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Motion Picture and Television Operations Manual (MPTOM)

Unmanned Aerial System Operations

John Riley, (doing business as (dba)) Acair Video Productions

P.O Box 588, Blue Hill, Maine, USA 04614

seanriley@acairvideo.com

(207) 479-6368

Original Publication Date: 8/26/2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents – pg.2

Revisions - pg.3

1. UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS) PROCEDURES:

A. General Procedures, Limitations, and Responsibilities Overview - pg.4

B. Pilot/Owner/Operator Organization - pg.4

C. Persons Authorized - pg.4

D. Area of Operations - pg.5

E. Plan of Activities - pg.5

F. Permission to Operate - pg.5

G. Security - pg.6 

H. Briefing of Pilot/Production Personnel - pg.6

I. Certification/Airworthiness - pg.7

J. Pilot Personnel/Minimum Requirements - pg.8

K. Communications - pg.8 

L. Accident Notification - pg.8

M. Recall/Stop Procedures - pg.8

N. Special Provisions - pg.8 

2. Duties and Responsibilities:

A. Owner/Operator - pg.10

B. Pilot in Command - pg.10 

Appendix A 

1 List of Approved Pilots - pg.11

2 List of Approved Aircraft - pg.12 

3 Permission Form (sample) - pg.13

4 Revision Memo (sample) - pg.14

Appendix B 

Check List (Briefing and Pre-flight) - pg.15 –

Latest COA and Exemption No.12439 issued to John Riley (attachment)
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Revisions:

A copy of the latest revision page along with any revised pages will be sent to the appropriate 

Flight Safety District Office (FSDO) with the original MPTOM to ensure an up to date MPTOM

has been given to appropriate FAA authorities. Revision dates listed below should ensure all 

copies are up to date. Revisions should include revision description, revision number, page 

number, and date of revision. Be advised that a page may have more than one revision and 

revision number associated with that page.

REVISIONS

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1. UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS) PROCEDURES

A. General Procedures, Limitations, and Responsibilities Overview:

This manual has been developed by John Riley, doing business as Acair Video Productions, 

hereafter referred to as Acair Video Productions. This manual will be used in conjunction with a 

Certificate of Authorization (FAA FORM 7711-1 UAS COA) with the provisions of commercial 

use of battery powered rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for the purposes of Video 

Productions for the Motion Picture and Television industries. When John Riley is under contract 

with another parent motion picture production company, parent television production company

or parent advertising company, certain responsibilities will be relegated to that production 

company (such as hiring Visual Observers (VO), obtaining permission of property owners or 

local authorities to conduct UAS operations, etc,). Under no circumstances will any part of the 

exemption, limitations, or procedures granted John Riley by the COA, be over-ruled, changed, 

superseded, or permanently relegated to the parent motion picture or parent television company. 

The COA and the associated waivers, exemptions, and limitations must be complied with by the 

parent company. Acair Video Productions’ pilots and other parent company personnel when 

applicable will comply with the policies, procedures and conditions of this manual, whenever 

motion picture or television flight operations are performed that require the COA as mentioned 

above. All operations will be conducted with UAS aircraft permitted by the COA. No 

operations will be conducted with passenger carrying aircraft unless those aircraft are subject 

aircraft and are not in-flight or in motion by any means. UAS aircraft could be simultaneously

subject aircraft as well as behind the scenes aircraft. When multiple UAS aircraft are utilized in 

one scene each aircraft will have its own designated operating area within the secured filming 

area with no overlaps.

B. Pilot/Owner/Operator Organization:

John Riley, dba

Acair Video Productions

P.O Box 588, Blue Hill, Maine, USA 04614

seanriley@acairvideo.com

(207) 479-6368

C. Persons Authorized:

FAR 91.119 (c) is waived only with respect to those persons, vehicles and structures directly

involved in the performance of the actual filming. 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 production. This provision may be reduced to no less than 200 feet if an 
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equivalent level of safety can be achieved and the Administrator has approved it. For example, 

an equivalent level of safety may be determined by an Aviation Safety Inspector’s (ASI)

evaluation of the filming production area to note terrain features, obstructions, buildings, etc.

D. Area of Operations:

Acair Video Productions’ approved area of operations will be all of the United States, its

possessions, and its territories.

E. Plan of Activities:

At least three (3) days prior to any scheduled filming Acair Video Productions will submit a 

written plan of activities to the local FSDO having jurisdiction over that area. The three (3) day

notification requirements may be waived and 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. 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 number of UAS aircraft to be used.

(5) Name and certificate number of pilots (if required) involved in the filming production event.

(6) A statement that the waiver holder or parent production company 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. 

F. Permission to Operate:

Before any UAS flight operation is conducted on private property or controlled access property 

under the provisions of the COA and this manual, the operator will obtain permission to conduct 

these operations from property owners and government officials as necessary or appropriate. 

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 
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Acair Video Productions or the parent production company obtaining such permission will do so 

in writing whenever practical; however, voice message, text, or email permission from the 

responsible authority is acceptable when a change in venue or time considerations make this 

necessary. A standard permission form is provided in Appendix A and may be used when 

obtaining written permission. Acair Video Productions personnel will make available a number 

of such forms at the job site. Completed permission forms will be maintained at the job site until 

flight operations are concluded, and then kept on file for a minimum of twelve (12) months at

Acair Video Productions’ base of operations. These forms will be made available for inspection 

by the FAA or other official personnel upon request. 

G. 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. 

Provision will be made to immediately discontinue operations should the area(s) become 

unsecured or for any other reason in the interest of safety. 

H. Briefing:

Briefing of production personnel prior to the start of any operation under the provisions of this 

manual will be conducted by the chief pilot in command/operator. The briefing should include 

the risks involved, emergency procedures, and safeguards to be followed during the aerial part of 

the production. 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 will cover:

(1) Certificate of Authorization (COA), exemptions, and the provisions for motion picture and 

television production.

(2) Operations manual (MPTOM) procedures.

(3) Plan of aviation activities to be conducted during the filming production.

(4) Aircraft starting point(s) and operations area boundaries.

(5) Allowed personnel in the operations area.

(6) Allowed radio communications and the potential radio, cell phone, and computer interference 

considerations. 

(7) Takeoff and landing procedures.

(8) Recall, automatic landing functions/procedures, delays, and emergency procedures.

(9) Risks to participating personnel.

(10) How to control nonparticipating persons.

(11) Weather forecast safety: wind, temperature, potential lightning, rain or flooding, etc.

(12) Camera director’s or cinematographer’s set-up considerations especially affecting the UAS 

configuration or the timing of the flights.

(13) Lighting, rigging, ground crew and camera location considerations.
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(14) Unwanted artifacts in the aerial shots.

(15) Matting considerations.

(16) Altitude maximum and minimum needs with respect to ground, overhead wires and rigging,

tree, and vehicle clearance considerations, legal safety requirements, and cinematography

considerations.

(17) Actors, ground crew, vehicles, and ground equipment positioning.

(18) UAS camera/pilot point of view (POV) considerations with respect to collision hazards.

(19) Weight of camera and lenses.

(20) Battery recharging station and charging time considerations.

(21) Camera memory cards and copy/erase station (data wrangling).

(22) Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) and use of Visual Observers (VO) considerations.

(23) Site security.

(24) Liability insurance requirements.

(25) Government officials on site, their needs, positioning, liaisons, etc.

(26) Videography considerations with UAS flight motions: stationary, forward or backward 

motion, fly by, altitude change, each of the previous motions with camera pan or other camera 

motions.

(27) Coordination with ground personnel discussion: flights are limited to 20 minutes or 30% of 

battery power, whichever occurs first, multiple shots can occur in that time frame. Operations 

can continue with a ground crew handling data copying from the camera’s removable memory, 

extra battery charging, and initial review of the previous flights video for feedback to the pilot 

and the director of cinematography. Take off and landing platforms, wind breaks and security 

barriers, if needed, are set up as planned. Pre-flight routine can continue as soon as the director 

has set up the next shot. Prior to each flight, a zero altitude initiation point will be established 

and confirmed for accuracy by the pilot, as well as GPS acquisition by the UAS (6 satellites 

minimum).

I. Certification/Airworthiness:

All Acair Video Productions aircraft used in filming and video operations will be UAS permitted 

aircraft listed in the COA with their own approved maintenance and operating procedures. All 

aircraft will have a serial number and shared operations logbook with the appropriate serial 

number in lieu of a certificate number or N designation. A section for malfunctions is also found 

in the flight log. The pilot in command will assure the aircraft to be flown is in airworthy 

condition and all required inspections and maintenance has been completed before each flight. 

Maintenance requirements will be adhered to by the operator on an as needed process. The 

operator will follow any manufacturers’ recommended instructions and procedures when those 

maintenance procedures exist for certain components of its UAS.
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J. Pilot Personnel - Minimum Requirements:

The pilot/operator shall establish and specify the minimum pilot requirements for UAS 

operations. Minimum requirements shall meet or exceed the following: (1) The PIC must hold an 

FAA airman certificate and/or a pilot medical certificate or driver’s license to be used under the 

terms of the waiver (if needed). (2) At least 100 hours logged in category of UAS (rotorcraft) as 

PIC and at least 20 hours logged as the PIC in the UAS aircraft type.

K. 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 apprised of the current status of the operation.

The pilot will monitor air traffic when needed through an FCC approved portable transceiver and 

headset/ microphone combination capable of communication with control towers and manned 

aircraft in the vicinity of the operations area.

L. Accident Notification:

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

requirements of FAR Part 830 would comply. 

M. Recall/Stop Procedures:

Radio communication, oral, visual or a combination will be utilized to keep the participants 

continuously apprised of the current status of operation. 

N. Additional Provisions:

(1) The procedures, limitations, and responsibilities set forth in the Acair Video Production’s

MPTOM are 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 

Acair Video Production’s MPTOM (Appendix A) or associated plan of activities. Each pilot’s 

name and certificate number shall appear on each daily plan of activity. All civil aircraft and 

pilot(s) participating in the activity shall be available for FAA inspection before the scheduled 

event. Each pilot-in-command conducting operations authorized under this certificate 

understands the conditions of issuance, and that it constitutes a waiver of FAR 91.119 (b) and 

(c). 

(2) UAS takeoff and landing areas will be protected in a manner that will prevent unauthorized 

persons from entering the takeoff and landing areas. Production security personnel will be 

responsible for securing the takeoff and landing areas. 
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(3) The UAS batteries are self monitored for safe usage, overheating, and UAS return to starting 

point activation during operations when discharged to 30% (immediate automatic landing if 

discharged to 15%). The UAS and its charging system will alert the pilot when the batteries 

cannot be safely charged and then be disposed of in a proper manner. Flight control software will 

be constantly updated as required and will provide feedback to the manufacturer for 

maintenance, design, and safety updating.
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2. Duties and Responsibilities:

A. Owner/Operator Duties and Responsibilities:

(1) Have the final word in the formulation of policy and procedures concerning this manual.

(2) Act as liaison between Acair Video Productions and the FAA on matters concerning this 

manual.

(3) Assure that each approved pilot is issued a copy of this manual and obtain a signed statement 

from each that they have read and understood its contents. 

(4) Maintain a current copy of this manual at the main base of operations for Acair Video 

Productions.

(5) Be responsible for assuring that all revisions to this manual are distributed and processed 

properly.

(6) Must approve or disapprove each proposed job or operation performed by Acair Video 

Productions under the provisions of this manual. 

(7) Assume the responsibilities of pilot in command when acting as such.

(8) May delegate functions to other personnel but retain responsibility. 

B. Pilot in Command Duties and Responsibilities:

(1) Assure that rotorcraft to be flown is in airworthy condition and all inspections and required 

maintenance have been performed as per the appropriate manufacturer’s operating manual.

(2) Acquire permission from the chief pilot before any operation under the provisions of this 

manual. 

(3) PIC must be knowledgeable of the contents of this manual and abide by the procedures, 

policies and conditions contained herein.

(4) Coordinate with movie and television personnel to formulate plans, routes, locations, etc. 

with safety of all persons involved in the primary concern.

(5) Maintain a copy of this manual in current condition and have it on site at any job or operation 

requiring the waiver.

(6) The pilot in command may delegate functions to other personnel, but retains responsibility. 
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Appendix A

(1) List of Approved Pilots:

Chief Pilot Name: John Riley, Certificate Number: 2724685, Contact Number: (207) 479-6368

Pilot 1 Name: , Certificate Number: , Contact Number:

Pilot 2 Name: , Certificate Number: , Contact Number:
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Appendix A

(2) List of Approved Aircraft (with approved specifications and operation/maintenance 

manuals):

(1) DJI Phantom 2 + (approved by Exemption No.12439).

(2) DJI Inspire (approved by Exemption No.12439).

(3)Aeronavics Skyjib 8 (approved by Exemption No.12439).
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Appendix A

(3) Sample Permission Form:

Acair Video Productions

Permission Form

In signing this form, I am giving the pilots of Acair Video Productions Permission to operate 

their aircraft on, or at less than 500 feet from the property listed below, or in some jurisdiction in 

which I am responsible for or affiliated with, on the dates listed below, for the purpose of film or 

television production.

Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Title: ________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Location: _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) of Operation: ___________________________________________________________

Signature ____________________________________________Date: ____________________

Acair Video Productions Representative Receiving Permission: 

_____________________________________________________________________________

This form must be returned to the Acair Video Productions Representative no later than this 

Date: _________________________
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(4) Revision Letter (sample)

Revisions to Acair Video Productions MPTOM

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Pages Revised: 

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Issued To: ___________________________________ Date: ____________________________

Revised By: _________________________________ Date: _____________________________ 
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CHECK LIST FOR BRIEFING AND/OR AERIAL PRODUCTION PLANNING

(1) The current copy of the COA must be on site and its provisions followed accordingly.

(2) The MPTOM manual must be available and its procedures utilized.

(3) Aviation activities to be conducted during the production must be planned and documented.

(4) Aircraft starting point(s) and operations area boundaries identified and planned.

(5) Designation of allowed personnel in the secure operations area.

(6) Allowed radio communications and the additional potential of radio, cell phone, and 

computer interference considered and eliminated. 

(7) Takeoff and landing procedures planned and reviewed. 

(8) Automatic landing functions / procedures, delays, and emergency procedures discussed.

(9) Risks to participating personnel discussed.

(10) Control of nonparticipating persons planned.

(11) Weather safety considerations used in go/no go planning: wind, temperature, potential 

lightning, rain or flooding, etc.. 

(12) The camera director’s or cinematographer’s plans and/or changes to the plans reviewed.

(13) Lighting considerations planned.

(14) Unwanted artifacts in the shots considered.

(15) Matting considerations planned.

(16) Operating altitudes (max and min) with respect to ground, wires, tree, and vehicle clearance 

considerations, legal requirements, and cinematography considerations calculated and planned.

(17) Actors, ground crew, vehicles, and ground equipment positioning.

(18) Camera/pilot Point of View (POV) considerations with respect to collision hazards.

(19) Weight of camera and lenses planned.

(20) Battery recharging station and charging time considerations.

(21) Camera memory cards and copy/erase station (data wrangling) planned.

(22) Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) considerations planned.

(23) Site security planned.

(24) Liability insurance requirements met.

(25) Government officials on site, their needs, positioning, and liaisons are provided for.

(26) Videography considerations planned with director of cinematography.

(27) Shot coordination with ground personnel: Timing of each flight is limited to 20 minutes or 

30% of battery power, whichever occurs first, multiple shots can be conducted in that time 

frame. Flight operations can continue with a ground crew handling data copying, extra battery

charging, and initial review of the previous flight’s video for feedback/planning for the pilot and 

the director of cinematography. Take off and landing platforms, wind breaks and security 

barriers, if needed, are set up as planned. Pre-flight routine can continue as soon as the director 

has set up the next shot. Prior to each flight, a zero altitude initiation point will be established 

and confirmed for accuracy by the pilot, as well as GPS acquisition by the UAS (6 satellites 

minimum).