PAGE 1 OF 3 (Revision 01/14/2013 ) A M A Document # 56 0



### Acade m y of M odel Aer o nau t i c s

AMA A d va n ce d Flight S ys t em s C o mmit te e

amaflights y st e ms@ g mail.com

Ra di o Controlled Model A ircraft Operation

Utilizing Fail s afe, Stabilization and A utopilot S y stems

1

. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

Please refer to Page 3, section 7 w hich con t a i ns an alphabetical list i n g of the d e finitions of the

terms in italics that are used in this docu m ent.

2

. G ENER A L:

All model aircraft fligh t s utili z ing stabilization and autopil ot cont r ol s y stems must be conducted

in accor d ance w ith AMA’s current Na t i onal M odel Aircraft S a fet y Code and an y addit i onal r ules

spec i fic to a fl y ing site / l oca t i o n

.

3

. OPER A TIONS

– REQUIREMENTS

– LI M IT A TIONS:



### a ) AMA members flying radio controlled model aircra f t equipped with f light stabili z

ation and

autopi l ot systems must maintai n VLOS w ith the aircr a ft at all t i m e s including program m ed

autopilot w a y point f l i g ht.



### b ) AMA Pilot s must be able to instantaneously deactivate pr o grammed flight of autopi lo t

sys t e m s at any time during flight and resume manual contro l o f the model aircra f t.



### c) AMA Pil o ts must perform an R/C Test Flight of a model aircraft before acti v ating a n e w ly

in s talle d autopilo t o r stabili z

ation system and/or after any repair s or replacement o f m odel

aircraft essential flig h t sys t e m s

.



### d ) Model aircraft exceeding 1 5 lbs and/or 70mph may only u se an autopilot for a pr og rammed

“return to launch” (RTL) flight and not for programmed waypoint flying o f a pred e termi n ed

c ourse.



### e) STABILI Z ATION & AUTOPIL O T SYS T EM S MAY B E USED FOR/ T O :

• Stabilization/automatically stabilize aircraft to level flight when control sticks are centered.

• Recovery/activate TRX switch to recover an out of control aircraft to level f light.

• Heading/activate TRX switch to hold a model aircraft’s h e ading f o r p rec i s i on fl i g h t pa t h

.

• Altitude/activate TRX switch to maintain f ixed aircraft altitude w hile allowing directiona l con t rol.

• Return GPS/activate TRX switch to return a ircraft v ia GPS t o launch po i nt.

• Return FSS/failsa f e activated f rom r adio s i gnal loss to return air c r a ft v ia GPS to launc h point.

• Fixed circle/activate TRX switch to circle aircraft at point of activation at fixed altitude.

• Waypoint/activate TRX switch to initiate an a u topilot programmed flight path via w a y p o ints.

• Fencing/autopilot programed to display site unique boundaries on video monitor/goggles.PAGE 2 OF 3 (Revision 01/14/2013 ) 4

. R A NGE

– A LTITUDE

– WE I GHT

– S P E ED:

a) One of the requirements in Federal Law (Public Law 11 2

- 95 Sec 336 (c) (2) February 14,

2012) for model aircraft to be e x cluded fr o m F AA regulati o ns is t h at model aircr a ft be

f l o w n w ithin V L O S of the operator

.

b) Model aircraft must be flown at or below 400 feet AGL when within 3 mile s o f an airport as

s t ated in t he AMA Safet y Cod e

.

c) Model aircraft utilizing an autopi l ot for w aypoint fl y ing are limited to a ma x imu m w ei g ht

(including fuel, batteries

, an d o nbo a rd autopilot systems ) o f 15lbs and a spee d o f

70mp h

.

5

. RECOMMEND A TIONS & INFORM A TION:

a) If your radio s y stem lacks failsafe capability, consider using programm a ble di g ital ser v os or

au x iliar y fails a f e mo d ules. In the event of a radio signal failur e the s e components w ill

activate desired safe servo settings or an autopilo t for retur n to ba s e/launch (RTL).

b) W hen using an a utopilot system the “return to launch” ( R TL) featu r e should b e

program m ed to return the aircr a ft to a safe lo c ation and safel y term in ate the flight s hou l d

manual control of the aircraft be lost. When using RTL, pa y particular attention to the

manufa c turer’s thr o ttle recommendations to pre v ent stalling.

c) The use of stabili z

ation syste m s is recommended when flying FPV to i mprove flight

stabilit y and v ideo qua l it y

.

d) Pilots usually choose to incorporate stabi l i z

ation and autopilo t s y

ste m s for model a irc ra ft

fl y ing to enhance flight pe r for m an c e, correc t bad t endencies of t he model aircraf t

, maintain stabilit y in w i nd y w eather, establish precision heading holds for

takeoffs/landings, flight training for novice pilots, cre a te a steady f light plat f orm for

ca m eras, and general ly just to m ake an airp l ane easier and safer to fl y

.

e) W hen purchasing stabili z

ation and autopilot syste m s , always try to select quality equipment

f rom reputable dealers, ensure for co m patibility with other onboard systems, and install

co m ponents accordin g to m anufacturers’ instructio n s

.

6

. PRIV A CY PROTE C TION S A FEGU A RDS:

The u s e of ima g ing technology for aerial surveillance with radio control model aircra f t

having the capability of obtaining high

- resolution photograph s and/or v ideo, or using any

types of sen s or s , for the collection, retention, or dissemination of sur v eillance data or

information on individuals, homes, businesses, or p r opert y at locations where there is

a reasonable expectation of privacy is strictly prohibited by the AMA unless written

expressed permis s ion is obtained f r om the individual propert y o w ners or m a na g ers

.PAGE 3 OF 3 (Revision 0 7 / 20 /2013 ) 7

. D EFINITION S O F TERM S :

**A M**  **A Pilot** is an AMA member w ho is capabl e of manuall y operating an R/C tran s mitter to

control a model aircraft’s flight path within its safe intended flight envelope w ithou t losi n g

control or ha v ing a col l is i on.

**Autopilot Sy s**  **tem s**  i n c o r p o r a t e p r o g r a m m a b l e f li g h t s t a b il i z

a t i o n w i t h a n a l t i t ud e s e n s o r a n d

a G P S r e c e i v e r f o r a c c u ra t e p o s i ti o n i n g an d to n a v i g at e / c o n t r o l a r ad i o c o n t r ol le d m o de l

a ir c r a ft ’ s f l ig h t pa t h

. A d v anc e d s y st e m s o f f e r s o ft w a r e fo r e n t e r i n g n a v i g ab l e w a y po i n t s

. T h e

f l i g h t d a t a w a y po i n t s m a y b e s a v e d t o a u t op i l o t ’ s / G P S m e mo r y fo r p r og r a mm e d f l i g h t.

**Essential Flight System s**  a r e any systems or components necessar y to mai n tain

stable flight w ithin a model ai r craft’s flight envelope

. (This includes primar y R/C s y stems

and any stabili z

ation or g y ros required to maintain s t abilit y and heading in c ertain

types of model aircraft that would be uncontrollable/unstable without their use).

**Failsafe S ystems**  are designed to minimize or prevent damage and sa f ely terminate a

flight when a radio controlled model aircraft loses radi o signal. Modern r a dio s y st e ms c a n

be programmed to position servos to a desired control setting in the event of radio signal

failure.

**First Person Vie w**  **(FP V**  **)** refers to the operation of a radio co n trolled (R/C) m o del aircraft

us i ng an onboard camera’s cockpit view to orient and control the a i r c r aft. ( A M A Docu m e nt

#550).

**Flight Envelope** is defined as the range of airspeeds, attitudes and flight ma n eu v ers which

a model aircraft can safel y pe r fo r m/opera t e for its i n tended u s e.

**Non**

**- Essentia**  **l Fl**  **i gh**  **t Systems**  are any systems or components that are not ne c essa r y to

maintain stable flight within the model aircraft’s intended flight en v elope

. (This inclu d e s

autopilot o r stabilization sy s te m s that can be activated and deactivated in flight by the p i lot

w ithout affecting manuall y controlled stab l e flight).

**R/C T**  **est Flight** r eq uires an AMA Pilot to manuall y operate an R /C tran s mitter t o contr o l

a model aircraft’s flight path and determi n e i f the aircraft is cap a ble o f maintaini ng stable

flight within its sa f e intended flight envelop e

.

**Stabilization System**  **s** a r e designed to maintain intended m o d el ai r craft flight attitudes.

The pilot can install, program and/or activate a system to stabilize yaw, pitch, o r roll or any

one atti t ude or c o mbination of a t titudes. Systems are often based o n rate/heading hold

gyros or inertial motion sensors utilizing multi

- a x is gyros and ac c elerometers for

atti t u de s tabili z ation.

**V**

**isua l**  **Line of S**  **i g**  **ht (V**  **LOS )**  is the distance at which the pilot is able to maintain v isual

contact w ith the aircraft and dete r mine its orientation and attitude without enhan c ements

other than corrective len s es.