner 2.0 software ● Issues commands to the UAV ● Issues flight termination command ● Monitors the state of the UAV

- altitude, speed, roll, pitch, etc ● Monitors the UAV’s progress through the mission waypoints ● Ensures that the correct waypoints have been loaded ● During emergency situations, ensures the UAV diverts to the correct waypoint/loiter ● Monitors the time, ensuring the UAV will finish the search pattern within the all ocated time limit. ● Monitors position of UAV relative to the geofence, particularly in Manual mode ● Ensures team is following the Procedures and Operations Manual ● Monitors the RF Link Quality 

### C**amera	and	Payload	Control** ● Confirms the Camera is capturing corre cting ● Monitors the camera capture and image processing ● Makes the call as to where pilot is located

## Flatwater Studios **UAV Flight Operations Manual**

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## Setup **Assembling	the	UAV** ● Check for physical damage ● Check all electronics present and connected ● Check for working flight surfaces ● Confirm all batteries charged ● No physical damage to airframe, engine, propeller or avionics ● Launch area clear of unnecessary personnel and debris 

### Setup	of	the **Ground	Station** ● Radio links active and working ● All laptops working and networked ● All laptops and software working correctly ● All Ground Station operators confirm 

### Pre **start up	checks**  ● Verify ○ All servos and flight control surfaces responsive ○ APM(s) running ○ Pixhawk controller running ○ RC radio link working ● Confirm GPS Lock ● Co nfir m compass enabled ● Confirm Altitude lock ● Ensure flight mode AUTO ● Airspeed calibration and check ● Receiver failsafe check 

### Post **start up	c** **hecks** ● Motors running nominally ● Ensure flight mode AUTO ● Confirm IMU gives the correct orientation ● Double check barometric sensor is showing 0m altitude ● The APM's current waypoint should be set to 0 

## Flight	Phases **Takeoff** ● Takeoff will be in automatic or manual mode. ○ For automatic takeoff, the pilot switches to AUTO via left switch and then right switch . The UAV then takes off ○ For manual takeoff, allow the pilot to set to M anual mode. After takeoff and when the UAV is at least 5 m off the ground. On ce the UAV has stable flight, the pilot switches to AUTO. ● Once the UAV is in stable AUTO flight, th e Pilot will disable stick mixing. ○ The UAV manoeuvres correctly (good parameters) ○ GPS has a solid lock ( check for a signal strength / # of satellites locked?) ○ Signal on both radios is acceptable ○ Camera is showing good quality images

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### Landing ● Landing may be automatic or manual, depending on weather conditions. ● By default it will automat ically land ○ In automated mode, the GCS will keep a careful eye on the speed and altitude of the UAV ○ The pilot will confirm when the UAV is in visual range ○ The pilot will switch to the RC transmitter when they are confident of Manual control. They should en sure the Transmitter is set to the right modes/switc hes before power

-on. ○ If, at any point during the landing, we are not confident in the auto landing the pilot will manually take over (only if the UAV is in visual range though) ○ During a manual landing, the Pilot will call out the airspeed and altitude. 

## Emergency	Procedures **Loss	of Data**  **- L** **ink** ● Occurs if the both data

- links are lost (no heartbeat) for more than 10 seconds ○ If combined with a loss of GPS, the UAV must terminate ○ The RC link fails during manual flight, the UAV must terminate ● The UAV will fly to the Landing Zone Hold waypoint and loiter to 2 minutes ● If the data

- link is not re

-established in this time, the UAV will terminate 

### Loss	of	GPS ● If the GPS reports a loss of lock, this mode must be activated immediately ● The UAV will automatically loiter around the point of GPS lock loss (via dead reckoning) for 30 seconds. ● The UAV will navigate to the Landing Zone waypoint (via dead reckoning) ● RC control will be established and t he UAV landed, otherwise flight termination 

### APM	Software	crash	(Failure	of	Autopilot	software	/	Failure	of	SAS) ● If no heartbeat is heard from the APM for more than 1 second, this mode is activated ● Flight termination must be immediately activated 

### Geofence	b **reach** ● If the Fence is breached, flight termination will be immediately activated 

### GCS	Software	failure ● If the main GCS laptop AND the both radio links fail for more than 10 seconds, this mode is entered into ● If hardware failure, the secondary GCS laptop will change it's IP and MAC address the primary and take over (via 5.8 GHz). Run the supplied script to take over ● Same as loss of data

- link mode

## Flatwater Studios **UAV Flight Operations Manual**

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### UAV **Performance	Info**
Specification Value Maximum Airspeed (50 mph ) Cruise Airspeed (7 mph ) Endurance at maximum airspeed Estimated 10 minutes Endurance at cruise airspeed Estimated 30 minutes Maximum take off weight 42 pounds Airframe length 55.1” Aircraft platform and configuration Octocopter