# May 19, 2015
Exemption No. 11617 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

–2015

–0549
Mr. Clayton Barrows Founder Aerial Precision Survey 10662 West First Court Star, ID 83669 Dear Mr. Barrows: This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends. By letter dated February 16, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf ofAerial Precision Survey (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an exemption
. The exemption would allow the petitioner to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to conduct precision photogrammetry and crop scouting
. See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA describing the proposed operations and the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption
. The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner
. Airworthiness Certification The UAS proposed by the petitioner are the 3D Robotics Inc. Aero

−M and 3D Robotics X8+
.

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The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates
. In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of Public Law 112

−95 in reference to 49 U
.S
.C
. § 44704, and in consideration of the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated with the aircraft and its operation, the Secretary of Transportation has determined that this aircraft meets the conditions of Section 333. Therefore, the FAA finds that the requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates, and any associated noise certification and testing requirements of part 36, is not necessary. The Basis for Our Decision You have requested to use a UAS for aerial data collection
. The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition. In Grants of Exemption Nos. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352), 11109 to Clayco, Inc. (see Docket No. FAA

−2014

−0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 11213 to Aeryon Labs, Inc. (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0642), the FAA found that the enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned aircraft (UA) with the specifications described by the petitioner and carrying no passengers or crew, rather than a manned aircraft of significantly greater proportions, carrying crew in addition to flammable fuel, gives the FAA good cause to find that the UAS operation enabled by this exemption is in the public interest. Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that

—
 They are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in Grant of Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213;  The reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 also apply to the situation you present; and  A grant of exemption is in the public interest. Our Decision In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption is in the public interest. Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, Aerial Precision Survey is granted an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 61.23(a) and (c), 61.101(e)(4) and (5), 61.113(a), 61.315(a), 91.7(a), 91.119(c), 91.121, 91.151(a)(1), 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(1) and (2), and 91.417(a) and (b), to the extent necessary to allow the petitioner to operate a UAS to perform aerial data collection
. This exemption is subject to the conditions and limitations listed below. Conditions and Limitations In this grant of exemption, Aerial Precision Survey is hereafter referred to as the operator.

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Failure to comply with any of the conditions and limitations of this grant of exemption will be grounds for the immediate suspension or rescission of this exemption. 1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the 3D Robotics Inc. Aero−M and 3D Robotics X8+ when weighing less than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a petition to amend this exemption
. 2. Operations for the purpose of closed

-set motion picture and television filming are not permitted. 3. The UA may not be operated at a speed exceeding 87 knots (100 miles per hour). The exemption holder may use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to determine compliance with the 87 knot speed restriction. In no case will the UA be operated at airspeeds greater than the maximum UA operating airspeed recommended by the aircraft manufacturer. 4. The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). Altitude must be reported in feet AGL. 5. The UA must 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 or U.S. driver’s license. 6. All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. The VO may be used to satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maintains VLOS capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times; electronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC must be designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation for the duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties required of the VO. 7. This exemption and all documents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its operations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this grant of exemption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating documents. The operating documents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents, the conditions and limitations herein take precedence and must be followed. Otherwise, the operator must follow the procedures as outlined in its operating documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. It is the

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operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised documents to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. The operator must also present updated and revised documents if it petitions for extension or amendment to this grant of exemption. If the operator determines that any update or revision would affect the basis upon which the FAA granted this exemption, then the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FAA’s UAS Integration Office (AFS−80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the operating documents. 8. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the UAS operation or flight characteristics, e.g., replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under this exemption. Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and must remain at least 500 feet from other people. The functional test flight must be conducted in such a manner so as to not pose an undue hazard to persons and property. 9. The operator is responsible for maintaining and inspecting the UAS to ensure that it is in a condition for safe operation. 10. Prior to each flight, the PIC must conduct a pre

-flight inspection and determine the UAS is in a condition for safe flight. The pre

-flight inspection must account for all potential discrepancies, e.g., inoperable components, items, or equipment. 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. 11. The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer’s maintenance, overhaul, replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and aircraft components. 12. Each UAS operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer safety bulletins. 13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal Government. The PIC must 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. 14. The operator may not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC demonstrates the ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC

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qualification flight hours and currency must be logged in a manner consistent with 14 CFR § 61.51(b). Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs (training, proficiency, and experience

-building) and determining the PIC’s ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption are permitted under the terms of this exemption. However, training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During training, proficiency, and experience

-building flights, all persons not essential for flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC must operate the UA with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in accordance with 14 CFR § 91.119. 15. UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. All operations must be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights under special visual flight rules (SVFR) are not authorized. 16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on the current FAA

-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 17. The UA may 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. 18. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UA must return to a pre-determined location within the private or controlled

-access property. 19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies. 20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the intended operation and to operate after that for at least 5 minutes or with the reserve power recommended by the manufacturer if greater. 21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). All operations shall be conducted in accordance with an ATO

-issued COA. The exemption holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to conduct operations that cannot be conducted under the terms of the attached COA
. 22. All aircraft operated in accordance with this exemption must be identified by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification (N−Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable.

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23. Documents used by the operator to ensure the saf e operation and flight of the UAS and any documents required under 14 CFR §§ 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the PIC at the Ground Control Station of the UAS any time the aircraft is operating. These documents must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 24. The UA must remain clear and give way to all manned aviation operations and activities at all times. 25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle. 26. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating 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. The operator must ensure that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection. If a situation arises where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately in a manner ensuring the safety of nonparticipating persons; and b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission for operating closer to those objects 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. The PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons are not considered nonparticipating persons under this exemption. 27. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled

-access property with permission from the property owner/controller or authorized representative. Permission from property owner/controller or authorized representative will be obtained for each flight to be conducted. 28. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS−80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov
. If this exemption permits operations for the purpose ofclosed

-set motion picture and television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply. 29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM) as documented in this grant of exemption.

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30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this exemption must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction over the area of proposed filming. The 3

-day notification may be waived with the concurrence of the FSDO. The plan of activities must include at least the f ollowing: a. Dates and times for all flights; b. Name and phone number of the operator for the UAS aerial filming conducted under this grant of exemption; c. Name and phone number of the person responsible for the on

-scene operation of the UAS; d. Make, model, and serial or N−Number of UAS to be used; e. Name and certificate number of UAS PICs involved in the aerial filming; f. A statement that the operator has obtained permission from property owners and/or local officials to conduct the filming production event; the list of those who gave permission must be made available to the inspector upon request; g. Signature of exemption holder or representative; and h. A description of the flight activity, including maps or diagrams of any area, city, town, county, and/or state over which filming will be conducted and the altitudes essential to accomplish the operation. 31. Flight operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet from participating persons consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming production, as specified in the exemption holder’s MPTOM. Unless otherwise specified in this grant of exemption, the UAS, the UAS PIC, and the UAS operations must comply with all applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to, parts 45, 47, 61, and 91. This exemption terminates on May 31, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. Sincerely, /s/ John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service

# February 16, 2015 US Department ofTransportation DocketManagement System 1200 NewJersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590 ., ' - .**.~** '
.. i. '·



## Re: Exemption Request under Section 333 ofthe FAA Reform Act and Part 11 ofthe Federal Aviation Reg,Ilations 

# Dear Sir or Madam: Pursuant to Section 333 ofthe FAA Modernization and RefonnAct of2012 and the requirements contained within 14 C.F.R. Pmi 11, Aerial Precision Survey requests an exemption from Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) detailed below for the 3D Robotics Inc. (3DR) AeroM and X8+ unmanned aircraft system. The requested exemption would support an application for a commercial Certificate of Authorizationto support agriculture and land mm1agement. The 3DRAero-M and X8+ systems consists ofa lightweight battery operated aircraft both weighing less than 7 pounds each, ground based PC and handheld controller, and associated communications and imaging equipment. A geo-referenced still camerais carriedbythe aircraft that allows itto conduct precision photogrammetry and crop scouting at resolutions necessary for precision agriculture and land management. The high-resolution data will provide farmers with detailed infonnation oftheir crops allowing themto determine which m·eas may need more seeding, fertilizer, and water at a faster rate than current conventional methods. Having the data at a faster rate will help fanners maximize crop yields which will directly benefitthe agricultural industry. The unn1anned aircraft will be operated in the field with both a Pilot in Command (PIC) and a ground-based Visual Observer (VO) in accordance withthe FAA PolicyN 8900.227 Section 14 "Operational Requirements for UAS" withthe following additional operating restrictions: 1. All operations will occur in Class G airspace at no more than 400ft AGL 2. Operations will be operated overprivate prope1iy withthe pennission ofthe land owner 3. All required permits will be obtained from state and local governn1ent prior to operation 4. The aircraft will not be operated over urban orpopulated areas 5. The aircraft will not be operated within 5NM ofan airport or heliport 6. The aircraft will not be operated at air shows or over an open-air assembly ofpeople 7. The aircraft will not be operated over heavily trafficked roads 8. Operations will be limitedto day and visual meteorological conditions Page 1 

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## 9. Aircraft will remain within visual line ofsight at no greaterthan 

# Yz NM ofthe PIC at all times 10. While the aircraft is airborne, the VO will be positioned within voice distance to the PIC 11. PIC will file a NOT AM providingradial/DME, radius, and a date/time group for each operation The PIC and VO will meet the requirements outlined inthe FAA PolicyN 8900.227 Section16 Personnel Qualifications. The PIC and VO will perform maintenance onthe system along with completing an in-service on maintenance and safety procedures as part oftheir initial training. We do not anticipate the need for a supplemental pilot, due to the simplicity ofthe system. We submitthatthe combination ofstrict operation under the guidelines established in 8900.227 and the aircraft's light weight, historically demonstrated flight perfonnance, and a fully qualified flight crew, the FAA can have confidence that the operation will have an equivalent or greater level ofsafety ofa manned aircraft performing the same mission. The name and contact infonnation ofthe applicant are: Aerial Precision Survey Attn: Clayton Barrows Ph: 208-353-4402 Email: clavton.**barrmvs(~/i.aerial**

## precisionsurvev.com The regulations from which the exemptionis requested are as follows: 14 CFRPart 21 14 CFR 91.203 14 CFR45.23, 45.29 14 CFR91.9 14 CFR61.113(a) & 

## (b), 61.133(a) 14 CFR 91.109, 91.119 14 CFR 91.121, 91.151 14 CFR SubpartE (91.401-91.417) FAA Policy 8900.227 Paragraph 16(c)(4) and Paragraph 16(e)(l) We are prepared to modify oramend any pmi ofthis request to satisfy the need for an equivalent level ofsafety. We look forward to hearing from your office. Please contact us at any time. Sincerely,

# ~~ Clayton Banows Founder, Aerial Precision Survey Page 2 

## ofS

## Appendices: A. Exemption Request andEquivalent Level ofSafety B. Safety Guidelines C. Safety Log D. Maintenance Procedures X8+ E. Maintenance Procedmes Aero-M F. FlightLog G. User Manual

Page 3 of8

## AppendixA 

## EXEMPTION REQUESTS AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY 

## Aerial Precision Surveyrequests an exemption from the following regulations as well as any additional regulations that may technically apply to the operation ofthe 3D Robotics Inc. (3DR) Aero-M and X8+ 14 CFRPart21, SubpartH: Airworthiness Certificates 

## This part establishes the procedures for the issuance ofan airworthiness cetiificate. While the FAA continues to workto develop airworthiness standards for UAS, we request an experimental certificate be issued for the 3DRAero-M and X8+ under either or both ofthe following prOVlSlOnS: 21.191 Experimental certificates Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: (a) 

# Research anddevelopment. Testing new aircraft design concepts, newaircraft equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating teclmiques, or newuses for aircraft. (b) 

# Showingcompliance with regulations. Conducting flight tests and other operations to show compliance with the airworthiness regulations including flights to show compliance for issuance oftype and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design changes, and flights to show compliance with the function and reliability requirements ofthe regulations. Since the experimental cetiificate can be used for commercialpurposes such as market surveys, sales demonstrations, and customer crewtraining, we would expect that an experimental certificate would permit for our commercial purpose as well. The aircraft will not canypersons orpropetiy, will not canyfuel, and will only fly under strict operationrequirements. Combined withthe fact that the Aero-M weighs only 6.8 pounds and is constructed primarily out offoam, and the X8+ weighs 5.6 pounds and is composed primarily of aluminum and carbon fiber, we propose that the 3DRAero-M and X8+ will be at least as safe, if not safer, than a conventionally certificated aircraftperformingthe same mission. Ifan experimental airworthiness ce1iificate is not appropriate for this application, then we request an exemption of 14 CFRPmi 21, Subpart H, and the requirement for an airwmihiness cetiificate in general, citing the equivalent level ofsafety outlined inthe previous paragraph. 14 CFR91.203(a) & 

## (b) Civil aircraft: Certifications required. 

## The regulationprovides that an airworthiness certificate, withthe registrationnumber assigned to the aircraft and a registration certificate must be aboard the aircraft. Additionally, subparagraph (b) provides that the airworthiness certificate be "displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew." At 6.8 m1d 5.6 pounds the 3DRAero-M and X8+ are too small to carry documentation, they do nothave an entrance, and are not capable ofcarrying passengers or a crew. Page 

## 4 of8

## AppendixA



# To obtain an equivalent level ofsafety and meetthe intent of91.203, we propose that documents deemed appropriate for this aircraft by the FAA will be located with the crew at the ground control station and available for inspection upon request. In orderto identify the aircraft, we propose that the following informationbe pennanently affixed to the aircraft viaplacard: Manufacturer: 3D Robotics Inc. Model: Aero-M or X8+ Serial Number: Registered to: Aerial Precision Survey

10662 W First Court Star, ID 83669 Iffound please contact: (208) 353-4402 14 CFR45.23 Display ofmarks; general and 45.29 Size ofmarks. 

# These regulations provide that each aircraft must display "N" and the aircraft's registration number in letters at least 3 inches high. Additionally, the aircraft must display the word "EXPERIMENTAL" inletters at least 2 incheshighnearthe entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station. The 6.8 and 5.6 pound 3DRAero-M and X8+ do not have an entrance in whichthe word "EXPERIMENTAL" canbe placed, and may not have a registration number assigned to it by the FAA. We propose to achieve an equivalent level ofsafety by including the word "EXPERIMENTAL" on the top ofthe aircraft, where the PIC, VO and others inthe vicinity ofthe aircraft while it is preparing for launch will be able to see the designation. We feel that the permanentplacard discussed in the previous paragraphwill provide the aircraft's registration infonnation should it be found on the ground. We will also display at the ground station a high contrast flag orbanner that contains the words "UnmannedAircraft Ground Station" in letters 3 inches high or greater. Since the aircraft will operate within 

# Yz NM ofthe ground station, the ba1111er should be visible to anyone that observes the aircraft and chooses to investigate its point oforigin. 14 CFR91.9 Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements. 

# This regulation provides that no person may operate an aircraft unless a current, approved flight manual is in the aircraft. We assume that the intent ofthis requirement is to ensure that flight manual information is available to the aircrew while operating the aircraft. We request an exemptionto this requirement since the aircraft is not only too small to cany documentation, the documentation would notbe available to the crew. To obtain an equivalent level ofsafety and meetthe intent of91.9, wepropose that a current approved Airplane Flight User Manual (appendix G) must be available to the flight crew atthe ground station anytime the aircraft in in or operating for flight. Page 5 

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## AppendixA 

## 14 CFR61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in Command and 61.133 Commercial pilot privileges and limitations. 

# Section 61.113(a) states that "no personwho holds aprivate pilot certificate may act as a pilot in command ofan aircraft that is canyingpassengers orproperty for compensation orhire; nor may thatperson, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command ofan aircraft." Section 61.113(b) states that "Aprivate pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilotin conm1and ofan aircraft in connectionwith any business or employment if: (1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire." Section 61.133(a) states that "(1) 

# General. A person who holds a co111111ercial pilot certificate may act as pilotin command ofan aircraft

- (i) Canyingpersons orproperty for compensation or hire, provided the person is qualified in accordance with this part and withthe applicable parts ofthis chapterthat apply to the operation; and (ii) For compensation or hire, provided the person is qualified in accordance withthis part and withthe applicable parts ofthis chapter that apply to the operation." We request exemption from sections 61.113(a) and (b), and section 61.133(a) because our proposed operations include commercial operations. Considering the size, weight and operating characteristics of3DRAero-M and X8+ in question, and considering thatthe operation ofthe UAS is to be confinedto an area overprivate prope1iy with controlled access, Aerial Precision Survey requests an exemption from section 61.113(a) and (b) withthe following conditions: 1. The Pilot in Command (PIC) ofthe UAS must hold at least a private pilot airman certificate and a third-class ainnanmedical certificate and: 2. UAS operation will additionally require a Visual Observer (VO) and the VO musthave acceptable vision suchthatthey can maintain visual line ofsight (VLOS) with the UAS at all times Additionally, boththe 3DRAero-M and X8+ are equipped with an onboard autopilot for autonomous flight, capable ofbeing (and required by the operating manual to be) monitored by a Ground Control Station (GCS) at all times. The onboard autopilot will also ensure flight operation is kept withinthe controlled airspace, includingprohibiting operation above a defined maximum altitude. 14 CFR91.109 Flight instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests 

# The regulationprovides that "No person may operate a civil aircraft that is being used for flight instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls." The 3DRAero-M and X8+ ground control stations are based on a ground based PC and hand-held controller that offers a trainer plug for a second set of"controls", both the student and instructor can, and will, operate the controls simultaneously. Withboth student and instructor having "hands-on" the controls during flight, we feel that this meets the intent of91.109 and provides an equivalentlevel of safety. Page 6 

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## AppendixA 

# 14 CFR91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General The regulationprovides that over sparsely populated areas the aircraft cannot be operated closer than 500 feet to anyperson, vessel, vehicle, or structure. Since the aircraft will be operating at a maximum of400 feet AGL, we cannot comply withthis requirement. To provide an equivalent level ofsafety we will only fly overprivate property withthe permission ofthe land owner. The land owner will be briefed ofthe expected route offlight and the associated risks to persons and property onthe ground. We maintain that due to the small size ofthe 3DRAero-M and X8+, the hazard to persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures is not comparable to manned aircraft and should be consideredin granting the exemption. The aircraft will not be operated over congested areas nor over any open air assembly ofpersons. The aircraft will be operated at an altitude allowing, ifapower unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or prope1iy on the surface. 

# 14 CFR91.121 Altimeter settings The regulationprovides that aircraft shall maintain cruising altitudes by reference to an altimeter setting available within 100 nautical miles ofthe aircraft. The aircraft will fly below400 feet AGL and will notneed to maintain hemispherical cruising altitudes in order to de-conflict with other aircraft. An appropriate altimetermeasurement presentedto the pilot should be above ground level and should be based onthe barometricpressure at thepoint oflaunch. To provide an equivalent level ofsafety, the UAS's AGL altimeter will be setto zero onthe ground priorto every flight. Since neither aircraft will t1y more than 40 minutes, evenrapid changes in barometricpressure will have limited e±Iect onthe safety ofthe t1ight. 

# 14 CFR91.151 Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions The regulation provides that no person maybegin a flight in an airplane under day-VFR conditions unless there is enough fuel to fly to the first point ofintended landing and to fly after that for at least 30 minutes. We feel thatthe intention ofthisparagraph is to provide a reserve of energy as a safety butler for go-arounds and other delays to landing. The 3DRAero-M and X8+ are battery operated and the maximum duration offlight from a single battery charge is 40 minutes for the Aero-M and 15 minutes for the X8+. Since the aircraft will never fly more than 

# Yz NM from the point ofintended landing, a full battery charge atlaunch will ensure that we meetthe reserve energyrequirement ofthis paragraph. We request an exemptionto the word "fuel" and ask for an equivalent interpretation withthe word "energy". 

# 14 CFR Subpart E (91.401-91.417)- Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Alterations The regulationprovides that the operator is primarilyresponsible for maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition, including compliance withpart 39 and 43. Paragraphs 91.407 and 91.409 require that the aircraft be "approved for return to service by aperson authorized tmder 43.7" Page 7of8

## AppendixA 

# after maintenance and inspection. It

# is our intentionthat the PIC perform maintenance and inspection ofthe aircrafts and "be authorized to approve the aircrafts for retum to service." As provided in the attached Maintenance Procedures (appendices D & 

# E), the PIC will ensure that the aircraft is in an airwmihy conditionprior to flight and conduct detailed inspections after every 10 hours. Maintenance will perfonned and maintained by the PIC perthe operating manual, which contains instructions and procedures for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing the UAS. The PIC will document workperformed in accordance with 91.417. We feel that due to the size, construction, and simplicity ofthe aircrafts, the PIC can ensure an equivalent level of safety. 8900.227 Paragraph 16(c) (4) PIC Medical. And Paragraph 16(e) (1) Observer Medical. This policyprovides that both the PIC and VO musthave a valid FAA second-class medical cetiificate issued under part 67 in orderto perform as a pilot or observer. The aircrafts weigh 6.8 and 5.6 pounds. Requiring the crewto meet the same medical requirements as a commercial pilot canyingpassengers in a large aircraft is an mmecessary burden. We propose that the minimum medical requirements be vision corrected to 20/20 and a valid, state-issued driver's license. Due to the size and weight ofthe aircraft, the greatest hazard ofour proposed operation will be driving to the launch site. A licensed driver is medically qualified to operate a much larger vehicle. The 20/20 vision requirement will ensure thatthe PIC and VO can see and avoid air traffic. Given the unlikely event that both the PIC and VO become medically incapacitated while the aircraft is in flight, the 3DRAero-M and X8+ will recover autonomously to the landing location designated prior to launch without crewintervention.

Page 

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### Appendix B 

# Safety CheckProcedure
Safety check ofaircraftperformedpriorto very flight. Visual Inspection ofAircraft:
• Check motor/engine and mounting attached to the airframe; • Studypropellers 

# Imounting hardware (tight) 

# Irotor blades for chips and deformation; • Checkthe landing gear for damage and function • Look at complete airframe for any cracks or abnormalities • Wire connections tight and secure Procedure for Failed Visual Inspection ofAircraft PIC will log failure cause in detail and ground aircraft. Aircraft will notbe put back into service until PIC has rectified problemper manufacturer guidelines and recommendations. Ifproblem cannot be rectified, aircraft will be returned to manufacturer for direct replacement.

Pre-arm Safety Checks which will preventthe vehicle from arming ifany ofa fairly large number ofissues are discovered before take-offincluding missed calibration, configuration or bad sensor data. These checks help prevent crashes and fly-aways. Thepilot will notice a preann check failure because he/she will be unable to arm the copter and the LED will be flashing yellow.



# Procedure for Pre-Arm CheckFail Recognizing which Pre-Arm Checkhas failed using the GCS 1. Connectthe Flight Controller to the ground station using a USB cable or Telemetry. 2. Ensure the GCS is connected to the vehicle (i.e. on Mission Planner and pushthe "Connect" button onthe upperright). 3. Turn on yourradio transmitter and attempt to arm the vehicle (regular procedure using throttle down, yawright) 4. The first cause ofthe Pre-Arm Check failure will be displayed inred on the HUD window Log Failure cause in detail and ground vehicle until PIC has rectified cause per manufacturer recommendation and guidelines. Ifcause cannot be rectified, aircraft will be returned to manufacturer for direct replacement. Page 1 of4

### Appendix B



# Failure messages RC failures (i.e. transmitter/receiver failures): 

# RC not calibrated :the radio calibration has not beenperformed. RC3 MIN and RC3 MAX must havebeen changed from their default values (1100 and 1900) and for channels 1to 4, the MIN must be less than 1300 and the MAX greater than 1700. Barometerfailures: 

# Baro not healthy : the barometer sensor is reporting that it is unhealthy which is nonnally a sign ofa hardware failure. 

# Alt disparity :the barometer altitude disagrees withthe inertial navigation (i.e. Baro + Accelerometer) altitude estimate by more than 2 meters. This message is normally shmt-lived and can occur when the flight controller is first plugged in orif

# itreceives a hardjolt (i.e. dropped suddenly). Ifit does not clear the accelerometers may needto be calibrated orthere maybe a barometer hardware issue. Compass failures: 

# Compass not healthy :the compass sensor is reporting that it is unhealthy which is a sign ofa hardware failure. 

# Compass not calibrated: the compass(es) has not been calibrated. the COMPASS_OFS_X, Y, Z parameters are zero or the number or type ofcompasses connected has been changed since the last compass calibration was performed. 

# Compass offsets too high :theprimary compass's offsets length (i.e. sqt1(x"2+y"'2+z"2)) are larger than 500. This can be causedbymetal objects being placed too close to the compass. If only an internal compass is being used (not recommended), it may simply be the metal inthe board that is causing the large offsets and this may not actually be a problem in which case you may wishto disable the compass check. 

# Check mag field: the sensed magnetic field in the area is 35% higher or lowerthan the expected value. The expected length is 530 so it's> 874 or< 185. Magnetic field strength varies around the worldbutthese wide limits mean it's more likely the compass calibration has not calculated good offsets and should be repeated. 

# Compasses inconsistent :the internal and external compasses are pointing in different directions (offby >45 degrees). This is normally caused by the external compasses orientation (i.e. COMPASS_ ORIENTparameter) being set incorrectly. Page 2 of4

### Appendix B 

# GPS related failures: GPS Glitch :the GPS is glitching and the vehicle is in a flight mode thatrequires GPS (i.e. Loiter, PosHold, etc) and/or the circular fence is enabled. 

# Need 3D Fix: the GPS does not have a 3D fix andthe vehicle is in a flight mode that requires the GPS and/orthe circular fence is enabled. 

# Bad Velocity: the vehicle's velocity (according to inertial navigation system) is above 50cm/s. Issues that could lead to this include the vehicle actually moving orbeing dropped, bad accelerometer calibration, GPS updating at below the expected 5hz. 

# High GPS HDOP: the GPS'sHDOP value (a measure ofthe position accuracy) is above 2.0 and the vehicle is in a flight mode that requires GPS and/or the circular fence is enabled. This may be resolved by simply waiting a few minutes, moving to a location with a better view ofthe sky or checking sources ofGPS interference (i.e. FPV equipment) are moved further from the GPS. Alternatively the check can be relaxed by increasing the GPS_HDOP_GOOD parameterto 2.2 or 2.5. Worst case the pilotmay disable the fence and take-offin a mode that does not require the GPS (i.e. Stabilize, AltHold) and switch into Loiter after arming butthis is not recommended. Note: the GPS HDOP canbe readily viewed through the Mission Planner's Quicktab as shown below.

INS checks (i.e. Acclerometer and Gyro checks): 

# INS not calibrated : some or all ofthe accelerometer's offsets are zero. The accelerometers need to be calibrated. 

# Accels not healthy :one ofthe accelerometers is reporting it is not healthy which could be a hardware issue. This can also occur immediately after a firmware update before the boardhas been restarted. 

# Accels inconsistent :the accelerometers are reporting accelerations which are different by at least lm/s/s. The accelerometers need to be re-calibrated or there is a hardware issue. Page 3 of4

## Appendix 

## B 

## Gyros not healthy : one ofthe gyroscopes is reporting it is unhealthy which is likely a hardware issue. This can also occurilmnediately after a firmware update before the board has been restarted. Gyro cal failed :the gyro calibration failed to capture offsets. This is most often caused by the vehicle being moved during the gyro calibration (whenred and blue lights are flashing) in which case unplugging the battery andplugging it in again while being careful not tojostle the vehicle will likelyresolve the issue. Sensors hardware failures (i.e. spikes) can also cause this failure. Gyros inconsistent :two gyroscopes are reporting vehicle rotation rates that differ by more than 20deg/sec. This is likely a hardware failure or caused by a bad gyro calibration. Board Voltage checks: CheckBoard Voltage: the board's internal voltage is below4.3 Volts or above 5.8 Volts. Ifpoweredthrough a USB cable (i.e. while onthe bench) this can be caused by the desktop computer being unable to provide sufficient currentto the flight controller- try replacing the USB cable. Ifpowered from a battery this is a serious problem and the power system (i.e. Power Module, battery, etc) should be carefully checked before flying. Parameter checks: Ch7&Ch8 Opt cannot be same: Ch7 and Ch8 auxiliary switches are set to the same option which is notpermittedbecause it could lead to conu1sion. Check FS_THR_ VALUE :theradio failsafe pwmvalue has been set too close to the throttle channels (i.e. ch3) minimum. Check ANGLE_MAX: the ANGLE_MAX parameter which controls the vehicle's maximum lean angle has been set below 10 degrees (i.e. 1000) or above 80 degrees (i.e. 8000). ACRO_BAL_ROLL/PITCH :the ACRO _BAL_ROLL parameter is higher thanthe Stabilize Roll P and/or ACRO
_BAL _PITCH parameter is higherthanthe Stabilize PitchP value. This could lead to the pilotbeingunable to control the lean angle in ACRO mode because the Aero Trainer stabilization would overpower the pilot's input.

Page 4 of4

## Verify transmitter battery charged to 12.0

- 12.6 v

. Verify main batterycharged to 16.5-16.8v

- - 

## Checkall surfaces for signs ofdamage, abnormalities, and overall condition; Inspect each boom to ensurethey**ar~_i.11_gg_Q_d_ str_u~_turalcond!_!!_Q!!_3J!ci** **prQP~rly_~~£_ured_~** 

## Checkmotorand mounting attachedto the airframe**.~ ·-~-~~------~-~--**  ---------**-~----·--··---** - 

## Study propellers I 

## mounting hardware (tight) I 

## rotor blades for**chi.Q~** 

## :.md deformation ···-· _ Checkthe landing gearfor damage and function Testelectrical connections, plugged in and secure

- --- -----·- ----------- -- - -· 

# i Ensure photo I 

## video equipmentmounting system is

secure and**op_~~~a_tion,a** 

## .._,:::l_**·------~-** 

## Checklocation ofGPS equipmentcontrollingthe**aut~_p!If:Jt** 1 

## ChecktheIMUmovements intheground control ; software

-- --**-~** 1 

## UAVIDrone is in a level location safe for takeoff

, __ - ------ -- 

## •AU transmittercontrols move freely in all directions

- - ---- - 

## All transmittertrims in neutral position

··-- - -



## . AU transmitter switches in correctposition

·-. 

## Transmitterthrottle to zero Radio transmitter on

. ------- 

## Connect I 

## power on battery to airframe ! 

## Ensureled indicators and audible tones are correct

Timer on (ifapplicable) i 

## Scan for nearbycars I 

## people I 

## animals

Say "CLEAR!"

-· 

## , Arm flight controller

Increase throttle slightly listening for any abnormalities Short20-30 second hoverat3-5 feet (listen forvibrations
· I 

## loose items)
• Ifany fails marked, PIC will perform and log maintenance in separate maintenance log sheet • Ifany fails marked aircraft will be grounded until cleared by PIC Appendix C

# XS-M Operati Manu 

# l

Thank you for purchasing an X8-M! This manual contains important information about your aerial mapping platform. Please read these instructions before your first flight.



## 1 Plan 1 

## 2 Fly 19 3 Process 

## 30 Appendix 

## 34

## Parts 

## 2 Mission Planning 

## 8 Operating Parameters 8 Flight Battery 

## 3 Load Maps 

## 9 Charging 3 Draw Polygon 10 Safety 3 Configure Survey 

## I I Powering the X8 4 Save and Write Mission 18 Camera Setup 

## 5 3DR EAI 

## 5 Charging 

## 5 Starting a Mission 

## 5 Mounting 

## 6 Ground Station Setup 

## 7 Download Software 

## 7 Connect to Radio 

## 7

# Parts

xs

# ~ batteries (2)

RC controller and

, ...".''"'.·-.·."'>'.1'.

# ~1!~ registration card and Pix4D license key

FPV/OSD System accessories

If you selected to receive a FPV/OSD system, those components will be included with the XS's accessories. See page 27 for parts and instructions. 

# - II**~**



# I ground station radio

micro-USB cable
charger and accessories

Android adapter cable
battery guard bag

Pixhawk micro-SO card adapter
propeller wrench

SF propellers

SFP propellers

spare UV filter

spare mounting nut



### 2

# Fli~ht 

# Battery
The X8 is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. Charge the battery before your first flight.

Connect the charger to the power adapter cable and a wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the 

### + port and the black cable to the - port.

Chargerwith power cable and split-wire charging cable



### 3 

# 0**-~** 

# 0

Connect the white connectorto the 4S port, and join thetwo yellow connectors together.

# ~!!!!!!!-- 4S 

### 2 Set the charger to LiPo and 3A.



### 0 0 0 0 1S 2S 35 45

LiPa 3A Charger settings



### 4 Secure the battery inside the guard bag, and charge until the status indicator displays green. 

# • Charging 

# +--.

Complete

Flight battery charging wiring Charging in process 

# Safety

Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged battery. Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only. Always monitorthe battery while charging. Protectthe battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing, and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store the battery in the guard bag. Inspect the battery for damage before and after flying. If you observe any swelling ofthe package orthe battery ceases to function, do not use the battery; locate your local battery recycling center, and dispose ofthe battery. In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to find a location. Do not dispose of the battery in the trash.



### 3

# theX8

Turn on the controller. To avoid triggering the controller's startup alarm, ensure that all switches are set back (away from you) and the throttle stick is setfully down.

Switches

Throttle stick

RC controller 

### 2 Attach the battery to the underside ofthe copter using the velcro straps, and join the yellow connectors. It is important to establish communication before powering on the XS. Always turn on the controller before connecting the battery. When powering off the XS, disconnect the battery before turning off the controller.

4

# Camera Setup
The XB includes a Canon PowerShot 8100 running the 3DR EAI script. 

# 3DR 

# (Exposure- erture-ISO)
3DR EAI runs on the Canon Hacker Development Kit (CHDK), a powerful opensource tool that expands the functionality of Canon point-and-shoot cameras. 3DR EAI optimizes image exposure and integrates with the Pixhawk autopilot to enable distance-based imaging. This software is designed to load offthe camera's SD card, leaving the original Canon programming intact. The yellow switch on the side ofthe SD card allows you to lock or unlock the card. Lock the SD card to run 3DR EAI; unlock the SD card to save images to your ground station or to boot the camera with its original programming. For more information about 3DR EAI, see page 36. 

# 1

SO card locked Load 3DR EAI 

### » Fly a mapping mission**.~** DElU1lJtm:nSXZ68-lebrs.,:.1 B.r;o;>d!hl'.lP3.1**~tb!-i!hittet'Mlallllpcm:e** aoc t,s !J,-:563 Sia&hs 18111 1\11) ts 2814**liJde.~.eooti~U~~SJF:B.Sc!rwjf"B** Tv.Uts MX!1132911 ...tn;1/64J**~** 8 8 •**_llit;4.11•11ii11.35~·811,** lSliirlfJJmll:GISC2:Wlll l'£-.dlo.3 Vl:ll!o'8U5B:2 <M,11<rt!2S'llS8lll!)BflJl.t**nlt.~oot!S!I:sl~1** 

# ..**~~** Camera running 3DR EAI 

# i

SO card unlocked Load default Canon software 

### » View images on camera 

### » Save images to ground station 

## » Update script

Camera running Canon software 

# A Power off the camera before removing the SD card. Charge the camera battery before your first flight. Once fully charged, insert the battery into the camera.



# +--- status indicator

Canon battery charger 

# a Mission
To prepare the camera to fly a mapping mission, ensure that the mode dial is set to 

### P(program) mode. Power on the camera using the silver button on the top. 3DR EAI will start automatically, and you will see the script messages on the camera display. Checkto see thatthe last line ofthe script reads 

### waitingon USBsignal. The camera is now ready to map!

Camera ready to map: waiffng on USBsignal power button mode dial



### 5

# Mountin~
When the camera is ready to start the mission, open the latch, and insert the camera into the mount. Close the latch, and rotate the mount so the camera faces down. Connect the mini-USB cable to the camera.

Camera (side) mounting plate

latch mini-USB cable

Connect mini-USB cable here. The camera mount includes a cap to protect the UV filter during travel. Before you fly, remove the cap, and check that the filter contains no dirt particles or scratches that could affect image quality. If you notice any damage to the filter that could affect image quality, screw offthe filter and replace with the extra filter provided with the XS.



# nl v

# ~--
, l



## ·' UV filter I Camera enclosure with cap Camera enclosure with cap removed



### 6

# Ground Station Setup Mission Planner allows you to turn a Windows laptop into a full-featured ground station for configuring and monitoring autonomous missions. You will need to take this laptop into the field when you fly the mission. As part ofthe mission procedure, you will use the Pix4D Rapid Check to verify the quality of the image set before leaving the field. 

# Download 

# II Mission Planner
Mission Planner is a full-featured ground station application for planning missions and monitoring theX8 in flight. Download Mission Planner from 3DR.comldownload_software. If you already have Mission Planner installed, make sure you're running the most recent version: Select the Helptab and CheckforUpdates.

Mission Planner: Helptab



### Pix4Dmapper LT 3DR Edition
Your license keyfor Pix4Dmapper can be found on the registration card inside the documents package. Visit mapper.pix4d.com/license-redeemto create an account and redeem your license key; then visit pix4d.com/downloadto download Pix4Dmapper Discovery. Pix4D will automatically upgrade from the Discovery edition to the LT 3DR Edition (or Pro Edition if you selected to upgrade) when you log in to the program with your Pix4D account information. To connect the X8 to Mission Planner, connect the ground station radio to the laptop, and powerthe X8.
Connect the ground station radio to your laptop using the micro-USB cable. Open Mission Planner.

Ground station laptop with radio connected


### 3 Select FlightData to view live datafrom the X8. 

### 2 Select 57600 and AUTO, then select CONNECT. (When connecting directlyto Pixhawk's micro-USB port, setthe rate to 115200.)

Mission Planner Connecttooi (top-right corner))

Mission Planner RightData tab: connected to aircraft 

### 7

# Mission**Plannin~**

# Operatin~ 

# Parameters

The X8 is a complete solution for creating high-resolution visual-spectrum aerial maps.

Canon 8100 Pixhawk [ 3DR EAI] autopilot

## ~ 

# ---+ Pix4Dmapper system LT 3DR Edition



### To create a map, the X8 flies an autonomous mission over the survey site, using the integration between the Pixhawk autopilot and custom-programmed camera to capture images at a consistent distance interval. Pix4Dmapper then stitches these images together into a georeferenced, orthorectified mosaic. The accuracy ofthe map depends on the configuration of the mission. Planning a mission that captures high-quality images requires balancing the X8's operating parameters with the environmental factors at the survey site. Operating Parameters

Camera Orientation OperatingAltitude Default Altitude

.**Low~**

### Wind Conditions

High-Wind Conditions Maximum Wind Conditions Operating Speed Default Speed Estimated Maximum Flight Time Estimated Ground Resolution Estimated Maximum Survey Area Minimum Photo Interval Landscape (top facing forward) 50-120m 60m 0-6 m/s 7-10 m/s 

### 10. m/s 

### 1-17 m/s 

## 5 m/s 14min 2 em/pixel 

## .1 km2 

### 2 seconds

8

# Load Maps

Mission Planner allows you to plan the mission away from the mapping location; however, it is important to assess the environmental conditions on site at the time ofthe mission and adjusttheflight plan if necessary. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission atthe mapping location. To create or alter the mission, Mission Planner requires an Internet connection to access the maps. If you're unable to accessthe Internet on site, follow the instructions belowto pre-fetch the maps within Mission Planner while you have Internet access.

Open Mission Planner, select FlightPlan, and zoom to your flying location.

Mission Planner FlightPlantab: zoom to mapping location



### 3 Mission Planner will attempt to load the map datafrom the current level of zoom down to the closest level ofzoom available. However, it can take hours to pre-fetch every level ofzoom, and it is unlikely that the closer levels will be useful in planning the mission. To shortcutthis process, checkthe slider on the right side ofthe map. The levels ofzoom are represented by this slider from 0 (bottom) to 25 (top). Press the ESC key to skip levels of zoom at a greater detail than you need for mission planning. 

### 2 Right-click on the map, select 

### Map Tooland Prefetch, and accept the default prompts. Mission Planner will download the maps forthe selected location to your computer.

Mission Planner FlightPlan tab: Select Prefetch



### 9

# Poly~on To begin planning the mapping mission, select the area you wantto map using the Polygon tool. You'll be able to adjust the size and shape ofthe polygon later in the mission configuration process.



### 2 Select FlightPlan, and zoom to your mapping location. Right click on the map. Select DrawPolygon and AddPolygon Point. Click and drag to add points around the area you want to map. 

### FLIGHT PlAN**:-:.---~** 

# . 

# mr

Mission Planner FlightPlantab: zoom to mapping location 

# A Units The Survey Tool uses metric units. If your Mission Planner is set to imperial units, please change the settings to use metric to plan the mission. Support for imperial units in Mission Planner is coming soon; check 3DR.com/XB-Mfor updates. Mission Planner FlightPlan tab: draw polygon 

### 3 Right click on the polygon. Select Auto WPand Survey(Grid) to open the Survey Tool.

Mission PlannerRightPlan tab: open Surveytool



### 10The Survey tool allows you to configure a mapping mission according to the X8's operating parameters and the current environmental conditions at the mapping location. First, set the default values for the X8.

Mission PlannerSurveytool 

### Set Camera Canon S1 OO-S120

Set Camera Orientation Check the option for 

### Camera top facing forward.

Set Default Speed 5 m/s

Apply Survey Speed Check the option for 

### Use speedforthis mission. If unchecked, the mission will use theXB's default speed of 5 m/s regardless ofthe speed selected in the Survey Tool.

11Next configure the angle ofthe flight path for the current wind conditions.

Mission Planner Surveytool

Mission PlannerTip: Adjust Polygon Click and drag the red polygon points to adjust the size and shape ofthe polygon from the Survey Tool. 

### Set Angle Wind Direction In environments with winds of less than 6 m/s, set the angle so that the X8 flies into the wind. In winds from 7-1 0 m/s, configure the flight path to travel perpendicular to the wind so the X8 flies cross-wind. No. of Strips Adjust the angle so that the X8 makes as few turns as possible to complete its course. The 

## No. ofStrips parameter shows how many passes the X8 will make as you adjust the angle.
Review Wind Conditions On-Site Always assess the wind conditions at your survey site at the time ofthe mission and adjust the mission accordingly.

Angle in low winds (1-6 m/s)

Angle in high winds (7-10 m/s)

Use caution when flying in winds over 1Om/s. Mapping results may degrade as a result of inability to make headway or maintain appropriate groundspeed. 

### 12The survey altitude determines the duration ofthe mission and the ground resolution ofthe final map. Adjust altitude to balance flight time and power consumption with the current environmental conditions.

Mission Planner Surveytool



### Check Ground Resolution Ground Resolution is the centimeters per pixel that you will have in the map and corresponds to the amount of detail that you will see. To improve ground resolution by decreasing the number of centimeters per pixel, decrease altitude. Set Altitude Recommended altitude: 60 m Operating altitude: 50-1 00 m Increasing altitude decreases flight time, allowing you to cover more area per minute. Decreasing altitude improves ground resolution. Set the altitude to get the best ground resolution while keeping the flight time under 14 min and the altitude under 120 m.

Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is appropriate for your flying area and local regulations.

Check Flight Time 

### Flight

## Time estimates the duration ofthe mission. The total estimated flight time must be under 14 min**f~:>r** 

### a fully charged X8 battery. To decrease flight time, increase altitude or speed. High winds, humidity, high altitude, and extreme heat can affect power consumption and reduce flight time. Consider the environmental factors at your site when configuring flight time. In this example, we increased speed to 8 m/s to keep flight time below 14 min while allowing for moderate wind conditions. When increasing speed, keep in mind that the increased power required to travel faster will impact flight time. 13With the basic parameters in place, verify that the photo interval calculated from the altitude and speed complies with the operating parameters forthe camera.

Mission Planner Surveytool 

### Check Photo Interval 

## Photo Everymust be longer than 2 seconds for the S 100 camera.
Altitude Increasing altitude increases photo interval.
Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is appropriate for your flying area and local regulations. Speed Decreasing speed increases photo interval.

Ensure that the 

## Use speedforthis mission option is checked. 14Now select a takeoff and landing pattern, either manual or automatic.

Mission PlannerSurveytool 

### Takeoff and Land WP's For automatic takeoff and landing (recommended) Check the 

### Add TakeoffandLand WP's option. Check the 

### Use RTL option. After initiating the mission, the X8 will automatically take off, climb to the survey altitude, and begin the mission. At the end ofthe mission, the X8 will automatically return to the launch point and land.
For manual takeoff and automatic landing Uncheck the 

### Add TakeoffandLand WP's option. Check the 

### Use RTL option. Take off manually, and initiate the mission in flight. To end the mission, the X8 will land automatically at the launch point.

15Mission Planner: Survey Tool

Survey Tool: Grid Options (Advanced)**~** 

### Camera Config Check Advanced Options to view the Survey Tool's advanced configuration options. 

# f Select Grid Options Adjust StartFrom During the mission, you will maintain contact with the X8 through the RC controller and ground station signals. If these signals are lost during flight, the X8 will respond with the assigned failsafe behaviors. See page 29. Ifyour mission is likely to experience a loss ofsignal, it is best practice to start from the corner ofthe mission farthest from the launch point. Adjust Overlap and Sidelap Overlap and sidelap are set to 50% and 60%, respectively, by default. See page 35 for an in-depth discussion ofthese parameters.



## __.J The options under the Camera Config tab allow you to configure a camera otherthan the S1 00 and won't be used for operating the X8.

16

### Before accepting the survey, check that the mission complies with the XS's operating parameters. Once you accept the survey, you will not be able to edit it directly by re-opening the Survey Tool. If you need to adjust the survey, clear the mission (right click, select Clear Mission), and repeat the survey configuration process.
Operating Parameters Camera Canon S100-S120 Altitude 50-100m Camera top facing forward checked Flying speed 1-17 m/s Use speed for this mission checked (optional if speed set to default speed of 5 m/s) Photo Every greater than 2 s Flight time under 14 min depending on environmental conditions
Accept Select 

### Acceptto save the mission. If Mission Planner prompts you for a home altitude, enter the altitude that you specified in the Survey Tool.

Do not accept the mission if any ofthe parameters exceed the XS's operating limits. 17

# Save a 

# Mission
On the Flight Plan screen, save the waypoint file to your computer and write the mission to the X8.

Select Save WP File to save the mission file to your computer. To repeat this mapping mission, load the saved WP file from your computer.

Select Write WPs to save the mission to the X8.

18

## Safety 20
Aircraft Operation 21 

## Components 

# 21 Assembly 

# 22 Controls 

# 23 Modes 

# 24 Preflight Checks 

# 25 LED Indicators and Tones 

# 25 GPS Lock 

# 25 Arming and Disarming 

# 26 FPV System Operation 

# 27 Flying Mapping Missions 28 

## Takeoff Checklist 

# 28 Initiating 

# 28 Monitoring 

# 28 Failsafes 

# 29

19

# Safety

To ensure safe and successful flying, familiarize yourself with the safety information on this page. Always fly in accordance with your location regulations and these best operating practices.
Before you fly, determine the boundaries ofyour safe flying area. Ifthe X8 moves outside the designated area or exhibits instability in flight, switch to altitude hold mode and land the copter manually.
The X8 will not avoid obstacles on its own, including during missions. As the operator, it's yourjob to recognize and avoid obstructions while flying. Always be ready to regain manual control ofthe copter in the event of an unsafe situation.



# Location 

# *

..····

' •... ······ visual line

ofsight

5 miles {8 km) 

# 0 100ft(30m) 

# 0

400ft (120m) 

### Always fly below 400ft (120 m) and within your visual line of sight. Don't let the X8 get too far away from you; make sure you can always see its orientation. Don't fly in low light, heavy wind, rain, or other conditions that might impede visibility.
Always fly at least 5 miles (8 km) away from airports and other areas where pilots operate manned aircraft.

Always fly at least 100 feet (30 m) away from people, vehicles, and buildings. Make the safety of people and property your first priority! 

# Propeller



# ••••

A Spinning propellers can cause serious injury. The safety button indicates the status ofthe motors to help you prevent hazardous contact with the X8's high-speed propellers. • When the X8 is powered on, the safety button will blink red, indicating that the motors are inactive and the propellers are safe to handle. • When you're ready to fly, press and hold the safety button until it shows solid red. This indicates that the motors are active and the propellers can spin if armed. To make the propellers safe to handle again, press and hold the safety button until it blinks red.

You can find more safety tips throughout these instructions where you see this yellow box.

20

# Aircraft Operation

camera integration cable rear arms Pixhawk autopilot

front arms

camera mount

safety button status LED

21

### The X8 arrives in travel configuration. Complete these steps to prepare the copter for flight.
Arms 

### Remove the bolt and nut outside each arm. Rotate the arm into position, insert the bolt through the plates and the arm, and secure the arm in place with the nut. 

# •

travel position flight position Propellers 

### Remove the nuts and washers from the motors. Add SFP propellers and SF propellers as marked below with the writing on the propellers facing towards the sky. This will be a tight fit; apply pressure and twist the propeller onto the shaft. Top motor: SFPt

# • Bottom motor: SF , Top motor:

# Sl

Bottom motor: SFP'

# e 'Top motor: SF

• 'Bottom motor: SFP



# a Top motor: SFP 

# e 'Bottom motor: SF 

# A Ensure writing on all propellers faces the sky. Place the washer over the propeller, and secure the nut tightly on top using the propeller wrench.

# ~- 0

22

# Controls Fly the X8 manually using the RC controller.

Throttle:
Yaw:

Pitch: Roll:

throttle up

throttle down

throttle fully down Move the left stickforward and backward to control altitude and acceleration. Move the left stick horizontally to rotate and control orientation. Navigate by orienting the X8 with the blue arms facing forward. Move the right stick vertically to fly forward and backward. Move the right stick horizontally to fly to the left and to the right.

## -~-.- -·,.- - . -,·· 

# ..**~**.. 

# • 

# • • Increase speed and altitude.

Decrease speed and altitude.

Land. yaw left

yaw right

# if~**fl~** 

# '''*-':-·

roll left

roll right



### ,**~-''"'\,** 

### li;"'t'"''' { \;jj_

# [S:::D-**\,,,,~_,j** \.,."'-cr""'.

roll and pitch center

pitch up

pitch down

# -~' -.- - , 

### -·, . --.,**,-~** 

# • • • • 

# • • • • • 

# • Rotate counterclockwise.

Rotate clockwise.

Fly to the left.

Fly to the right.

Automatically level.

Fly forward.

Fly backward.


### 23

### Auto - 

### flyamission Fly an autonomous mission. This is the mode that the X8 will use to create the map.
Altitude hold - 

### assistedmanualcontrol Altitude hold mode provides manual control of roll, pitch, and yaw, while allowing the autopilot to maintain the current altitude automatically. Set the left stick to center, and the copterwill automatically maintain the current altitude. Raise the throttle stick above center to increase altitude (and to take off), and lower the throttle stick below center to decrease altitude. Adjust altitude and orientation with the left stick, and navigate with the right stick.
Loiter - 

### hover With automatic autopilot control of altitude, position, and orientation, loiter is the easiest way to fly. Just release the sticks and the copter will hover in place.
Return to launch (RTL) - 

### recallandland Activate RTL during the mission to end your flight automatically. RTL commands the X8 to achieve a minimum altitude of 15 meters, return to the launch point, hover for five seconds, and land. Use the right stick to adjust the position ofthe X8 during landing. After landing, tile X8 will automatically disarm after a few seconds.
Stabilize - 

### fullmanualcontrol Stabilize allows full manual control of altitude, position, and orientation without autopilot assistance. To select a flight mode: 

### First, set the GEAR/MIX switch to select a set of modes. Then use the FLAP/GYRO switch to 0, 1, or 2 to select a specific mode. With GEAR/MIX set to GEAR, 

### set FLAP/GYRO to: 0 for Stabilize 

### 1 for Loiter 

### 2 for Auto 

### With GEAR/MIX set to 

### MIX, set FLAP/GYRO to:

RC controller (top) 

### 0 for Stabilize 

### 1 for Altitude hold 

### 2 for RTL



### GEAR/MIX selects the set of modes.

FLAP/GYRO selects the specific mode, either 0, 1, or 2.

24

### Visual Check 

### Before flying, examine the X8 to verify the following:

)) 

### All propellers are tightly attached in the correct order with the writing on each propellerfacing the sky.

)) 

### All propellers can spin without obstruction.

» 

### The antenna is oriented vertically.



# LED lnd 

# •••• oeoe oeoe 

# •••• Initializing, please wait Acquiring GPS, please wait Autopilot ready, GPS locked Armed Loss of RC signal, automatic landing Low battery, automatic landing Loss of GPS signal, automatic landing System error, see troubleshooting guide

Visit 3DR.com/X8-M to listen to Pixhawk's status tones. Test Flight 

### Before flying the mission, fly a brieftest flight to verify that the X8:

))
» 

### » 

### Responds to controls correctly in stabilize mode. Holds position in loiter mode. Correctly executes a return-to-launch command.



# Lock Auto, RTL, and loiter modes requires GPS lock. When powered, the autopilot will automatically search for GPS lock. If you plan to use auto, RTL, or loiter modes during your flight, ensure that the autopilot acquires GPS lock before takeoff, indicated by a blinking green status LED.

25

# Armin~ 

# and D Arming and disarming are important steps that must be completed before takeoff and after landing. There are two steps to arming the X8: the safety button and the throttle stick.
Before arming, checkthe status LED. Before you fly, wait for the autopilot to acquire GPS lock. The LED will flash blue while theX8 acquires GPS; this can take a few minutes. Once you see the flashing green LED, the autopilot has acquired GPS lock.

Arming 

### 1 

# •• ee Initializing, please wait. 

# 0e0e Autopilot ready, no GPS 

# 0 

# e 0 

# e Autopilot ready, GPS locked Pre-arm checkfailure, see page 39.

When you're ready to fly, place the copter at a clear launch point, with the blue arms facing awayfrom you. 2 Press and hold the safety button until it displays solid red. This indicates that the X8 is now active. Stand back!

### L- -··-- 

## -.

·-- 1-



### 3 To arm the motors, hold the left stick down/right until the motors spin. 

# e 0 

# e O Motors inactive, safe to handle 

# e e e • Motors active, deactivate before handling The arming and disarming procedures ensure that you can safety start and stop motors without risk of injury. The X8's motors will spin when armed! Make sure the propellers are clear of any obstructions, including your hands, before arming. Do not handle the propellers or pick up the copter while the safety button is active (solid red)
.

Disarming 

### 1 To disarm the motors, hold the left stick down/left until the motors stop.



### 2 Press and hold the safety button until 

### it blinks red. The motors are now inactive, and theX8 is safe to handle.



### 26

# System Operation If you selected to receive an optional FPV/OSD system, the components are pre-installed into the XB to transmit on-board video.

Parts Transmitter AV receiver
Antenna Receiver cables
Batteries (1 plus 1 spare)



### 1 Charge battery Charge both batteries before your first flight. Setthe chargerto LiPo and 

### 1A. Connect the white battery connector to the 38 port, and connect the XT60-JST charger adapter to the red battery connector and yellow charger connector.

LiPo 1A 2 Wire and power receiver Attach an antenna to the receiver. Connect the AV output cable to either receiver AV OUT port. Connect the RC power cable to the receiver DC IN port, and attach a battery to the red connector.



### 3 Remove lens cap The video transmitter is powered by the main flight battery and will automatically turn on when the XB is powered. To turn offthe transmitter, disconnect the red JST connector. Remove the lens cap from the camera before takeoff.

### ~ Remove lens cap!

4 Viewing video When using a 3DR Black Pearl Monitorto view your video, set the mode to 

### DJV(M button changes modes), the channel to 

### 8(+ and - buttons), and the band to 

### E(press the power button to access the menu).
For more information about configuring the FPV/OSD system, visit 

### 3DR.com/X8-M.



### 27

# Flyin~ 

# Mappine Missions

Before flying the mission, checkthefollowing: For automatic takeoff, arm the XS in stabilize mode. Switch to auto mode, and raise the throttle to initiate the mission. )) Camera is on with mission script ready and is secured into the mount with the mini-USB cable connected and the cap removed. For manual takeoff, initiate the mission in flight by switching to auto mode.

, XS is powered and connected to the ground station with all pre-flight checks passed.

, The survey mission has been adjusted to account for present environmental conditions and saved to the XS.

Monitorthe XS closely during the mission using your line of sight and the Mission Planner Flight Data screen.

Mission Planner Flight Data: Attitude Status

2



### 3



### 4 2



### 3 4 

### 5 6 1 Heading direction 2 Bank angle 1 Ground station signal* 4 Distance to current waypoint > 3 Altitude* (black) and rate of climb (blue bar) 4 Ground speed

*Failsafe behavior enabled 2 GPS time current waypoint number 3 Currently 5 GPS status*

enabled mode 6 Battery status* Full battery: 16.8V Low battery failsafe: 14V 

# & End your flight at 14.1 V!

- • --.T,;
.. --**--~ ~-**  -,-.,,,-,F•**-~,~-,~** Actions

1 Change waypoints or restart a mission 2 Change modes 3 Change altitude Flight Map

1 Current heading 2 [)irect pe1th to current w<typoint 3 GPS-reported direction oftravel 2 

### 3



### 1 

### 2 3 

### 4 

### 5 6 4 Actu;1.1 flir;Jht path 5 Latitude, longitude 6 Altitude 

### 28

# Failsafes
The X8 is programmed with a set offailsafe behaviors to prevent a crash in the event of a loss of one ofthe data or communication channels required for autonomous flight. Although certain failsafes have assigned LED indicators and tones, it is unlikely that you will be able to see these at a distance. Monitorthe Flight Data screen for failsafe indications. If a failsafe is triggered, the assigned behavior will activate. To override the failsafe behavior (RTL in most cases), use the controller to regain manual control. Regaining Manual Control To regain manual control during the mission, switch to altitude hold mode using the controller. If you're a confident operator, switch to stabilize mode for full manual control. Ifyou observe instability in theXS's flight behavior or it the aircraft moves outside your designated safe flying area, switch to RTL. Turning offthe controller will automatically trigger an RTL and can be used in an emergency situation as a hard recall command.
Ground Station Signal Failsfe Physical obstructions and interference from nearby wireless signals can affect the XS's connection with the ground station. Use the Mission Planner Flight Data displayto monitorthe ground station connection strength during flight. IftheX8 loses contactwith the ground station for overfive seconds, it will automatically return to the launch point and land.

RC Controller Signal Failsafe Physical obstructions and interference from nearby wireless signals can affect the X8's connection with the RC controller. If theX8 loses contact with the RC controller, it will return to the launch point automatically and land, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED.



# t· II·* 

### .J. 0000 Low Battery Failsafe Environmental conditions can affect power consumption. Use the Mission Planner Flight Data display to monitorthe voltage ofthe battery during flight. If the battery reaches 14V, the X8 will land automatically at the current position, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED and a quick repeating tone.

### 0000~

GPS Failsafe Enclosed areas, physical obstructions, and lack ofavailable satellites can affect GPS strength. Use the Mission Planner Flight Data display to monitorthe GPS during flight. IftheX8 loses GPS lockfor over five seconds, it will land automatically at the current position.

# ~-······-//······~

.... 

## eoeff <>

Altitude Failsafe TheX8 has a 120 m altitude geofence enabled by default. Ifthe geofence is breached, the X8 will automatically RTL.

4Q(!ft (1?Qm)



### 29

# 3 Process
On-Site Quality Check 

## Spot Check Download Images Download Log File Pix4D Rapid Check
Full Processing 31 

## 31 31 

## 32 33


## 33

30

# On-Site Quality Check Before leaving the suNey site, check the images using Pix4D to ensure sufficient quality for mapping by downloading the images from the SD card, downloading the log file from the X8, and completing Rapid Check Initial Processing in Pix4D. If you observe poor image quality or the quality report returns errors, see the Image Quality Troubleshooting section on page 38 and repeat the mission.


# L) quickest way to see images after a flight is to unlock the SD card and restart the camera. The camera will load the default Canon programming and you can select the playback button to review the images.

playback button 

### Unlock the SD card and into your ground station. Select the DCIM folder and locate the folder for your flight. Copy the files into a project folder on the ground station and delete them from the SD card. 

# r0:"f**~~-~'::~i** i ·•"- ;**,,.,~** ! Ju..., 

# l;::. .. l"'--**~~~;n•:•** ; ,,,,."' ! .I!<:U**jl:~=~~·** 

## i' ,_ SD card file structure: Download images

31

### Pix4D uses the GPS data from the X8's log file to georeference the images. To download theX8's dataflash log, powertheX8 and connect to Mission Planner. The download process will be faster if you connect the micro-USB cable directly to Pixhawk's micro-USB port instead of connecting using the ground station radio. (When connecting directly to the X8, set the rate to 115200.) On the Flight Plan screen, select the 

### DataFiash Logstab under the heads-up display, and select 

### DownloadDataFiash Log overMavlink. Mission Planner: Flight Data heads-up display



### The Log window shows the X8's recent flights. Select the flight for your mission, and select 

### DownloadThese Logs. This will save the log file to your computer in the location displayed underthe list offlights. To retrieve the log file, access your computer's file structure under 

### Program Files/ Mission Planner/logs!DCTOROTOR, and select the .log file for the date ofyour flight. Mission Planner: Download Logs Program Files: Retrieve log file



### 32

# Pix4Dmapper Check: Proiect
1 Open Pix4D Mapper, and create a new project.



# .Jl:nlobotics UAV TECHNOlOGY 

### 2 Select Aerial Nadir as the project type.**~"'!';"** .. ;::::

•.**~~-** ...**,.,...~** 

# ··--"""'""'"""'"""':»',
.....""'--J)



# Rapid Check: Initial After creating the project, select the Local Processing screen (Process menu). Check the option for Initial Processing and Rapid Check. Uncheck all other local processing options, and select Start.**P!t.rr.toliP:~ c;z.i>off.ClWI!De~~fttatio!l** **-~3 DSMandOr~~'"llllon** 

.. :. Fu!l'f=l>;j**-~ ~Ch!!;k:** **\1>!:;:>'~~** ....**-:~·:c;:-.d!. -~::.:."** 



### Pix4D will generate a Quality Report that will indicate ifthe images are of sufficient quality to create a map. 

# Full**Processin~** 3 After adding the images, select 

### From File to add the geolocation data from the XS's log file. In the pop-up window, select 3D Robotics Flight Log as the file format, and upload the dataflash log file downloaded from Mission Planner.

Processea::**f.~**coorooae S}'St.e!lr**GrooodCooirofPcintfGCPlcom~~m:** 

# """"""""-- Pfocessingfjpe: TimefOI' lmtiatJZroce5Sing (11112JoettepllJft



# - 1111111 

# ----11 L=' 

## II

# •=~•il**~I** Accur.o<y n-. 1 \ortlml [do' 1 

### -- II 1/Ji))'J l 100011 ' 

## ,II iii

2014-,!.pr-2516:30:49 CanooOO.JS229HS_4.3_.40000D00 9.3cm 0.5979**~/5!1.7946**ha/0231 SQ. mi. WGS84 WG$8< WGS84llJTUzone 32M**~(scale** 1}ae:nat nadir 24m:01s



# .,..,.,..

# __ 121outof12:1imagescaiiOCated(100%),alllmao;:esen.Wted.**O..mli<relati¥etlilf~~iniliatandlinalrocatltflgtt** 

# - 7G.CPs (730}.0.1)45 m



### To complete full processingforthe map, visit support.pix4d.com for instructions. 33

## wwww CDOJ())Ol

# Aeriallma~in~ 

# Concepts Understanding key concepts in aerial images can help you understand the mission planning process and create better maps. Distance-Based Imaging By default, the camera captures only the images required to create the map. The Pixhawk monitors the distance traveled by the aircraft and sends a command to the camera to capture an image at the distance interval specified by the camera trigger distance parameter 

### (CAM_TRIGG_D/Sl). This parameter is set by the Mission Planner Survey tool during survey configuration by calculating the minimum distance between images based on the parameters specified for the survey (altitude, overlap, sidelap). This distance-based imaging allows for more precise data collection, resulting in less images and data storage cost. Once configured, the Survey tool creates an event atthe start ofthe mission script (after takeoff) to set the camera trigger distance to the specified interval and an event at the end ofthe mission (before landing) to reset the camera trigger distance to 0.
Time-Based Imaging The camera is also equipped to capture images at a consistent time interval instead of using distance. This function can be useful ifyou want to capture images over an area without planning a mission. This time-based imaging results in more images per area, and therefore more processing time and storage cost. See the Trigger Type options on page xx to enable time-based imaging. Overlap and Sidelap To capture images for the map, the aircraft flies a lawnmower-like pattern in strips across the survey site. The front-to-back overlap between sequential images is called overlap; the side overlaps ofadjacent pictures in different strips is called sidelap. The overlap and sidelap parameters in the Survey tool (see Advanced Options page xx) determine the distance between images and the number of images to be captured based on the projected ground area that each image will cover, called a footprint. Increasing overlap and sidelap improves the accuracy ofthe map while increasing flight time and processing time.

In the Survey tool, 

### Distance between Imagesshows the specified camera trigger distance that will be assigned tothe mission. You can also see the projected image footprint size and the total number of images to be captured.

# .-~~­

# Jk~--**···~~~~-** 130%Sl:CE...AP Default overlap: 50% Default sidelap: 60% 

# ·:P>**-~·** ,','**~.,'.** 

### ., 

## .· ·, 

## . ...::...._**---.--~~--~·--·----..:.,** 50%0VEflL.AP



### 35

# 3DREAI 3DR EAI is based on KAP UAV Exposure Control Script v3.1: a great open-source project for kite and UAV aerial photography. Start and Stop Script Ensure the camera is set to P (program) mode before powering the camera. Upon startup, 3DR EAI starts automatically and listens for commands from the autopilot, indicated by waiting forUSBsignal. To stop (and re-start) the script, press the shutter button. The script will display INTERRUPTED when stopped.

Script start: waiting on USB signal

Script stopped: INTERRUPTED FINISHED

CHDKMenu The CHDK menu contains all the standard options provided with CHDK. To accessthe CHDK menu, stop the script and select the MENUbutton.

CHDKmenu Script Menu The script menu allows you to change the parameters associated with the script itself, including changing the trigger mode and adjusting exposure. To open the script menu, stop the script and select the FUNC. SETbutton. These parameters are configured forthe 8100 and do not require adjustment as part of standard operation.

Script menu
TriggerType This parameter allows you to control howthe camera captures images. Trigger type defaults to USB for distance-based imaging during mapping missions. For time-based imaging, select Intervaland specify the length in the ShotIntervalparameter. Trigger Type default: USB (mapping) Variable intervalometer: Interval(default to2 seconds, specified by Shot**lnterva~**

Script menu: TriggerType
Memory Reset Ifthe battery is left out ofthe camera for too long, the camera will reset its memory. 

### To re-configure the camera in this case, visit 3DR.com!X8-Mforinstructions.
Online Resources and Information Visit 3DR.com/X8-Mfor links to updates, more information about KAP UAV, and full CHDK instructions. 

### 36

# lma~e 

# Quality**Troubleshootin~** If you observe poor image quality during the spot check or if you receive error messages during processing, use the settings below to troubleshoot the image quality.
Blurry Images To correct motion blur, adjustthe shutter speed using the Target Tvparameter in the script menu. Target Tv(shutter speed) default: To correct moderate motion blur: To correct severe motion blur:

Overexposure 1/1250 Set to 1/1600. Set to 1/2000.

If the images are overexposed but do not show any motion blur, it can be due to flying in extremely bright conditions. To correct this, settheAllowuse of ND filterparameter to YES in the script menu. Allowuse of ND filterdefault: 

### No To correct overexposure: Setto Yes.

Processing Errors If you receive errors from Pix4Dmapper regarding the images, dataset, or matching points, increase the overlap and sidelap during survey configuration to improve the quality ofthe image set. Overlap default: Sidelap default: To improve processing: 50% 60% Set overlap to 60% and sidelap to 70%. 

# •

""' < 

# •..

· · ..•..

## ·~~~'.. ·. '! ,,_,**~** --**.~.~** '---. Example image: motion blur Script menu: TargetTv

Example image: overexposure Script menu: NO Filter

Mission Planner Survey tool Advanced Grid Options: Overlap and Sidelap



### 37

# Operational**Troubleshootin~** No Images Captured 1 Ifthe camera did not capture any images during the mission, first perform a physical inspection on the X8. Is the mini-USB cable connected to the camera's USB port?

Camera (side) 

### Are the AUX OUT 6 pins connected on Pixhawk?



# -- ·-·**~~876543210DDDDD ~** **-~·J·····~-~** 

### ..... '- 

### AUX OUT 6: black(-), red(+), white (s)



# :::: :,::**~:_:6; :~:**  

# :_:';

Pixhawk (side) 

### Is the camera battery charged? Unlock the SD card to view the Canon's battery level indicator.

Camera wiTh SO card unlocked, running Canon sofuoVare 

### LED Error Indicator 2 Take a distance-triggered test image on the ground by manually setting the camera trigger distance parameter to 1 m. Powerthe aircraft and connect to Mission Planner. Select 

### Config/Tuningand 

### FullParameterList. Change the 

### CAM_ TRIGG_DISTparameter to 1 , and select 

### Write Params. Now carry the X8 for a few meters to see if the autopilot triggers the camera.

Mission Planner Full Parameter List: Set CAM_ TRIGG_DISTto 1.



### Ifthe status LED displays blinking yellow, the X8 is failing one the pre-arm safety checks. To determine the specific failure, check the heads-up display on the Mission Planner Flight Data screen. There will be an error message specifying the failed check.
Radio Calibration Failure: Accelerometer Calibration Failure: Compass Calibration Failure: GPS Failure: Perform Radio Calibration in Mission Planner or RC controller re-binding Perform Accelerometer Calibration in Mission Planner Perform Compass Calibration in Mission Planner Wait for improved GPS signal or move to a more open area

38

# ! Safety- Read Before Flying 

# ! Your first priority must absolutely be the safety of people! Multicopters are essentially Flying Lawnmowers! • ArduCopter is an experimental aircraft running community-created code- Novel and unexpected results are NOT uncommon! • Crashes can happen, because of pilot error or hardware or software malfunction. • Especially while you are learning, it is recommended that you avoid, stiff, ultra-sharp carbon fiber props. o Get cheaper more flexible and more breakable plastic ones. o Some carbon fiber props cut better than a Ginsu and while they are almost indestructible, you are not. • If you are flying anywhere near other people, you are putting them at risk! • Be sure to maintain safe distances between yourself, and spectators and your copter. o Circumstances will require that you will need to make your own determination of what is a "safe distance" from people and property. o At a minimum, consider: at least 1Oft (3m) but not further than 30ft (1Om) from you. o Keep all other people, property and obstacles considerably further away from your copter. o 

### Ensure that no one gets between you and your copter. o 

### Spectators should always be a safe distance behind the pilot. o If people intrude beyond what you have determined to be the "safe" area, land immediately and do not take off until they are clear. o 

### At full power, an average sized multi-copter can exceed 20 mph (32 km/h), can ascend to hundreds of feet and easily travel more than a mile in distance before running out of battery. • Always ensure that the battery cable is (NOT) connected to the power distribution board or harness until you are ready to fly. o After landing the first thing you should do is disconnect your battery cable. o Always remove your props while you are testing motors. o Your hands, arms and face and those of your friends will thank you. o When the battery is connected, always assume the motors are armed. o Check with a short throttle pulse. o Don't pick up the model and the radio at the same time, you may bump the throttle. o 

### Do not attempt to fly longer than your batteries safe capacity. • At a minimum it is very hard on the battery and at worst you will crash destructively. • The APM and PX4 flight controllers we use incorporate a motor arming safety feature. o Immediately prior to flight after the battery has been connected, the RC transmitters throttle stick needs to be held down and to the right for several seconds to arm the motors. o After landing your first response should be to hold the throttle down and to the left for several seconds to "Disarm" the motors. o 

### Disarm condition can be tested by moving the throttle stick up, if the motors do not move it is dis armed. o 

### Even when disarmed, the throttle stick should always be kept in the full down position except when flying. • Get used to switching back to Stabilize mode from other modes and reassuming full manual control. o 

### This is the single most important recovery technique (practice it). o Stabilize mode can have Simple mode added to it, but if you do, practice with it till you are proficient. o 

### Do not use any modes other than Stabilize or Stabilize plus Simple until you are VERY comfortable flying. • Important primary response to a crash, inadequate landing or unknown flight controller state. o The first thing to do is throw a towel over your copters propellers (Propellers may start spinning unexpectedly). o Then immediately disconnect the battery. o 

### A large towel is your most important piece of safety equipment followed by a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. --Generally better to use the first one than the last one. • When testing or flying any of the navigation modes (using GPS): o Ensure that your GPS has "Lock" before arming and takeoff. o 

### Check that your home position on the Mission Planner is in fact correct. o Sometimes GPS's do not report the home position accurately, reboot if not accurate and wait for 8 or more satellites (not just 3D lock) and check again.I 

### l 

# Keep a safe distance between your Copter and People! These tips can also help protect your multicopter from damage. • Avoid sudden or extreme transmitter control stick deflections o Move the control sticks in small measured increments and don't "yank" on them. o If the copter is properly calibrated and balanced it should require only small stick inputs to control altitude, direction and speed. o 

### Your copter should be more or less stable on the horizontal plane without any control inputs. o 

## If you are "fighting" the copter, land and fix it- something is not right- Hardware adjustment or software calibration may be required. o Be especially careful of large throttle inputs, as a copter can gain (or lose) altitude very rapidly. • Because MultiCopters are symmetrical it is especially easy to lose Visual Orientation. o For manual flight modes, maintaining a clear vision of the Copters Orientation (direction it is facing) is the most critical part of successful flight. o Especially while learning it is very important to keep your copter appropriately close to you to aid in maintaining visual orientation. o Generally: more than 1Oft (3m) but not further than 30ft (1Om) from you. o If the copter gets further than about 1OOft (30m) it starts getting difficult to be able to maintain orientation and can easily crash. o If you lose Yaw orientation while flying in Stabilize mode, try only flying forward and using yaw to steer like a car. o 

### It is much better to simply descend and land rather than have an orientation-induced crash or fly away. • Fly-Aways often happen when the copter is commanded to tilt back towards the pilot but has rotated in the meantime and is so far away that orientation is lost. • Result: the copter flies further away and crashes or is lost. • Always have Stabilize mode as the {Go To) one of your 3 options. • High or unexpected winds or gusts can make flight considerably more difficult. o High winds can prevent forward progress or spin the copter around causing you to become disoriented. o The higher you are, the more likely high winds will be a problem. o 

### Switching to Stabilize mode and landing before you reach your skill limits can help you save your copter. • Avoid flying at high speed or high altitude until you have gained considerable confidence in both manual and automatic modes. • When flying around trees or buildings it is very easy to lose visual orientation or even to lose sight of the copter completely. o Gusting winds around objects can also worsen the problem and radio signal loss can also occur. o If your copter is approaching a potentially interfering object, immediately switch to stabilize mode and land or retrieve the copter to your location. • ArduPilot specific safety modes: RTL, FailSafe and GeoFence. o RTL can provide a safe Return to Launch if it starts to get away from you. o FailSafe and GeoFence can assist you with keeping the copter in a safe proximity. o 

### Do not rely on the above safety modes, always be ready to take control in stabilize and land the copter. o 

### Especially do not rely on the above safety modes to perform maneuvers or training that you would otherwise consider dangerous. o These modes are a supplement to, not a replacement for sound safety practices. • On your first takeoff after tuning or hardware setup o 

### In stabilize mode advance the throttle very slowly until the copter is almost hovering. o If the copter is trying to flip over turn it off and correct the problem, a motor could be turning the wrong direction, or a wrong direction prop could be installed. o If the copter tries to rotate on it's axis or fly off in some direction the transmitter or RC setup may be incorrect, a motor or ESC may not be performing properly or the props may be installed incorrectly. o When all problems are fixed it should be fairly easy to get the copter to hover a foot or 2 above the ground. o If a stable and stationary hover a foot or 2 above the ground cannot be achieved, land and fix the problem • When flying FPV "First Person View" {with a video camera), Set modes to: STABILIZE, SIMPLE, and RTL. o Ensure RTL is working properly before using FPV, o 

### Use Stabilize mode to fly FPV and If you lose FPV video switch to Simple or RTL to get back. • Make sure your battery can't fall out, use a Velcro Strap to hold it in place.

# Aero-Manual

Thank you for purchasing an Aero-M! This manual contains important information about your aerial mapping platform. Please read these instructions before your first flight.



## 1 Plan 1 2 Fly 

## 20 3 Process 37 Appendix 41

# 3~~

## Parts 

## 2 Mission Planning 

## 8 Operating Parameters 

## 8 Flight Battery 

## 3 Load Maps 

## 9 Charging 3 Draw Polygon 

## 10 Safety 3 Configure Survey 

## 11 Powering the Aero 4 Save and Write Mission 

## 19 Camera Setup 

## 5 3DR EAI 

## 5 Charging 

## 5 Starting a Mission 

## 5 Mounting 

## 6 Ground Station Setup 

## 7 Download Software 

## 7 Connect to Radio 

## 7

# Parts

Aero 

# /:s • batteries (2)

camera

wing spar
horizontal stabilizer



# ·- wings 

# -·**•~»~"c'l**

# ~ registration card and Pix4D license key

FPVIOSD System 

# ...--

If you selected to receive a FPV/OSD system, those components will be included with the Aero's accessories. See page 34 for parts and instructions. 

# - RC controller and accessories ground station radio 

# Q 

# ;[f micro-USB cable



# -

__j

,..

# ~ r-.- 

# .... 

# Ill [I charger and accessories

battery guard bag wing rubber bands (4 plus 2 spare) propellers (1 plus 1 spare)
hex keys(?)
propeller wrench
spare control horns (2)
spare servo rods (2)
spare camera mountfilters (2)
Pixhawk micro-SO card adapter 

### 2

# Fli~ht 

# Battery
The Aero is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. Charge the battery before your first flight.

Connect the charger to the poweradapter cable and a wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the 

### + port and the black cable to the - port.



# ; r:nrn':



# ......... ·HHnnt ;;J:tift::;}I:
Chargerwith power cable and split-wire charging cable



### 3 

# 0 

# ==- 0

Connect the white connector to the 4S port, and join thetwo yellow connectors together.

# ~!!!!!!! 

# .... 4S 

### 2 Setthe charger to LiPo and 3A.



# n 0 

## n 

## r: 15 25 3S 4S

LiPo 3A Charger settings

4 Secure the battery inside the guard bag, and charge until the status indicator displays green. 

# • Charging

# ~- +--- Complete 

# '
Flight battery charging wiring Charging in process 

# Safety 

# A
Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged battery. Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only. Always monitorthe battery while charging. Protectthe battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing, and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store the battery in the guard bag. Inspect the battery for damage before and afterflying. If you observe any swelling ofthe package or the battery ceases to function, do not use the battery; locate your local battery recycling center, and dispose ofthe battery. In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to find a location. Do not dispose ofthe battery in the trash.



### 3

# Powerin~

Turn on the controller. To avoid triggering the controller's startup alarm, ensure that all switches are set back (away from you) and the throttle stick is set fully down.

Switches

Throttle stick

RC controller



### 3 Insert a charged battery into the battery slot, and attach the yellow connectors. This will poweron the Aero. 

# A Hold the Aero still and level while it powers on.
Attach the velcro above the battery slot to the velcro on the battery. Close and secure the lid onto the battery compartment. 

### 2 Open the battery compartment by sliding the knob on the orange switch forward and lifting out the lid.



# L ·_ k**~~-**

Aero: battery compartment lid



# "" \..

battery connector

Aero: battery compartment interiorflight battery 

# A

It is importantto establish communication before powering on theAero. Always turn on the controller before connecting the battery. When powering off the Aero, disconnectthe battery before turning off the controller.



### 4

# Camera Setup The Aero includes a Canon PowerShot S1 00 running the 3DR EAI script. 

# EAI (Exposure-Aperture-180)
3DR EAI runs on the Canon Hacker Development Kit (CHDK), a powerful opensource tool that expands the functionality of Canon point-and-shoot cameras. 3DR EAI optimizes image exposure and integrates with the Pixhawk autopilot to enable distance-based imaging. This software is designed to load off the camera's SD card, leaving the original Canon programming intact. The yellow switch on the side ofthe SD card allows you to lock or unlockthe card. Lock the SO card to run 3DR EAI; unlock the SD card to save images to your ground station or to bootthe camera with its original programming. For more information about 3DR EAI, see page 43. 

# l

SD card locked Load 3DR EAI 

### » Fly a mapping mission

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# "" Camera running 3DR EAI 

# i

SD card unlocked Load default Canon software 

### » View images on camera 

### >> Save images to ground station 

### >> Update script

Camera running Canon software 

# A Power offthe camera before removing the SO card. Charge the camera battery before your first flight. Once fully charged, insert the battery into the camera.


## f-- status indicator

Canon battery charger 

# a To prepare the camera to fly a mapping mission, ensure that the mode dial is set to P(program) mode. Power on the camera using the silver button on the top. 3DR EAI will start automatically, and you will see the script messages on the camera display. Check to see thatthe last line ofthe script reads waitingon USBsignal. The camera is now ready to map!

Camera ready to map: maftf.'¥Jon USB signal power button mode dial



### 5The camera mounts to the Aero inside the battery compartment and connects to the autopilot using the mini-USB cable. When the camera is ready to start the mission, insert the camera into the mount inside the battery compartment as shown below, connect the mini-USB cable to the camera, and secure the camera in place using the velcro strap.

Aero battery compartment: camera mount

Camera (side) autopilot integration cable

Connect mini-USB cable inside battery compartment here.

The camera mount is fixed to the inside of the battery compartment and is not intended to be removed from the Aero. The camera mount includes a lens cap that protects the filter during travel. Make sure to remove this lens cap before you fly, and check that the filter contains no foam particles, dirt, or scratches that could affect image quality. It is expected that the filter will accumulate scratches after significant use. If you notice any damage to the filter that could affect image quality, unscrew the filter and replace with one ofthe extrafilters provided with the Aero.

UVfllter
Camera mount (bottom): cap removed

l!!!l

Camera mount (bottom): cap attached



### 6

# Ground Station Setup Mission Planner allows you to turn a Windows laptop into a full-featured ground station for configuring and monitoring autonomous missions. You will need to take this laptop into the field when you fly the mission. As part ofthe mission procedure, you will usethe Pix4D Rapid Check to verify the quality of the image set before leaving the field. 

# Load 

# II Mission Planner
Mission Planner is a full-featured ground station application for planning missions and monitoring the Aero in flight. Download Mission Planner from 3DR.comldownload_sottware. If you already have Mission Planner installed, make sure you're running the most recent version: Select the Helptab and ChecktorUpdates.

Mission Planner: Helptab

Pix4Dmapper LT 3DR Edition
Your license key for Pix4Dmapper can be found on the registration card inside the documents package. Visit mapper.pix4d.com//icense-redeemto create an account and redeem your license key; then visit pix4d.com/downloadto download Pix4Dmapper Discovery. Pix4D will automatically upgradefrom the Discovery edition to the LT 3DR Edition (or Pro Edition if you selected to upgrade) when you log in to the program with your Pix4D account information. 

# Connect Radio

To connect theAero to Mission Planner, connect the ground station radio to the laptop, and power the Aero.
Connect the ground station radio to your laptop using the micro-USB cable. Open Mission Planner.

Ground station laptop with radio connected


### 3 Select FlightDatato view live data from the Aero. 

### 2 Select 57600 and AUTO, then select CONNECT. (When connecting directly to Pixhawk's micro-USB port, set the rate to 115200.)

Mission Planner Connecttool (top-right corner))

Mission Planner FlightData tab: connectedto aircraft 

### 7

# Mission**Plannin~** 

# Para

The Aero is a complete solution for creating high-resolution visual-spectrum aerial maps.

Canon 8100 Pixhawk [ 3DR EAI) 

# f----+ autopilot 

# f-----. system
Mapping system diagram Pix4Dmapper LT 3DR Edition

To create a map, the Aero flies an autonomous mission over the survey site, using the integration between the Pixhawk autopilot and custom-programmed camera to capture images at a consistent distance interval. Pix4Dmapperthen stitches these images together into a georeferenced, orthorectified mosaic. The accuracy of the map depends on the configuration ofthe mission. Planning a mission that captures high-quality images requires balancing the Aero's operating parameters with the environmental factors at the survey site. 

### Operating Parameters

Camera Canon S100 Camera Orientation Portrait (side facing forward) Operating Altitude 80-120 m Standard Operating Altitude 100m Low-Wind Conditions 0-6 m/s High-Wind Conditions 7-10 m/s Maximum Wind Conditions 10 m/s Operating Speed 8-20 m/s Default Speed 

### 15 m/s Estimated Maximum Flight Time 40min Estimated Ground Resolution 5 em/pixel Estimated Maximum Survey Area 

### 1km 2 

### Minimum Photo Interval 2 seconds

8Mission Planner allows you to plan the mission away from the mapping location; however, it is important to assess the environmental conditions on site at thetime ofthe mission and adjust theflight plan if necessary. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission atthe mapping location. To create or alter the mission, Mission Planner requires an Internet connection to access the maps. If you're unable to access the Internet on site, follow the instructions belowto pre-fetch the maps within Mission Planner while you have Internet access.

Open Mission Planner, select 

### FlightPlan, and zoom to your flying location.



### FUGHTPLAN



# .• )

Mission Planner FlightPlantab: zoom to mapping location



### 3 Mission Planner will attempt to load the map datafrom the current level ofzoom down to the closest level ofzoom available. However, it can take hours to pre-fetch every level ofzoom, and it is unlikely that the closer levels will be useful in planning the mission. To shortcutthis process, checkthe slider on the right side ofthe map. The levels ofzoom are represented by this sliderfrom 0 {bottom) to 25 {top). Press the ESC key to skip levels ofzoom at a greater detail than you need for mission planning. 

### 2 Right-click on the map, select 

### Map Tooland 

### Prefetch, and acceptthe default prompts. Mission Planner will download the maps for the selected location to your computer.

Mission Planner FlightPlan tab: Select Pretetch



### 9To begin planning the mapping mission, select the area you want to map using the 

### Polygontool. You'll be able to adjust the size and shape ofthe polygon later in the mission configuration process.



### 2 Select 

### FlightPlan, and zoom to your mapping location. Right click on the map. Select 

### DrawPolygon and 

### AddPolygon Point. Click and drag to add points around the area you want to map. 

### FliGHT Ptl\N· 

# ..•'

Mission Planner Fligf1tPlantab: zoom to mapping location 

# A. Units The SurveyTool uses metric units. If your Mission Planner is set to imperial units, please change the settings to use metric to plan the mission. Support for imperial units in Mission Planner is coming soon; check 

### 3DR.com!Aero·Mforupdates. Mission PlannerRightPlantab: draw polygon 

### 3 Right click on the polygon. Select 

### Auto WPand Survey(Grid} to open the Survey Tool.

Mission Planner FlightPlantab: open Surveytool



### 10The Survey tool allows you to configure a mapping mission according to the Aero's operating parameters and the current environmental conditions at the mapping location. First, set the default values forthe Aero.

Mission Planner Sunre;.•tool

# ~ 

# l

==iL Set Camera Canon S100-S120

Set Camera Orientation Uncheckthe option for Camera top facing forward.

Set Default Speed 15 m/s

Apply Survey Speed Checkthe option for Use speedforthis mission. If unchecked, the mission will use theAero's default speed of 15 m/s regardless ofthe speed selected in the SurveyTool.

11Next configure the angle ofthe flight path forthe current wind conditions.

Mission Planner Surveytool

Mission PlannerTip: Adjust Polygon Click and drag the red polygon points to adjust the size and shape ofthe polygon from the Survey Tool.

# ~ Set Angle Wind Direction In environments with winds of less than 6 m/s, setthe angle so that theAero flies into the wind. In winds from 7-10 m/s, configure the flight path to travel perpendicular to the wind so the Aero flies crosswind. No. of Strips Adjust the angle so that theAero makes as fewturns as possible to complete its course. The 

### No. ofStripsparameter shows how many passes the plane will make as you adjustthe angle.
Review Wind Conditions On-Site Always assess the wind conditions at your survey site at thetime of the mission and adjust the mission accordingly.



# A Configure the fiight path parallel with thewind in low winds (1-6 m/s).

Configure the fiight path perpendicular to the wind in high winds (7-1 0 m/s).

Use caution whenflying in winds over 1Om/s. Mapping results may degrade as a result of inabilityto make headway or maintain appropriate groundspeed. 

### 12The suNey altitude determines the duration ofthe mission and the ground resolution ofthe final map. Adjust altitude to balance flight time and power consumption with the current environmental conditions.

Mission Planner SUJveytool

Check Ground Resolution GroundResolution is the centimeters per pixel that you will have in the map and corresponds to the amount of detail that you will see. To improve ground resolution by decreasing the number of centimeters per pixel, decrease altitude. Set Altitude Standard operating altitude: 100 m Operating altitude range: 80-120 m Increasing altitude decreases flight time, allowing you to cover more area per minute. Decreasing altitude improves ground resolution. Set the altitudeto get the best ground resolution while keeping the flight time under 40 min and the altitude under 120 m. 

# A Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure thatthe altitude is appropriate for your flying area and local regulations.

Check Flight Time Flight Time estimates the duration ofthe mission. The total estimated flight time must be under40 min for a fully charged Aero battery. To decrease flight time, increase altitude or speed. High winds, humidity, high altitude, and extreme heat can affect power consumption and reduce flight time. Considerthe environmental factors at your site when configuring flight time.



### 13With the basic parameters in place, verify that the photo interval calculated from the altitude and speed complies with the operating parameters for the camera.

Mission Planner Surveytool Check Photo Interval 

### Photo Everymust be longerthan 2 seconds for the S100 camera.

Altitude Increasing altitude increases photo interval. 

# A Keep altitude below 120 m, and ensure that the altitude is appropriatefor your flying area and local regulations.

Speed Decreasing speed increases photo interval. 

# A Ensure that the 

### Use speedtorthis mission option is checked. 

### 14Now select a takeoff and landing pattern, either manual or automatic.

# ~

Mission PlannerSurveytool Takeoff and Land WP's For automatic takeoff and landing Check the AddTakeoffandLand 

### WPs option. Uncheck the Use RTL option. This will create a takeoff waypoint and a placeholder waypoint for the landing pattern. After accepting the survey, configure the automatic landing pattern byfollowing the instructions on page 20.
Forautomatic takeoff and manual landing Check both the AddTakeoffandLand 

### WPs option and the Use RTL options. This will create a takeoff waypoint so the Aero will automatically climb to the survey altitude before heading to thefirst waypoint. The Aero will return to circle over the launch point after completing the mission.
For manual takeoff and landing Uncheck the AddTakeoffandLand 

### WPs option Check the Use RTL option. For this option, take off manually then initiate the mission in flight. The Aero will return to circle over the launch point after completing the mission.



### 15The Survey tool includes thefollowing advanced configuration options. These options allow you to customize the mission to comply with best operating practices.

Mission Planner Surveytool: advanced options**~Camera** Config 

## ...___! The options underthe Camera Config tab allow you to configure a camera otherthan the S1 00 and won't be used for operating the Aero.

Mission Planner Suroeytool: advanced options

# ~ Check Advanced Options to view the Survey Tool's advanced configuration options. 

# I: Select Grid Options

.-**~** Set OverShoot 

## ...___! The Aero has a minimum turning radius of 90 degrees. To accommodatethe sharp angles ofthe survey mission, set both OverShootparameters to 50 to have the Aero overshoot the waypoints on either side ofthe polygon by 50% to ensure that the complete area ofthe polygon is covered bythe images. 

# A OverShoot will affect flight time. Ensure thatthetotal estimated flight time is less than the Aero's maximum flight time of 40 minutes.

Adjust StartFrom During the mission, you will maintain contact with the aircraft through the RC controller and ground station signals. If your mission is likely to experience a loss of signal, it is best practiceto start from the corner ofthe mission farthest from the launch point. In this example, Topleft is the corner ofthe mission farthest from the launch point.**~** Adjust Overlap and Sidelap Overlap and sidelap are set to 50% and 60%, respectively, by default. See page 42 for an in-depth discussion of these parameters. 

### 16Before accepting the survey, verify thatthe mission complies with the Aero's operating parameters.

Mission Planner Surveytool Operating Parameters Camera Canon 8100-8120 Altitude 80-120 m Cameratop facing forward unchecked Flying speed 9-15 m/s Use speed for this mission checked (optional if speed setto default speed of 15 m/s) Photo Every greater than 2 s Flight time under 40 min depending on environmental conditions

Accept Select 

### Acceptto create this mission. After accepting, you will need to reconfigure the survey completely to make any adjustments. If Mission Planner prompts you for a home altitude, enter the altitude thatyou specified in the Surveytool. 

# A Do not acceptthe mission if any ofthe parameters exceed theAero's operating limits.
17If you selected automatic landing in the Survey Tool by checking the AddTakeoffandLand 

### WPs option and unchecking the Use RTL option, you will need to configure the landing waypoint pattern manually at this step in the mission planning process. To begin, determinethe direction ofthe wind and select an unobstructed area 200-500 m in length leading to the launch point, into the wind. On the main Flight Plan screen, create a series ofwaypoints along this path to decrease altitude gradually from the survey altitude to 0, ensuring that:

» Turns along the flight path are greaterthan 90 degrees. » The altitude decreases by a maximum of 20 m between waypoints » There is at least 20 m between each waypoint » The Grad%does not exceed 20% To add a waypoint, right click on the map in the location ofthe waypoint you would like to add, and select Insert 

### WP. For each waypoint you add to the mission, Mission Planner will prompt you forthe new waypoint's place in the script: Add the series of landing waypoints immediately before the 

### LAND waypoint in the script ofevents. For the first waypoint in the pattern, add it to the mission immediatelyfollowing the DO_SET_CAM_TRIGG_DISTwaypoint at the end ofthe mission. Specify the altitude of each waypoint and checkthe distance and gradient angle in the waypoints table.

Mission Planner RightPlan tab: Correctly configured automatic landing pattern To add a waypoint, right click on the map in the location ofthe waypoint you would like to add, and select Insert 

### WP. For each waypoint you add to the mission, Mission Planner will prompt you forthe new waypoint's place in the script: Add the series of landing waypoints immediately before the 

### LANDwaypoint in the script ofevents. For the first waypoint in the pattern, add it to the mission immediatelyfollowing the DO_SET_CAM_TRIGG_DIST waypoint at the end ofthe mission. Specify the altitude ofeach waypoint and check the distance and gradient angle in the waypoints table. 

### fj-----+ Set altitude.**~** Check Grad%. Locate theTakeoff waypoint in the mission script and setthe first option in the row to assign the takeoff angle. Set thetakeoff angle to 20-25 degrees depending on the length ofyourtakeoff area.



### Mission Planner Tip: Configure Waypoints Measure the distance between waypoints by right-clicking at one end and selecting Measure Distance; then right-click on the other end and select Measure Distance again. A dialog box will open with the distance between the two points. Double-click on a field in the waypoint table to edit the parameters for a waypoint. Usethe Up and Down arrow icons to re-orderthe waypoints. Use the Delete option to remove a waypoint from the mission.



### 18

# Save and

For theAero to run the mission, write thewaypoint file to the autopilot. Don't forget to save the waypoint file to your ground station for future use.

Mission Planner FlightPlantab: Save and write mission Select Save WP File to save the mission file to your computer. To repeat this mapping mission, load the saved WP file from your computer.

Select Write WPs to save the mission to the Aero.



### 19

## Safety 21
Aircraft Operation 

# 22 Components 

## 22 Assembly 

## 23 Controls 

## 26 Modes 

## 27 Arming and Disarming 

## 28 LED Indicators and Tones 

## 28 GPS Lock 

## 28 Preflight Checks 

## 29 Manual and Automatic Takeoff 

## 32 Manual and Automatic Landing 

## 33 FPV System Operation 

## 34 Flying Mapping Missions 

## 35 Takeoff Checklist 

## 35 Initiating 

## 35 Monitoring 

## 35 Failsafes 

## 36

20

# Safety

To ensure safe and successful flying, familiarize yourself with the safety information on this page. Always fly in accordance with your location regulations and these best operating practices.
Before you fly, determinethe boundaries ofyour safe flying area. If the Aero moves outside the designated area or exhibits instability in flight, switch to fly-by-wire mode and land the plane manually. Always be ready to regain manual control ofthe plane in the event of an unsafe situation.
The Aero will not avoid obstacles on its own, including during missions. As the operator, it's yourjobto recognize and avoid obstructions while flying. When planning missions, ensure that the selected altitude is appropriate for all geographical features ofthe area, including terrain.



# Location ;II" 

# 0 

# f,/

visual line ofsight


# 0 0 400ft (120m)


# 0 

# a

0 

# 0 

# ll ••• 100ft(30ml 

# {iii}Ill

# I Always fly below 400 ft (120 m) and within yourvisual line ofsight. Don't let theAero get too far awayfrom you; make sure you can always see its orientation. Don't fly in low light, rain, or other conditions that might impede visibility.

Always fly at least 5 miles (8 km) away from airports and other areas where pilots operate manned aircraft.

Always fly at least 100 feet (30 m) away from people, vehicles, and buildings. Make the safety of people and property your first priority! 

# Propeller

# ~ • 

# •••

A Spinning propellers can cause serious injury. The safety button indicates the status ofthe motorto help you prevent hazardous contact with the Aero's high-speed propeller. When theAero is powered on, the safety button will blink red, indicating thatthe motor is inactive and the propeller is safe to handle. When you're ready to fly, press and hold the safety button until it shows solid red. This indicates that the motor is armed and the propeller will spin if the throttle stick is raised. To make the propeller safe to handle again, press and hold the safety button until it blinks red.

You canfind more safetytipsthroughoutthese instructions where you see thisyellow box.

21

# Aircraft Operation Components

left wing

tail boom

airspeed sensor battery compartment electronics compartment (under wings)

left aileron nose

## s.'~----------~

# 4~~ tail

right aileron

# --~~~ Aero (top)

If theterms above are unfamiliarto you, visit 

### 3DR.com/Aero-M, and dive into the exciting world of planes with our Introduction to Flying Fixed-Wing Aircraft. body right wing motor Aero tail

video system compartment (above battery compartment)

# ~ ground station radio rudder
elevator

controller



### 22

### Tail Slide the horizontal stabilizer into thevertical stabilizer along the orange groove. Make sure not to stress any ofthe components on the tail. 

# r---1->>

Horizontal stabilizer

# It**~** 

### __,r

__,_J.._.:;_ 

### \,**·,~-i~\11.;;;»** 

# .. "{



## ..... Vertical stabilizer Complete tail assembly Turn the plane over and insert the provided tail screw into the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.**~--.....-** 

# (i)
..**~** 

# -- 

# 1 I 

# 1

Tail screw

Tail assembly (underside)

On thetop ofthe horizontal stabilizer, open the blue clasp atthe end ofthe servo rod. Insert the pegs on the clasp into the open space in the servo horn, and close the clasp. Slide the blue rubber ring overthe clasp to secure it in place.



# --.- 

# . .. , ...•

# - A clasp 

# "'

# ~ servo horn 23Wings Attach a wing onto each side ofthe spar. Do not twist the wing orthe spar so as not to stress thefoam.**-----~- ~**  

# ...

u--l**----------,,~**



### .... 

# ,**~~-..-...,** L _).,_**~**

Place the wings overthe body ofthe Aero with the foam squares fitted into the matching space in the electronics compartment. Make sure not to pinch the AILE cables. 

# -+·**~·-~,·** 

## c-j _,**~~-'** I 

### 3 Locate the two cables inside the electronics compartment marked AILE. Connect these cables to thetwo cables on the wings marked AILE. (Either ofthe wing cables can connect to either ofthe plane cables; the order doesn't matter.)

Locate thefour large rubber bands. Usethe bands to secure the wings to the body ofthe Aero bythe four orange knobs on the body around thewings. Attach two ofthe bands to the two knobs on one ofthe short sides and opposite knobs on the opposing side.



### 2

4 Repeat on the other short side with the remaining two rubber bands, resulting in two pairs of opposing right triangles. 

# r,..,;?: tit_, •

# [~'~ 24Propeller Locate the rings inside the propeller package. Remove the ring with the second-largest internal diameter, and insert it into the back ofthe propeller hub. Remove the nut and the washer from the motor, add the propeller with the writing on the propeller facing towards the nose ofthe plane, add the washer and the nut over the propeller, and tighten the nut.

# ··~

25

# ControLs Fly the Aero manually using the RC controller.

throttle

# ~~ yaw

# .-{f [§]]}

# ~ 

# /;**···~t/** pitch

# ~t~ -**'\~**

# +{[§]]~roll**~->.** _/)

# ~-±-·

Throttle: Move the left stick forward and backward to control the motor. 

### Yaw: Pitch: 

### Roll:

throttle up

# ~~}

throttle down

throttle fully down

# {~~j ' Move the left stick horizontally to turn left and right using the rudder. Move the right stick up to pitch down and down to pitch up. Move the right stick left and right to control the bank angle. 

# •**~I~** j;,_

·- __,_"<**~** 0



# • •**~w-..t .~;~**  --""'
.. :<.._!_.;;.
....**·-~**

## -~~ .•.:?%,...

## '-"'"~'-"-'-'-•**~** 

# • • • Increase motor speed.

Decrease motor speed.

Stop motor. yaw left

### ~q~~**:7:"·~~**.. 

# -<r2J ',I ,, T\! ji**~/** \\ _ll 

## '"'+""'**"'"'~:·**

yaw right**;::""-+~,.**

## +~**·~\~ -~·** 

roll left

roll right**4~,,**

## -~1-**~-tP** ''':ccf"/

# ()(~

roll and pitch center**,,:-4~** 

### 1 

# [B] \

# ~-+.J
pitch up
..;+- ;\ 

### J'

## ~**•·'f~c;.,** 

# "\:\ 7 pitch down



# ,._A_ ' 

# "\J¥1/**-~**

# /~~ .#"'



# .............._.,

# ~**,l~** '"'o/il\



# ___ __,,.,-----

# '**___.;~** 

# J

# ~ 

# ---=::t:--

'**~~--.r'!;7·b...** 

# --

-- 

## • 

# • • • • • • • • 

# •


# ,_**~~ '-..·~·~**  .**!.,~.~**

# ~t--· . 

# - -* 

# -- Turn left.

Turn right.

Roll left.

Roll right.

Automatically level.

Pitch up.

Pitch down
.


### 26

# Modes

Auto - 

### flyamission Fly an autonomous mission. This is the modethat the Aero will useto create the map.
Fly byWire - 

### assistedmanualcontrol Let the autopilot managethe control surfaces, and navigate based on where you want the Aero to fly. Fly-by-wire mode* (FBW) is the easiest way to fly and is the recommended modefor new operators. *ArduP/ane mode FBWA
Return to Launch (RTL) - 

### recallto launchpoint Command the plane to circle over the launch point. The Aero will return to the position where it acquired GPS Jock and enter into a circle pattern at an altitude of 100 meters.
Loiter - 

### circle Activate GPS-positioned circling; the Aero will enter into a circle pattern with a radius of 

### 60 meters at the current altitude. Move the right stick to adjust the position ofthe circle.
Stabilize - 

### stabilizedmanualcontrol Stabilize mode provides manual control with an added autopilot safeguard: Release the right stick and theAero will automatically return to a level flying orientation. Use stabilize mode for the freedom of manual control with return-to-level stabilization.
Manual - 

### fullmanualcontrol Fly with fine-tuned manual control without autopilot assistance. Manual mode gives you the most direct input to the control surfaces, resulting in precise in-flight adjustment. Try manual mode if you're an experienced RC plane operator. To select a flight mode: First, setthe GEAR/MIX switch to select a set of modes. Then usethe FLAP/GYRO switch to 0, 1, or 2 to select a specific mode. With GEAR/MIX set to GEAR, set FLAP/GYRO to: 

### 0 for Manual

With GEAR/MIX setto MIX, set FLAP/GYRO to: 

### 1 for Stabilize 2 for Loiter



### 0 forAuto 

### 1 for Fly by wire 2for RTL

GEAR/MIX selects the set of modes.

FLAP/GYRO selects the specific mode, either 0, 1, or 2.

RC controller (top)



### 27

# Armin~ 

# &**Disarmin~** Arming and disarming are important stepsthat must be completed before takeoff and after landing to activate and deactivate the motor, respectively.
Before arming, checkthe status LED. The LED will flash blue while the Aero acquires GPS; this can take a few minutes. Once you see the green LED, the autopilot has acquired GPS lock.

•• • • Initializing, please wait. •• • • Acquiring GPS lock, please wait. • • • • Autopilot ready, GPS locked


# '-··

To arm the motor, press and hold the safety button until it displays solid red. To disarm, press and hold the safety button until it displays blinking red.**~·fP'**

# ~~¢"i""" •• ""ety billtoc


# 0 

# e 0 

# e Inactive, motor disarmed 

# e e ee Active, motorarmed 

# A The arming and disarming procedures ensure that you can safety start and stop the motorwithout risk of injury. The Aero's motorcan spin when armed! Do not placeyour hands in the way ofthe propellerwhile the safety button is active (solid red). 

# LED Indicators 

# •••• •••• •••• 

# •

Tones Initializing, please wait Acquiring GPS, please wait Armed, GPS locked Loss of RC signal, automatic landing 

# ))J Low battery, automatic landing 

# ))J Loss ofGPS signal, switch to fly-by-wre System error, see troubleshooting guide

Visit 3DR.com/Aero-M to listen to Pixhawk's status tones.


# GPS Lock Auto, RTL, and loiter modes requires GPS lock. When powered, the autopilot will automatically search for GPS lock. The position oftheAero whenthe autopilot acquires GPS will be saved as the home position, and used as the coordinates forthe launch point during RTL. If you plan to use auto, RTL, or loiter modes during your flight, ensure thattheAero is located at a suitable launch point when powered, and the autopilot acquires GPS lock before takeoff, indicated bya blinking green status LED.



### 28Before each flight, perform a physical component check, center ofgravity check, and control checks in both manual and stabilize modes. If any ofthe components or assemblies in these checks are not secure, tighten the screws or use CA glue (super glue) to secure the components to thefoam.

Examine theAero to ensure that all components are secured in flight configuration.



### » Checkthat the wings, tail, and tail boom are fully assembled and securely attached. 

### » Check that the propeller is secured tightly to the motor. 

### » Check that the servo rods are secured to the servo horns with the blue clasps.



# I

tail servos wing servos



### 2 Checkthat the airspeed sensor is secured to the side oftheAero an.d the tube is free from obstructions.

# ~

# .. airspeed sensor


# -- .. ) 3 With the battery connected and the lid secured, check thatthe Aero is correctly balanced for flight. Hold the Aero with onefinger on each ofthe clear, plastic balancing points shown below. These points indicate theAero's center ofgravity. 

# I

Ifthe plane balances on your fingers, then the center ofgravity is correct. If it won't balance, adjustthe position ofthe battery until you can balance the plane on two fingers as shown below.

Flying the plane without the camera will affect the center of gravity. If you choose to fly without the camera, make sure to re-balance the center of gravity.



### 29Before flying, power and arm the Aero on the ground and completethese checks to verify that the control surfaces respond correctly to the control inputs. Place the plane on the ground. and set the mode switches to select manual mode. Move each ofthe sticks as shown, and checkforthe corresponding movement of the motor or control surfaces.

Raise thethrottle slightly until the motor spins, then immediately set the throttle backto fully down position. 

# (@)O**---~~ 411~**  Motor spins.


# A Do not raise the throttle morethan just enough to spin the motor while the plane is on the ground, and do not place your hands in the way of the propeller while the motor is armed.



### 2 Pitch down 

# 0® Elevator tilts down.

Pitch up
Elevator tilts up. 

### 3 Roll left

# 0<&~~-**~~**

4 Yaw left 

# €>0

Yaw right Left aileron tilts up, right aileron tilts down.

Left aileron tilts down. right aileron tilts up.

Rudder tilts left.

Rudder tilts right.



### 30Setthe mode switches to stabilize, and hold the plane in front ofyou. Move the plane as shown, and checkforthe stabilization response from the control surfaces.

Test: Tilt the plane left. Result: Left aileron tilts down, right aileron tilts up.

Test: Tilt the plane right. Result: Left aileron tilts up, right aileron tilts down. 

### 2 Test: Tilt the plane down. Result: Elevator tilts up.

Test: Tilt the plane up. Result: Elevator tilts down.



### 31f" 

# Automatic Takeoff

Auto-takeoff works by sensing the movement ofthe plane and launching it in that direction. Set the Aero to autonomous mode when you're ready to launch. Find a launching area with at least 100 feet of clear space in front ofyou. Face into the wind, and hold the body oftheAero in one hand underthe center of gravity. Be careful not to place your hand in the way ofthe propeller! Hold the Aero above your head, run, and throwthe plane at an upwards angle. The Aero will sense thethrow, powerthe motor, and climb to the altitude specified by the takeoff waypoint before starting the survey mission.

DO NOTWIND UP YOUR THROW; ifthe Aero senses any backwards momentum itwill attempt to launch in that direction. Use only forward moment\.lm to throwto Aero!

Automatic takeoff requires you to configure thetakeoff angle during mission planning. See page 18. 

# Takeoff

If you're new to planes, we recommend having a friend help you launch the Aero. Have your friend throw the Aero while you control the controller. We recommend setting the Aero to fly-by-wire mode for takeoff. Find a launching area with at least 100 feet of clear space in front ofyou. Face into the wind, and hold the Aero at the center of gravity. Raise thethrottle to center position to start the motor. Be careful not to place your hand in the way ofthe propeller! Hold the Aero above your head, run, and throwthe plane at an upwards angle. Once launched, the Aero will require immediate adjustment with the controller to navigate away from the ground and up to the desired altitude. Pitch up (right stick down) and add any other necessary controls based on wind, speed, and terrain.



### 32

# Automatic**Landin~**
To land automatically at the end ofthe mission, the Aero requires the mission to be configured with a specific pattern of landing waypoints that gradually decreasesthe altitude so thatthe Aero can land safely. For instructions on configuring automatic landing, see page 18. 

# Manual**Landin~**
When you're ready to end yourflight, follow these steps to land: - 

## » Fly a circle pattern above your landing area. 

### » Come in on a final approach, flying into the wind at an altitude of20 to 40 meters. 

### » When the plane reaches an altitude of 10 meters, set thethrottle fully down to turn offthe motor and glide down on a 15to 20 degree down-pitch angle. 

# A. After stopping the motor atan altitude of 10 m, keep yourthumb onthethrottle stick in fully down position to ensure thatthe motordoes not accidentally spin during landing.



### » When the plane is one meter abovethe ground, pitch up (flare) to land theAero on the body ofthe plane instead ofthe nose.



### wind direction

33

# FPV System Operation If you selected to receive an optional FPV/OSD system, the components are pre-installed into the Aero to transmit on-board video.

Parts Transmitter AV receiver Battery connector Camera
Antenna Receiver cables
Batteries (2)



### 1 Charge battery Charge both batteries before your first flight. Set the chargerto LiPo and 

### 1 A Connect the white battery connector to the 38 port, and connect the XT60-JST charger adapter to the red battery connector and yellow charger connector.

LiPo 1A 2 Wire and power receiver Attach an antenna to the receiver. Connect the AV output cable to either receiver AV OUT port. Connect the RC power cable to the receiver DC IN port, and attach a batteryto the red connector.



### 3 Prepare on-board components Connect a fully charged battery to the transmitter inside the compartment in the nose ofthe plane. Remove the lens cap from the camera.

### ~~1----- Remove lens cap!

4 Viewing video When using a 3DR Black Pearl Monitorto view your video, setthe mode to DIV(M button changes modes), the channel to 8(+ and - buttons);and the band to E(press the power button to access the menu).
For more information about configuring the FPV/OSD system, visit 

### 3DR.com/Aero-M.

34I"-

# Flyin~**Mappin~** 

# Missions Takeoff Checklist Before flying the mission, checkthefollowing: 

## " Camera is on with mission script ready and is secured into the mount with the mini-USB cable connected and the cap removed. " Aero is powered and connected to the ground station with all pre-flight checks passed.
» The survey mission has been adjusted to account for present environmental conditions and saved to theAero.

# Monitorin~ Monitorthe Aero closely during the mission using your line of sight and the Mission Planner Flight Data screen.

Mission Planner Flight Data: Attitude

1 Heading direction 2 Bankangle 3 Altitude (black) and rate of climb (blue bar) 4 Ground speed

*Failsafe behavior enabled 

### 2

3



### 4 Status

Ground station signal 2 GPStime 3 Currently

enabled mode

# lnitiatin~ For automatic takeoff, set the Aero to auto mode and launch according to the instructions in the Automatic Takeoff section ofthese instructions (page 33). For manual takeoff, set theAero to auto mode after takeoffto initiate the mission in flight.



### 2

3 

### 4 5 

### 6 4 Distance to current waypoint 

### > current waypoint number 5 GPS status 

### 6 Battery status*

Full battery: 16.8V Low battery failsafe: 13.8V 

# & End yourflight at 14V! Actions

1 Change waypoints or restart a mission 2 Change modes 3 Change altitude Flight Map

1 Current heading 2 Direct path to current waypoint 3 GPS-reported direction oftravel 

### 2 3



### 1 2 3 

### 4 5 

### 6 4 Actual iiighi path 5 Latitude, longitude 6 Altitude 

### 35

# FaiLsafes
The Aero is programmed with a set offailsafe behaviors to prevent a crash in the event of a loss ofone ofthe data or communication channels required for autonomous flight. Although certain failsafe have assigned LED indicators and tones, it is unlikely that you will be able to see these at a distance. Monitorthe Flight Data screen forfailsafe indications. If a failsafe is triggered, the assigned behavior will activate. To override the failsafe behavior (RTL in most cases), usethe controller

### to regain manual control. Regaining Manual Control To regain manual control during the mission, switch to fly-by-wire mode using the controller. If you're a confident operator, switch to stabilize mode. If you observe instability in the Aero's flight behavior or it the aircraft moves outside your designated safe flying area, switch to RTL. Turning off the controller will automatically trigger an RTL and can be used in an emergency situation as a hard recall command.

RC Controller Signal Failsafe Physical obstructions and interference from nearby wireless signals can affect the Aero's connection with the RC controller. If the Aero loses contact with the controller, it will return to the launch point automatically and enter into a circle pattern abovethe launch point, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED. Ifthe controller failsafe is triggered, wait for the Aero to return tothe launch point, then regain manual control and either land or restart the mission.



### 0000**-~** 

# .;r·..··.:-:.;_-:.. 

# ,

....... Low Battery Failsafe Environmental conditions can affect power consumption. Use the Mission Planner Flight Data display to monitorthe voltage ofthe battery during flight. If the battery reaches 13.8V, theAero will return automatically to circle above the launch point, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED and a quick repeating tone.

## 0000~

36

# 3 Process
On-Site Quality Check 

## Spot Check Download Images Download Log File Pix4D Rapid Check
Full Processing 

## 38 

## 38 38 

# 39 40


## 40

37

# Download**La~** 

# File

Pix4D uses the GPS data from the Aero's log file to georeference the images. To download theAero's dataflash log, powertheAero and connectto Mission Planner. The download process will be faster if you connect the micro-USB cable directlyto Pixhawk's micro-USB port instead of connecting using the ground station radio. (When connecting directly to theAero, setthe rate to 115200.) On the Flight Plan screen, select the DataFJash Logstab underthe heads-up display, and select DownloadDataFJash Log overMavlink.

Mission Planner: Flight Data heads-up display

The Log window showstheAero's recent flights. Select the flight foryour mission, and select DownloadThese Logs. This will save the log file to your computer in the location displayed underthe list offlights. To retrieve the log file, access your computer's file structure under Program Ales/Mission Planner/Jogs/ 

### PLANE, and select the .log file forthe date ofyourflight. Mission Planner: Download Logs Program Files: Retrieve log file



### 39

# Pix4Dmapper Rapid Check: Create Proiect
Open Pix4D Mapper, and create a new project.



# .JiiRobotics UAV TECHNOLOGY**~,HelP** 

### 6itiiti&jioulj uj,gi-a(/8,

# ~;!!.:li 

# Pix4Dmapper Rapid 2 Select Aerial Nadir as the project type.

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# Processing
After creating the project, select the Local Processing screen (Process menu). Checkthe option for Initial Processing and Rapid Check. Uncheck all other local processing options, and select Start.**f:{iLlrwrn!Pr~****i;:02.P'*!t0~.xl~bon****(jF..:II~'.q,~~**

Pix4D will generate a Quality Report that will indicate ifthe images are ofsufficient quality to create a map.


# Full Processing To complete full processing forthe map, visit support.pix4d.com for instructions. 

### 3 After adding the images, select 

### From File to add the geolocation data from the Aero's log file. In the pop-up window, select 3D Robotics Flight Log as the file format, and upload the dataflash log file downloaded from Mission Planner.**i:oolo;1o~S** 0**n-'l'»il.lo-.:~""""'19:li;~5rot::ooW>2>1H**

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Outputeoo«iilal:eSJStem;**Pro<essU1o~ Timef«iniiaf~~~~** 



# - Quality 

# -

9.3an**0.5919kl'l'iZ1~~79:_16tlafO~.sq..mi** WGSll4 WGS84 WGSS4;U1lfzone32fl**~-<~:_1}.ae~~r** 24m:G1s

median of31313ke!P(Iints- perimage 1270011
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# Appendix

Aerial Imaging Concepts 3DR EAI Image Quality Troubleshooting Operational Troubleshooting 

## 42 43 

### 45 46

41

# Aerial**lma~in~** 

# Concepts Understanding key concepts in aerial images can help you understand the mission planning process and create better maps. Distance-Based Imaging By default, the camera captures only the images required to create the map. The Pixhawk monitors the distancetraveled bythe aircraft and sends a command to the camera to capture an image at the distance interval specified by the camera trigger distance parameter (CAM_TRIGG_DIS7). This parameter is set by the Mission Planner Survey tool during survey configuration by calculating the minimum distance between images based on the parameters specified forthe survey (altitude, overlap, sidelap). This distance-based imaging allows for more precise data collection, resulting in less images and data storage cost. Once configured, the Survey tool creates an event at the start ofthe mission script (aftertakeoft) to set the camera trigger distance to the specified interval and an event at the end ofthe mission (before landing) to reset the camera trigger distanceto 0.
Time-Based Imaging The camera is also equipped to capture images at a consistent time interval instead of using distance. This function can be useful if you want to capture images over an area without planning a mission. This time-based imaging results in more images per area, and therefore more processing time and storage cost. See the Trigger Type options on page xx to enable time-based imaging. Overlap and Sidelap To capture images for the map, the aircraft flies a lawnmower-like pattern in strips across the survey site. The front-to-back overlap between sequential images is called overlap; the side overlaps of adjacent pictures in different strips is called sidelap. The overlap and sidelap parameters in the Survey tool (see Advanced Options page xx) determine the distance between images and the number of imagesto be captured based on the projected ground area that each image will cover, called a footprint. Increasing overlap and sidelap improves the accuracy ofthe map while increasing flight time and processing time.

In the Survey tool, Distance between Imagesshows the specified camera trigger distance that will be assigned tothe mission. You can also see the projected image footprint size and the total number of images to be captured.

### ~~**~·'·** ',.

### "~' 

## ..··

# .· . ''.'. 

### :1':
....



# -**~--~2:~----··_:,**
Default overlap: 50% Default sidelap: 60% 

## ·.**L-~---2-:s-----.::"**

42

# 3DREAI 3DR EAI is based on KAP UAV Exposure Control Script v3.1: a great open-source project for kite and UAV aerial photography. Start and Stop Script Ensure the camera is set to P (program) mode before powering the camera. Upon startup, 3DR EAI starts automatically and listens for commands from the autopilot, indicated by 

### waiting forUSBsignal. To stop (and re-start) the script, press the shutter button. The script will display INTERRUPTED when stopped.

Script start: waiting on USB signal

Script stopped: INTERRUPTED FINISHED

CHDKMenu The CHDK menu contains all the standard options provided with CHDK. To access the CHDK menu, stop the script and select the MENUbutton.

CHDKmenu Script Menu The script menu allows you to change the parameters associated with the script itself, including changing thetrigger mode and adjusting exposure. To open the script menu, stop the script and select the FUNC. SETbutton. These parameters are configured for the S 100 and do not require adjustment as part of standard operation.

Script menu TriggerType This parameter allows you to control howthe camera captures images. Trigger type defaultsto 

### USB for distance-based imaging during mapping missions. For time-based imaging, select 

### Intervaland specify the length in the 

### ShotIntervalparameter. 

### TriggerType default: 

### USB (mapping) Variable intervalometer: 

### Interval(default to 2 seconds, specified by 

### Shot**lnterva~**

Script menu: TriggerType
Memory Reset Ifthe battery is lett out ofthe camera for too long, the camera will reset its memory. To re-configure the camera in this case, visit 

### 3DR.com/Aero-Mfor instructions. Online Resources and Information Visit 

### 3DR.com/Aero-Mforlinks to updates, more information about KAP UAV. and full CHDK instructions. 43

# lma~e 

# Quality**Troubleshootin~** Ifyou observe poor image quality during the spot check or if you receive error messages during processing, usethe settings below to troubleshoot the image quality.
Blurry Images To correct motion blur, adjust the shutter speed using the Target Tvparameter in the script menu. Target Tv(shutter speed) default: To correct moderate motion blur: To correct severe motion blur:

Overexposure 

### 1/1250 Setto 

### 1/1600. Setto 

### 1/2000.

If the images are overexposed but do not show any motion blur, it can be dueto flying in extremely bright conditions. To correct this, settheAllowuse of NO filterparameterto YES in the script menu. Allowuse of ND filterdefault: No To correct overexposure: Setto Yes.

Processing Errors If you receive errors from Pix4Dmapper regarding the images, dataset, or matching points, increase the overlap and sidelap during survey configuration to improvethe quality ofthe image set. Overlap default: Sidelap default: To improve processing:**""·-~· -.~**  

### .. -**---~---,_~-** 

### 50% 60% Set overlap to 

### 60% and sidelap to 

### 70%. Example image: motion blur Script menu: TargetTv

Example image: overexposure Script menu: ND Filter

Mission Planner Survey tool Advanced Grid Options: Overlap and Sidelap

44

# Operational**Troubleshootin~** No Images Captured 1 Ifthe camera did not capture any images during the mission, first perform a physical inspection on the Aero. Is the mini-USB cable connected to the camera's USB port?

Camera (side) 

### Are the AUX OUT 6 pins connected on Pixhawk?**_li!:il8765~3.2l~**


## ..... ._ " 

# .... " 

### ..

### "

# ..'.. 

## . . -

• .. • • •**~** "
.. • • 0- .r •**~** • • • '• + 

### AUX OUT 6: black(-), red 

### (+), white (s)



## .. : .· ... :. ·. ·0· . ... s_ Pixhawk (side) 

### Is the camera battery charged? Unlock the SD card to view the Canon's battery level indicator.

Camera with SD card unlocked, running Canon software 

### 2 Take a distance-triggered test image on the ground by manually setting the camera trigger distance parameter to 1 m. Power the aircraft and connect to Mission Planner. Select 

### Config/Tuningand 

### FullParameterList. Change the 

### CAM_TRIGG_DISTparameter to 1, and select 

### Write Params. Now carry the Aero for a few meters to see if the autopilot triggers the camera.

Mission Planner Full Parameter Ust: Set CAM_ TRIGG_DIST to 1.



### 45

### Appendix D 

# X8+ Maintenance In order to maintainthe continued safe operation ofthe X8+platform andto maintain itrunning at its optimal performance, we will maintainthe X8+ aircraft atthe following intervals: Ifany part ofthe X8+ or its support equipment show signs offatigue or damage, itwill be immediately grounded until the component has beenproperlyreplaced byPIC permanufacturer recommendations.

Every flight -Inspectthe batteries for any signs ofdamage or abnormality as well as operating voltage. -Inspect motors for any signs ofabnormal wear, rough movement, or contact. -Inspectpropellers for any cracks, debris, or abnormalities. -Inspect mainbody and arms for any cracks or abnormalities. -Clean dusty components with compressed air or a soft cloth. -Perform Safety Check

Every 30 days or 10 hours offlight (whichever comes first) -Cycle flight batteries -Perform Safety Check -Run motors and observe for any wobble, abnormal sound orroughness. -Inspect motormounts and fasteners to ensure tight and secure. -Inspect main body and arms for any cracks or abnormalities. -Inspect all wires and connectors -Inspect landing gear for cracks orwear -Inspect condition and voltage ofPIC controller and controllerbattery

Page 

## 1 of 

## 2

### Appendix D 

# Annually or every 300 hours offlight (whichever comes first) -Inspect motormounts -Replace motors -Replacepropellers -Replace all flight battery sets -Replace PIC controllerbattery -Inspect and clean all electrical connections -Check for firmware update -Recalibrate magnetometer -Inspect all wires and connectors -Perform Safety Check -Inspect landing gear for cracks orwear

Page 2 of2

## movement or contact Inspect Propellers for any cracks, debris, or abnormalities Inspect main body and arms for any cracks or abnormalities Clean dusty components with compressed air or soft cloth Appendix D 

## X8+ 

# Flight Maintenance Procedures-------------------- ·- --------------



## Appendix D 

## X8+ 

# 10 hour/30 Day Maintenance Procedures

abnormal sound or ro ness Inspect motor mOqnts and fastners to ensure tight secure

Inspect landing gear for cracks orwear and voltage IJfJ?tCcontrol Perform Safety Check

### Appendix D 

# X8+ Annual/300 HOUR Maintenance Procedures

### Appendix E 

# Aero-M Maintenance In orderto maintainthe continued safe operation ofthe Aero-M platform and to maintain it running at its optimalperformance, we will maintainthe Aero-M aircraft at the following intervals: Ifany part ofthe Aero-M or its support equipment show signs offatigue or damage, it will be immediately groundeduntil the component has beenproperly replaced by PIC permanufacturer recommendations.

Every flight -Inspectthe batteries for any signs ofdamage or abnormality as well as operating voltage. -Inspectmotor for any signs ofabnormal wear, rough movement, or contact. -Inspectpropeller for any cracks, debris, or abnormalities. -Inspect fuselage for any cracks or abnormalities. -Clean dusty components with compressed air or a soft cloth. -Perform Safety Check

Every 30 days or 10 hours offlight (whichever comes first) -Cycle flight batteries -Perform Safety Check -Runmotor and observe for any wobble, abnormal sound orroughness. -Inspect motormount and fasteners to ensure tight and secure. -Inspect fuselage for any cracks or abnormalities. -Inspect main wing, vertical and horizontal stabilizers for cracks orwarps -Inspect all control linkages and connectors. -Inspect all surface hinges for cracks ortears -Replace mainwing rubber bands.
Page 

## 1 of2

### Appendix E 

# -Inspect condition and voltage ofPIC controller and controllerbattery Annually or every 300 hours offlight (whichever comes first) -Inspectmotor mount -Replace motor -Replace propeller -Replace all flight battery sets -Replace PIC controllerbattery -Inspect and clean all electrical connections -Check for firmware update -Recalibrate magnetometer -Inspect all control linkages and connectors -Replace main wing rubber bands -Perform Safety Check -Inspectmain wing, vertical, and horizontal stabilizers for cracks or warps -Inspect all surface hinges for cracks ortears -Inspect all movable surfaces for wear

Page 

## 2 

## of2

### Appendix E 

# Aero-M Flight Maintenance Procedures

## Appendix E 

# Aero-M 10 hour/30 Day Maintenance Procedures

Inspect fuselage for any cracks or abnormalities 

## Ins

Perform Safety Check

## Appendix E 

# Aero-M Annual/300 HOUR Maintenance Procedures

Replace all flight battery sets Replace P1C**controll~rbattery** 

## Inspect and clean all electrical connections

Perform safety check

### · ..

### ~ )> '0 '0 ('!) ::J 

## c.. 

## :;c· 'T1