Aircraft Operations Check List

Alfred Gates

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© Alfred A. Gates, 2014

Operating Procedures
Check List, Documents, Example 

Chameleon Pro Quadrotor

Flight Near New Haven Airport 

• NOTAM in place 72 to 48hrs prior to flight

• New Haven tower phone number

• Location of where you will be flying with respect to 

New Haven tower. This does not have to be exact. 

(example 12 nautical miles North East)

• Check list for Chameleon Pro

• COA document

• Copy of FAA written test score and date or pilot license

• Copy or original class II medical

• Short check list

Operating Procedures 2
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The Chameleon Pro or Chameleon Pro X is not authorized to fly over people, 

public areas, road ways, boat traffic areas or any other areas which involve flight 

over privet property and people.

Equipment

 Takeoff and landing mat 

 Chameleon Pro quadrotor

 Pilot and observer transmitters

 Video receiver and screen or goggles

 Ground control station computer

 Battery cell tester

 Tools

 Sun glasses

 Safety vests, hard hat

 VHF radio as necessary

 Quadrotor Logbook: Flights must be recorded in the flight logbook

Operating Procecures
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Documents

• Pilot; Current class II medical and test score from PVT pilots 

exam or pilots license

• Observer; Current class II medical

• Quadrotor; Registration and airworthiness documents

Contact Information

• NOTAM is active

• Contact airspace controlling authority (as necessary)

• Provide your name phone number

• Location of flight operations

• Time for start and finish time

• Maximum altitude, AGL

• Have the phone number of the nearest airspace controlling 

authority in case of a lost link or other emergency and or VHF 

radio tuned to the proper frequency

Operating Procecures
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Chameleon Preflight Procedure

Takeoff and Landing Site

• Takeoff and landing site secure

• Takeoff and landing mat down (Required for takeoff and landing from surfaces other than paved, paved 

surfaces must be clean and clear of sand and small particles. The debris can damage the motors and 

electronics)

Chameleon Quadrotor Aircraft

• Fully charged flight pack maximum allowed cell voltage difference .01 V

• Autopilot secure on vibration isolation mounts

• GPS secure

• Receiver secure

• Data radio secure

• Video transmitter secure

• Camera secure and camera battery charged

• Secure battery in correct location for a balance aircraft

• CG correct 

• Arm bolts tight (check each flight)

• Motor bolts tight (check each flight)

• Landing gear bolts tight (check each flight)

• Check for cracks in frame, arms, landing gear, and camera mounts

• Check propellers for cracks and replace as necessary

• Propellers on correctly (See diagram in Chameleon Pro case)

• Propellers on tight (try to turn propellers while holding the motors. Check each flight)

• Motor spring clip check (Pull up on propeller, if the propeller and motor case moves up the shaft spring 

clip may be damage or disconnected. Replace motor or install a new clip. Check each flight)

Operating Procecures
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Chameleon Quadrotor Take off Procedure

• GSC on as necessary

• All switches in correct position on transmitters

• Transmitters on (Pilot and Observer transmitters)

• Battery voltage in transmitters above 9.5 volts

• Quadrotor aircraft battery connect on

• Establish link between GSC and quadrotor, as necessary

• Check quardorotor aircraft battery voltage on GSC

• Range check transmitter

• Video display acceptable on observer transmitter

• Wait for acceptable GPS signal

• Arm quadrotor

• Mode set to ALT or manual/stabilize

• Engage motors, start timer

• Slowly advance throttle (quadrotor should take off at less than half 

throttle)

Operating Procecures
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Chameleon In flight Procedure

• Control check in ALT mode (in a 4 foot or higher hover pitch, roll and yaw aircraft)

• Check position hold (Set mode to LTR, the aircraft should maintain position with in 

2 meteres and should not drift much. If the aircraft rotates in a circle, called toiled 

bowl effect, most likely the magnetic compass will require recalibration).

• Fly the quadrotor in LTR or ALT modes. Manual mode flight is not recommended.

• Flight around obstacles. Pilot maneuvers quadrotor with in proximity of obstacle 

followed by the observer advising the pilot by using the live video feed and by 

standing at a different position relative to the structure. 

• Flight near tree canopy. Anticipate turbulence and wind shear when approaching a 

tree canopy and be ready to switch flight modes from LTR to ALT. In extreme cases 

it may be necessary to switch to manual/stabilize mode. If switching to 

manual/stabilize mode it is recommended that the flight be terminated.

Operating Procecures
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Chameleon Emergency Procedure

• Loss of power (land quadrotor immediately)

• Unable to hover in LTR mode (switch modes to ATT or manual and check GPS signal 

strength)

• Loss of control (switch modes first to ATT second to /stabilize and land quadrotor

immediately)

• Fly away (note altitude, direction of flight and check timer. Contact airspace controlling 

authority and tell them altitude, direction of flight and remaining flight time)

• Transmitter beeps (Quadrotor approaching range limit. Fly aircraft closer)

• Flight out of range (Quadrotor should return to land)

• Low voltage less than 10.4 volts. Quadrotor will return and land.

• Aircraft is being blown out of view. (Switch modes first ATT or Manual and fly back to 

starting point).

Chameleon Landing Procedure

• Observer advised pilot around obstacles, structures

• Pilot or observer informs nearby people of landing

• At a 6 foot or higher hover switch modes to ATT or manual/stabilize (near the ground and 

obstacles the GPS signal strength can become weak)

Operating Procecures
Quick Reference Check List

• Do not get over loaded with too many check 

list

• Develop short check list for preflight 

• Take off

• In flight

• landing

Operating Procecures 9
Emergency: Switch S1 to center position 2/ Non 

GPS, LAND AIRCRAFT

Aircraft fly's up and away

Call New Haven Tower: (Phone Number Here) 

Report:

Your location

Direction of aircraft flying. Altitude of aircraft

Remaining time of battery

Normal Takeoff

Position the quadcopter for takeoff

Preflight Check List Complete

Switches S2 and S1 in top position

(Warning this requires a good GPS signal)

Turn on transmitter TX

Turn on quadcopter 

Wait for; Green lights 

sufficient GPS for Hold

Arm-Motor

Move both stick to bottom corners

(Hold until blades are spinning)

Motor Engagement-Pickup

Motors running

Throttle slowly increase

Lift off quadcopter to 4 to 6 feet

(The aircraft is in GPS hold)

Hover Check

Advance throttle for height to 4 to 6 feet hold 

Switch S1 in top position

Control Check 

(Fly quadcopter a few feet away 

Let go of sticks and check GPS hold 

(Slight movement, 1 to 2ft horz, may occur)

Yaw, Roll, Pitch movement CK

Flight

All flight should be performed in GPS Hold

Periodically check battery status. 

(Hold TX in quadcopter line of site)

Set Down

Position quadcopter in front at 4-6ft

Decide which mode to land the quadcopter

Slowly lower the quadcopter to landing

Keep the throttle at idle, all the way down, 

until the motors have stopped spinning plus 

4 seconds

Shutdown

Unplug quadcopter battery

Transmitter off

Camera, video TX and RX off

Check DJI phantom documentation to verify check list

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Sample

Operating Procecures