10913 Dee Dee Ave Bakersfield, CA 93312 

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Motion Picture and Television 

Operations Manual (MPTOM)

Prepared by 

Milton Amaya 

XO Innovations 

June 22, 2015 

Rev 1.0
10913 Dee Dee Ave Bakersfield, CA 93312 

www.xoinnovations.com 

Table of Contents 

A. Purpose 

B. Definitions 

C. Mission Statement 

D. Privacy 

E. Organization 

F. (MPTOM) Operations Manual 

G. Persons Authorized 

H. Plan of Activities 

I. Permission to Operate 

J. Flight Boundaries 

K. Security 

L. Briefing of Pilot/Production Personnel 

M. Communications 

N. Accident Notification 

O. Recall/Stop Procedures 

P. Aerobatic Competency 

Q. Special Provisions 

R. Signature 
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A. Purpose 

This (MPTOM) manual has been developed by XO Innovations to comply with the 

requirement by the FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 8, Section 1. 

And for the purpose of filming. XO Innovations pilots and other company personnel will 

comply with the policies, procedures and conditions of this (MPTOM) manual, whenever 

motion picture or television flight operations are performed. 

Regarding Flight Operations please refer to the Unmanned Aircraft System Flight 

Operation Manual for details. 

B. Definitions 

MPTOM Motion Picture and Television Operations Manual 

ATC Air Traffic Control 

ATM Air Traffic Management 

CAR Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 

TSI Transport Safety Investigation Act 2013 

UA Unmanned Aircraft 

UAS Unmanned Aircraft System(s) 

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 

VLOS Visual Line of Sight 

COA (Certificate of Authorization) 

C. Mission Statement 

It shall be the mission of those personnel of XO Innovations who are trained in the use 

of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), to use this Motion Picture and Television 

Operations Manual (MPTOM), for Photo and video capturing. 

It shall be the intent of every XO Innovations UAS operator (PIC) to make reasonable 

effort to not invade a person's reasonable expectation of privacy when operating the 

UAS. 

When operating the UAS, XO Innovations will abide by all FAA Regulations for flight 

and receive the proper authorization for flight and obtain a (Private Pilot’s License). 
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D. Privacy 

All flights will occur over controlled access property with the property owner’s prior 

consent and knowledge. Image capture of people will take place, but they will have 

consented prior to being filmed or otherwise have agreed to be in the area where filming 

production will take place. 

UAS operators (PIC) and observers will ensure and will be held accountable for 

ensuring that operations of the UAS intrude to a minimal extent upon the property and 

people to accomplish this primary goal.

E. Organization 

XO Innovations 

10913 Dee Dee Ave 

Bakersfield, CA 93312 

F. (MPTOM) Operations Manual 

XO Innovations procedures contained in this (MPTOM) manual are issued by the Chief 

Executive Officer of XO Innovations. 

As such it is an official internal document of XO Innovations. 

This (MPTOM) manual is not intended to be all-inclusive, but as a supplement to other 

guidelines, Federal Aviation Administration regulations, aircraft manufacturers' approved 

flight manual, etc. 

(MPTOM) Manual has been written to address Motion Pictures and Television UAS 

operations as they existed when it was drafted. 

Equipment, personnel, environment (internal and external), etc., change over time. 

The management of change involves a systematic approach to monitoring 

organizational change and is a critical part of the risk management process. Given this, 

it is essential that this (MPTOM) manual be continually updated as necessary, the entire 

manual will be reviewed, at a minimum, annually to assure it is up to date. 

A copy of the (MPTOM) manual (electronic and/or paper) will be issued to every person 

having UAS responsibilities. 

G. Persons Authorized 
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The certificate holder shall ensure that no persons are allowed within 500 feet of the 

area except those consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming production. 

This provision may be reduced to no less than 200 feet if an equivalent level of safety 

can be achieved and the Administrator has approved it. 

H. Plan of Activities 

At least three (3) days prior to any scheduled filming, XO INNOVATIONS will submit a 

written plan of activities to the local FSDO having jurisdiction over that area. 

The plan of activities should include the following: 

1. Dates and times for all flights. 

2. Name and phone number of person responsible for the filming production 

event. 

3. Name and phone number of person responsible for aircraft. 

4. Make, model, and serial or N-number of aircraft to be used and type of 

airworthiness certificate, including category. 

5. Name and certificate number of pilots involved in the filming production event, 

including any notation of external load endorsements or aerobatic 

competency, if required. 

6. A statement that the waiver holder 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 from the waiver holder. 

7. Signature of waiver holder or representative. 

8. 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 

minimum altitudes essential to accomplish the operations. 

The three (3) day notification equipment may be waived, however, the operator should 

contact the FSDO as soon as possible with this request and be prepared to explain in 

detail why the three (3) day notification is not practical. 

I. Permission to Operate 

Before any flight operations is conducted at less than 400 feet under the provisions of 

the certificate of waiver and this manual, the operator will obtain permission to conduct 

these operations from property owners and local officials as necessary or appropriate. 
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Persons from whom permission may be required are listed below: 

1. Property owners 

2. Law enforcement officials 

3. Fire department officials 

4. Local, State and Federal government 

5. Air traffic control 

XO INNOVATIONS personnel obtaining such permission will do so in writing whenever 

practical, however, verbal recorded permission is acceptable otherwise. 

XO INNOVATIONS personnel will assure a sufficient number of those forms are 

available at the job site. Written permission forms will be maintained at the job site until 

flight operations are completed, and then turned into the chief pilot to be kept on file for 

a minimum of six (6) months. 

These forms will be made available for inspection by the FAA or other official personnel 

upon request. 

J. Flight Boundaries 

Although there may be requests for filming outside the certificate of authorization, XO 

Innovation is committed to stay within the COA FAA boundaries so a UAS deployment 

will be declaim. 

At no time shall UAS be granted outside the FAA COA. 

Information regarding flight boundaries can be found in the FAA COA and the use of the 

VFR Terminal Area Chart. 

Maximum altitude shall not be set more than 400' per the FAA COA. 

K. Security 

Prior to any flight operation the operator will coordinate with appropriate production 

personnel to devise a plan of securing the area(s) of operation from all unauthorized 

persons and vehicles. Provisions will be made to immediately discontinue operations 

should the area(s) become unsecured or for any other reason in the interest of safety. 

L. Briefing of Pilot/Production Personnel 
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Prior to the start of any operation under the provisions of this manual, the pilot in 

Command will conduct a briefing of all procedures to participating personnel of the risks 

involved, emergency procedures, and safeguards to be followed during the filming 

production event. Personnel will also be briefed on additional provisions that may be 

issued by the FSDO that has geographic responsibility for the operational area, 

including the location of boundaries or time limits. 

The briefing shall cover: 

In the event the operation to be conducted contains elements of an external-load 

operation, whether fixed or rotary wing operations, pilots used in the operation shall be 

qualified. This qualification may be obtained through a knowledge test (which may be 

oral and/written) and/or skill. 

The inspector or another company pilot approved by the geographically 

responsible FSDO who is qualified to carry loads externally will give the test(s) which 

are similar to part 133 requirements and cover the following subjects: 

1. Steps to be taken before starting operations, including a survey of the Flight 

area. 

2. Proper method of loading, rigging, or attaching the external load. 

3. Aircraft performance capabilities under motion picture operating procedures and 

the aircraft flight manual. 

4. Proper instructions for flight and ground crew personnel. 

5. Aircraft flight manual, pilot operations handbook, or a rotorcraft-load combination 

flight manual and limitations, if appropriate. 

M. Communications 

Prior to the start of any operation covered by this manual, the pilot in command will 

formulate a plan to provide communications capability to all participants during the 

actual operation and filming. 

Oral, visual or radio communications may be used as long as it is effective and is 

capable of keeping the participants continuously appraised of the current status of the 

operation. 

N. Accident Notification 

Should an accident or incident requiring notification of the NTSB occur, the notification 

requirements of FAR Part 830 would comply and Flight Operation Manual will be fallow. 

O. Recall/Stop Procedures 
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Radio communication, oral, visual or a combination will be utilized to keep the 

participants continuously apprised of the current status of operation. 

P. Aerobatic Competency 

If the filming operations require the issuance of FAA Form 8710-7, Statement of 

Aerobatic Competency, refer to Volume 5, Chapter 9, Issue/Renew/Rescind a 

Statement of Aerobatic Competency. 

Q. Special Provisions 

The controls, procedures, and conditions set forth in the XO INNOVATIONS motion 

picture and television operations manual is the primary assurance that persons on the 

surface will not be jeopardized. 

The aircraft and pilots used under this authorization and/or waiver will only be those 

specified in the XO INNOVATIONS motion picture and television operations manual. 

R. Signature 

All XO Innovations employed or contracted by XO Innovations must sign this sheet as 

evidence of having read, understood and agreed to apply the procedures and data 

contained in this Motion Picture and Television Operations Manual (MPTOM). 

If this manual is reissued or revised they must resign, acknowledging review of the 

revision. 

Name: 

__________________________________________________________________ 

Signature: _____________________ 

Date: ________________________