# Saltuarius RPA LLC

**Remotely Piloted Aircraft**

**and Unmanned Arial Systems** 

**Flight Operations Manual**

**V2.1 Updated 07** **/2015**Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 1



# Table of Contents **1**
**. Preface**  **2 2.**  **Philosophy and Mission Statement**  **2 3.**  **Certificate of Operation 2** 
**4. Administration**  **3** 4.1 Operations Manual 3 4.2 Organization 4 4.3 Personnel 4 4.4 Aircraft and Facilities 5 4.5 Scheduling and Training 5 4.6 Miscellaneous 6 **5 Safety**  **7** 5.1 Safety Policy 7 5.2 Operational Hazard and Incident Report 7 5.3 Safety Operator/Observer/Supervisor 8 5.4 Human Factors 9 **6 Flight Operations**  **10** 6.1 Flight Contracts 10 6.2 Flight Location 11 6.3 Personnel Responsibilities 11 **7 Pre** 
**- flight and Post** 
**- flight Actions**  **13** 7.1 Inspections 13 7.2 Weather 13 7.3 Planning 13 7.4 Checklists 15 7.5 Maintenance 15 **8 Conclusion**  **1 6** Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 2



### 1. **Preface** This procedures and operations manual is intended to promote safe, efficient and lawful operation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) within the National Airspace System (NAS). Safety above all else is the primary concern in each and every flight operation regardless of the nature of the mission



### 2. Philosophy and Mission Statement. Is the mission of Saltuarius RPA LLC and its subsidiaries and subdivisions, referred to as (the) Company) to provide safe, timely and reliable s UAS services to its clients and other entities. UAS systems operated by the company are designed utmost safety and have an enviable safety record. UAS are designed to supplant the use of manned aircraft in order to reduce cost and provide additional safety to property and person by using small lightweight aircraft in lieu of manned aircraft weighing in excess of one thousand pounds. The growing use of UAS in the civilian and public service arenas can have a large impact on the use of video recording and photography in commerce and public safety. It shall be the intent of every UAS operator and the company to make reasonable effort not to invade a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy when operating the UAS. At all times the operation of company UAS w ill be in accordance with FAA regulations and provide a Equivalent level of Safety to the use of manned aircraft.



### 3. COA (Certificate of Authorization)
In accordance with a g ranted FAA section 333 waiver no aircraft will be flown in commerce without a COA. A COA will either be a blanket COA issued in conjunction with FAA section 333 waiver or a specific COA issued by request through the FAA.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 3



### 4. Administration **4.1 Operations Manual** a) The policies and pro cedures in this manual are issued by the company and are to be considered regulations of the company. Operations outside the prevue of the operations manual must be pre approved by an officer of the company. b) Operations in contradiction of the manual man y result in discipline up to termination of employment c) This manual is not intended to be all inclusive but to supplement other company and legal guidelines as well as Federal Aviation Administration regulations and aircraft manuals and maintenance directives. d) This manual has been written to address UAS operations as they existed when it was last updated as shown on the version and date footer and cover page. Equipment, personnel, environment (internal and external) change over time, t he management of change involves a systematic approach to monitoring organizational and regulatory policies and is a critical part of risk management. Given this, it is essential that this manual be reviews and continually updated as needed. The manual is reviewed by comp any principals at least annually and may be amended with additional material throughout the year. It is the employee’s responsibility to be in compliance with all changes to the manual. A full current operations manual is available from the Director of Ope rations. e) A copy of this manual will be issued to all company authorized pilots and observers. It is to be available for inspection at any time and location that flight operations are taking place. f) It is the responsibility of the designated Pilot in Command (PIC) to assure that all operations are in accordance with all company policies and manuals.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 4

**4.2 Organization** All company functions are directed by the managing members Saltuarius RPA LLC. Company officers including the President, Vice President and Director level personnel are responsible for the execution of the company mission, philosophy, goals and daily and strategic planning and operations of the company.

**4.3 Personnel** a) The office of the **Director of Operations** shall be responsible for mai ntaining all training, flight and maintenance records for each pilot and aircraft maintained in inventory.. b) The **Chief P ilot**  shall be responsive for maintenance of individual airframes and providing maintenance and flight logs to the Director of Operations. He/she will also evaluate and assign aircraft based on mission needs and may with approval of the managing members acquire, ground or dispose of aircraft in accordance with mission needs. The Chief Pilot shall evaluate, train, assess the proficiency and approve of all operators of company aircraft c) **Operators :**  The primary responsibility of operators is the safe and effective operation of company aircraft in accordance with company and manufacturer approved flight manuals and policies. Operators must remain knowledgeable of current FAA regulations as well as other regulations and policies that may effect UAS operations. d) **Obs ervers:**  The primary responsibility of the observer is to operate any photographic or data gathering equipment located on the UAS and to assist the operator or PIC in the safe and effective operation of the UAS. It is the responsibility of the observer to m aintain ground safety while the PIC is involved in flight operation of the vehicle. This may include but is not limited to crowdSaltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 5

control and maintaining the safety of personnel involved in the productions but not participating in flight operations.

**4.4 Ai rcraft**  **and Facilities** a) UAS operations will be housed at company facilities as designated by managing members of Saltuarius RPA LLC. b) Individual UAS airframes may be removed from company facilities only with permission of the Director of Operations or a company officer. c. All UAS will be secured in an environment that will prevent their theft, destruction or damage. d. All UAS and related equipment will be secured against tampering at all times.

**4.5 Scheduling and Training** a) The scheduling and use of a ll aircraft will be approved by the Director of Operations or an officer of the company. b) To maintain proficiency with the UAS operations each operator shall operate a UAS and log at least one flight hour per month. c) After initial training and certification on a UAS type the operator shall fly and log at least one flight hour per calendar quarter in order to maintain proficiency on said UAS type. Current types include 250mm Quad rotor, 450mm Quad rotor and 960mm hex rotor. d) Operators not logging su fficient flight hours will require recertification by the chief pilot prior to resuming flight operations of either type or general flights.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 6

**4.6 Miscellaneous** a) All contact with law enforcement or the FAA shall be reported to the Director of Operations or an officer of the company as immediately as possible but always within 24 hours. This is a 24/7 directive b) Any unusual flight operations that may involve manned aircraft or damage to property or injury to person shall be reported to the Director of O perations or an officer of the company as immediately as possible but always within 24 hours. This is a 24/7 directive c) Inquiries from the media will be directed to the Director of Operations. d) Service inquiries will be given company printed material, have their information taken and provided to the Director of Operations. Immediate requests for service will be performed in accordance with established company rate card and may be honored if the PIC feels the operations will be in accordance with company policy. The Director of Operation or a company officer will be notified as soon as practical. e) Service requests from public service or public safety agencies will be honored immediately by the PIC if the PIC feels the operation can be conducted in
accordance with company policy. The Director of Operation or a company officer will be notified as soon as practical. f) At no time will flight operations be undertaken without a signed contract and appropriate liability releases. These forms can be found in th e back of this manual. All public safety requests will require the signature of a supervisor on
scene.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 7

**5. Safety**
**5.1 Safety**  **Policy** a) Saltuarius RPA LLC is committed to having a safe and healthy workplace including
i. T he ongoing pursuit of an accident free workplace providing no harm to people or damage to equipment, property or the environment.
ii. Providing a culture of open reporting of all hazards. The company will not initiate disciplinary action against any employee or contractor who in good faith disclose a hazard or occurrence due to unintentional conduct.
iii. The company will support safety and awareness programs
iv. Monitor the UAS community to assure that best practices for safety and efficiency are incorporated into company policy. b) It shall be the duty of all company employees and contractors to contribute to the goals of safe operati ons. This contribution includes always operating in the safest manner possible and **not taking unnecessary risks**
**.** Any hazard weather procedural , operational or maintenance related should be identified as soon as possible after if not before an incident occu rs. Any suggestion for changes to increase safety in operations shall be directed to the Director of Operations. c) Any company employee or contractor that observes or has knowledge of a dangerous or unsafe act of another employee or contractor shall report said action to the Chief Pilot or the Director of Operations. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the company.

**5.2 Operational Hazard and Occurrence Report.** a) Occurrences are unplanned safety related events that include accidents and incidents that could impact safety. A hazard is a situation that has potential toSaltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 8

cause harm. The systematic identification and correction of hazards is the foundation to safety b) An Operation Hazard and Occurrence report provides a mechanism to report hazards an d occurrences, real or perceived that perceived to those responsible for UAS operations. c) Reports shall be submitted to the chief pilot or director of operations. Reports can be submitted anonymously . There is no form for submitting reports as the inform ation is more important than the form. d) Every hazard, occurrence, incident or accident will be investigated and findings provided to the director of operations and to the managing members of the LLC. e) Hazards requiring immediate attention shall be repo rted to the director of operations or the chief pilot, verbally and without delay. f) ALL EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS ARE AUTORIZED TO TAKE ACTION TO CORRECT A HAZARD if in their opinion delay will result in accident or injury. IN such a circumstance the chi ef pilot or the director of operations shall be notified immediately.

**5.3 Safety Operator/Observer/Supervisor** a) In regards to safety all company employees and contractors are responsible for the following
i. Ensuring that all flight operations personnel understand the applicable regulatory requirements and standards as well as all operational safety policies and procedures.
ii. Observe and control safety systems by monitoring all operations.
III. Review standard s and practices as they impact flight safety.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 9

iv. Communicate all safety related problems and corrective action taken. If there were any in

-flight problems correct safety procedures for handling the problem shall be discussed.

v. Copy and circulate any pertinent safety information
vi. Copy and ci rculate any emergency safety information
vii. Flight operations of any aircraft that have been black tagged for maintenance or safety issues shall not be flown
**.** viii. **It is emphasized again safety is the responsibility of AL L** 

**5.4 Human**  **Factors** a) Operator and Observer will only deploy the UAS if they are rested and emotionally prepared for the tasks at hand b) Physical illness, exhaustion and emotional problems can seriously impair judgment, memory and alertness. The safest rule is to not act as an operator or observer if suffering from any of the above. All employees and contractors are expected to decline assignments when these problems could potentially affect their abilities to perform flight duties. c) A self assessment of physical condition sh all be part of pre

-flight activities d) Performance can be seriously hampered by prescription or over the counter drugs. The chief pilot will be notified if the operator is taking any drugs that have the potential to affect the operator. e) No person will operate any company UAS within 8 hours of consuming any alcoholic beverage, while under the influence of alcohol or having an alcohol content in excess of .04 (FAR 91.17)Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 10



### 6. Flight Operations **6.1 Flight contracts**  a) All non training flights will not commence without a signed contract and liability release. These will be provided by the Operations office b) All projects will be flown under a company flight plan. This plan provided by the operations office will contain client information, contact information if different from the client information. It will contain the location and time of the project. The company flight plan will list video/photography goals and any additional information that may impact mission or sa fety. c) If a flight plan is produced on site it will be provided to the director of operations as soon as practical after the project flight.

**6.2 Flight Location** a) Upon arrival at the location the operator or the observer will attempt to contact the pe rson in charge of the location. This may be a homeowner, business owner, realtor, supervisor or supervisory law enforcement officer or incident commander. b) The goals of the flight will be discussed as well as flight parameters. The requested flight will be screened using the following factors:
i. Is the proposed use within the capabilities of the UAS equipment on site and is it within the capabilities of the personnel on site?
ii. Does the proposed use fall within FAA guidelines and company policy?
iii

. Can the UAS be safely deployed in current weather conditions?
iv. Are sufficient personnel available to safely deploy the UAS and maintain safe ground operations?Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 11

c) The UAS operator has sole discretion for determining if the flight operation complies with company and FAA policies and if safety margins can be maintained. d) If the onsite operator determines that the assignment cannot be safely completed they will immediately notify the Director of Operation or the Chief Pilot. e) The authority of the onsite operator is absolute in grounding any particular flight if any safety or FAA violation will occur.

**6.3 Personnel Responsibilities** 
**OPEN COMMUNICATION ACHIEVE SAFE OPERATIONS.** a) Operators
i. The operator is directly responsible for, and the final authority over the actual flight operations of the UAS.
ii. Operators have absolute authority to reject any flight based on personnel safety or violations of FAA regulations. No company employee, client or public safety official may order the operator to
u ndertake a flight that in the operator’s opinion cannot be conducted
s afely and within FAA regulations.
iii. Operators are responsible for compliance with this manual, company policy and FAA or government regulations.
iv. The operator’s main responsibili ty during flight operations is the safe operation of the UAS while accomplishing the goals of the flight.

v. Operators shall see

- and

- avoid any obstacle that will lessen safety during flight operations.
vi. The operator shall be responsive to requests of the observer inorder to accomplish the goals of the flight.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 12

vii. Operators will be responsible for documenting the flight and updating flight paperwork as well as pilot and vehicle flight logs. b) Observers
i

. Observers shall assist the operator into see

- and

- avoid any obstacle that will lessen safety during flight operations.
ii. The observer is responsible for all photographic and video recording and downlink of video signal.
iii. Observer shall operate all equipment attached to the UAS allowing the operator to maintain complete focus on the safe operation of the vehicle.
iv. Observer is responsible for maintaining ground security impacting the safe operation of the UAS.

v. Observer will handle all communica tion with third parties including clients, public safety officials or others when the UAS is in flight.
vi. Observer shall monitor airspace for any approach by other UAS or manned aircraft and communicate such approach immediately to the operator. vii. Obs erver shall assist the operator in any way in maintaining the safe operation of the USA.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 13



### 7. Pre
**- Flight and Post** 
**- Flight Actions**  **7.1 Inspections** a) Operator and observer are both responsible for a thorough pre flight inspection of the UAS b) Prior to and following of each deployment of a UAS the operator and observer shall conduct a thorough inspection of the UAS in accordance with the company flight manual for the aircraft being flown. c) Any issues fount that put into jeopardy the safe operation of t he UAS will be documented and corrected prior to the flight. d) It is recognized that the use of a checklist is a significant method to combat UAS accident. A company approved preflight and post flight checklist will be utilized prior to and immediately fo llowing each flight. e) Any equipment issue that cannot be resolved on

-site and which could possibly have an impact on the safe operation of the UAS will override the deployment. All issues must be resolved prior to flight.

**7.2 Weather** a) Prior to each de ployment the operator and observer will ensure that he gathers enough information to make themselves familiar with weather conditions in the vicinity of flight operations. This information shall include forecast for the expected duration of flight operatio ns. The operator/observer shall use FAA approved information sources to access current weather conditions. These may be supplemented with other sources as the operator/observer see fit. b) Prior to each flight any changes in weather conditions shall be obs erved that may have changed since the forecast was obtained for the deployment.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 14

c) An anemometer or should be utilized in order to better estimate wind speed and direction at the area of flight operations to determine if local conditions are within limits of the airframe that is being flown. d. Weather conditions and wind speed shall be noted in the flight log. e. The operator shall insure that the operation of the UAS will occur within the FAA VFR weather conditions.

**7.3 Planning**  a) The operator and observer shall familiarize themselves with the information regarding the deployment of the UAS. This shall include objectives, photographic subject, weather conditions, local hazards, possible locations of electromagnetic interference such as power lines, elect rical equipment or sources of RF interferences such as radio transmitters or antenna. b) Operators will insure that the location for take

-off, landing and emergency landing are adequate for safe flight of the UAS. i. When deploying in an area where perso nnel other than the operator and observer are present the operator shall clearly mark a take

-off/landing location is clearly marked ii. Prior to each flight at least one emergency landing location will be identified. c) Operator will ensure that they are aware of their surroundings within both horizontal and vertical space in the event that an emergency landing is necessary. This includes the ability to safely recover the UAS. d. ) Operator will choose a landing location that is vertically unobstructed in the event that a return to ho me and land failsafe is initialized within the vehicle due to inadequate communication with the flight controllerSaltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 15

**7.4 Checklists** a) Operator and observer will use company approved checklists to ensure the highest level of safety during flight operations. b) Prior to flight the flight log shall be initiated.

**7.5 Maintenance**  a) Although there are few parts that require routine servicing, it is necessary that manufacturer required and recommended maintenance is performed and documented b) Any maintenance issues that arise that cannot be resolved through routine measures should be documented and reported to the chief pilot. c) In the event there are any unresolved issues with the UAS regarding maintenance or flight worthiness of the UAS the operator will remove the UAS from service and black tag the airframe and report the condition of UAS to the chief pilot. d) Only the chief pilot or director of operations may remove a black tag from an airframe and return the UAS to service following correction of the maintenance or safety issue for which the UAS was removed from service.Saltuarius	RPA	LLC.		7/2015																				Not	for	Distribution Page 16

**8. Conclusion** It is incumbent upon all employees, contractors and others involved with flight operations of company UAS to instill an attitude of safety a bove all. Company clients, government entities and the public deserve that UAS flights will not endanger person or property or violate standards of privacy. All flight operations will be conducted in accordance with FAA regulations and with the least possi ble impact on those not involved in the deployment. At all times care will be given regarding noise pollution and disturbance to local residents. Care will be taken to not create a disruption for companion animals or livestock in the area of flight operati ons. All employees will act as ambassadors for the company and for the UAS and drone industry as a whole. As much as practical company employees and contractors will answer questions and provide positive information on both the local flight operation and m ulti

- rotor flight in general Since its inception the public has had varying reactions to commercial and public drone flights in their areas. In order for the UAS industry to grow it is incumbent that all employees and contractors operate in the most profes sional manner possible. If you have any questions regarding company policy or operatio ns they can be directed to the President or the Director of O perations. **Thank you for being part of the Saltuarius RPA team.**

______________________________________ Josh O’leary, President

_______________________________________ Jeffrey Spatz, Director of Operations