## PILOT OPERATION HANDBOOK

MR14 This book is offered in a format so that pilots can customize the checklists to their exact needs. Keep the required log books regarding the following : 1)Pilot Log book 2)Aircraft Log book 3)Aircraft maintenance log and updates 4)Battery log book (date in service, voltage, mAh v s time) Print out and make readily available the error mess age legend of various lashing lights for the specific flight controller. Refer to emergency procedures Section #3 

## Aircraft specs / Performance Max Takeoff Weight: 55 lbs Empty Weight: 11.8 lbs Useful Load: 40 lbs Battery Weight X 2 : 4.25 lbs each Flight load/ Flight : (16000 mAh X2) 7.5 lbs load =25 Min (20% reserve ) 12.5 lbs load =21 Min (20% reserve ) 17.5 lbs load =17 Min (20% reserve ) 20.0 lbs load =15 Min (20% reserve ) Flight times are reference only. Must have high C r ating to achieve posted flight time. You may get longer or shorter flight times ba sed on weight, flying style, temperature and density altitude.

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

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## TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Section 1: Operating Check List • Section 2: Limitations • Section 3: Emergency Procedures • Section 4: Normal Procedures • Section 5: Performance • Section 6: Weight and Balance/Equipment List • Section 7: Air Vehicle and Systems Description • Section 8: Handling, Service and Maintenance 

## Section 1 Operating Checklist Before flight

• All screws/bolts are tight • Timer alarm for flight time to not exceed 80% batte ry capacity set properly • Batteries are secure • Antennas are secure • Props balanced • Props aligned • Props not chipped • Check blades, arms, etc. for cracks/damage • Wiring Tight • No excessive flexing of motors or booms • Booms/motors will not twist • Center of gravity is correct • Warning lights set for low battery if used • Batteries charged. Replace any battery which cycles below 80% of rated capacity

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708 www.hotgears.com

## PREFLIGHT

• Check area to fly on Google maps • Confirm walkie talkie and ATC coms operation • Inform ATC of your flight plan if required • Determine emergency flight plan and alternate landi ng zones avoiding power lines and obstacles • Check wind direction • Set a perimeter of 50-100 meters – area must be cle ar of people • All antennas installed and all pointing in correct directions • Remove lens cap / Clean lens • Camera On • Ensure camera has recording media installed. • Check battery voltage • Install battery on copter. • Ensure camera has recording media installed. • Check battery voltage • Install battery on copter. • Check CG • Level copter with front pointing in correct directi on for course lock – do not turn on • On Copter TX - Set switches - Throttle Down, Return to Home switch Off, Manual Flight Mode Switch On, Flight Path Switch O ff – Not Course or Home Lock • Copter Transmitter On • Check Model Selection on Tx • Check Tx battery voltage (above 7.4v) • On Photo Tx – set switches - HDMI switch Off, Frees tyle switch On • Photography Transmitter On • Check Model Selection on Tx • Check Tx battery voltage (above 7.4v) • Plug in battery black lead first. • Calibrate GPS/Compass if necessary • If calibrated, cycle battery with correct heading f or course lock. • Do not touch the Copter until 30 seconds after full GPS Lock. Initial 3 red blinks is normal meaning no GPS lock. Wait until no flas hes. Continue with checklist. • Check Copter Voltage from GCS • Engage Attitude Mode – Must Achieve Double Amber Fl ash

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com(refer to flight controller man.)

• Engage GPS Mode – Must Achieve Double Purple Flash (refer to flight controller man.) • While in GPS mode engage “Course Lock” mode. Must a chieve green Flash (refer to flight controller man.) • Do not engage motors. Set throttle to center positi on. Must achieve single amber flash in Attitude Mode and single purple fla sh in GPS mode (refer to flight controller man.) • Freestyle switch On (FPV Off) • Verify camera operation • Verify data link • Upload flight plan • Verify altitude is about 0 • Timers set properly 

## TAKEOFF

• Declare intentions for takeoff with ATC • Engage GPS mode – Double purple flash (refer to fli ght controller man.) • Engage Course Lock mode (double green flash) (refer to flight controller man.) • Announce loudly: “CLEAR PROP” • Advance throttle to 1⁄4 power for 5 seconds. Assure a ll motors are operating. • Verify that left/right and forward/back stick movem ent engages the proper motors • Verify data and video links are still operational • Announce loudly: “TAKING OFF” • Ascend to 3 meters. Center throttle stick. Should b e single green flash. Verify wireless link, GPS hold, camera operation, gauges, etc. are working properly. • Verify course lock is operational by rotating 90 de grees and pushing forward on stick. • Verify copter stability. If unstable, land and rese t gains, recalibrate, or retest as necessary. • Raise landing gear • Proceed with manual mission • For autopilot operation • Visual observer must monitor the informational LED

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

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## QUICK PREFLIGHT

• Landing zone clear • Level copter with correct heading • Battery 4.1+ full, 3.8 depleted • Camera on. record media check • Both TX – all switches down • Both TX on • Copter on • Check GPS and Course lock checks • Video check • Photo check • Timers ready • Takeoff • Raise Landing Gear • Unplug 6 batteries upon landing 

## LANDING CHECKLIST

• Landing area clear • Lower landing gear • Note obstacles in flight path • Announce loudly: “LANDING” • First cut power to the aircraft • Note elapsed time of flight • Adjust any parameters (camera servo speed, exponent ial, etc) • Turn power off to transmitters, camera, goggles, mo nitors, Rxs, etc. • Touch motors to verify temperatures are similar • Complete flight log

. 

## ERROR MESSAGES (refer to flight controller man.) • White flashes • IMU malfunction. Land and determine cause. Possibil ities: • GPS/Compass not pointing forward • IMU not pointing forward • Set up of X, Y, Z for location of IMU and Compass i s incorrect • Excessive rocking/instability possible causes:

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• Weak motor

• Structure flexing from fatigue or cracks • Motor mount • Main frame • Booms • Loose Bolts causing flexing or misalignment • Props • Mounts • Props out of balance • Props misaligned • Excessive wind speeds or gusts • Excessive Gains • Excessive motor power. Max motor power must a littl e more than typical ascent power. • Red Flashes (1, 2 or 3 flashes with pauses) – GPS l oss (3 is more serious). Land if loss lasts for more than 30 seconds. Poss ible causes: Clouds • Structures • GPS mal-function • GPS too close to electrical components • GPS vibration Time of Flight • Contact ATC 

## Section 2 Limitations

• AIRSPEED LIMITATIONS • Vne – Velocity to Never Exceed: 45 MPH • Va – Typical Maneuvering Speed – 25 MPH • POWER & POWERPLANT LIMITATIONS • 20 Amps max per motor • 50 Amps max per speed control (refer to specific ES C) • 320 Amps max total • Do not exceed 80-90% discharge of rated battery cap acity • Do not charge batteries which are warmer than air t emperature • Allow batteries to cool after use before charging

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• Leave an air gap between batteries when multiple ba tteries are used

simultaneously

• 

## WEIGHT LIMITS

• Takeoff Weight Max: 55 lbs CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS 

## MANEUVER LIMITS

• This aircraft is intended for non-aerobatic operati ons • G-loading maximum: 2G • TEMPERATURE LIMITS • Operating Temp Range: -10°C to +40°C • In cold temperatures • WEATHER LIMITS • Light dust and light rain require the use of a shie ld for the electronics in the center section. • Light dust and light rain are acceptable for the un shielded motor and ESC. 

## Section 3: Emergency Procedures

• MOTOR FAILURE • Operation is possible with one motor/ESC/propeller failure • The two adjacent motors/ESCs will be increased in t hrust automatically by the flight controller to overcome the loss • In cases where the airframe is highly loaded the ma ximum rating of max amps may be exceeded by these two motors/ESCs • Operation should be terminated as soon as possible to reduce the possibility of damage to the remaining motors

• COMMUNICATION FAILURE

• TX / RX Com failure

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• GPS hold/ return to land • Return to home mode( must be activated prior to tak e off)

• LOW BATTERY POWER • Fail-safes can be set such that in the event of low battery power, either due to a failure or too long of a flight, the warning light on the AV will constantly flash amber. This is the first level of warning. • The second warning level is red flashing lights • Auto landing will occur when battery power is low. It may land in a tree or a lake, so this is not desirable. • Landing with 20 % reserve battery • Do not mix partially charged batteries.

• GCS FAILURE • Takeover by the external pilot should happen ASAP u sing the RC link. • Most often happens due to a low battery. • Keep a spare 3 cell LiPo battery with the appropria te plug to plug into the charge jack for emergency use. Most chargers are 1 9V output which is roughly equivalent to a 4-cell battery. 3-cell batteries ma y work. • COMPASS CALIBRATION ERROR • If the compass is out of calibration the warning li ght will flash red. This is the same signal as low voltage. If the voltage is correct, there is a calibration error. • Recalibrate the compass following the instruction m anual • FIRE • Disconnect the battery ASAP. • Use a proper fire extinguisher to put out fires

• FORCED LANDINGS • If alternate emergency landing zones should be chos en ahead of time. • Be sure that the LZ is clear of people to avoid any incidents. • Land in the nearest LZ which is clear of people. • Announce your intentions of landing as loud as nece ssary to alert people of the incoming UAV.

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

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## Section 4

Normal Procedures

• Check motor temperatures by touching them with your fingers. Any motors which are excessively hot should be further inspected and po ssibly replaced. • Check battery temperatures by touching them with yo ur fingers. Battery temperatures should not be hot to the touch. Battery temperatures shou ld be slightly above ambient. • Inspect all components especially the propellers fo r wear. • Note in logbook which batteries were used to calcul ate life cycle. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT LOG BOOK (Can be purchased inexpens ively) • Keep a log of all flights. • Date • Time of Day • Time in Operation (in hours) • Battery serial numbers • Mah used in flight • Location • Pilot, Observer, Sensor Operator Names • Flight Objective • Remarks

• AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOG BOOK • Keep a log of significant inspections, tests, repai rs, alterations, equipment changes. • Date maintenance is performed • Accumulated hours of operation • Remarks

• PILOT LOG BOOK • Keep a log of all flights. Include the following: • Aircraft flown • Aircraft serial number • Date 16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708 www.hotgears.com• Time of Day

• Time in Operation (in hours) • Location • Flight Objective • Remarks 

## SECTION 5 PERFORMANCE

• FLIGHT TIMES • The UAV is designed to hover at high efficiency. Ho vering is much less efficient than flying on a wing, thus flight times are low compared to fixe d wing aircraft. • All the weight of the UAV is supported by power fro m the batteries. As the batteries are used in a flight, the amount of power available decreases. Therefore the power reserve is constantly decreasing as the battery is being used. Thus load ing a rotorcraft above its limit is not recommended. • High lateral speeds will add lift to slightly impro ve efficiency. The rotors act similar to fixed wings at higher speeds. This increase in efficienc y may be negated by the increased power consumption of forward flight. • High winds or gusts decrease efficiency/flight time . The motors work harder to hold position. • As weight increases flight times decrease.

• WIRELESS TRANSMISSION • Refer to the specific manuals for performance ratin gs. • Wireless communications utilized provide acceptable communication for LOS.

• In general: • LOS is required • The higher the GCS antennas, the better the range • Any freq. at may have severe degradation due to loc ation to other admitters such as cell towers

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) should b e monitored for indication of

communication drop out. 

## SECTION 6 WEIGHT AND BALANCE EQUIPMENT LIST

• CG • CG is critical to the efficient operation of any UA V • When components are shifted, the CG will be altered

. • The main components which are moved on a regular ba sis are the sensors and the batteries. • The sensors are typically in the front of the UAV, and the batteries are located in the correct position to offset all the components on the UAV. • The CG must be tested after any change to the compo nents or their placement. • The CG should be tested by lifting the UAV with fin gers on the bottom of the arms. Check all 3 pairs of arms. The CG should be no more than 2mm off in any on the 3 checks. The closer the CG is to th e centerlines of the arms the more efficient and the more stable the UAV wil l be. • WEIGHT • Weight is critical to the operation of any aircraft • Weight is especially critical to a rotor wing aircr aft. At full throttle the motors have a finite amount of thrust. All the weights l ifted by the battery power, there is no wing to assist in providing lift. • As the batteries are operated, they lose power. At full charge they have about 25v. At 20% remaining capacity they have about 21 v. This is a loss of 8% of the power available which is significant. • Do not overload the aircraft or there will not be s ufficient reserve power to maneuver at low battery levels 

## SECTION 7 AIR VEHICLE AND SYSTEMS DESCRIPTION

• FUEL/BATTERY REQUIRED • Manufacturers: Various • Refer to manufacturer data sheet. • Battery chemistry required: Lithium Polymer • Battery Capacity: 16,000 mah (minimum) • Battery cell count required: 6S(6 cells in series) • Battery Voltage: 21V minimum at hover, 22.2V nomina l, 25.2V maximum

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• Battery Minimum Rated Discharge Rate: 20C minimum

• Batteries used simultaneously: 1-4 typical • Recommended Battery Discharge Amount: 80-90% • WERELESS COMMUNICATIONS • Refer to the specific manuals for performance ratin gs. • Never power a video transmitter or receiver without an antenna connected or overload failure will • occur. • Wireless communications utilized provide acceptable communication for LOS. • In general: • LOS is required. • Lower frequencies penetrate objects suchas trees be tter than higher freqs. • Lower freqs have longer range than high freqs • Higher freqs can transfer more data than lower freq s • Higher freqs use smaller/shorter antennas • The higher the GCS antennas, the better the range a nd reception • Any freq at may have severe degradation due to loca tion to other admitters such as cell towers • Range must be constantly monitored. • Alternate antenna types may be utilized to improve link/range. Patch, helical, omni, etc. can be substituted. They must be verifi ed before use. • Alternate freqs may be utilized to improve link/ran ge 

## SECTION 8 HANDLING, SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE

• PROPELLER CARE • Propellers must be checked each flight for nicks or cracks • Propellers are designed to last indefinitely if the y do not impact dust, dirt or more. • BATTERY CARE AND USE • Refer to instruction sheet included from the batter y manufacturer. Typical information follows. • Batteries are highly flammable and can explode, esp ecially when fully charged. Improper charging, vibration, impact, high discha rge, etc. can lead to explosion and fire. Batteries must be charged und er constant supervision and using proper precautions. • Batteries fully charged must be handled with extrem e care.

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• Any battery which puffs up is considered damaged an d must not be used. It is in

a dangerous state. Never charge a puffed up batter y. • Cycle test each battery after every 50 cycles or if a battery is suspected to have lost as significant amount of its capacity to dete rmine the current capacity. • Properly dispose of batteries. First discharge the battery fully using a battery cycler. Bring to a recycler such as a home improve ment store. • Always charge flight batteries under “balance” mode

. • Flight Battery Recommended Charge Rate: 1C which ta kes approximately 1 hour to charge • Flight Battery Maximum Charge Rate: May exceed 5C. Charge rates higher than 1C will decrease life cycles. Maximum charge rating per the manufacturer will provide 300+ cycles. Use the low est charge rate which is practical. • Battery Rest Time between discharging and charging: 30 minutes minimum, 1 hour maximum. • Do not charge if the battery is more than 2°C warme r than ambient, especially if the temperature is above 20°C. The outer surface i s cooler than the inner core after use. Damage will occur when charging a warm battery. • Recommended Battery Discharge Amount: 80%. Using mo re of the capacity of the battery will decrease the life cycles • As battery temperature approaches freezing the capa city of Lithium Polymer batteries decrease. Keep warmer than 5°C before in stalling into the UV (unmanned vehicle). • Battery capacity decreases at higher discharge rate s. Using more batteries decreases the discharge rate of each battery there by extending individual battery capacity slightly. • Lower discharge rates improve the life cycles. • Batteries are rated at greater than 300 life cycles . 1,000+ life cycles are possible. • Batteries must not be stored above 60% charged stat e for extended periods. • Batteries should be stored below 25°C for extended periods • Store batteries between 40% - 60% charged state. Fu lly charge just before use. • Fully charged batteries which are not to be used wi thin 24 hours should be discharged to 40% - 60% charged state using the ba ttery discharger. • Using more than one battery at a time requires the proper wiring harness so that the voltage is no more than 25.2V. Over voltage wi ll cause serious damage to electrical equipment.

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

www.hotgears.com• PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

• ANNUAL INSPECTION • 5 hours or 20flight cycles inspection must be comp leted Motors (bearing ) Propeller( chips and cracks) ESC ( connectors /wiring/ caps/ check for updates) Boom Connectors ( corrosion/ cracks ) Frame( inspect all hard wear, connectors DC buss) Flight controller( connections /wiring/soft wear u pdates) Battery( 50/100 cycle inspection )

16644 Roscoe Blvd. #34  Van Nuys, CA 91406  (818) 780-2708

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