FAA SECTION 333 

Prepared for: Federal Aviation Association 

Prepared by: Reacon Industries USA 

February 16, 2015

Page 1 of 30
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Section 1. 

1.1 FAA Section 333 Petition 

Section 2. 

Section 2.1 Policies and Procedures 

Section 2.2 Random Site Evaluation 

Section 2.3 Operations Tailboard 

Section 2.4 UAV Flight Time Sheet

Section 2.5 Pre-Flight & Takeoff Safety

Section 3. 

3.1 Microdrone MD4-1000 UAS Operator Manuel

Page 2 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 1 

Federal Aviation Association 

 Section 333 Petition 

Prepared for: Federal Aviation Association 

Prepared by: Reacon Industries USA

Page 3 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Dear Sir or Madam, 

We, Raecon Industries, are writing pursuant to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 and 

the procedures contained with 14 C.F.R. 11, to request, that we, Raecon Industries, a company and 

operator of a small unmanned aerial system, be exempted from the Federal Avaiations Regulations 

(FARs) that we have listed below. So that we, Raecon Industries, may operate our small quadcopter unmanned aerial system (UAS) commercially in airspace that is regulated by the Federal 

Aviation Association (FAA). 

We, Raecon Industries Ltd., are a US subsidiary company of Canadian based Raecon Industries 

located in Vancouver Canada. We specialize in UAS photography and video inspections. We have 

worked with Transport Canada in filing commercial Special Flight Operation Certificates (SFOC) for 

the last 13 months, since January 2014. We have been awarded a blanket SFOC with Transport 

Canada, by showing our practices regarding public safety, manned aircraft safety, and conducting 

safe commercial flights within Canadian Airspace. 

We, Raecon Industries, request the permission to conduct safe aerial inspections of industrial 

assets and power structures with our quad-copter Microdrone MD4-1000. These operations will be 

conducted in areas that are typically rural, with low vehicle and human traffic, and below an altitude 

of 300ft, well within the 400ft permissible ceiling set by the FAA. We have created and implemented 

safety protocols and controls to avoid public and manned aircraft hazards. We have created 

preflight site assessments, onsite tailboard meetings, safety and environmental safety plans, and 

Pilot in Command (PIC) and ground observer training. 

Granting our, Raecon Industries request, accords with the Secretary of Transportation’s 

responsibilities and authority to integrate UAS's into the national airspace system (NAS), and to 

“...establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft systems [UAS's] in the national 

airspace system” under Section 333(c) of the Reform Act specific to the use of UAS's for real 

estate/Realtor purposes. We, Raecon Industries, will perform our operations in compliance with the 

protocols described herein or as otherwise established by the FAA. 

We, Raecon Industries, respectfully request the permit of an exemption to allow our company, 

Raecon Industries USA, to operate our Microdrone MD4-1000 to help public utility companies and 

industries increase safety and affordability for public and private asset inspections. 

Contact Information: 

Page 4 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Raecon Industries 

CC: Ben Van Lare 

Raecon Industries Ltd.

1685 H Street #318

Blaine, Washington, USA, 98230

Office: (360)325.5723 

Email: ben@raeconindustries.com

The Specific Sections of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations From Which Raecon 

Industries Requests Exemptions are: 

14 CFR 21;

14 C.F.R. 91, et seq.;

14 CFR 407 (a) (1);

14 CFR 409 (a) (2); and, 14 CFR 417 (a) & (b). 

The Extent of relief Raecon Industries seek and the Reason we seek such relief: 

We, Raecon Industries, submit this application seeking relief from current applicable Federal 

Aviation Regulations (FARs) that restrict us, Raecon Industries, from utilizing Unmanned Aerial 

System technology within the national airspace system. The Reform Act in Section 332 provides 

for such integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system as it is 

in the public’s interest to do so. Our, Raecon Industries, small UAS meets the definition as 

defined in Section 331 and therefore the integration of our light weight UAS prior to the time in 

which the Reform Act requires the FAA to define and promote rules that will govern such 

unmanned aerial crafts. With our exemption, we will be able to work with the Federal Aviation 

Association to introduce our UAS safely into the national airspace. We operate our UAS within 

line of sight and under 400 feet elevation away from populated areas. When working in areas 

where people or vehicles may be present, we have set guidelines in place that are implemented 

prior to any performance of operation (see section 2). Along with this we will be operating 

outside of air traffic controlled (ATC) areas, typically 5-8 miles in diameter from airports. Our UAS

is equipped with GPS and is outfitted with auto return to home safety technology.

We at Raecon Industries, consider safety as the most important part of any flight operation. 

Safety for manned aircraft, public safety, and our UAS operations teams are held at the utmost 

precedent. We have invested in one of the most trusted UAS suppliers worldwide, Microdrone, 

Page 5 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
because of the safety aspects their units are equipped with. Prior to each flight operation, 

preflight safety assessments are processed (see section 2). They are signed off by our Pilot-InCommand, Operations Manager, and Ground Observer. We, Raecon Industries operate our 

UAS safely insuring that we will not “create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or 

the public.” 112 P.L 95 Section 333 (b). Given that our UAS falls within the weight and size 

regulations and our safe and successful commercial UAS operations in Canada, we believe our 

UAS does not pose a threat to the general public, national security, or national airspace. 

How Raecon Industries Request Will Benefit the Public As A Whole: 

Aerial asset inspections using fixed wing aircraft and helicopters have been used to assess 

unsafe and difficult to reach areas for many years. The use of UAS technology for these types of 

inspections bring a new level of increased safety to personnel and industries involved in these 

inspections. The high cost of using manned aircraft for power line inspections and tower 

inspections can be significantly reduced by using UAS technology. Manned aircraft have 

liabilities that pose a threat to the public, pilots, and crew involved in operations. The use of 

combustible fuel and the size of aircraft cause significant liabilities and if crashed can cause 

severe environmental and public damage and could result in the loss in life. Our UAS does not 

pose such a threat since it is battery operated with batteries secured in protective cases within 

the UAS. 

With these increased liabilities and costs of traditional inspections, industries often cannot afford 

much needed inspections and neglect to inspect viable assets on a regular basis. This neglect 

can have major consequences on the public. For example, overgrowth or dead vegetation along 

power lines can lead to power outages and/or fires. This poses a major risk to the public that 

could be affected in these regions. Utilizing our, Raecon Industries UAS, inspections can be 

completed in a safer and more cost effective way, thus, leading industries to not neglect much 

needed asset inspections and have the ability to keep their assets safe and performing optimally. 

Reasons Why Raecon Industries Exemption Will Not Adversely Affect Safety or How the 

Exemption Will Provide A Level of Safety at Least Equal to the Existing Rule: 

Raecon Industries exemption will not adversely affect the safety of the public or of manned 

aircraft. Quite the contrary, we, Raecon Industries are dedicated to ensuring all it's procedures 

and operations have safety as the highest priority. The most important details before we take off 

are to ensure public safety, air safety, environmental safety, and the safety of our Operations 

team. With these procedures in place we can judge what is safe/not safe/or safe with some risks 

when evaluating sites that are known and random. With our operators trained in manned aircraft 

Page 6 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
and unmanned aircraft operations, we are insuring that our intention is to reduce risk to airspace 

users as well as to people and property on the ground. By granting us, Raecon Industries, an 

exemption, we will be allowed to work with the FAA to monitor and safely deploy unmanned 

aerial systems into the national airspace and the public. Below are a few key safety procedures 

that insures our UAS will not adversely affect safety: 

• Our UAS will not exceed 300 feet in altitude during operation and stay within 1000 feet of 

the Pilot and Ground Observer. 

• Our UAS operates with redundant batteries, thus insuring that if one battery falters the 

other one is there to ensure safe return to home. 

• Our UAS has the ability to operate for 88 minutes, however we cap all our operations at 

25 minutes to ensure battery power is sufficient. 

• If GPS communication is lost, our UAS has an automatic return to home function 

programmed for each flight. 

• All flights are operated with a Pilot-In-Command and Ground Observer, ensuring safety of 

manned aircraft and the public. 

• Before each flight operation, we carry out extensive pre-flight inspections of the 

operations area. 

Our, Raecon Industries, safety policies and procedures provide a level of safety equal to or 

exceeding existing rules and regulations. Today most visual inspection of power poles and hard 

to reach assets are done using manned helicopters or by having technicians climb dangerous 

areas for the inspection. Both these options can be highly dangerous and environmentally 

taxing. It can also lead to a lack of thorough inspections because cost is relatively high, thus, 

leading to unknowingly defective assets or vegetation overgrowth that can lead to environmental 

damage, such as forest fires. Our UAS operations can mitigate these potential high-risk 

situations. 

• Our UAV is certified in Germany to work around 500KV power line structures, thus 

ensuring that there is no electro-magnetic frequency that will affect performance of the 

UAS while in the air or cause it to go rouge. 

• There is no combustible fuel on board the UAS, thus the potential for fire or explosion is 

greatly reduced. 

• There is a far less environmental impact then conventional inspection techniques, insuring 

that safety of public and industrial infrastructure is maintained more efficiently and cost 

effectively.

Page 7 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
VI. Summary The FAA Can Publish in the Federal Register: 

We, Raecon Industries, seek the exemption of the following: 

14 C.F.R. 21 and 14 C.F.R. 91: Airworthiness Certificates and Manuals. 

14 C.F.R. 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, sets forth requirements for 

procurement of necessary airworthiness certificates in relation to FAR § 91.203(a)(1). The size, 

weight and enclosed operational area of our UAS allows exemption from Part 21 because our 

UAS meets the equivalent level of safety pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act. The FAA is 

authorized to exempt aircraft from the airworthiness certificate requirement under both the Act 

(49 U.S.C. § 44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act. Both pieces of legislation permit the 

FAA to exempt UAS's from the airworthiness certificate requirement in consideration of the 

weight, size, speed, maneuverability and proximity to areas such as airports and dense 

populations. 

14 C.F.R. 91.7(a) prohibits the operation of an aircraft without an airworthiness certificate. As no 

such certificate will be applicable in the form contemplated by the FARs, this Regulation is not 

relevant. 

14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b) (2) requires an aircraft flight manual in the aircraft. Since there are no on 

board pilots or passengers in regard to UAS’s, this Regulation is also not relevant. A similar level 

of safety will be achieved by maintaining a safety/flight manual that will be on hand for operations 

crew during all operations. The FAA has previously issued exemptions to this regulation in 

Exemption Nos. 8607, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A, 9565, 9565B, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 10700 

and 32827. 

14 C.F.R. § 91.121 in regards to altimeter settings, this is inapplicable insofar as our UAS utilizes 

global positioning systems that monitor flight conditions for all flight operations 

14 C.F.R. § 91.203 (a) and (b) provides for the carrying of civil aircraft certifications and 

registrations. They are inapplicable for the same reasons described above.

14 C.F.R. 91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes. 

Ensure safe altitudes for the operation of civil aircraft. It allows helicopters to operate at lower 

altitudes in certain conditions. Reacon Industries UAS will never operate at an altitude greater 

than 400 AGL; while most operations take place under 100-200 feet AGL. We will operate our 

UAS only in areas deemed safe and away from people and vehicle traffic, providing a level of 

safety at least equivalent to or below those in relation to minimum safe altitudes.

14 C.F.R. 91.405 (a); 407 (a) (1); 409 (a) (2); 417 (a) & (b): Maintenance Inspections. 

Page 8 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
This regulation requires that aircraft owners and operators “have the aircraft inspected and 

prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except as provided 

in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this 

chapter..” Before each operation we run a full inspection of the UAS checking all critical surface 

areas

Summary:

We, Raecon Industries, seek an exemption from the aforementioned Regulations to operate 

our unmanned aerial system commercially and lawfully, while at the same time working with the FAA 

to develop safe protocols and procedures for UAS usage. We seek relief of FAA restrictions for 

commercial UAS use to have the ability to offer asset inspections for the power and industrial 

industry. By granting our request, we Raecon Industries, will be able to provide a safer more 

environmentally friendly approach for asset management compared to standard practices, thus, 

alleviating conventional dangerous inspections of hard to reach and highly energized assets. Our 

UAS pilots are trained in manned aircraft and unmanned aircraft operations having completed 

manned aircraft ground school and/or pilot licensing. Our UAV is certified to work around 500KV 

power structures while maintaining limits of approach set by the power line trade. We have 

successfully and safely flown power line and energy assets for the last 13 months in Canada 

working along side Transport Canada. We, Raecon Industries, respectfully request that the FAA 

grant our exemption request and we are willing to work with and share all information to benefit the 

FAA to keep the national airspace, manned aircraft and public at large safe and informed. 

Kind Regards, 

Ben Van Lare 

Raecon Industries Ltd.

1685 H Street #318

Blaine, Washington

USA, 98230

Page 9 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 2 

Raecon Industries has built safe UAS operation parameters on the 

following documents: 

Section 2.1 Policies and Procedures 

Section 2.2 Random Site Evaluation 

Section 2.3 Operations Tailboard 

Section 2.4 UAV Flight Time Sheet

Section 2.5 Pre-Flight & Takeoff Safety

Page 10 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 2.1 

SAFETY & SECURITY POLICY & PROCEDURES 

Raecon Industries is dedicated to ensuring all it's procedures and operations have safety as the highest priority. The 

most important details before we take off are to ensure public safety, air safety, environmental safety, and the safety of 

our Operations team. With these procedures in place we can judge what is safe/not safe/or safe with some risks when 

evaluating sites that are known and random. Our intention is to reduce risk to airspace users as well as to people and 

property on the ground. The following procedures are standard in any flight operation carried out by Raecon Industries: 

1. PUBLIC SAFETY 

1.1. All persons not involved in the flight will be 100 ft. from the flight area 

1.2. UAV visual line-of-sight (VLOS) will be enforced at all times

1.3. Operations flight area will be sectioned off with barrier tape or cones to ensure visual aid is given to 

possible onlookers

1.4. Appropriate signage or personnel will be positioned to ensure people and vehicles do not cross into the 

operations zone 

1.5. If persons or vehicles intrude into and beyond the 100 ft. barrier, flight will be aborted and the UAV will be 

landed in safe manner immediately. Flight will not resume until public safety is restored 

1.6. If flying over public roads or pedestrian walkways, traffic safety control will be enforced by hired traffic 

authority to ensure no vehicles or persons will be within 100 ft. while the operation is in flight 

1.7. When operating in rural areas and flying near and over roads, the Pilot-In-command and Ground Observer 

will ensure that no vehicles are within 100 ft. of operation. 

1.8. If flying on or close to private property by way of being on a right of way, owner consent will be obtained 

prior to the job being conducted

1.9. If flying near to public business(s), business consent will be obtained prior to the job to insure that no 

person(s) or vehicle(s) will be in 100 ft. safety zone 

1.10. The UAV shall be operated with a minimum crew of two persons: 1) The Pilot-In-command, who's sole 

responsibility is operation of the UAV; 2) The Observer(s) who's sole responsibility is to notify the Pilot-Incommand of any hazards that pertain to the operation of the UAV flight 

1.11. Pilot-In-command is responsible for a thorough preflight inspection of the UAV to ensure public safety. 

Operation will not be undertaken unless UAV is airworthy

1.12. Pilot-in-command of the UAV before beginning an operation, shall be familiar with the available information 

that is appropriate to the intended flight

1.13. No person(s) is authorized to give instruction on the operation of the UAV unless having FAA or U.S. 

Government authority 

Page 11 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
1.13.1. Some exceptions may apply such as emergency services 

1.14. If weather changes from operational to hazardous abruptly during an operation, the UAV will be landed in a 

safe manner immediately to ensure public safety

1.14.1. If wind speeds increase beyond safe 25 km/h operating limit, operation will be shut down 

immediately

1.14.2. If there is heavy rain, snow or fog, the operation will be shut down immediately

1.15. Emergency numbers and medical facility locations will be noted prior to an operation 

1.15.1. The Operations Team will sign off on having knowledge of this during the tailboard meeting 

2. PUBLIC PRIVACY

2.1. When flying in an urban environment where businesses or residences are near or within the operation flight 

area, all person(s) shall be made aware of UAV presence and the necessary steps to ensure their safety will 

be implied as laid out in Public Safety procedures 

2.2. We will ensure that a persons privacy is maintained and upheld. Any aerial photos of persons, vehicle 

license plates, or information pertaining to personal privacy will be blurred or removed 

2.3. Our data is kept secure and not published in any way

2.4. When flying over residences or businesses, all owners within flight area will be notified and consent will be 

contained prior to flight 

3. AIR SAFETY 

3.1. Ensure that our Pilot-In-command and Observer(s) are fully informed on current air traffic matters and 

Federal Aviation Association regulations 

3.2. Contact local airport and ATC and ensure there are no objections to our flight 

3.2.1. Issue a NOTAM to notify airspace users of UAV activity 

3.2.2. Maintain contact with ATC by a means acceptable to ATC 

3.2.3. Most recent information can be found in Airport/Facility Directory 

3.3. Contact respected Flight Information Centre (FIC) and Flight Service Stations (FSS) for latest weather 

reports, forecasts, and copies of latest NOTAM to ensure safe flight and airspace restrictions at all times 

3.3.1. If weather is hazardous, visibility limited, and winds beyond safe operating standard, the UAV 

will be grounded until it is deemed safe to fly 

Page 12 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
3.4. Ensure that on ground Radio communication is operational and that local and emergency frequencies are 

noted 

3.5. No more than one UAV shall be in operation at one time. If by chance another UAV enters local airspace, 

our operation will be aborted and our UAV will land in safe manner immediately. Flight will not resume until 

air safety is restored 

3.6. It is the responsibility of the Pilot-In-command not to fly the UAV in close proximity to another aircraft as to 

create a collision hazard 

3.7. If a Manned Aircraft comes within 5 km visibility, the UAV will prepare for avoidance. If the aircraft enters 

predetermined operations safe airspace, our UAV shall fly to a safe area and land immediately until the 

manned aircraft has left operations airspace 

3.7.1. Predetermined safe airspace is 400 feet above ground level by 2000 meter radius 

3.8. If a Manned Aircraft comes into view but has not entered operations airspace, use of radio communication 

will be used to make aircraft aware of UAV presence in the area 

3.8.1. If manned aircraft is headed for UAV operations airspace, precautionary measures will take 

place and UAV will "Return-to-home" for safe landing 

3.8.2. If UAV is unable or does not have time for "Return-to-home" measures, the UAV will land 

immediately at the nearest safe area 

3.9. If for any unforeseen reason a manned aircraft enters the predetermined safe airspace and a UAV safe 

landing is impossible, the Pilot-In-command shall give the manned aircraft the right-of-way 

3.9.1. If the UAV is required to give way, it shall not pass over, under or cross ahead of the other 

aircraft unless it does so at a distance sufficient not to create any risk of collision 

3.10. It is the responsibility of the Operations Manager, Pilot-In-command, or Ground Observer to report any 

aircraft occurrence (accident or incident) as soon as possible to the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) and 

Department of Transportation (DOT) 

3.10.1. Such a report may be made to the Regional DOT Office or to the nearest flight service station 

or air traffic control unit who will pass on the information to the DOT 

3.11. UAV visual line-of-sight (VLOS) shall be maintained at all times 

3.12. The UAV will only be operated during day VFR conditions 

3.13. The UAV will not exceed 30 m in altitude during operation and will stay within 500 m of pilot 

3.14. Our UAV is equipped with external safety light beacons that can be seen from ground observers and other 

aircraft 

3.15. The operational UAV has a built in “Return-to-home” function which will bring a device back to take off 

position if GPS connection is lost during the flight 

Page 13 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
3.15.1. All flights will be conducted in GPS mode to ensure "GPS hold" function is utilized. This will 

ensure Return-to-home feature is also in place 

4. ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 

4.1. Extensive and detailed use of Google Earth to note all possible environmental hazards 

4.1.1. Such as trees, water, overgrowth, elevation change, power poles, etc 

4.1.2. Images will be used and marking of all possible hazards before flight will be noted 

• All environmental hazards will be explained to the operations team prior to the operation 

during the tailboard meeting 

4.2. Use of Goggle Earth to ensure operations ground area is safe for landing and take off 

4.2.1. To ensure that the natural habitat is undisturbed 

4.3. Use of Google Earth will be used to create a Flyby Tour of the proposed location 

4.3.1. This will be used for multiple landing and take-off flight operations 

4.3.2. It will give a detailed photo and satellite video of the proposed operation 

• This will help to show all possible hazards that may be on the proposed flight plan

4.4. In case the case of wildlife or livestock 

4.4.1. The operation will be put on hold until flight area is safe 

4.4.2. In no way will the Pilot-In-command or Ground Observer try to disperse wildlife or livestock 

4.4.3. In the case of wildlife, operation will be on hold until wildlife have moved naturally out of the 

operations area 

4.4.4. In the case of livestock and livestock owner is unavailable to have animals moved, operation 

will be on hold until livestock are out of the operations area 

4.5. UAV visual line-of-sight (VLOS) shall be maintained at all times 

5. TEAM SAFETY 

5.1. Each member of the Operations Team will be trained proficiently in regards to manned aircraft operations 

and observing the UAV during an operation 

5.2. Prior to an operation, each team member will be briefed on the operation and of all possible hazards 

5.3. Prior to an operation, each team member will be aware of and briefed of local emergency numbers and 

emergency radio frequencies 

5.4. Each member of the Operations Team will know the location of the nearest medical facility in case of an 

emergency 

5.5. No Operations Team member will come within 10 ft. of UAV while rotors are powered on 

Page 14 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
5.6. Prior to the operation, the UAV unit will be thoroughly cleaned of all foreign surface contamination

5.7. At no time will the UAV be left unattended 

5.8. The use of personal electronic devices during an operation will be prohibited unless deemed an emergency 

6. TAILBOARD MEETING 

6.1. Prior to every operation to ensure the safety of the Air, Environment, Public, and Team members, a 

tailboard meeting will take place in which all the above will be signed off on by all members of the 

Operation. This ensures all operations personnel are properly instructed about their duties and about the 

relationship of their duties to the operation as a whole 

6.2. Informs all operation members of emergency contact information and locations 

6.3. Allows the team to go over any questions or concerns regarding the operation 

7. REPORTING 

Keeping accurate and adequate records is important to Raecon to ensure all flights are operated correctly and 

consistently. For each flight an Operation Data Document is completed including but not limited to the following 

information. Raecon uses mdCockpit software from MicroDrone which provides detailed data of every flight. This data is 

recorded for access at any time during or after flights. 

• How many flights conducted 

• Hours accumulated in flight

• Pilot-in-command flight hours

• Name of pilots, Supervisor and Operations Manager in charge 

• Any issues that arose for that day and what needs to be done to resolve them

• Flight operation details such as site information, conditions, etc

• Site evaluation checklists 

8. EMERGENCY CONTINGENCY PLAN 

8.1. All efforts will be given to ensure the UAV being operated is with utmost safety. In the event of a emergency 

or crash, the UAV will be maneuvered and (crash) landed in the safest area possible. All efforts will be taken 

to maneuver the UAV in an opposite direction from any buildings, people, or structures. Before each UAV 

operation a tailboard meeting will occur in which all involved in the operation will be briefed on the 

emergency contingency plan. 

8.2. In the event of an injury to the public on ground

Page 15 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
8.2.1. 911 will be called if an injury occurs 

8.2.2. Job site will be shut down immediately for further investigations 

8.2.3. Incident reports will be completed within 24 hours to the respected authority 

8.2.4. OSHA, local Police, etc 

8.2.5. Local ATC will be called if required 

8.3. In the event of an aircraft accident or incident 

8.3.1. Job site will be shut down immediately for further investigations

8.3.2. 121.5MHz will be used to transmit the emergency

8.3.3. *911 will be called immediately 

8.3.4. Search and Rescue will be called if needed, number will be provided prior to operation and is 

based on location

8.3.5. FAA and DOT will be notified immediately 

8.3.6. Local ATC will be called immediately

8.3.7. Reports will be completed immediately within 24 hours to the respected authority

8.4. In the event of a fire 

8.4.1. 911 will be called immediately 

8.4.2. Local fire department and forestry service will be called 

8.4.2.1. Numbers will be acquired prior to operation 

8.4.3. Evacuation of area will take place immediately 

8.4.4. Fire extinguisher will be on hand and used if needed 

8.4.5. Job site will be shut down immediately for further investigations 

8.5. If the UAV goes Rogue, the Pilot-In-command will attempt the following procedures:

8.5.1. If control is in waypoint mode, bring it into manual mode 

8.5.2. Attempt to decrease altitude and stop forward motion, manually fly it home 

8.5.3. If “2” fails, then force Return-to-Home function 

8.5.4. Keep attempting step 2 and 3 

8.5.5. When UAV is flying back to home location, flip SW1 to any position to initiate re-connection 

to UAV. The following process will take place:

• The vehicle attempts to reconnect

• Successful reconnection will stop vehicle from landing and pilot will regain control

Page 16 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
• Unsuccessful reconnection, vehicle will continue to “Home” location and land.

8.5.6. Continue to ‘Fly’ the UAV until it is safely on the ground 

8.6. If Command and Control (C&C) signal reception is bad or lost 

8.6.1. The UAV will enter GPS Position Hold immediately and try to reacquire the signal for an 

adjustable amount of time (30s by default). If that time runs out, the UAV will either enter 

emergency landing with a descent speed of 0.5 m/s or go into homing mode, depending on 

the user ́s settings.

8.6.2. Homing mode will align the UAV with the Pilot-In-commands line of sight, climb to a 

predefined minimum altitude (20 m by default), return to the take-off position in a straight line

8.6.3. If the C&C could not be recovered during the whole procedure, the UAV will enter an 

emergency landing at the original take-off position

8.7. If UAV GPS signal is lost or bad 

8.7.1. UAV fight control will revert to inertial navigation mode. The stabilization system of the UAV is 

still active. The Pilot-In-command is notified by textual, graphic and spoken messages about 

the situation and has to hold position manually. GPS Position Hold kicks in again as soon as 

the signal quality is back to normal 

8.8. If Command and Control and GPS signal is bad or lost simultaneously 

8.8.1. The UAV will immediately enter an emergency landing sequence with a descent speed of 

0,5m/s. If Command and Control is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the 

behavior of the situation “GPS signal reception is bad or lost” applies 

8.8.2. If GPS is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the behavior of the situation 

“Command & Control signal reception is bad or lost” from above applies

8.9. UAV has low battery during flight 

8.9.1. During normal flight the battery voltage is constantly monitored by the base station. The state 

of the battery is communicated alphanumerically, graphically and through spoken messages. 

Readouts and messages include current battery level, estimated flight time remaining, and a 

“bingo” warning, which indicates the moment when the remaining battery power is just 

enough to comfortably and safely return home 

8.9.2. All batteries used on our UAV are redundant. In the event of a failure, the second battery will 

take over immediately allowing a safe landing 

8.10. Unforeseen increasing wind speeds

8.10.1. The Pilot-In-command and Ground Observer(s) at base station will be notified by textual, 

graphic and spoken messages about current wind speed 

Page 17 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
8.10.2. If wind speeds increase beyond safe 25 km/h operating limit, operation will be shut down 

immediately 

8.11. Pilot Incapacitation 

8.11.1. Emergency Return-to-Home will be initiated by Pilot-In-Command, if unable, then Ground 

Observer will initiate 

8.11.2. All operation Ground Supervisors will be trained UAV pilots. Thus, in the event of a Pilot-Incommand that unable to perform his duties mid flight, the Ground Observer will take over the 

operation and land the UAV immediately 

8.11.3. Operation will be put on hold and medical attention will be given to the Pilot-In-command 

8.11.4. Pilot-In-Command will not resume duties until medically cleared 

9. COMPANY LIMITATIONS

Raecon is committed to ensuring a safe operation and respects the need to put limits and restrictions in place. To 

accomplish this Raecon will follow the following limitations during this operation. 

9.1. Total UAV flying time will be limited to ~25 minutes per battery. Each battery is capable of running a 

maximum of 35 minutes However, as safety measures, the UAV will not be flown past ~25 minutes or to 

25% of battery, whichever comes first. At this point, the pilot will immediately bring the UAV to is predetermined landing location 

9.2. Clear, dry, and no wind is the ideal conditions which we want to fly in. However this is not always the case 

in Canada. Raecon will abort its planned operation if winds exceed 25 km/h. Maximum wind for our 

selected UAV is ~35 km/h, however we will choose to stay under this limit 

9.3. Medium to heavy fog limiting visibility will terminate the operation. Fog that inhibits pilot visibility of UAV and 

is detrimental to the photograph’s quality will cause an abort of operation.

9.4. Operation will be aborted in heavy rain. Light drizzle is acceptable 

9.5. The UAV will not leave the sight of the pilot at any time. 

9.6. To ensure GPS mode is always active, pilot will not fly unless 8 or more satellites are active. If less then this, 

UAV will be brought to a safe landing until more satellites are acquired by the UAV 

10. GROUND SUPERVISOR CHECKLIST

The procedures for the Ground Supervisor in the event of a rogue UAV during the operation are as follows and will be 

available on site for ease of reference: 

10.10.1. Warn local spectators, if any are nearby

10.10.2. If within Controlled Airspace, contact the local Air Traffic Control and give the following 

details:

Page 18 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
• Location 

• Issue – Rogue UAV 

• Description of situation and UAV 

• Heading/Altitude/Speed/Endurance 

10.10.3. If within Uncontrolled Airspace, notify any aircraft within the vicinity on the frequency 126.7 

or frequency taken from CFS ahead of time for specific area. Give the following details: 

• Location (use landmarks as aircraft may not be able to interpret latitude and 

longitude) 

• Issue – Rogue UAV 

• Description of situation and UAV

• Heading/Altitude/Speed/Endurance 

10.10.4. Contact *911 with the following information: 

• Location (provide landmarks along with latitude and longitude) 

• Issue – Rogue UAV 

• Description of situation and UAV

• Heading/Altitude/Speed/Endurance

Page 19 of 30

Evaluator: Contact Number:

Operation Number: Job Location: Time & Date of Operation:

Year Month Day Time

0800-1600

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 2.2 

Random Site Evaluation 

PUBLIC SAFETY EVALUATION 

When doing a public random site evaluation, Google Earth will be used extensively. The ability to use satellite 

imagery to evaluate the exact proposed locations will increase the safety of the operation. By using Google Earth 

we will be able to see if the location is rural or urban. This will aid in the steps we take in evaluating the site.

CIRCLE APPLICABLE ANSWERS:

Density of Location? URBAN RURAL

If Urban review policies 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 1.9 and 2.1

Explanation:

Raecon recognizes the need to ensure safety to the public. Thus, no matter where an operation takes place 

all necessary steps and procedures will be made

Location promixity to a Road? 0-50 Ft. 50-150 Ft. >150 Ft.

If 0-150 Feet review policies 1.6 &1.7

Explanation:

Raecon will not commence a UAV flight operation when roads are in use and traffic safety control is not 

present

Type of Road? Private Road Public Road Forestry Road Powerline

Right of Way

Review policies 1.7

Explanation:

Depending on type of roads necessary actions may have to take place, such as private road owner consent.

Road Traffic? HEAVY MODERATE LIGHT

Review policies 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, & 1.7

Explanation:

When conducting an operation near or above roads that contain vehicles, UAV flights will never take place 

above moving vehicle traffic.

Page 20 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
AIR SAFETY EVALUATION 

The use Google Earth to view satellite images of the location will be utilized. From Google earth we can see if there will 

be any hazards that will affect our UAV when in the Air. Also, when doing an air site evaluation, there will be a heavy 

reliance on VFR Navigational Charts for locating airspace, airports, and view any restrictions.

Will traffic services be needed? NO YES If YES, please provide 

contact #:

If yes, please provide contact information of traffic safety service. Review policies 1.6

Explanation:

During operations near or over roads with vehicle traffic, traffic services will be 

used.

Potential natural hazards? NO YES If YES, explain type of 

hazard and distance 

from flight path: If present review policies 1.2, 1.10, & 4.4

Explanation:

All possible hazards must be noted and flight plan be laid out accordingly. 

Man-made structures present? NO YES If YES, explain type and 

distance from flight path:

If yes review policies 1,8, 1.9, 2.1, 2.3, 4.1, & 4.3

Explanation:

All possible hazards must be noted and flight plan be laid out accordingly. 

Local emergency services? NO YES If YES, give location:

If yes review policies 1.15, 5.3 & 5.4

Explanation:

No matter where the operation takes place, local emergency numbers and 

locations will be recorded and on hand.

Page 21 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
CIRCLE APPLICABLE ANSWERS:

Controlled or Uncontrolled Airspace NO YES If YES, has contact 

been made with 

ATC?

If yes review policies 3.1 & 3.3

Explanation:

Before all UAV flights local ATC must be contacted when flying in a controlled 

airspace

Location of nearest airport Contact #:

Review policies 3.1 & 3.2

Explanation:

When flying near a local airport communication contact will be made prior to the 

operation.

Do manned aircraft routinely fly in 

the area? NO YES

If yes review policies 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, & 3.9

Explanation:

Awareness of any manned aircraft must be a priority at all times.

VFR Navigation Chart? NO YES

Review policies 3.1 & 3.2

Explanation:

Having the most update VFR Charts will assist in knowing airspace requirements and airport locations.

Aerial hazards? NO YES If YES, explain 

type and elevation, 

distance from flight 

plan: If yes review policies 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.5

Explanation:

Hazards pose a threat to both UAV and manned aircraft, being aware prior to and 

during an operation significantly decreases the chance of an accident.

Page 22 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Is there an aerial contingency plan? NO YES

Review policies 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 8.5, and 8.11

Explanation:

Raecon has taken into account possible events and circumstances that could take place while in the 

UAV is in the air. A contingency plan has been created for these possible situations and can be 

reviewed in the Policies and Procedures.

Page 23 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 2.3

RECORD OF TAILBOARD DISCUSSION-UAS

Date: Time(s): Location: 

Operations Manager: Operation Number: 

Job Scope: 

Emergency Response

Permits

SafeStart: Be alert to the hazards of Rushing, Frustration, Fatigue, Complacency

RECORD OF JOB SAFETY PLAN AGREEMENT

Job Planning Considerations

 Spill Kit Present And 

 Checked

 Waste Disposal And 

 Site Clean-Up

 Incident Reporting

 Reviewed

 Public Safety

 Aerial Safety

Traffic Control

 Environmental Requirements/ 

 Risks Reviewed

 Limits of Approach

 Safe Landing And Takeoff Area

 Appropriate Work Procedure 

 For Job Reviewed

 Recent Experience On 

 Assigned Task

 Multi-Employer Work Site, Site 

 Safety Coordination

 Site Safety Co-ordinator

 Site Safety Transferred To

Page 24 of 30

Operation Dates: Controlled Airspace Clearance: 

ATC Local Airport also 911 or other: 

Radio: CH# Satellite Phone: 

GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: Longitude: 

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
The crew agrees to the above active plan and will revise it when changes occur that introduce new hazards or when 

existing barriers become ineffective.

Design and Engineered Controls System Controls PPE

1. Eliminate the Hazard 2. Minimize Chances of Error

3. Written Procedure

4. Training

5. Supervision/Warning Devices

6. Reactive Response

7. Personal Barrier

Page 25 of 30

Crew Member (print) Initials Crew Member (print) Initials

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Job Changes — this includes changes in Job Procedure of additions to Personnel:

Job Steps Major Hazard(s) Required Barriers

Page 26 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
UAV Daily Flight Time Sheet

Flight # Takeoff Time Landing Time Total Time

If there are any flight issues or comments about the flight, document flight number and issue below:

Page 27 of 30

Location: Operation Number: Date:

Flight Crew:

UAV Flight Time Sheet

Section 2.4

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Pre-Fight Air Safety Procedures:

1. Insure flight plan has clearance with any local airports.

2. Insure that site inspection is completed.

3. Insure that the location and contact information of nearest airport been noted.

4. Listen to NOTAMS. Is there a need to issue a NOTAM?

5. Is airspace controlled or uncontrolled Air Traffic Control (ATC)?

6. If controlled, has contact been made with local ATC? Clearance from ATC to proceed?

Pre-Take off sequence and safety inspection:

Through the following safety process the UAV rotors will not be turned on.

1. Make sure UAV is clear of any critical surface contaminates, i.e. check rotors, landing 

gear, battery housing and camera for contaminates. Ensure it is clean before 

proceeding.

2. Ensure pins have been securely inserted and locked in UAV rotor arms.

BATTERY PROCEDURE

1. UAV Battery Check - must be balanced checked. Full capacity is 25.2V. They are made up 

of 6 cells. Each cell needs to be 4.18V - 4.19V for a full balanced charge. This must be 

checked prior to flight as a lopsided charge will discharge into the empty cells causing a 

chemical reaction creating intense heat and malfunction.

2. Load checked battery (click will sound when inserted completely). Make sure that cables 

are connected red to red and black to black.

3. Ensure lid is completely closed and locked. A click is heard when lid locks.

4. Ensure drone is orientated with orange front rotor arm pointing away from you.

5. Turn on transmitter controller. Ensure fader control is turned completely down. Reset timer 

to 25mins and confirm voltage of battery is around 25.1V.

CAMERA PROCEDURE

Page 28 of 30

Section 2.5

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
	 	

1. Ensure that Camera battery has been checked, inserted and charged.

2. Ensure that HDMI Camera cord is connected to unit.

3. Ensure that Camera SD card is blank and inserted.

4. Ensure Camera Mode Check - (mode will depend on flight plan).

5. Turn on Camera - ensure picture is transmitted to the base station (if in use) and Pilot-Incommand’s monitor.

6. Focus Camera and take one picture to ensure Camera is ready for operation.

Pre-Take off sequence and safety inspection:

Through the following safety process the UAV rotors will not be turned on.

NORMAL LANDING PROCEDURE

1. When the UAV is preparing for landing, ensure that 10ft. landing radius is safe and secure.

2. When the UAV is 15ft. above ground level, Pilot-In-command (PIC) will turn down faders.

3. Pilot-In-command will then proceed to reduce UAV altitude in a safe manner and complete 

landing.

EMERGENCY CATCH LANDING

Catch landing is only necessary when provided landing area (exp. steep hillside) is proved unsuitable 

for safe landing.

1. Ground Observer will find safe area for him to catch the UAV.

2. UAV will hoover 20ft. above Ground Observer.

3. PIC will turn down faders.

4. PIC will then proceed to reduce UAV altitude in a safe manner.

5. When UAV is directly above and within reach of the Ground Observer, he will securely 

grab hold of landing gear and the PIC will turn rotors off and landing will be safely 

completed.

Page 29 of 30

POWER UP AND TAKE OFF

1. Swipe RFID tag on drone. Beep sequence will now be initiated.

2. Ensure that GPS positioning is 2m or less. 8 or more satellites is required.

3. Must wait for double beep prior to take off. When double beep is heard - all person(s) must 

give UAV 10 ft. area clearance for take off (rotors have not started yet).

4. When area is cleared, initiation for take-off is ready. Fader up and rotors will start.

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
Section 3 

Microdrone MD4-1000 UAS Operator Manuel

Page 30 of 30

RAECON INDUSTRIES LTD.
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

1

Operators handbook 

md4-1000 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

2

Table of contents

1. General ................................................................................................................................................ 4

1.1. Safety instructions............................................................................................................................ 6

1.2. Statutory regulations for using the microdrone .............................................................................. 8

1.3. Export terms..................................................................................................................................... 8

1.4. Technology and history .................................................................................................................... 9

1.5. System overview ............................................................................................................................ 10

2. The microdrone md4‐1000................................................................................................................ 11

2.1. General mode of operation of the md4‐1000 microdrone............................................................ 11

2.1.1. Drive motor and motor controller .............................................................................................. 12

2.1.2. The main on‐board electronics ................................................................................................... 12

2.2. Opening / putting on the cover...................................................................................................... 13

2.3. Inserting and connecting the flight battery.................................................................................... 14

2.4. The rotors....................................................................................................................................... 15

2.5. Opening out and locking the arms................................................................................................. 16

2.6. The connections of the md4‐1000 ................................................................................................. 17

2.6.1. Configuration and data terminal................................................................................................. 17

2.6.2. The control wires of the md4‐1000............................................................................................. 17

2.6.3 The servo connections of the md4‐1000...................................................................................... 18

2.6.4 Downlink transmitter connection ................................................................................................ 18

2.6.5 Downlink receiver......................................................................................................................... 19

2.7. Taking off and landing the microdrone.......................................................................................... 20

2.8. Taking off in GPS position hold mode ............................................................................................ 21

2.9. GPS waypoint ................................................................................................................................. 23

2.10. The flight data recorder................................................................................................................ 24

2.10.1 Preparing a new SD card for the flight data recorder................................................................ 24

2.11. Technical data of the md4‐1000 .................................................................................................. 26

2.12. Beeps of the microdrone.............................................................................................................. 27

2.12.1. Error bleeps............................................................................................................................... 27

2.12.2. Status sounds ............................................................................................................................ 28

3. Operating modes of the microdrone ................................................................................................ 29

3.1. INS mode ........................................................................................................................................ 29

3.2. GPS position hold ........................................................................................................................... 29
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

3

3.3. Dynamic position hold (DPH) function........................................................................................... 29

3.4. Teach‐in function............................................................................................................................ 30

3.5. Waypoint function.......................................................................................................................... 30

3.6. Homing function............................................................................................................................. 30

4. The remote control ........................................................................................................................... 32

4.1. Switching functions of the microdrone.......................................................................................... 33

4.1.1. Control stick allocation of the remote control............................................................................ 33

4.1.2. Slide switches E and F of the remote control.............................................................................. 34

4.1.3. Switching functions of the remote control ................................................................................. 35

4.2. Remote control settings................................................................................................................. 36

4.2.1. Trim of the control sticks............................................................................................................. 36

4.2.2. RC channel selection ................................................................................................................... 37

4.2.3. Switching between display pages................................................................................................ 37

4.2.4. Resetting the timer to 30 min ..................................................................................................... 37

4.2.5. Teacher/student operation ......................................................................................................... 37

4.3. Charging the remote control transmitter....................................................................................... 38

4.4. Bleeps of the remote control ......................................................................................................... 38

4.5. The antenna of the hand transmitter............................................................................................. 38

4.6. Technical data of the hand‐held transmitter ................................................................................. 38

5. Camera .............................................................................................................................................. 39

5.1. Camera suspension systems........................................................................................................... 39

5.2. Olympus camera............................................................................................................................. 41

5.3. Full HD Sony HDR‐CX 740 VE camcorder........................................................................................ 42

5.4. CCD daylight camera ...................................................................................................................... 43

5.5. Dawn (near IR) camera................................................................................................................... 43

5.6. Thermographic camera .................................................................................................................. 43

6. The base station ................................................................................................................................ 44

6.1. Connections and functionality ....................................................................................................... 44

6.2. Charging the base station............................................................................................................... 46

7.0. The flight battery............................................................................................................................ 47

7.1. Safety and care information on the battery................................................................................... 47

7.2. The charging case ........................................................................................................................... 48

7.2.1. Connection of the battery to the charging case.......................................................................... 49

8. Safety procedures.............................................................................................................................. 50
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

4

1. General 

The md4-1000 systems by microdrones are remote-controlled automatic flying platforms. They can be 

used to take photos, record videos and perform any other observation and inspection work. The 

systems use a quadrotor carrying system with state-of-the-art technology. You can take high-quality, 

professional pictures and videos from the air thanks to a torsionally resistant, extremely light CFRP 

body and an advanced electronics system. The technology used in the aircraft is normally only found 

in manned planes, e.g. GPS, inertial navigation system, autopilot and flight data recorder. 

The GPS position hold function uses GPS to keep the 

microdrone hovering in its current position even when 

the wind is blowing. So the operator can concentrate 

fully on operating the camera without having to fly the 

microdrone against the wind at the same time. 

The system is particularly powerful and highly 

effective thanks to the highly advanced carrying 

platform, a ground station and a notebook with 

appropriate software. It is also very cost-efficient 

compared to conventional aerial photography 

platforms. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

5
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

6

1.1. Safety instructions 

Always comply with the laws and regulations governing use of the microdrone that apply 

at the area of use. 

Always keep a safety distance of 5m towards any kind of objects. 

Always keep a safety distance of 10m towards people and animals. 

 

When calculating the flight time always include the time required to fly back and descend. It is 

not a good idea to have the microdrone ascend to 500 m and then descend through the final 

100 m in emergency landing mode because the battery is almost empty. 

When planning waypoint flights, always take the GPS resolution into account as it might change 

depending on local conditions. Always calculate in a safety buffer if you want to fly the 

microdrone close to obstructions. 

Never save other data to the SD card of the microdrone. The entire content of the SD card is 

managed by the microdrone or mdCockpit. Even if it appears that there is space, there is not: 

the flight data are recorded directly to the sectors of the SD card and cannot be seen in the 

table of contents. If you write other data to the SD card of the microdrone, the chances are that 

you are will overwrite flight data. In such cases microdrones cannot be held liable for technical 

defects if their cause cannot be traced due to overwritten flight data. 

Try not to fly directly over the RC transmitter. In this position the RC could fail if the signal is 

shielded by the housing of the microdrone, making the microdrone lose control. The distribution 

of the radio waves is also poor in this position, augmenting this effect. 

Avoid flying in or close to model aircraft clubs due to frequency interference from other 

transmitters. 

Do not fly close to airports and avoid flying in the vicinity of military 

complexes or model aircraft clubs or other strong transmitters. The 

systems used in such places create interference which could badly 

disrupt the microdrone and might even disable the emergency program. 

Therefore, keep to a distance of at least 5 kilometres from airports. 

Due not fly close to high-voltage lines, transformer stations and power 

plants. 

 

Do not fly directly over persons, because if there is an accident, the 

falling microdrone could injure someone. 

 

Do not fly directly over water. If it cannot be avoided, then remain at 

least 10 m above the surface. 

 

Avoid ‘linear descents’, i.e. flying down vertically. Instead fly down in 

large spirals or from side to side. If you fly directly down, the microdrone 

becomes less stable as it is flying in its own downwash and the motor 

power has been throttled back for descent. 

 

Pay attention to the mdCockpit speedometer when descending. Do not push the throttle down 

fully for a long time. Descent is normally at the end of the flight when the battery is often almost 

empty. If you begin the descent too fast, particularly if carrying a large load, the microdrone 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

7

might not have enough power left to prevent crashing into the ground. 

 

Do not adjust the trim of the remote control. Otherwise the microdrone might perform flight 

manoeuvres unexpectedly and lose control. 

Pay attention to local wind conditions. The microdrone has not been designed to fly when the 

wind speed is higher than 12 m/s. Even a wind speed of 4-5 m/s might be too much for 

inexperienced pilots to handle. Pay attention to the wind information and warnings in 

mdCockpit. 

Never fly with a cold battery. The LiPO cells used are powerful, though very sensitive to 

temperature. When temperatures are low, the battery’s voltage might unexpectedly plunge, 

causing the microdrone to lose control for lack of power. 

Only take off if the battery is fully charged. A lack of power is often the cause of emergency 

situations which could have been avoided. 

Before taking off, ensure that the rotors are properly attached. Even if the rotors are not about to 

come off, poorly fastened rotors subjected to a load could touch the housing of the microdrone. 

This could result in much higher power use and a considerable reduction in flight time. 

Be careful if the Waypoint auto execute function is active. Once the battery has been inserted, a 

GPS signal has been detected and if the destination is within range, the microdrone sets out on 

the waypoint route automatically. 

Please read and comply with the separate safety and care information for batteries. 

 

The transmission aerial of the hand transmitter (remote control) has to be fully extended during 

flight. If it is not, there is an acute risk of losing control of the microdrone suddenly after a short 

distance. Also ensure that the receiving antenna is correctly installed and in place on your 

microdrone. 

Take off immediately after connecting the battery. Don’t let the microdrone idle before takeoff. If 

you don’t do so it is possible that the microdrone takes off on its own due to a wind gust etc. 

 

Always let the microdrones settle to its ambient temperature before takeoff. This does not apply 

to the battery itself! A difference of more than 5 C° between the ambient temperature and the 

temperature of the sensitive components and sensor inside the microdrone may cause serious 

misbehaviors. 

 

Never use the microdrone without rotors (for tests etc.). The exceptional high rpm may cause a 

damage of the drives and other related electronic parts. 

Always use both hands to carry the microdrone from your car to the area you want to start flying. Grab the microdrone at it’s both arms as much as possible near the body-center. 

Never touch or catch the microdrone within flight, landing approach or with running motors on 

the ground. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

8

1.2. Statutory regulations for using the microdrone 

The user alone is responsible for using the system and must ensure that appropriate registrations are 

made and that statutory provisions governing the system md4-1000 at its place of use are complied 

with. 

Check in particular that using the 

9 remote control, 

9 video transmitter 

9 and the aircraft itself 

is not against the law. 

Due to different rules governing flight permits, maximum altitude, liability insurance, etc., the user must 

himself find out about compliance with regulations and provisions that apply in the area he intends to 

use the microdrone. 

Under no circumstances can microdrones GmbH be held liable for: damage to the microdrone or any 

other kind of damage; consequential damage; direct or indirect damage; or financial loss or 

interruption to operations due to: improper use of the microdrone by you or third parties; unforeseeable 

or abnormal circumstances; or general operation of the microdrone. 

Aviation liability insurance has to be concluded! 

The video transmitter must be registered! Please contact the relevant agency. 

1.3. Export terms 

The md4-1000 is a dual-use good, meaning that it can be used in Germany and the rest of the EU for 

military and civilian purposes. Therefore the ‘Council Regulation (EC) np 1334/2000 of June 2000 

setting up a Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use items and technology’ 

applies to international transport and export. 

In particular the above regulation stipulates that an export permit must be obtained from national 

authorities if the md4-1000 or one of its components is exported to countries for which there is no 

general export authorization. Countries for which there are currently (July 2007) such general export 

authorizations: 

Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of 

America, ... 

You can find the complete list and more information at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating‐opportunities/trade‐topics/dual‐use/

microdrones GmbH cannot be held liable if the user breaches these terms. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

9

1.4. Technology and history 

VTOL is an acronym for vertical take-off and landing. 

It denotes the ability of an aircraft to take off and land 

vertically without a runway. Helicopters also come 

under the VTOL category. 

A quadrotor (from the Latin quadrum - four) is an 

aircraft that is lifted by four rotors or propellers 

operating in the same plane and working vertically 

downwards to achieve lift and, from the inclination of 

the rotary plane and different rotor speeds, thrust. 

Picture: ‘Flying Jeep’ Curtiss-Wright VZ-7AP

It is a helicopter and like this one and VTOL aircraft in general, it can take off and land vertically. Other 

descriptions include quadrotor helicopter and quadcopter. 

The advantage of this type of construction is that, if the directions of rotation are suitably positioned, all 

three axes can be controlled simply by varying the thrust and therefore the torque of the four 

propellers. Complicated swash plates as used on helicopters or other actuators are therefore not 

necessary. Nor is there drift as encountered with a tail-rotor configuration. And it does not matter 

whether the thrust is regulated by using differences in rotational speed or the pitch of the respective 

propeller. The thrust change just has to occur fast enough. If the aircraft thrust is controlled by rotor 

speed, this is done by using e.g. stepless transmission or electric motors. 

When helicopters were first developed, several rotors 

were often used as the use of swash plates had not 

yet been practically conceived. The French pioneer 

of aviation Étienne Oehmichen had experimented 

with rotating wings as early as 1920 before his 

Oehmichen No. 2 (see picture) took to the skies on 

11 November 1922. The four rotors of this early 

quadrotor were elastic and their pitch could be 

changed using cables. Picture: Étienne Oehmichen No. 2 

Next to them were an additional eight propellers acting horizontally to stabilise the aircraft and provide 

thrust as the rotors could not yet be controlled precisely enough. The Oehmichen No. 2 was the first 

reliable aircraft that could take off vertically. It completed more than 1000 flights and got into the record 

books on 4 May 1924 by flying for 14 minutes and doing a kilometre circuit. 

With the development of the swash plate and tail-rotor, tandem and coaxial constructions, the 

quadrotor went off developers’ radar. Not until a general interest for VTOL vehicles in the 1950s did 

quadrotors fly again. 

Manned quadrotors are currently not used. Though they are often used as drones and UAVs. This is 

because of developments made in electronics, sensory systems and lightweight materials. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

10

1.5. System overview

A md4-1000 system basically consists of the microdrone in the transport box, a charging case and the 

ground station which is in its own case. The following picture shows the entire set. Optional extras 

include diverse cameras, a mobile video receiver and waypoint navigation. 

The md4-1000 microdrones have been manufactured from carbon fibre and top quality high-tech 

materials to be very lightweight. They should be treated with appropriate care. 

Picture: entire md4-1000 system 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

11

2. The microdrone md4-1000 

2.1. General mode of operation of the md4-1000 microdrone 

As already mentioned, the md4-1000 microdrone is a quadrotor aircraft. When hovering all the rotors 

operate at the same speed, as shown in the following diagram. Positional changes can be made by 

adjusting the speeds of individual rotors. 

x Forward flight/reverse flight by tilting forward or back 

about the horizontal axis, i.e. accelerating or braking (nick 

or pitch) -> alter speed and therefore thrust ratio between 

A and C. 

x Lateral flight by tilting about the longitudinal axis, side 

movement (roll) -> alter thrust ratio between B and D. 

x Rotating about the lift axis (yaw) -> alter thrust ratio in 

pairs between A-C and B-D. 

x Climbing or going down (throttle) -> increase or decrease 

the thrust of all rotors uniformly. Diagram: Motor schema 

Any position can be achieved with a combination of these basic commands. The device maintains the 

desired height using the temperature-compensating, barometric height control. 

This four-rotor concept, where pairs rotate in opposite directions, mean the torques are cancelled out 

when the rotors are at the same speed. A tail rotor, which reduces the performance of conventional 

helicopters because it does not generate thrust, can therefore be left out. 

The microdrone and its motors are maintenance-free. Only the batteries are subject to wear. The front 

and back rotors rotate to the left, the two side rotors to the right. When climbing all four motors are 

under the same load, when descending the power of all of them is reduced. If you move the aircraft 

forwards, the speed of the back rotor is increased and the speed of the front rotor is decreased by the 

same amount. If you roll the aircraft to the left, the right motor revs up and the left one slows by the 

same amount. To turn the microdrone to the left, the speed of the left and right rotors is increased and 

the speed of the front and back rotors is reduced. This creates torque resulting in rotation about the lift 

axis. 

The two control sticks on the remote control transmitter 

shown in the adjacent diagram control the microdrone. 

The right stick controls forward and back movement 

(nick or pitch) and movements to the sides (roll). 

If the left control stick is moved forward, the 

microdrone climbs (throttle). If the control stick is 

moved back, the device goes down. Movement of the 

stick to the side causes rotation about the lift axis 

(yaw). 

Picture: The hand-held transmitter
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

12

2.1.1. Drive motor and motor controller 

The 42-pole motor weighs 250 grammes and has a 

diameter of 86 mm. The brushless external rotor motor 

(see adjacent diagram) with 36 grooves and 48 

magnets has a synchronous commutator. 

Picture: Details of the drive unit 

The motors are controlled entirely via a CAN bus system at which every motor has its own address. 

The interplay of these components creates a control circuit that enables, due to the dynamics of the 

whole unit, the motor speeds to be controlled quickly, therefore stabilising the md4-1000. 

2.1.2. The main on-board electronics 

The heart of the electronics system is the IMU module 

(IMU = Inertial Measurement Unit), the positional 

control system with barometric height stabilisation. It is 

a combination of three positional and acceleration 

sensors that are merged in what is called a Kalman 

filter. The two 32 bit micro-controllers ensure that all 

data is calculated fast. 

Picture: Components of the on-board electronics 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

13

2.2. Opening / putting on the cover 

Caution: 

Check the lock before starting! Never lift 

microdrone at the top cover. Check it by 

slightly turning cover left/right in order to 

assure proper fitting. 

microdrone with closed cover. It is locked if the 

arrows are not opposite each other. 

To open the cover, hold the cover with one 

hand and the bolt with the other. 

Push the bolt down to unlock, now the cover 

will turn. 

Turn the cover whilst pushing down the bolt 

until the two orange arrows are opposite one 

another. 

You can now carefully remove the cover. 

When removing the cover, ensure that you do 

not accidentally tear off the GPS cable 

between the cover and microdrone or trap the 

cable when putting the cover back on. 

Once you have released the GPS cable from 

the microdrone, you can take the cover off 

completely. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

14

2.3. Inserting and connecting the flight battery 

The battery is brought into the correct position 

by the side guides highlighted in the adjacent 

picture. The battery has three projections on 

the side that should engage under the three 

guides. 

Put the battery between the side guides and 

slide it under the holders. 

When inserting the battery, ensure that the 

snap-in nose behind the battery locks properly. 

To take out the battery, hold down the snap-in 

nose with your thumb and using your other 

hand push out the battery through the side 

guides. 

If the battery has been inserted properly, the 

microdrone’s connections will be coupled to the 

battery. 

The left one is the negative connection. 

The right one is the positive connection. 

The balancer connection ensures the individual 

cells charge uniformly. It also checks the cells 

when charging and discharging. It is only 

required for the charging or discharging 

process. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

15

2.4. The rotors 

The md4-1000 has two rotors that rotate to the left (counter clockwise / CCW) and two that rotate to 

the right (clockwise / CW). The rotors are made from carbon, are robust and, together with the 

motors, are highly efficient. Before every flight, check for visible cracks to prevent problems during 

flight and crashes.

After an accident, make sure you check the rotors to prevent breakage during flight. 

Every rotor is fastened to the motor of the microdrone with four Allen screws (M3x16). The torque of 

the screws is 0.7 Nm. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

16

2.5. Opening out and locking the arms 

Upon delivery or after transporting the microdrone in the transport box, the arms are folded up. The 

following diagram shows how the arms are opened out. 

Folding them up is done in the reverse order. 

To open out the arms, release the lock hook from 

the connecting bolt. 

Then remove the connecting bolt from the side 

so that the arm can be put into place. 

Lift the arm and fasten it in place with the 

connecting bolt. 

After you have pushed in the connecting bolt, it 

has to be adjusted with the lock hook. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

17

2.6. The connections of the md4-1000 

2.6.1. Configuration and data terminal 

To adjust the configuration of the microdrone or to upload waypoint routes to the system, a connection 

with the PC has to be established. Use the adapter supplied to connect the microdrone by USB. 

The connection on the microdrone is right next to the plug-in 

connection for the GPS module. It is slightly smaller and 

marked with ‘FC’ and ‘NC’. Which micro-controller establishes 

the connection depends on which way around the plug of the 

adapter cable is inserted. For configuration or to upload the 

waypoints, the flight controller has to be connected with the 

PC. So the white mark on the microdrone end of the adapter 

(1) should point in the direction of the mark FC (3). 

The connection to the navigation controller NC (2) is normally 

only required for servicing or a firmware update. 

2.6.2. The control wires of the md4-1000 

The picture shows the underside of the microdrone and its connection wires and the downlink 

transmitter. The downlink transmitter sends videos and data wirelessly. 

The connection wires coming from the microdrone for the camera and zoom and the power supply for 

the download transmitter are showing. 

The connections for controlling the servos are also on the back. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

18

2.6.3 The servo connections of the md4-1000 

This detailed picture shows the 4 servo connections of the 

md4-1000. 

Servo 1 is for the pitch adjustment, servo 2 for adjusting 

the roll angle and connections 3 and 4 are AUX channels, 

i.e. they are unassigned. 

If you are looking at the back of the microdrone and use 

the front (marked) arm as a reference point, the 

connection for servo 1 is on the left. Servo 2 is connected 

to the second connection from the left, etc. 

When connecting the servos, check that the servo wire is 

inserted the right way around. 

The orange wire should point in the direction of the front 

arm (arm with red mark). 

2.6.4 Downlink transmitter connection 

A digital download link is shown on the picture. 

The download link transmitter is supplied by 

BMS. It is small and light, has a particularly good 

signal quality and a very low signal delay. 

This transmitter allows us to send wirelessly 

video, audio and any other data from the 

microdrone to the ground station. 

Special characteristics: 

x Low signal delay (approx. 40 ms) 

 

x Power supply 6 to 16 V 

x Frequency range 2.2 to 2.6 GHz 

x MPEG-2 encoding 

The power supply connector of the downlink transmitter is connected with the power supply connector 

of the microdrone. The video connection of the transmitter is connected with the camera used. 

The configuration cable is only used internally for servicing. 

The analogue transmitter differs from the digital transmitter in a number of ways. The cooling fins 

make the digital transmitter look different. The digital transmitter has cooling fins, the analogue 

transmitter does not. 

Nor does the analogue transmitter have a configuration cable. The third difference is the analogue 

transmitter’s lack of antenna filter.
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

19

2.6.5 Downlink receiver 

The antennas for receiving the video/audio data look like this: 

Digital Analogue 

Caution: 

When connecting the digital antenna, make sure that the small slide switch is in the DATA 

position so that it can also receive data sent from the microdrone. 

The CONFIG switch position is for service work.

Technical data of the downlink receiver 

Frequency range 2.3 ... 2.5 GHz 

Channels 16 (can be set via the channel selector switch) 

Video output 1 Vss +/- 0.1 Vss @ 750 Ω

Video bandwidth 30 Hz ... 5 MHz 

Audio input 500 mW effective at > 1 kΩ

Audio bandwidth 15 Hz ... 16 KHz (3 dB) 

Energy supply 230 V mains, 12 V vehicle, flight battery 

Special features 3⁄4 External diversity box with 4 antennas 

3⁄4 Audio stereo channel display 

3⁄4 Switch channel 

3⁄4 Display of the relative reception strength 

3⁄4 Video picture inversion 

3⁄4 Automatic channel switching 

3⁄4 Video audio mute function 

3⁄4 5 V output for antenna input amplifier 

3⁄4 Video detect output 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

20

2.7. Taking off and landing the microdrone 

Put the microdrone onto a flat surface about 10 m 

away from you. If the microdrone is too lopsided, 

the electronics will register this and will not let the 

rotors start as they might otherwise come into 

contact with the ground. 

Always ensure that grass does not entangle with 

the axles of the motors. 

Fly in a range of about 80° in front of you. Avoid 

flight to your side or above you. 

Diagram: Schema of the start position 

‘Nose in hover’, that is hovering with the front, orange arm pointing towards you, requires special skill 

and must be practised sufficiently in the simulator. Beginners in particular quickly run into difficulties. 

Nose in hover is not needed in normal operation. It poses a coordination risk and therefore should be 

avoided. 

Do not leave the microdrone stationary for too long before taking off. It could lead to the 

microdrone developing an incorrect model for the sensor filter, leading to unpredictable flight 

manoeuvres. 

In particular, do not leave the microdrone on the ground with its motors running. Otherwise the 

microdrone would already be in flight mode. This increases the risk of a defective filter model 

and unpredictable flight manoeuvres. 

Take off as soon as possible after inserting the battery! 

If the microdrone is on the ground in flight mode, it could take off autonomously at any time as 

a gust of wind or changes in the air pressure could make it think it is already flying. 

Never let the microdrone run without the rotor blades (e.g. for test purposes)! The 

unnecessarily high speeds could damage the motor or its electronics. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

21

2.8. Taking off in GPS position hold mode 

Flying in GPS position hold mode is easy and makes operation of the microdrone simple. During flight 

you can release the operating buttons of the remote control and the microdrone will remain in its 

current position (hovering). 

The GPS antenna is incorporated in the cover see picture below. When removing the cover, be careful 

not to tear off the connection wire for the GPS receiver. 

The red arrow on the picture on the right shows the connection position of the GPS antenna in the 

microdrone. 

Picture: GPS connection wire Picture: GPS antenna in the cover

 

If the battery has been inserted and the cover has been connected to the microdrone with the GPS 

receiver, you can take off. The take-off sequence is as follows: 

Switch on the microdrone with the RFID tag. To 

do this hold the RFID tag to the red mark of the 

microdrone (see picture on the right). 

The microdrone will emit a single bleep. 

The start-up procedure now begins. 

First, the remote control is registered. While it is 

registered there are several bleeps in quick 

succession. 

If the remote control has been registered, 

confirmation is given with a slow sequence of 

bleeps. Picture: Switching on with RFID tag 

After the remote control has been registered, a search begins for the GPS signal. The GPS signal is 

registered via the GPS antenna in the cover of the microdrone. If there is no GPS signal available, 

there is a slow sequence of bleeps. The better the reception, the faster the beep. Once GPS is ok you 

can hear a double bleep. 

The application software mdCockpit constantly shows the number of satellites (SV for space vehicles) 

and the precision. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

22

Once the microdrone has emitted a double bleep, 

the motors are started using the motor slider 

switch ‘F’ in the adjacent picture. 

CAUTION: Once the motors have started up, 

the microdrone is in flight mode and must be 

supervised at all times. You should also take 

off now to avoid the microdrone acting 

uncontrollably (this could happen if you wait 

too long) on the ground. If the microdrone is 

in flight mode — i.e. the motors are running — 

the microdrone wants to fly. Picture: Starting the motors 

If the microdrone is not yet ready to take off in GPS position hold mode but the motor slider is actuated 

anyway, several bleeps in succession are emitted as a warning. Taking off like this is not possible. 

You can pull the connection to the cover and fly without GPS too. But you have to do this before 

inserting the battery.

As an exception, you could skip the search for GPS satellites by using the ‘E’ slide switch (see picture 

above). The microdrone will then continue to search for satellites when airborne. To skip the GPS 

search, slide the E switch forward for 2 seconds and then slide it back. The microdrone will 

acknowledge this acoustically. This should only be done as an exception because when the 

microdrone finds the satellites during flight, it might turn about the lift axis to align itself. 

After landing remove the battery immediately. Put in a completely charged battery for every new flight. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

23

2.9. GPS waypoint 

The GPS waypoint option allows a predefined route to be flown automatically. The route can be 

defined on the notebook or using a teach-in procedure (also see mdCockpit handbook, waypoint route 

planning). 

The screenshots are of the Waypoint editor. 

mdCockpit has a very simple flight 

planning module for automatic flights 

with waypoint navigation. It even 

makes it possible to change the flight 

plan completely at short notice on 

location or to enter completely new 

routes with just a few clicks of the 

mouse. 

All flight routes can be saved on the 

hard drive of the ground station 

notebook and are available again 

within just a few seconds. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

24

2.10. The flight data recorder 

The md4-1000 has a flight data recorder which records the flights internally on a micro SD card. This 

is basically like the blackbox found in commercial aeroplanes and continually records the current flight 

status, sensor values and all flight commands received from the remote control. 

The card is slightly hidden on the bottom of the mother board of the flight controller as the green 

arrows in the following pictures show. 

Picture: Picture of the microSD card inserted Picture: Picture of the microSD card withdrawn 

Picture: SD adapter with 

microSD card 

To remove it, push carefully with your finger against the edge of the card. 

It will go in slightly. Upon retraction, it jumps out of its holder and can be 

removed. The card can be read using the supplied SD card adapter. 

mdCockpit application software can be used for reading and then 

evaluating the data. 

WARNING: Please do not save other data to the SD card of the 

microdrone. The entire content of the SD card is managed by the 

microdrone or mdCockpit. Even if it appears that there is space, 

there is not: the flight data are recorded directly to the sectors of 

the SD card and cannot be seen in the table of contents. If you write 

other data to the SD card of the microdrone, the chances are that 

you are will overwrite flight data. In such cases microdrones cannot 

be held liable for technical defects if their cause cannot be traced 

due to overwritten flight data. 

2.10.1 Preparing a new SD card for the flight data recorder 

If you want to use a new SD card to record flight data, it has to be prepared for use with the md4-1000. 

Download the official SD Association formatter (https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/) and 

install it on your PC. Insert the new SD card into the card reader of your PC and select its drive letter 

in the SD formatter. Under Option select Format type: FULL (OverWrite) and Format Size Adjustment: 

ON. Begin formatting. During formatting do not remove the card or card reader from your PC. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

25

Afterwards the microdrone has to format the card to create the 

fundamental structures of the flight data recorder such as the table of 

contents. Therefore, insert the card back into the microdrone and 

connect the FC interface to your PC as described in chapter 2.6.5. 

Open a terminal dialogue, select the tab Drone Options. In the bottom 

area called Special Functions you will see the button Format SD card 

in the microdrone. 

After this the SD card is ready to be used with the md4-1000. If required, you can also use the existing 

connection to upload to the microdrone using the waypoint editor. 

You can proceed in the same way if you want to repair a faulty SD card. However, before doing this 

you should use the data analysis tool in mdCockpit to read out in comprehensive mode all data still on 

the card so that records are not lost (see chapter 5.4 (3) of the operating instructions for mdCockpit. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

26

2.11. Technical data of the md4-1000 

Technical Specifications 

Vehicle mass 2650g 

Payload mass 

(recommended) 800g 

Payload mass 

(maximum) 1200g 

Battery 6S2P LiPo 

22,2V / 13Ah 

Climb rate 7,5 m/s 

Cruising speed 12,0 m/s 

Peak thrust 118,0 N 

Endurance up to 88 min. 

Flight radius approx. 500m on C&C 

Ceiling altitude 

(relative to take-off) 1000m 

Maximum take-off altitude 

(above sea level / WGS84) 4000m 

Operational Conditions 

Temperature range -10 .. 50°C 

Humidity max. 90% r.H. 

Wind tolerance 12 m/s 

Dimensions 

Diameter 1135mm 

Height 495mm 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

27

2.12. Beeps of the microdrone 

To make using the md4-1000 easy, the microdrone has a small loud speaker. This loud speaker 

makes bleep sounds to give you information on the status of the microdrone. Only important statuses 

are conveyed by a bleep so as not to confuse you. All information and statuses are available to you 

via the downlink when using the base station, and via the serial interface of the computer. 

The first acoustic sign of life is emitted directly after switching the microdrone on with the RFID tag. 

Short acknowledgement bleeps are also emitted after successful initialisation of the microdrone and 

after landing. 

There are also other bleeps to provide status information and error notifications. 

A distinction can be drawn between error bleeps and bleeps on the status of the microdrone. 

2.12.1. Error bleeps 

All error messages are introduced clearly by a sequence of sounds: 3 successive bleeps. Following 

this signal, the error code is provided by a number of lower pitched sounds that follow it. The error 

status can be determined using the following table: 

Number 

of bleeps 

Designation Description Remedy 

1 RC key 

pressed 

Unknown RC command Check command 

2 SD memory 

card 

SD card not inserted / incorrectly 

formatted 

Check/insert SD card* 

3 Motor At least one motor has an error Re-insert battery; if error status 

re-occurs, contact microdrones 

4 EEprom Initialisation values invalid Check the initialisation values 

with serial connection 

5 Waypoint 

invalid 

Programmed WP flight not possible

- route length too long (incorrect start 

point)

- WP flight contains errors 

Check WP list and correct if 

necessary Select start point 

correctly. 

Apart from error codes 1 and 5, the errors only occur immediately after inserting the battery, i.e. during 

the initialisation process. 

*)If a high-pitched uninterrupted rapid bleeping follows this error signal, an error recording data to the 

SD card could have occurred. To avoid flight data being lost, the microdrone will block any take-off 

attempts until the problem has been rectified. Please read out all data still on the card using the data 

analysis tool in mdCockpit in comprehensive mode (see chapter 5.4 (3) of the mdCockpit operating 

instructions) and then format the card as described in chapter 2.10.1 of this manual. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

28

2.12.2. Status sounds

There are sounds other than error messages that could occur during operation of the md4-1000. They 

are easily to identify as they take the form of sound sequences. The table provides an overview of the 

status sounds. The sounds could be emitted during initialisation or whilst the md4-1000 is flying. There 

might also be situations where several error sounds are emitted. But so you can easily identify the 

error only the most important error sound is emitted. The priority of the status sound is given by the 

number in the table. The smaller the number, the more important the status information. The battery 

emergency threshold has the highest priority. The quality of the GPS signal has the lowest priority. 

Priority Designation Length of 

sound (ms) 

Pause 

duration 

(ms) 

Remedy 

1 Battery emergency 

threshold reached 

very short 

(50) 

medium 

(200) 

Land immediately! 

2 Battery warning 

threshold reached 

short 

(100) 

long 

(400) 

Prepare to land soon 

3 Incorrect alignment 

for take-off 

short 

(100) 

short 

(100) 

Check take-off position 

4 Magnetometer value 

range exceeded 

medium 

(200) 

medium 

(200) 

Check take-off point 

- Metallic objects 

- Magnets 

- Check magnetometer calibration 

5 WP convert success very long 

(800) 

very long 

(800) 

- valid WP found on helicopter 

6 WP auto execute 

countdown 

short 

(100) 

very long 

(1000) 

7 WP auto execute 

active 

3 x short 

(100) 

short 

(100) 

Autostart active without remote 

control 

8 GPS valid 2 x short 

(100) 

very long 

(1000) 

Double bleep signifies GPS is 

ready 

9 GPS quality 

indicator 

Qualitydependent Qualitydependent Wait for GPS to be ready 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

29

3. Operating modes of the microdrone 

The condition for the following operating modes is a very good GPS signal with a resolution of about 

2.5 m. If the GPS accuracy is less than this — larger than 2.5 m — then this has a negative effect on 

flight behaviour. 

The different flight modes can be set in mdCockpit. 

The mdCockpit operating instructions tell you how to make these settings. 

3.1. INS mode 

In this mode the operator pilots the microdrone without help from GPS position hold or dynamic 

position hold. You must be very experienced to use this mode as the microdrone provides no 

positional help. The operator has to steer the vehicle taking the wind into account and must react to 

every undesired influence of the wind. This requires a high degree of alertness and confident handling 

of the microdrone. Only experienced pilots should control the position angle using the control stick, 

and only in exceptional cases. 

As the operating modes that have automatic flight control require a sufficiently strong GPS signal, the 

INS mode is the only way to fly if the GPS signal is very bad or non-existent. 

Of course there are situations when the GPS signal is not good enough, e.g. if you are taking off 

between two houses, and taking off without GPS is unavoidable. To cater for this there is a function 

that allows the operator to override the GPS signal for take off. To do this, push the E slider switch of 

the remote control forward for a short time and then push it back. The microdrone responds to the 

GPS override by emitting a sound. The microdrone can now take off. In the air the microdrone 

continues to search for GPS satellites to allow GPS-aided flight, and the mode is switched to GPS 

position hold or dynamic position hold as soon as possible. 

3.2. GPS position hold 

If you release the control stick during manual flight when In GPS position hold mode, the microdrone’s 

current position will be maintained. This means that the microdrone remains in its current position and, 

if required, will fly against the wind to do so. The benefit of GPS position hold is that it allows the user 

to concentrate on the task itself, e.g. taking photos. 

To exit position hold, you only have to move the control stick 5% out of its neutral position. You have 

to be very careful at this point as this is where the most frequent errors are made. If the microdrone is 

in the wind and in GPS position hold mode, the microdrone counteracts the effect of the wind 

automatically. When you exit GPS position hold mode, you have to counteract the wind yourself. 

Depending on the strength of the wind, you have to counteract it sufficiently. An error often made here 

is that users do not counteract the effect of the wind to a sufficient extent. If they do not, the 

microdrone drifts with the wind and inexperienced pilots then release the control sticks to put the 

microdrone back into GPS position hold mode. If this process is repeated several times, the 

microdrone could drift a long way. The above situation requires you to fly against the wind with enough 

power to counteract it before moving on. To fly onwards against the wind, you have to be even more 

assertive with the control stick. 

3.3. Dynamic position hold (DPH) function 

It is possible, from firmware version 2.8, to activate Dynamic Position Hold (DPH) when flying the 

microdrone manually. You do this with the G switch. The middle position means DPH is off and 

forward/up means it is on. 

Dynamic position hold is a type of autopilot (do not confuse with waypoint function) for the microdrone. 

Dynamic Position Hold is a further development of GPS position hold. In GPS position hold the current 

position is only held when the control sticks are released. When you use the control sticks again, you 

exit GPS position hold mode and you have to fly the microdrone yourself (taking any wind into account 

if necessary). The stronger the wind, the stronger you have to counteract its effects. In Dynamic 

Position Hold you do not have to counteract the wind. You fly the microdrone comfortably using the 

control sticks according to the GPS coordinates you want to move to. In this way the microdrone is 

sent a new GPS position which it moves towards and maintains automatically until you give another 

command via the control sticks. This prevents the microdrone from drifting in the wind. 

In mdCockpit under microdrone settings / DPH you can select different DPH settings: 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

30

Setting Function 

Mode 0 : DPH function deactivated 

Mode 1 : DPH function activated 

Mode 2 : DPH function can be set via switch G: 

 G in ‘middle’ position: DPH deactivated 

 G in ‘top’ position: DPH activated 

3.4. Teach-in function 

The teach-in function is activated by pulling back/down switch G for at least 3 seconds. This saves the 

current waypoint coordinates such as position, orientation and altitude to the SD card of the 

microdrone. Though there can be no waypoint route already on the SD card. If this is the case, the 

teach-in function cannot be used. The main reason for the teach-in function is to create and calibrate 

your own extremely precise map material so you can fly waypoint routes safely. To see how this is 

done in detail, please see the mdCockpit instructions under Waypoint Editor / Importing map pictures 

from files. 

3.5. Waypoint function 

The waypoint function allows you to automatically fly a predetermined route (according to predefined 

positions: GPS position, altitude and orientation), e.g. to take pictures. 

Waypoint is activated by pushing up/forward the G switch whilst pushing down the H button. For this to 

work there has to be a valid waypoint route on the SD card of the microdrone. 

If you are in waypoint mode and you put the G switch back in the middle position, the microdrone will 

stop flying the waypoint route and you are again in control of the microdrone. To take up the waypoint 

route again, hold down the H button and move the G switch back to the forward/top position. The 

microdrone will now return to where its waypoint route was interrupted and continue from there. 

3.6. Homing function 

In this operating mode the microdrone automatically flies to the first position from which it received a 

valid GPS signal (point of first fix). This position is also normally the take-of position, provided the GPS 

signal was strong enough for take-off. 

The homing function can be triggered with the remote control. To do this the function Homing via RC 

switch has to be activated in mdCockpit. Once activated, if you move the G switch back/down whilst 

holding down the H button, the homing function is triggered. You can also activate the option Auto 

homing upon RC loss in mdCockpit. This activates homing automatically once the RC outage time has 

exceeded a defined value. This value can also be set in mdCockpit. If this setting has been 

deactivated and the RC outage time is exceeded, the microdrone goes into emergency landing mode 

and lands. 

There are three important things that the homing function enables: Once the function has been 

activated, the microdrone aligns itself to the line of sight of the operator. This assumes that the 

operator is at or close to the point of first fix (ideally the take-off position). 

In mdCockpit you can reverse the alignment during the automatic return flight so that the microdrone is 

not aligned to the line of sight of the operator, instead it faces the operator. 

Secondly, the microdrone flies at the safe altitude that you can configure in mdCockpit. Thirdly, the 

microdrone will fly safely at a defined speed of 5 m/s to the point of first fix. 

If the microdrone is so far away that you can no longer see the red front arm, activating the homing 

function is enough to align the microdrone in a defined direction. In this way you know the direction in 

which the microdrone is pointing. 

If Auto homing upon RC loss is selected, the homing function is automatically activated if the RC 

connection has been severed. If the RC connection is re-established during the return flight, the 

homing function is automatically turned back off and you can re-assume control of the microdrone. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

31

The following illustration shows the three major components of the homing function: 

The following tables provide an overview of the available homing settings in mdCockpit: 

Homing via RC switch 

Activated Allows the function to be activated using the remote control. 

The switch/button combination: 

G back whilst holding down H switches the function on. Switch G in the 

middle deactivates the function. 

Deactivated Does not allow activation remotely. 

Auto homing upon RC loss 

Activated If the RC signal is lost for a defined period (period can be defined in 

mdCockpit), then the microdrone switches to homing mode and flies back to 

the point of first fix. 

Deactivated In this setting the microdrone goes into emergency mode and lands if the 

RC signal is lost for a defined period. 

Alignment during automatic return flight 

Forwards The microdrone aligns itself so that the red arm points towards the operator 

when flying back. 

Backwards The microdrone aligns itself so that the red arm points in the line of sight of 

the operator. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

32

4. The remote control 

Picture: An overview of the hand transmitter of the remote control 

The Royal pro 9 by Multiplex is the 

remote control transmitter currently 

used by microdrones to control the 

microdrone. It is shown on the left 

with its main operating elements. 

The transmitter has what is called a 

synthesizer HF module, that allows 

you to select any 35 MHz frequency 

band. 

The display of the Royal pro 9 can 

be tilted up (see picture below). 

Picture: Display adjustment 

 Picture: Hand-held transmitter in the console

The safest way to use the control 

sticks is by holding each between 

thumb and forefinger. There is also 

an optional console into which the 

hand transmitter is pushed that 

makes handling easier. The console 

can be hung on a belt or around your 

neck, meaning your hands are free, 

making operation more comfortable 

and precise. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

33

4.1. Switching functions of the microdrone 

4.1.1. Control stick allocation of the remote control 

The microdrone is controlled using the two control sticks. The coloured arm (normally red) is defined 

as being the front. A quadrotor doesn’t actually have a front, which is why microdrones chose one. 

The left control stick controls the 

height (gas/throttle) and rotation 

about the lift axis (yaw). 

If you move the stick forward, 

the microdrone climbs; if you 

move it back, the microdrone 

descends. 

Pushing the stick to the left 

makes the microdrone turn anticlockwise. 

Pushing to the right makes it 

turn clockwise. 

The right stick controls 

movement forward and 

back (nick/pitch) and to the 

sides (roll). 

Moving forward makes the 

microdrone fly forwards, 

pulling the stick back 

makes it fly backwards. 

Push to the left, 

microdrone flies to the left. 

Push to the right, 

microdrone flies to the 

right. 

 Diagram: left control stick Diagram: right control stick 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

34

4.1.2. Slide switches E and F of the remote control 

Picture: Slide switches E and F 

The slide switches E and F have to be in the lower 

position before take off. 

E is used to override the GPS. If the microdrone does 

not have GPS reception on the ground, it can take off 

without GPS and search for the satellites during flight. 

This procedure should only be an exception. The 

override is carried out by sliding the E switch forward, 

waiting a short time and then pulling it back. The 

microdrone will acknowledge this acoustically. 

The F switch is used to turn the motors on and off. The F switch has to be pushed up to switch on the 

motors. The motors start up in turn, first at the front, then left and at the back, and finally on the right. 

To switch off the motors, the F slide switch has to be pushed down and at the same time the left 

control stick has to be pulled down at least 80%. 

If you have old firmware (before version 2.8) or if you have deactivated the function Safe motor switchoff in mdCockpit, you only have to push the F switch down to switch off the motors. 

Safe motor switch-off can be set in mdCockpit: 

Safe motor setting 

Activated Motors are switched off by pulling the F slide switch down whilst pulling the 

left control stick down. 

Deactivated Motors are switched off by pulling the F slide switch down. 

CAUTION: 

Do not pull down the F switch during flight unless you want to crash the microdrone 

purposefully to avoid an accident. If the F switch is pulled down whilst moving the left control 

stick down, the microdrone is switched off directly. Re-starting the motors is not immediately 

possible. 

If not shut down by the "F" slider the microdrones inhibits the next flight for safety reasons. 

The flight then might not have been completed properly on the SD card. The microdrone 

prevents overwriting of the last flight on the SD card. 

Error message in mdCockpit’s terminal dialogues: "possible lost flight data” 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

35

4.1.3. Switching functions of the remote control 

The switches L, N, O, J and button M have no direct relation to piloting the microdrone. The O switch 

is for teacher/student operation. O allows you to switch controls. 

I, G and H are important during flight. 

 

The H button is on the side behind switch J (see red 

arrow). 

They open up a host of possibilities to the user as 

shown in the table below. 

Functions of switches I and G: 

Switch position Function 

I forward/up Take photo (only during manual control) 

I back/down Take photo deactivated 

I forward/up and press button H Optical 3x zoom: 1.0x, 1.7x, 3.0x 

Depends on type of camera. 

Switch position Function 

G forward/up DPH active (from version 2.8) 

G in middle position Static GPS position hold 

G back/down Teach-in function 

G forward/up whilst pressing the H button Activate waypoint 

G back/down whilst pressing the H button Homing function when Homing via RC switch has 

been activated 

Button H in combination with the control sticks

The H button has other functions in addition to the functions provided in combination with switches I 

and G. The four servos can be controlled by pressing the H button and using the control sticks at the 

same time. 

The left control stick is used to adjust servos 1 and 2. 

Moving the control stick up or down adjusts servo 1, which adjusts the pitch of the camera mount. 

Moving the control stick to the right or left affects servo 2, which adjusts the roll angle of the camera 

mount. 

The right control stick in combination with the depressed H button controls auxiliary servos 3 and 4, 

which are currently unassigned. 

If firmware/hardware is installed , pressing the H-Button for more than 10s switches flight lights on/off. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

36

 4.2. Remote control settings 

The following chapter contains a few settings of the Royal pro 9 made by Multiplex that we currently 

use. Please see the manufacturer’s operating instructions concerning the diverse settings that can be 

made. 

The menu structure is very user-friendly and well structured, making programming and operating the 

transmitter much easier. 

4.2.1. Trim of the control sticks

Picture: Allocation of the trim switches 

The trim for both control sticks (i.e. the value in the 

central position) must always be at neutral to operate 

the microdrone. The stylized bars on the display of the 

Royal pro 9 (see picture below) shows this value. You 

can change this setting with the four cross-like buttons 

under the control sticks (see circles in adjacent 

picture). You can see when the neutral position has 

been reached on the display, and a sound is also 

emitted. 

WARNING: Only start when the trim is in the 

neutral position, otherwise the microdrone will 

assume that the operator is sending a permanent 

control command and will therefore turn off GPS 

position hold. 

If the voltage of the transmitter battery is under 

7.2, it should be charged immediately. 

Picture: Royal pro9 display 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

37

4.2.2. RC channel selection 

 

Hold down the ‘Spanner - ABC1’ button and then turn on the transmitter to change 

the channel. 

 

Then release the button and set the desired channel using the rotary knob on the top 

right of the transmitter. 

The channel has to be confirmed using the wide enter button in the middle of the 

button field. The channel is activated once the transmitter is turned back on. 

4.2.3. Switching between display pages 

 

Press the bottom right button "/-#0" to switch between pages on the LC display. 

This switches between the voltage and trim display, the status screen and the 

countdown timer. 

 

4.2.4. Resetting the timer to 30 min 

 

You can use this button to reset the timer. Once the F motor switch has been pushed 

forward, the timer begins and counts down from 30 minutes. 

You should do this each time you land. 

4.2.5. Teacher/student operation 

The Royal pro 9 allows teacher/student operation (see Royal 

pro 9 handbook). Two pro 9 transmitters are used at the same 

time for this. You can switch between the controls using the O 

switch. A cable has to connect the transmitters to do this (see 

picture). 

Ensure that the connection plugs for the teacher and student 

transmitters are the right way around. The transmitters must be 

set to teacher/student operation (see Royal pro 9 handbook). 

The easiest way to do this is to use software available from 

microdrones that can be put onto the transmitters via a cable. 

This allows a beginner to be taught by an experienced operator, 

and by moving the O switch the teacher can regain control. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

38

4.3. Charging the remote control transmitter 

A separate charger is used to charge the remote control 

transmitter. It should be charged at the latest when a value of 

7.2–7.3 V is shown on the voltage display. You get to the 

voltage display by pressing the bottom right button "/-#0". 

Charging overnight is easily enough to recharge the NiMh 

battery of the transmitter. Insert the round plug into the 

charging socket on the back of the transmitter for this purpose. 

Caution: Pay attention to the nose of the plug to prevent 

voltage reversal. 

4.4. Bleeps of the remote control 

Once the motors have been activated using the F switch , a countdown begins on the transmitter and 

a sound is emitted on reaching every full minute. 

This is simply a signal for the operator to make managing the flight time easier. Once the time is up, a 

constant warning sound is emitted. You now have to land as a matter of urgency, and replace the 

battery immediately after landing. 

4.5. The antenna of the hand transmitter 

CAUTION: The transmitter antenna must be completely extended during flight. 

The antenna should not point towards the microdrone as this is the weakest orientation thus reducing 

range (so do not fly the microdrone over your head). You should align the antenna so it is parallel to 

the antenna of the microdrone. The swivel mechanism of the antenna can be unlocked by pulling the 

antenna slightly and then bent up. 

4.6. Technical data of the hand-held transmitter 

Multiplex Royal pro 9 hand-held transmitter 

Transmission type Switchable FM / PPM or FM / M-PCM with 10 kHz spacing 

Modulator HF module synthesizer HFM-S 

Servo impulse format MPX 1.6 +/- 0.55 ms 

UNI 1.5 +/- 0.55 ms 

Energy supply 7.2 V, NiMH 6 cells, AA, 

Power consumption < 50 mA without HF emission 

~250 mA with HF emission 

Charging current Max. 1.4 A (quick charge) 

210 mA (normal charge) 

Operating temperature 

Storage temperature 

Charging temperature 

-15 °C to 55 °C 

-20 °C to 60 °C 

0 °C to 4 0°C 

Weight Approx. 900 g (with battery) 

Dimensions (L x W x H) 220 x 270 x 60 mm 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

39

5. Camera 

5.1. Camera suspension systems 

There is a suspension system made from CFRP for every camera type that is put into position on the 

under side of the microdrone. 

The above picture shows an Olympus camera with the standard mount for our microdrone. All camera 

mounts have a remote control servomotor that enables a pitch angle of the optical axis of about 0–90°. 

To control the pitch angle, hold down button H on the right of the remote control and now move the left 

control stick forwards and backwards (otherwise used to adjust the height (throttle) of the microdrone). 

You must keep the H button depressed all the time, otherwise you will change the altitude of the 

microdrone. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

40

This special camera mount, shown on the picture below, has two servos. These two servos allow you 

to adjust the roll and pitch angles. The camera mount is not part of the standard range and can be 

purchased separately. 

The camera mount is controlled by pressing the H button and operating the left control stick. Moving 

the control stick up or down alters the angle of inclination. Whilst moving the control stick to the right or 

left changes the roll angle. 

Connecting the servos is explained in the chapter The servo connections of the md4-1000. 

Please note: Do not attempt to adjust the camera angle by hand, otherwise you might 

irreparably damage the delicate transmission of the servo. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

41

5.2. Olympus camera 

The Olympus Pen E-P2 is currently the standard camera we offer with our system. 

x High-quality multimedia tool for photos 

and filming 

x Classic design 

x High flexibility 

x HD video 

x Good picture quality 

x Comprehensive photo functions and 

integrated picture stabiliser 

Technical data: 

Olympus Pen E-P2 

Resolution 4,032 x 3,024 pixels 

3,200 x 2,400 pixels 

2,560 x 1,920 pixels 

1,600 x 1,200 pixels 

 640 x 480 pixels 

Colour depth 24 Bit (16.7 million colours) for JPG format 

Sensor 17.3 x 13 mm LiveMOS-Chip with 12,300,000 pixels 

File format JPEG (.jpg), AVI-Video(.avi), WAV and RAW 

Compatible with removable 

data storage media 

SD card (SDHC-compatible) 

Connection to computer USB interface (version 2.0 hi-speed) 

Other connections Audio output, HDMI, accessory port (also for optional microphone 

adapter and supplied viewfinder) 

Power supply 1 x lithium ion battery, camera-specific (1,150 mAh; 7.2 V) 

Type: BLS-1 

Focussing Autofocus and manual focus 

Exposure times 1 / 4000s to 2s (automatic) 

1 / 4000s to 60s (manual) 

1 / 180s to 60s (with flash) 

Dimensions W x H x D 120 mm x 70 mm x 35 mm 

Weight 370 g (ready for operation) 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

42

5.3. Full HD Sony HDR-CX 740 VE camcorder 

The picture shows a Full HD camcorder with universal mount. 

x High definition 3MOS camcorder 

x 3MOS camera system and progressive recording 1080/50p 

x Lens with 10x optical / 120x intelligent zoom and XXmm wide angle 

x 3D compatible (optional converter) 

Technical data: 

Sony HDR-CX740VE 

Picture sensor type Exmor RTM CMOS sensor, type 1/2.88 (6.3 mm) 

Pixels Approx. 6.14 mill. pixels (16:9); approx. 4.6 mill. pixels (4:3) 

Optical/digital zoom 10x / 120x intelligent 

Focal length 3.8 – 38.0 mm 

Picture stabiliser Balanced optical SteadyShotTM with active mode (wide angle to 

tele) 

Display Xtra Fine LCDTM display with TruBlackTM technology, 7.5 cm 

(921,000 pixels) 

Recording format AVCHD: Full HD 1920 x 1080 (50p /50i); 

iFrame: 540/25p 

Recording standards 1080/50p (28Mbps), HA (17Mbps), HG (13Mbps), HN (9Mbps); 

HE (5Mbps), iFrame 

Audio recording format Dolby-Digital 5.1 channel 

Storage medium SD/SDHC/SDXC card (min. class2) 

Photo picture size 16:9 (pixels) Max. 24.1 mega pixels (JPEG; 6544 x 3680) 

Dimensions (W x H x D) 67.5 x 73.5 x 137.5 mm 

Weight Approx. 555 g without battery 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

43

5.4. CCD daylight camera 

The CCD daylight camera is a video camera 

without recording unit. So it doesn’t have a 

battery or storage card. It sends the video live to 

the ground station. 

The focus cannot be adjusted. The stream is 

recorded using the application software (e.g. 

mdCockpit) on the notebook. 

5.5. Dawn (near IR) camera 

The dusk or dawn camera is a video camera for 

taking night pictures where light levels are very 

low. It does not have a recording unit, so is used 

for live transmissions. It doesn’t have a battery or 

storage card. The video is sent live to the ground 

station. The focus cannot be adjusted. The 

stream is recorded using the application software 

on the notebook. 

5.6. Thermographic camera 

The thermographic camera is like a conventional 

camera that takes pictures, though is sensitive to 

infra-red light. 

Thermography is a process that visualizes heat 

radiation (medium infra-red) invisible to the 

human eye emanating from an object or body. 

Thermography records and represents 

temperature distributions on surfaces and objects. 

It sends the video live to the ground station. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

44

6. The base station 

6.1. Connections and functionality 

The picture on the left shows the 

base station we use. 

The base station receives the 

video and telemetry signals of the 

microdrone. 

The signals received are prepared 

for use with a PC. 

The operating panel of the base station is shown 

on the right. 

You choose one of the three power supplies by 

inserting the power cable, car cable or battery. The 

station is switched on using the switch at the top on 

the left. Depending on the power supply, the 

corresponding LED lights up. 

The base station can also charge the LiPo battery. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

45

The coloured connection cables of the antenna are 

connected to the corresponding cinch connections. 

The sockets Audio 1 and Audio 2 receive the 

telemetry data and the Video in socket receives the 

video signal. 

The video signal is sent to a notebook via USB. 

The second USB connection, downlink, provides the 

notebook with the telemetry signal. Using appropriate 

software (mdCockpit) the telemetry can be 

processed and displayed by the PC in real time. 

Both Video out connections allow the user to pick up the video signal using external devices, e.g. with 

a projector or video glasses. 

Video glasses allow the operator to fly the microdrone as if he were in the cockpit himself. 

The small display shows the current battery level of the base station in percent. The DATA LED lights 

up as soon as data are received. 

The AC, 12V or BATT LED tells the user which power supply is operating the base station. Normally 

the best available power supply is used. 

The base station can be connected to a 100–240 V AC 

mains socket, a 12 V car power supply or power is 

provided by a battery whose connection is under the 

cover. 

The 12V DC out socket is the power supply for the 

digital receiver. 

CAUTION: Newer vehicles, vans or lorries might 

have other on-board voltages (e.g. 24 V). Always 

check the operating instructions of the vehicle to 

avoid damaging the base station. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

46

6.2. Charging the base station 

The battery can only be charged by 

connecting to the AC mains or 12 V car 

power supply. 

To do so, insert the battery into the 

charging slot inside the case and switch on 

the charger (see adjacent picture). 

The battery will be fully charged after one 

hour at most and can then be removed. 

If storing for a long period, the battery 

should be about 60% charged. 

Only batteries that have completely 

cooled down are permitted to be charged. 

Caution: 

Constantly monitor the charging process!
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

47

7.0. The flight battery 

Lithium polymer batteries currently have the highest energy density and so are the best choice for our 

system. However, due to fluctuations caused by manufacture, the internal resistance and capacity of 

each individual cell can vary. In addition, low temperatures, battery age and difficult flight conditions 

could cause the voltage of the battery to dip unexpectedly. Therefore, always monitor the voltage 

display, e.g. using mdCockpit. 

microdrones selects the cells and matches each 

individual battery for quality-assurance purposes. 

The LiPo battery (picture) consists of individual cells and 

has a rated voltage of 22.2 V and a capacity of 13 Ah. 

The maximum voltage is 25.2 V. 

This battery type is used in the md4-1000 system to 

operate the microdrone. It is charged using a charger that 

is in a separate charging case. 

Picture: LiPo battery 

7.1. Safety and care information on the battery 

The batteries should only be operated and stored at room temperature. So if temperatures are 

low, make sure the batteries get up to room temperature (20–40 °C, inner pocket of jacket) for 

at least 3 hours before use. The voltage of cold batteries could drop suddenly and cause the 

microdrone to crash. 

Avoid short-circuiting the battery contacts. Coins or keys in your pocket or putting a battery onto 

wet grass is enough to short circuit it. 

If storing the battery for a long time, it should be at least 60% charged. The easiest way to 

check this is to use the charger or the mdCockpit voltage display. 

If you can hear the battery warning during flight, then you should land straight away. The battery 

should not be drained to less than 21 V to keep it in good condition and so it has a long life. 

Immediately remove the battery from the microdrone after landing. 

Avoid exposing the microdrone to direct sunlight for long periods as otherwise the temperature 

specifications of the electronics and battery might be exceeded and cause malfunctions. 

You can only take off if the battery is completely charged. Used batteries must be stored in the 

microdrone box so that they cannot be confused with others. Crashes and hard landings are 

caused by a lack of power. 

New batteries do not perform at their full power immediately. Therefore, you should end the first 

flight with a new battery after ten minutes and then, as always, only charge the battery after it 

has cooled down. A battery that is not completely discharged can be charged many more times 

during its life than a battery that is often completely drained. 

Batteries wear, just as car tyres do. They do not last forever and have to be replaced from time 

to time. However, if you treat them well, you can increase their life considerably. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

48

7.2. The charging case 

The picture on the left shows the charging case 

we sell. Two batteries can be charged at the 

same time. 

x Input 115-240 VAC / 50-60 Hz 

x Output 20 VDC – 20 A for every 

charger. 

Caution: 

Do not shut the charging case during 

charging!

The red wire is the positive connection, the 

black wire is negative. 

The connection in the middle is the balancer 

connection. This connection ensures that all 

the individual battery cells are completely 

and uniformly charged. The balancer 

connection is required to ensure the charging 

process runs correctly. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

49

7.2.1. Connection of the battery to the charging case 

First connect the earth (black wire) of the charging 

case to the battery. 

Then establish the positive connection (red wire). 

Finally, connect the balancer to the battery. The 

balancer connection ensures the individual cells 

charge uniformly. It also checks the cells when 

charging and discharging. 

 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

50

8. Safety procedures 

microdrones md4-1000 are protected against several kinds of hazards. The behavior of the 

systems was tested in many different emergency situations. The following chapter gives an 

overview of the tested situations. 

Situation: Command & Control (C&C) signal reception is bad or lost.

Behavior: The microdrone will enter GPS Position Hold immediately and try to reacquire the 

signal for an adjustable amount of time (30s by default). If that time runs out, the 

microdrone will either enter emergency landing with a descent speed of 0,5m/s or 

go into homing mode, depending on the user ́s settings. Homing mode will align 

the microdrone with the operator ́s line of sight, climb to a predefined minimum 

altitude (30m by default), return to the take-off position in a straight line and finally 

– if the C&C could not be recovered during the whole procedure – enter emergency landing at the take-off position. If C&C is recovered during homing or landing the procedure is interrupted and the operator has full control over the craft. 

Situation: GPS signal reception is bad or lost.

Behavior: Flight control will revert to inertial navigation mode. The stabilization system of 

the microdrone is still active. The operator is notified by textual, graphic and spoken messages about the situation and has to hold position manually. 

GPS Position Hold kicks in again as soon as the signal quality is back to normal. 

Situation: Command & Control (C&C) and GPS signal reception is bad or lost simultaneously.

Behavior: The microdrone will immediately enter emergency landing with a descent speed 

of 0,5m/s .If C&C is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the behavior of the situation “GPS signal reception is bad or lost” applies. 

If GPS is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the behavior of the 

situation “Command & Control (C&C) signal reception is bad or lost” applies. 

Situation: Virtual Fence is being approached or reached.

Behavior: The microdrone slows down and finally stops, if the operator continuously flies in 

a direction in which he would leave the approved air space volume. GPS Position 

Hold stays in effect until the operator commands the microdrone back towards 

the inner circle of the virtual fence. 

Situation: Flight reaches critical speed.

Behavior: If the microdrone’s speed increases to critical speeds the operator will be informed to immediately slow down the craft. The messages get more insistent, if 

the speed is not reduced. The best solution to resolve the situation is to let go of 

the controls and have the microdrone ́s GPS Position Hold stabilize the flight. In 

case GPS is not present the operator has to find the right maneuvers on his own 

to resolve that situation as soon as possible. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

51

Situation: Flight reaches critical pitch or roll angle.

Behavior: Pitch or roll angles above 40° are a potential risk. As soon as the microdrone’s 

attitude approaches a critical angle in at least one axis the operator will be informed by spoken message. The best solution to resolve the situation is to let go 

of the controls and have the microdrone ́s GPS Position Hold stabilize the flight. 

In case GPS is not present the operator has to find the right maneuvers on his 

own to resolve that situation as soon as possible. 

Situation: Flight under increasing wind speeds.

Behavior: The operator is notified by textual, graphic and spoken messages about the current wind speed. Critical conditions are marked as such. Especially the approach 

of maximal motor load, high pitch and roll angles are also reported in this situation. In case of too much wind the operator has to land the system immediately. 

Situation: Flight reaches critical altitude and/or distance.

Behavior: The drones distance and altitude can always be read on the base station screen. 

In regular intervals also a spoken message informs about the current readouts. If 

one of these values reaches a critical level, the operator is immediately informed 

by spoken message. 

Situation: Motor power reaches its limit.

Behavior: The power output of every individual motor is monitored continuously. The operator is informed by spoken message, if one or more motors approach their performance limit in case of payload overweight or critical wind speeds. 

Situation: A rotor blade collides with an obstacle.

Behavior: Motor power is cut immediately. Motor control will intermittingly try to restart the 

motor with low power. Only if the obstacle is gone and the rotor blade turns freely 

full power is applied again. 

Situation: Battery consumption in flight.

Behavior: During normal flight the battery voltage is constantly monitored by the base station. The state of the battery is communicated alphanumerically, graphically and 

through spoken messages. Readouts and messages include current battery 

level, estimated flight time remaining, “bingo” warning, which indicates the moment when the remaining battery power is just enough to comfortably and safely 

return home. 

Situation: The microdrone is powered up with an insufficiently charged battery.

Behavior: Always during startup and after landing the voltage of the battery is checked. If it 

is not sufficient for sustained flight the microdrone enters an error state, blocking 

(another) take-off. 
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013‐01‐21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

52

Situation: Battery is depleted below warning voltage during flight.

Behavior: The microdrone employs two battery voltage warning levels, which are by default 

20,6V/20,1V. As soon as the voltage falls below the first threshold, the microdrone refuses to gain more altitude. Only horizontal or descending movements 

are allowed. If the operator does not touch down before the voltage falls below 

the second threshold, the microdrone will descend on its own with a speed of 

0,5m/s and the operator can only influence the horizontal position or accelerate 

the descent. 

The status is constantly announced by the Base Station in textual, graphic and 

spoken messages. 

Situation: Unusual vibrations are detected.

Behavior: During the post-flight check of the flight recorder, acceleration sensor data is 

checked for unusual vibrations to detect body damage or loose screws in an early 

stage and prevent subsequent problems before they arise. 

Situation: microdrone automatically starts to spin wild and uncontrollably

Behavior: This can indicate a faulty component within the Navigation System which can 

lead to a crash. 

 The operator has to turn the "G" switch to PH (center position) immediately. He 

has to take over manual control with movements of more than + / -5% and immediately land the system. Depending on the firmware pulling the E-Slider up to 

switch of GPS completely is an alternative method. If both does not help the operator has to decide to initiate an emergency shutdown with F-Slider down and 

Throttle full down to initiate a controlled crash landing if the expected crash-zone 

is save to do so.