# COMMANDER USER MANUAL

Draganflyer Commander
Version 1.6

# Operator Notice

The responsibility to operate in a safe manner, prevent injury to persons or damage to property, and to take no unnecessary risks falls upon the owner and those whom the owner authorizes to pilot and operate the Draganflyer Commander helicopter. Furthermore the onus is upon each owner/authorizer/pilot to comply with all regulations pertinent to the use of the Draganflyer Commander helicopter and associated components at the location of operation with regards to the use of airspace as well as radio communications. Draganfly Innovations Inc. does not accept any responsibility for damages or financial compensations which may arise as the result of an owner/authorizer/pilot failing to comply with any regulations which would lead to a claim against the user.

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# Warning

The Draganflyer Commander helicopter is a precision machine that is vulnerable to misuse and can prove to be dangerous if not properly maintained or used in an inappropriate manor.

Helicopters by their nature are not positively stable. Although the Draganflyer Commander can maintain an attitude and a position relative to wind movement without constant control input; operators should always be aware of its position and be able to take immediate control of the helicopter to recover from an unwanted position and avoid any mishaps. Please completely read and understand all Draganflyer Commander instructional information before attempting to fly the Draganflyer Commander. To provide optimum performance, a Lithium Polymer battery powers your Draganflyer Commander. The same properties that make these batteries extremely powerful and lightweight also make them dangerous if handled incorrectly. Please read and understand all information pertaining to the battery before attempting to use or charge it. IF MISUSED THIS AIRCRAFT IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY HARM TO THE OPERATOR AND SPECTATORS AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY OCCURRING DUE TO MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT IS SOLELY THE OPERATOR’S RESPONSIBILITY. Page 2 Special notice: Throughout this manual, look for and pay special attention to these information boxes for tips, tricks, safety information, or serious warnings and risks, associated with this product.DO NOT PLACE YOUR HANDS OR ARMS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ROTORS OR ATTEMPT TO STOP SPINNING ROTORS WITH YOUR HANDS AS SERIOUS INJURY COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT. THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS AND/OR OTHER REPRODUCTIVE HARM. Many common materials such as metals, plastics, glues, lubricants and other coatings contain chemicals in varying amount and concentrations which will cause harm if introduced into the human body. For further information on toxic or dangerous chemicals please refer to California’s Health and Safety Codes Sections 25249.5-13

Page 3 Special notice: Please out of curiosity do not disassemble the aircraft. If you ever have a system problem do not hesitate to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to assist you or get the system serviced. Meanwhile enjoy the helicopter, the amazing performance, and let your imagination soar with this incredible aerial tool. - Understand there is no need to lubricate the motors and if you do, there is a strong possibility you will damage them. - Please also understand that each motor is coded to a specific position on the aircraft so don’t move or swap motors. The motors must remain in their assigned position. If you are experiencing a problem with the aircraft please call our support line at 1-800-979-9794 or drop us an e-mail to support@draganfly.com.

# Safety Precautions As the pilot in command you are responsible for the safety of yourself and others whether it be in the immediate takeoff and landing area, or the general flight path area. Please take safety very seriously.

• Always wear protective eyewear.
• Do not use batteries other than those specifically designed for the Draganflyer Commander; doing so may cause erratic flight performance and void the warranty.
• Do not fly the Draganflyer Commander in excessive winds.
• Do not fly the aircraft system in rain.
• Do not fly near people on the ground or objects in the air.
• Do not fly near pets or other animals.
• Do not fly near high-tension lines, electrical substations, high structures or communication facilities.
• Do not operate the system in environments where High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) may be present
• Do not operate in weather where precipitation is forecast or likely to occur
• Do not operate in weather where any known atmospheric icing conditions are forecast or likely to occur
• Be careful where you place the controller and helicopter during flight preparations, be sure the equipment will not be dropped or suffer an accidental fall as this may cause serious damage.
• Never fly this aircraft where damage to property or injury to persons may result if loss of control occurs.
• Never leave the Draganflyer Commander unattended with the batteries connected. Make it a habit to always disconnect the batteries when not flying.
• When possible fly with a spotter or observer Page 4

# Meet your Draganflyer Commander Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Draganflyer Commander helicopter system. Both you, and your new Commander will have many adventures together. We believe this amazing aerial tool will provide you with a new perspective in your work and edge to your creativity. Here’s a quick look at the helicopter:

Page 5 Quick release carbon fiber props and powerful custom made brushless motors provide amazing power and flight performance

Carbon fiber landing gear retracts to quickly provide a compact package for transport Powerful custom designed dual LiPo battery packs and GPS receiver

Terrain sensor and autostabilization with 11 onboard sensors.

• 3 gyros

• 3 accelerometers

• 3 axis magnetometer

• 1 barometric sensor

• 1 GPS High intensity programmable navigation LEDs Folding carbon fiber airframe for easy setup and transportation

Draganflyer Commander

# Contents Chapter 1: Draganflyer Commander Setup This is probably the most fun chapter of all. In this chapter you will unfold the frame, the landing gear, install the props, better understand the LiPo batteries, discuss operating the aircraft safely, and get the helicopter ready for flight. 

## Chapter 2: Dual Battery Overview and Charging One of our more serious chapters but extremely important. Learn about these new high-tech batteries and how they track their history. Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery technology can be very dangerous so please read this chapter. 

## Chapter 3: Ready for flight You have the helicopter fully assembled, batteries charged and you’re excited to get it in the air, so now what? This chapter discusses some of the first flights and covers several flight training exercises. 

## Chapter 4: Aircraft technical data Here you’ll find all the specifications and technical data required to answer many of the questions asked by your agency responsible for the Air Space or the neighbor down the street. Page 6

# Chapter 1

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# Commander Helicopter Setup We had a great time building and flight testing your aircraft. In this section we’ll go over the steps required to assemble the aircraft in preparation for launch. Because the aircraft can be equipped with several different payload packages, please refer to the individual payload manual for details about the payload set-up and how to get the most from it. To attach the various payloads is simple ... just twist and lock using the quick release system. 

### Extend helicopter booms Start by unfolding the helicopter booms and snapping them into position. As they are unfolded, the front booms will “pass thru” the rear clips. Continue to bring the booms forward until firmly snapped in their front position. The rear booms will “lock” into the rear clips and with all four booms extended the frame is ready for the next step.

Page 8 Swing booms one-at-a-time towards the front.

Front booms pass through rear clips and rear booms will lock in place. Snap front booms into clips and make sure they lock

### Extend Landing Gear There are several helicopter systems on the market but we think you’ll be hard pressed to find an aircraft where so much effort and design was involved to create a lightweight and incredibly strong airframe. In addition to it’s strength, the airframe design allows the aircraft to quickly fold into a small package; light weight improves overall performance and folding, reduces transport case size making it easier to get out on scene or out working on that next project. To extend the landing gear, simply pull them down and rotate forward until you feel and hear them snap into position. Double check and make sure they are locked and that’s all that’s required. To retract the landing gear, pull down on the leg and allow the spring to rotate and pull the leg back parallel to the helicopter boom. Fast, simple, lightweight, and very strong.

Page 9 To extend landing gear pull down and rotate forward until they snap in place. Landing gear will lock into this position. To retract the landing gear, pull down to unlock the leg and let the gear rotate back parallel to the boom.

### Install Rotor Blades We put some effort into making this a simple, fast process, to best ensure the correct prop gets on the correct motor. Your helicopter flies with two props spinning in a clockwise (CW) direction, and two spinning in a counter clockwise direction (CCW). The props have a keyed locking ring so only a CCW prop can be installed in a CCW mount, and we even included arrows on the mount to indicate the direction of prop rotation for that given motor. To install the rotor blades, place the prop on the corresponding rotor mount, press down to seat the prop and while holding the mount, rotate the prop 1⁄4 turn until the blade clicks into place. To help

make this a little easier, there is a

nice serrated thumb grip to help

latch and unlatch the props.

Please install all four props on the helicopter and give them a good spin once they are seated. When you have completed your work and it’s time to pack up the system, gently push down on the locking tabs of the rotor mount and twist in the opposite direction to unlock each prop.

Page 10 The props are keyed so there is no mixing up what prop goes where. No we didn ʼ t do this to trick you, these arrows indicate the prop rotation in flight.

### Remove Canopy You really want to do this right or you can damage the canopy. The canopy removal process is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Position your hands as shown. Using your left thumb push the rear latch pin forward. When the orange locking tabs are inside the canopy, slide the rear canopy up and towards the front of the aircraft to remove.

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### 1 2 3

Canopy removal is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Push the release pin until

the orange locking tabs go inside canopy, lift the rear portion of the canopy and slide canopy forward towards front and remove.

### Install Flight Batteries The Draganflyer Commander main power source is dual, removable, rechargeable, HV lithium-polymer batteries. We put extra effort into designing a battery system that is redundant, safe, powerful, and optimized to provide extended flight performance. The Draganflyer Commander system has been designed and precisely tuned for these batteries. Only use Draganflyer Commander batteries with this aircraft or you will void your warranty.

Page 12 LEDs indicate charge

Military grade connector Note: When not in use, always protect yourself and the connector with the included safety cap Press button to test the battery fuel gauge

Special notice: The helicopter autopilot expects to be flying with these batteries. If you try to use a different battery, please keep in mind the autopilot will “log” the error and you will void the system warranty for the life of the aircraft. Battery latch plateTo provide a solid battery mount, and to ensure they are positioned correctly, the batteries “clip and latch” in place. To install, first slip the rear of the battery into the receiving slots. With the other hand, push in the spring loaded battery latching tab. Pushing in the tab “opens” the receiving slots. When open, lower battery and release the locking tab.

Page 13 Push in locking tab to open slots and lower batteries in place - then release locking tab. Please Note: To provide a snug fit the batteries have a small layer of soft foam under then. From time-to-time you might have to gently press the batteries down to close/secure the latch assembly.

Slide rear clips into slots 

### 1 2When you’re ready to fly, plug-in the batteries by pushing “in” and “hold” the rear latch plate post as illustrated below. With the plate pushed in, plug in and seat the battery power plugs. When both plugs are installed, release the latch plate, and the plate will secure the battery plugs holding them in place.

Page 14 Special notice: We know you’re excited to get out flying but only connect the main power cables when you’re ready to get up in the air. Leaving them plugged in for any length of time even when powered off, will slowly drain the battery. Push the rear latch post in and hold it while you “plug in” batteries. When batteries are plugged in, release the rear latch to secure the plugs. Seat the battery plugs and after releasing the latch plate, the plate will secure the plugs.

### Install Canopy Installing the canopy is the reverse process. Start by placing the canopy over the front of the helicopter and rotate/lower the rear while gently pushing it back to engage the front latch clip.

At the rear push the latch post in, which in turn pushes in the locking tabs. Lower the rear of the canopy and line the rear canopy slots with the latching tabs, then slowly release the latch post so the tabs lock the canopy in place.

Page 15 Slide onto front canopy latch

Push the rear latch post in to retract the orange locking tabs.

Slide the rear of the canopy down to line up the slots with the latching tabs and carefully release latching post.

### Helicopter assembled The helicopter is now fully assembled and ready for flight. Even if you have been through our flight training program, we recommend that for your first flights that you fly in very light wind conditions, and without a payload, to test the system and get reacquainted with the aircraft. In this manual we will discuss flying the helicopter and provide some tips and tricks to get the most from the aircraft. The actual mechanics of flying, such as details to arm the motors, engage motors, describe telemetry data, and setting up live streaming video are discussed in the handheld Ground Control System (GCS) manual and also the standard Handheld Controller manual (HHC). Most importantly we thank you for selecting the Draganfly product, hope you enjoy your flying, and believe the helicopter will prove to be an excellent aerial tool for you.

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### Install helicopter payload system Draganfly offers several different payload options for the Draganflyer Commander system and each payload features an easy to use quick release system. All electrical connections pass through the quick release eliminating messy cables or the possibility of inadvertently not connecting something before take-off. All payloads attach in the same fashion, using the quick release payload system. With the payload facing forward position and twist the quick release mount in place and make sure the locking pin is fully seated.

Page 17 Special notice: Please take your time to line the payload up correctly and double check to make sure it seated properly and is locked in place. Rotate the quick release plate into the spring loaded retainer until seated and front retaining pin is locked in place.

# Chapter 2

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# Commander Battery Overview The new intelligent battery system from Draganfly Innovations provides robust power and a new real-time power management system. During flight the system is constantly measuring how much current is being consumed versus just looking at voltage. This new way of power management provides you, the pilot in command, with very accurate flight information. At take-off, the helicopter will come-up into a hover and based on the power required for the payload being flown, calculate an estimated “flight time” and “mission time” transmitted to the handheld controller. During the flight, the system constantly measures the amount of power being consumed and in real-time, updates the remaining flight time estimates to the handheld controller display. The handheld controller displays estimated “flight time” of the battery and estimated “mission time”. Flight time is all about the batteries while “mission time” includes safety buffers for warning messages. Understand the times will be different because if you fly the “flight time” to zero, that means the batteries are completely exhausted and the system could fall out of the sky, so please observe and respect the warning messages based off the “mission time”. To get a quick status check, press the battery fuel gauge button and read the battery fuel gauge, but before flying that critical mission or video project, you can view the charge and discharge history, maximum temperature, and easily view all this information using the provided battery APP for your android device. Draganfly intelligent batteries feature a Near Field Communication (NFC) wireless interface that will automatically connect to your android device, allowing easy access to battery history and performance data.

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Battery fuel gauge

### Draganfly battery fuel gauge: The following describes the fuel gauge features and how to interpret the LED display. Fuel Gauge Button Press to display battery status on the Fuel Gauge LEDs. Fuel Gauge LEDs When the button is pressed the LEDs will light up as follows:
• All six LEDs solid: 100% full (can be between 90-100% State-Of-Charge)
• First five LEDs solid: 80% full (can be between 70-90% State-Of-Charge)
• First four LEDs solid: 60% full (can be between 50-70% State-Of-Charge)
• First three LEDs solid: 40% full (can be between 30-50% State-Of-Charge)
• First two LEDs solid: 20% full (can be between 10-30% State-Of-Charge)
• First LED solid: 0% full (can be between 0-10% State-Of-Charge)
• First LED slowly blinking: over-discharged (below 0% State-Of-Charge) When the button is not pressed, the LEDs can indicate the following conditions:
• Solid green “100% LED”: battery is requesting that the user wait to begin charge until after this LED goes out (will go out in 12 minutes or less - this wait time is needed for battery capacity estimation and also allows a cooling period after use)
• Pulse of two red + two yellow: cell under-voltage, pack will shut-down soon if not in flight
• Pulse of two red with no yellow: short-circuit detected
• Pulse of two yellow with no red: charge over-current detected
• Pulse of two green: cell over-voltage
• All LEDs blinking: pack is about to shut-down due to under-voltage (only when not in flight)

Page 20Discharge for storage: To store your battery for long periods it’s recommended to bring the pack to between 50% and 65% charge. This can be achieved by charging to storage level on your charger, or by discharging to storage level using the battery discharge-to-storage function of the battery. To activate this function, press the battery fuel gauge button five times. When activated all of the LEDs will light and stay lit to indicate discharge-to-storage mode. The LEDs will stay lit for as long as it takes to “trickle discharge” the pack down to the proper storage level. Please note: this process may take as long as one week if the pack started out fully charged. To speed this process use storage-discharge mode after a flight that brings your packs down to around 65% (but not lower than 50%). To cancel storage-discharge mode at any time, press the button five times.

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### Draganfly Battery APP: The battery APP is either pre-loaded on the tablet included with your system, or if purchased without a tablet, included on the Draganfly memory stick along with other system documentation. After launching the APP simply place the Andriod device very near to, or on top of the battery, and the APP will automatically connect and update the battery status screen. The APP provides a wealth of information but the most commonly used screens providing you with a quick summary are the “Charge History” and “Advanced Info” screens. Pay special attention to the battery age, number of cycles, cell balance, and max temperature. The following provides a break-down of the information. Charge History Battery Type : Displays the battery model type Battery Charge : Displays charge level in percent (0% corresponds to the battery needing a charge, 100% corresponds to a fully charged battery) Battery Voltage : Displays battery voltage Removed Since Full : Displays the number of mAh removed from the battery since the last full charge Temperature : Displays the temperature of the battery in degrees Celsius (only charge the battery if the temperature is between 0 and 50 degrees Celsius, warnings will replace the ‘Good Condition’ status when outside this range) Imbalance : Displays the voltage difference between the highest and lowest cell Page 22 Charge History Advanced Info Estimated Capacity Charge Graph Discharge Graph Battery Type: 4S6750-HV Battery Charge: 6% Battery Voltage: 14.79V Removed Since Full: 6218mAh Temperature: 19C Imbalance: 0.003V Cell 1: 3.700V Cell 2: 3.697V Cell 3: 3.699V Cell 4: 3.697

GOOD CONDITION 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 048 12 16 20 245 210 175 140 105 70 35 0
Peak Current mA Highest Cell Max mV Imbalance mV Peak Temperature CCell 1/2/3/4 : Displays the corresponding cell voltage
Advanced Info Total Cycles : Displays the total number of complete discharge and charge cycles for the life of the battery Battery Age : Displays the age of the battery in days Health : A general estimation for the health and condition of the battery. This is displayed as a percentage with 100% being a new battery in good condition UID : Displays a diagnostic code containing details about the batteries condition and any alarms that may have triggered. This code may be used by Draganfly technical support staff for troubleshooting. Status Flags : Displays eight bits in binary representing the internal battery status, used for troubleshooting Current : Indicates the power “flowing into the battery” during charging. This value will always display 0 unless the battery is actively being charged when scanned. This is displayed in Amps. Max Temp : Displays the maximum temperature that the battery has ever experienced in degrees Celsius Cell 1/2/3/4 Min : Displays the minimum voltage ever recorded for each cell.

Page 23As they say a picture is worth a thousand words and so for advanced users, we have include graphs of the battery usage and history, so you can visually monitor usage trends and condition of your battery over time. Please note that all three of these graphs will automatically scale to fit the number of cycles performed on the battery. Estimated Capacity Graph X axis units : The total number of discharge and charge cycles conducted on the battery. This axis will automatically scale to fit the number of cycles on the battery Y axis units : Displays capacity measured in mAh Cycle Size mAh : This line represents the estimated battery capacity consumed and replenished on each use of the battery. This is shown in mAh using the left hand Y Axis of the graph. This will help you determine if you are getting the full power available out of the battery. Short Circuit Flag : A small indicator will appear on the graph if a short circuit was detected by the battery on a specific usage cycle. This short may be on the helicopter, camera system, or battery itself. If a short circuit is indicated, contact Draganfly technical support as this may indicate a serious problem with your equipment Power Off Flag : A small indicator will appear on the graph if the battery has experienced an automatic shutdown due to low voltage. This may indicate that the flight battery was over discharged which can decrease its performance. Estimated Capacity mAh : This line shows the estimated capacity of the battery in mAh. This capacity is based on previous usage of the battery and can be used to help you determine its condition. As the battery wears this line will gradually begin to decrease. Once this has decreased to consistently show approximately 5000mAh the battery is considered to be worn out.

Page 24Charge Graph X axis units : Displays the number of charges conducted on this battery. This axis will automatically scale to fit the number of charges performed. Y axis units : The charge graph uses information on both left and right sides of the of the Y Axis. The left of the graph is used to represent both milliamps (mA) and millivolts (mV). The right side of the graph displays temperature in celsius and mV. Peak Current mA (left y-axis) : Shows the peak current level into the battery during reached during each charge. This is displayed in mA on the left side of the graph. Highest Cell Max mV (left y-axis): Displays the maximum voltage reach by the highest cell in the battery per charge. This is shown in mV on the left side of the graph. This will help identify if a cell has been overcharged as this may impact performance of the battery. Imbalance mV (right y-axis): The imbalance show the voltage difference between the highest and lowest cells in the battery during each charge. This is displayed in mV on the right side of the graph. A consistent imbalance of greater than 100mV may indicate damage or wear to a cell or the battery. Peak Temperature C (right y-axis): Displays the maximum temperature the battery has experienced in the specific cycle. This is shown on the right side of the graph in degrees Celsius. Operating temperature should remain below 65 degrees and the battery should not be exposed to temperatures above 75 degrees. Discharge Graph X axis units : Displays the number of discharges conducted on this battery. This axis will automatically scale to fit the number of discharges performed. Y axis units : The disccharge graph uses information on both left and right sides of the of the Y Axis. The left of the graph is used to represent both milliamps (mA) and millivolts (mV). The right side of the graph displays temperature in celsius and mV. Page 25Peak Current mA (left y-axis) : Shows the peak current draw from the battery during each discharge, this is displayed in mA on the left side of the graph. Lowest Cell Min mV (left y-axis): Displays the minimum voltage reach by the lowest cell in the battery per discharge. This is shown in mV on the left side of the graph. This will help identify if a cell has been over-discharged as this may impact performance of the battery. Imbalance mV (right y-axis): The imbalance shows the voltage difference between the highest and lowest cells in the battery during each discharge. This is displayed in mV on the right side of the graph. A consistent imbalance of greater than 100mV may indicate damage or wear to a cell or the battery. Peak Temperature C (right y-axis): Displays the maximum temperature that the battery has experienced in the specific cycle. This is shown on the right side of the graph in degrees Celsius. Operating temperature should remain below 65 degrees and the battery should not be exposed to temperatures above 75 degrees.

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# Lithium Battery Safety Instructions and Warnings Please read and fully understand all of the instructions and warnings below before using or charging your lithium polymer batteries. Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are volatile; improper use or failure to follow these instructions and warnings may result in fire, personal injury and/or damaged property. Draganfly Innovations and its affiliates assume no liability for the improper use of this battery, or failure to comply with these instructions and warnings. 

### General Guidelines and Warnings

Page 27 • Your batteries are not fully charged upon receiving them, the batteries must be charged before use.

• Use Lithium Polymer specific battery chargers only, such as the charger provided in your Draganflyer package. Use of any other type of charger can result in a fire which may result in personal injury and damage to property.

• Always keep batteries in a flame retardant container, such as the LiPo Sack included in your Draganflyer package during charging, storage and transportation. • Never leave charging batteries unattended. When charging LiPo batteries you must constantly monitor the charging process and be there to react to any undesired results.

• If at any time the battery becomes swollen, immediately discontinue use or charging; disconnect the battery and place it in a safe observation area for 15 minutes. Charging a battery that has become swollen may result in fire.

• A safe observation area should be outdoors away from any property, vehicles or combustible material.Page 28 Do NOT leave a battery indoors for observation even if in a flame retardant container.

• Do not short the battery; shorts can cause fires. If you accidentally short the battery it must be placed in a safe observation area for 15 minutes. Be cautious of potential shorts and burns that may occur due to jewellery, such as rings or bracelets.

• Chemical reactions are not instantaneous; a battery that has been shorted or damaged will notignite immediately; this may takeup to or longer than 15 minutes. Any battery that has been damaged or shorted, must be observed in a safe area for a minimum of 15 minutes.

• Any battery involved in a crash, whether deformed or not, must be placed in a safe observation area for 15 minutes.

• Discontinue use if the battery has been exposed to temperatures in excess of 170F (75C). 

### Charging:

• Before charging visually inspect the battery and connectors for any damage, signs of swelling, or any other irregularities.

• Before charging, press the battery test button on your flight battery to check the status and voltage level. One or more of the status LED’s should turn on and remain on while the button is held. Any other flashing pattern on the status LED’s may indicate damage to the battery; please contact Draganfly Innovations Technical support.

• If you are unaware of the battery voltage, check the voltage of the battery before charging.

• Do not attempt to charge a battery with a voltage less than 3.1V per cell. For a flight battery and GCS this would be 12.4V and 9.3V for the standard style handheld controller battery.

• Never charge batteries unattended.Page 29 • Always keep the battery in a flame retardant container for charging.

• Allow the battery to cool to room temperature before charging.

• Do not attempt to charge multiple batteries in series.

• Do not attempt to charge multiple batteries in parallel.

• When selecting the cell count or voltage for charging, ensure to select the cell count and/or voltage that appears on the battery label. Selecting an incorrect cell count or voltage may result in a fire.

• Do not exceed the maximum charge rate current listed on the battery label.

• Always connect the balance cable between the battery and charger while charging or discharging.

• Always ensure flight batteries are selected as "LiPO HV" for charging. • Always ensure HHC and GCS controller batteries are selected at "LiPo" for charging

• Only use a good quality charger rated for LiPo batteries, such as the charger including in your Draganflyer system. A low quality charger may damage the battery and result in fire. 

### Storage & Transport:

• Never ship, transport, or travel with a damaged LiPo battery.

• Store batteries at room temperature for the best longevity between 3 degrees C (40 F) and 20 degrees C (70 F).

• Do not store batteries in a vehicle even if in a flame retardant container.

• Do not store or expose batteries to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

• Do not store batteries near a source of heat.

### Disposal: Lithium Polymer batteries that have lost 20% of their total capacity are considered worn and should be disposed of. Any worn or damaged battery should be immediately removed from service and disposed of. Never charge or use a worn or damaged battery. To properly dispose of a LiPo battery fully submerge and soak the battery in saturated salt water for 48 hours. In most locations the battery can now be disposed of in household waste. Please check local waste management and recycling regulations for disposal of LiPo batteries. Do Not dispose of batteries in fire. For assistance or additional information on Lithium Polymer batteries please contact Draganfly Innovations technical support.

Page 30 • Exposing LiPo batteries to temperatures in excess of 65 degrees C (150 F) may cause permanent damages and premature deterioration to the battery.

• Do not expose batteries to temperatures in excess of 75 degrees C (170 F). Exposure for longer than 2 hours may cause fire.

• Before travelling with LiPo batteries always check with your airline for their policies and regulations regarding transportation of LiPo batteries.

• If shipping batteries, always discuss safe packaging and

# Battery Charging System Please fully read and understand the Lithium battery safety instructions and warnings section of this manual before using or charging your batteries. The operator assumes full responsibility for all risks associated with the use of this product. Your Draganflyer Commander system comes equipped with a complete charging kit for the helicopter and controller batteries used with the Commander system. The charging system has been designed for ease of use, portability, safety, and convenience, to keep your systems charged and flying.

Page 31 Port #2 charge dongle Power adapter

Port #1 charge dongle Thunder Power TP820CD LiPo Charger

(2) Charger adapter cables for charging handheld controllers and IP Base StationIncluded with the Draganflyer Commander charging system is: 1 – TP820CD Dual Port battery charger (users manual included) 2 – High power AC/DC power adapter 2 – Draganflyer charging dongles 2 – Draganflyer controller and IP base station charging adapter cables 

### Setup and Operation Your charger can be powered from a 110-240 volt AC wall outlet or an 11-18 volt DC power source such as a car battery. If using an AC wall outlet, remove the AC/DC power adaptor from the case, connect it to the power input of the charger, and plug the cable into an AC outlet. If you are using a 12V battery (car battery), connect the DC cable provided to the charger. After connecting the cable to the charger first, then connect the alligator clips to the terminals of your 12V battery (red clip to positive, black clip to negative). When power is applied, the charger will automatically turn on. When the charger is powered on, the + and –buttons allow you to scroll up/down through menus before and during battery charging/discharging. These buttons also allow you to change values/settings for options after they have been selected (typically when flashing after pressing the ENTER button). The SEL/MODEbutton functions only when you’re not charging or discharging a battery. Pressing the MODE button will allow you to scroll between the three available modes:

• Charge/Discharge/Cycle/Storage Modes • Setting Data Mode • Data View Mode

Page 32The ENT/STOPbutton allows you to select and validate values/settings for options that can be changed (using the +/– buttons to change) before and during charging/ discharging. Pressing and holding the ENTER button also allows you to start and stop charging/discharging. After powering on the charger by default it’s set to ‘Charge Mode’. Before shipping your system, your charger has been pre-programmed for the different equipment making up the Draganflyer system:

• M01 = Commander flight batteries
• M02 = Standard Handheld Controller (HHC)
• M03 = IP base station battery
• M04 = Handheld Ground Control System (GCS) 

### Charging helicopter batteries Power on the charger and confirm the charger is set to program M01. The display should read: M[01] LiHV Charge 4S 1 for port #1 and a 2 when port #2 is selected CP: 7000mAh 5.00A 0.000V Connect the main power connector from each battery to a corresponding charge dongle and when doing so, the charger will indicate the current voltage of each battery on the LCD display. To switch between the ports, press the “port” selector to step between them. Place each battery into a separate LiPo fire resistant bag and press/hold the “Enter” button. A confirmation screen is displayed to confirm you are charging HV LiPo batteries. Select the “+” to confirm and then press/hold the enter button to begin charging. Repeat this process for the other port and wait for the charge to complete.
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### Charging other system batteries Whether you are charging the handheld controller batteries or the IP base-station battery the process is the same. The only difference is selecting the proper charging program. The following details the programs and what they should display when selected: Handheld Controller = M02 M[02] LiPo Charge 3S 1 for port #1 and a 2 when port #2 is selected CP: 1350mAh 1.35A 0.000V IP Base Station = M03 M[03] LiPo Charge 4S 1 for port #1 and a 2 when port #2 is selected CP: 1350mAh 1.35A 0.000V Handheld GCS = M04 M[04] LiPo Charge 4S 1 for port #1 and a 2 when port #2 is selected CP: 2700mAh 2.70A 0.000V Select the correct program, using the adapter cable provided, plug-in the balance port connector and then the main power connector to the battery or controller, then plug the large power connector to the charger dongle. Depress and hold the “enter” button and the battery or device will begin charging.

Page 34 Balance port

Main power connector

### Summary: The battery charger provided has been preset at the factory to charge the helicopter HV LiPo battery packs, controllers and IP base station. The charger connects to the batteries or controllers through the charger dongle. When charging the controllers or IP base station batteries, an intermediate adapter cable is used between the dongle and the device. For additional instructions on your battery charger please refer to the TP820CD battery charger operator’s manual included in your package

Page 35

# Things you need to know Special notice: You might think that we’re exaggerating the issue but no, LiPo battery safety is something to be taken seriously. If you want to see examples of what can go wrong just search YouTube for LiPo fire examples. It’s common to think “this will never happen to me” but that’s why they call them accidents, so please take battery safety very seriously and here are some tips to consider: 

### 1. When charging your batteries, always place them in a fire proof LiPo sack or case and be in the immediate area to listen for any errors detected by the charger during the charging process or if an explosion or fire takes place, you’re there to deal with the situation. 

### 2. After charging is complete, always remove/disconnect the battery from the charger. 

### 3. Keep your batteries out of direct sunlight or high heat conditions. For example don’t set them on the dashboard of your car. You want to keep the batteries protected, cool, and safe. 

### 4. Some people think “more is better” but no, not with a LiPo battery. Please only charge the batteries at the prescribed cell count and current ratings. Trying to “over fill” a battery will result in damage or possibly fire. 

### 5. If a battery is either old or damaged in a crash follow the proper battery disposal guidelines provided above, by submerging and soaking the battery in a salt water solution. And please, some people want to try and salvage the power connector from the battery or the electronics but no, don’t do it, you are placing yourself in serious risk of being injured.

Page 36

# Chapter 3

Page 37

# Your first flightOne of the great things about a helicopter is that you can fly it a quarter-of-an-inch at-atime. And even better, you have the flexibility to fly in a wide open area, more restricted space, and if you have enough room, you can even fly indoors. If you haven’t taken the Draganfly certified flight training we highly encourage you to get the proper training. The two day, one-on-one training is designed to provide you with the essential knowledge, skills, and develop confidence to get you flying safely. In situations where it’s more cost effective to have a flight instructor fly out to your location versus bringing a team of three or four people to Canada, for an additional fee, Draganfly offers training worldwide at your location. If you have any questions about training, getting set-up for training, or having someone come out to your location, call Draganfly Innovations now. Whether you’ve had training or not, for these first few flights we strongly suggest that you start out very slow, low, and just enjoy getting a feel for the aircraft and controls. Pick a day with very calm or no wind conditions, and simply takeoff and land several times because honestly, if you can’t comfortably takeoff and land, stop right there before you damage the aircraft and make arrangements for flight training.
Auto-takeoff versus manual takeoff Throughout this document we describe the takeoff process both ways but keep in mind whether it’s an automated takeoff or you lift off manually, the process is basically the same. Page 38Both takeoffs are considered “automated” but with one you don’t have to worry about controlling the position of the aircraft and with the other, you are responsible to fly the aircraft and maintain position during the lift off. The difference being, that with an automated precision takeoff the helicopter system must be in GPS position hold mode, must have a GPS position lock, and other than that the takeoff process from the pilot perspective is exactly the same. So lets talk about this a bit more. Auto-takeoff To execute an automated takeoff, you must first wait to get a GPS position lock. Place the system in GPS Position Hold and go through the takeoff process described later in the manual. During lift-off the aircraft position is maintained using the GPS, and altitude is controlled by the terrain sensor. Manual takeoff With a manual takeoff there is no need for GPS lock. Place the system in Altitude HoldMode and and go through the takeoff process described later in the manual. During liftoff helicopter altitude is controlled by barometric pressure and the position of the aircraft is controlled by the pilot. So why the difference? Auto-takeoff requires GPS and takes the helicopter to about 10’ at takeoff. There might be situations where you must fly in GPS denied areas or in confined spaces. For the author, I once had to fly inside a cave and in this situation with no GPS, and a low ceiling, a precision auto-takeoff would never work. 

### Covered in this section:

• Power management

• Understand the environment

• Helicopter pre-flight

• Helicopter training exercises

• Helicopter flight Page 39

# Power management It’s very important to understand the power management system and even more important to understand what the system is telling you. Some basic terms and concepts to understand: Flight time The flight time displayed on the handheld controller is an “estimated” flight capacity of the battery. Payload types and weight can vary, so from the moment the helicopter first takes-off and settles into a stationary hover, the system “calculates” the estimated flight time of the batteries and continues to constantly recalculate this time based on payload, wind, temperature, and altitude. This is a literal value meaning when the countdown timer gets to ZERO, there is absolutely NO POWER left to fly the helicopter and you’re at risk of damaging the batteries and falling from the sky. NEVER fly past zero or you will VOID the system warranty. Mission time The mission time, is the amount of time you can expect to safely fly the mission or project. The Mission time will always be LESS than the estimated flight time because it has safety buffers included to provide battery warnings and fail-safes. For example in the diagram on the next page, at take-off the system calculates an estimated 38 minute flight time and a 36minute mission time. With 3 minutes remaining in the mission, the pilot receives the “first” battery low warning and is instructed to land. If for some reason the pilot ignores this message (please don’t unless it’s an emergency) when the mission timereaches ZERO , a critical battery warning will be issued and a few seconds later the aircraft will begin an “Auto-Landing” procedure. 1st battery warning The first mission flight time battery warning will appear when there are approximately three minutes remaining in the mission. It is highly advised to use your best judgement and bring the aircraft back for landing. If you ignore the warning and fly to zero, the critical battery warning will be triggered and the helicopter will begin to auto-land at its current position

. Page 40Critical battery warning A critical warning will trigger an auto-landing. If the helicopter is in a GPS position hold, it will remain in the same position and land. Whether you’re in GPS position hold or altitude hold mode, you still have full control of the aircraft. For example, if the aircraft begins an auto-landing and you determine it will hit a tree, hit a fence, or some obstacle, you can slow/stop the descent and maneuver the aircraft to avoid the obstacle. If you continue to fight the auto-landing and hit zero flight time remaining, you run the risk of damaging your batteries, crashing the aircraft, and voiding your product warranty.

Summary In summary be certain to understand the difference between flight time and missiontime. Flight time is all about battery capacity. Mission time is all about the safe time-inthe-air that is estimated for the current configuration of the aircraft, temperature, winds etc. Also be aware the calculated values represent an estimated time. Some calculated minutes might be a bit longer or shorter based on the amount of current being drained from the system. For example, the aircraft is flying downwind requiring less power, but when it turns and flies into the wind, consumes more power. The time remaining will dynamically be recalculated and adjusted during the flight. During each flight, include MISSION TIME in your scan of the handheld controller telemetry data screen and always adhere to the warning messages provided.
Page 41 38 minutes

36 minutes 3 0 0 2 5 Estimated Flight Time

Estimated Mission Time Critical Warning Auto-Landing 1st Warning Serious Risk of Crashing

PLEASE NOTE: Warning times may vary

# Understand the environment If you think of your helicopter as if it were a balloon, you can quickly get an idea of the issues involved when flying in windy conditions. As you get more comfortable flying in wind, under certain circumstances letting your helicopter “float” with the wind is a good technique to shoot both smooth video or get crisp photos. And truly just like a balloon, on a strong windy day the helicopter will maintain it’s altitude and float across the sky. The aircraft has it’s own limitations and based on skill level, combined with experience, different pilots have their own self imposed limitations. Quite often the helicopter will exceed personal limits, but care must be taken as you develop your flying skills. And keep in mind there are different types of wind. Flying in straight line, steady winds like you find coming off a large lake or along the ocean are much easier to fly in than for example gusty, and changing winds, that you find in a canyon. Gusty and changing conditions are a challenge combined with strong up, and down drafts, that can make for an exciting day. With experience you can comfortably fly in these conditions but please understand, this comes with experience. As the pilot in command, it’s your responsibility to determine if the weather conditions are suitable to execute the mission. Most people run into problems when they’re flying the aircraft in conditions beyond their skill level so it’s much better to stop the flight and wait for better Page 42weather. Always keep in mind that no matter what the project, as the pilot you determine when it’s safe to fly. 

### The helicopter and wind: Although the helicopter system is actually very sophisticated there are times when you might think it’s not. For example, let’s assume we’re flying in a 16kph (10mph) steady wind from the north. Before you takeoff, point the helicopter into the wind and because of your experience, you know that upon liftoff you’ll need to “pitch” the aircraft forward to penetrate the wind and maintain a hover position. In this scenario the helicopter is flying forward at 16kph (10mph) to maintain 0mph ground speed in the hover. As you’re hovering in the wind, lets assume you gain a little altitude and if you were to “yaw” the helicopter, you know in advance of this maneuver, that you will need to apply pitch and roll to maintain the hover as the heading of the aircraft changes. As the pilot, when ever possible you want to mentally “stay ahead” of the aircraft. So in this example we’re hovering at 3 meters altitude, the helicopter is pointed straight into the wind blowing at a steady speed of 16kph (10mph). To maintain a static hover position we must pitch the aircraft forward to essentially be flying at 16kph (10mph) into the wind. Under these WIND 16kph (10mph)

Pitch is required at takeoff to maintain a hover position in the wind

Page 43circumstances our ground speed is 0mph. If we begin to yaw the helicopter clockwise 90 degrees, we know that through the rotation of the aircraft, we’ll need to introduce left roll, and reduce forward pitch, as the aircraft rotates to maintain the hover position.

WIND 16kph (10mph) WIND 16kph (10mph) WIND 16kph (10mph)

To hover in this scenario requires pitch forward to match wind speed and

maintain position As you yaw clockwise you must introduce some roll during the aircraft rotation to maintain position When helicopter approaches 90 degrees into the wind, pitch is

reduced and roll increases because the helicopter is now flying sideways into the wind

Page 44When the helicopter reaches the 90 degree clockwise position, the nose of the aircraft is now pointing east. To maintain a steady hover, we’ll need to control the aircraft with roll “left” because the helicopter is now broadside to the wind, flying sideways at 16kph (10mph). At first this might sound complicated but with experience, flying the aircraft in different conditions is a learned skill that you’ll develop. 

### GPS position hold and wind: If you’re out shooting photos or flying a mission there might be special occasions when you want to manually fly the helicopter to maintain a stationary hover as described above. However, most often, you will manually fly the aircraft into the desired position and assuming you have enough GPS satellites, switch the aircraft into a GPS position hold and let the autopilot do the work for you. In the previous example we assumed you were manually flying the helicopter to maintain a stationary hover in a 16kph (10mph) wind. Let’s use that same scenario again, but illustrate the benefits of using the GPS position hold feature.

Page 45 Special Notice: Throughout this document you will hear both auto-takeoff and manual takeoff referenced. Manual takeoff is more involved and discussed more often. Auto-takeoff is performed in a GPS position hold. Aircraft position is controlled by the GPS and altitude is controlled by the range sensor. Manual takeoff is performed in Altitude Hold Mode. Takeoff height is controlled by the barometric sensor plus, you’re responsible to control the aircraft in pitch, roll, and yaw. Once stabilized the pilot has control of throttle.Before takeoff wait for a good GPS position lock. Place the system in a GPS position hold and go through the procedure to takeoff. Upon liftoff the GPS is doing the work for you, to maintain the position of the aircraft over the takeoff point and the terrain sensor is aiding the aircraft determine altitude. After the helicopter settles into a stable hover, note your estimated flight time and once again - thinking ahead of the aircraft, pitch the aircraft slowly forward to penetrate the wind and release the GPS position hold to fly out to your mission position. When you have flown the aircraft into the desired position, slow the aircraft into a good stable hovering position, double check your aircraft GPS position accuracy and switch the aircraft back into a GPS position hold. The helicopter will automatically hold its position, altitude and heading. If you wish to either reposition the aircraft or yaw the aircraft to change heading, you can do this even when the aircraft is in a GPS position hold. Clearly the primary benefit of the GPS position hold feature is to dramatically reduce the pilot involvement to maintain a hover position. This frees the pilot to focus more attention on getting the perfect photo, searching an area, or conducting the mission. 

### Forward flight & ballooning: Because the helicopter is primarily flying in altitude hold mode you will notice a tendency for the aircraft to balloon (rise or fall) when coming to an abrupt stop. There is nothing wrong, nothing is broken; its only because altitude is controlled by the barometric sensor onboard the aircraft. When the aircraft is traveling fast and comes to an abrupt stop the barometric pressure in the body of the aircraft changes suddenly, causing the aircraft to either rise or dip. When you’re flying in strong gusty winds whether you’re in a GPS position hold or flying manually, you will see some variation in altitude resulting from sudden pressure changes. Even flying indoors on very windy days you will see changes in altitude because of the varying air pressure inside the building. Page 46It’s important that you understand this and again we stress, that you need to “stay ahead” of the aircraft by anticipating what the aircraft will do when you’re out flying.



### Extreme temperature conditions: Draganflyer systems have been rigorously tested in extreme temperature conditions not just for a few weeks or months, but for years of operation. The aircraft perform well in these harsh conditions but when you’re dealing with extremes, some precautions are required. First and foremost is the safety of the pilot, crew, and people supporting the mission. In regards to the helicopter, in extreme cold it’s advised to keep your LiPo batteries warm before use. Once the batteries are under load they will start to generate their own heat but to get the best performance a warm (not hot) battery will deliver the type of power you are use to seeing. In very hot temperatures it’s important to keep the batteries out of direct sunlight and out of containers that might get very hot. For example if you place the batteries in a small black pelican style case, yes, they are out of direct sunlight but the air temperature inside the case may be very hot. Batteries exposed to temps in the range of 65 to 75 degrees C (150 - 170 degrees F) will be damaged. The operating temperature of the flight batteries and each motor are monitored and recorded during flight. Should any of the motors or flight batteries reach an unsafe temperature an alarm will be displayed on your controller indicating a system overheat Page 47 Special notice: The aircraft will rise slightly or drop when making fast or abrupt changes to speed. You might also see altitude variations hovering in strong winds or even flying indoors on very windy days due to changes in air pressure.condition. If if this alarm is displayed land immediately and allow the system to cool before continued operation. When you are flying mid-day or late in the afternoon be aware of heat generated thermals. Unless a thermal is raising dust on the ground they are invisible to the naked eye. Along the outside edge of a thermal you often find very strong vertical down-draft wind currents. At the center of the thermal, very strong up-draft wind currents. Flying into a thermal is first detected by a sudden rise in helicopter rotor rpm as the autopilot tries to maintain altitude, while the aircraft is being pushed down by the strong wind along the outer edge of the thermal. The best way to recover from this situation is to “fly out” of the thermal. When you hear or see this take place your first instinct is to increase throttle and assist the autopilot, but at the same time, try to turn away and fly forward out of the thermal. Does this happen very often? No, but we take the time to point this out because it’s one of the dangers flying in very hot conditions mid-day or later in the afternoon hours.
Special notice: Thermals are invisible to the naked eye but most commonly occur on very hot days mid to late afternoon in flat areas and mixed terrain such as large asphalt parking lots and large open fields.

Page 48

# Helicopter preflight Just like a real aircraft it is very important to pre-flight the Draganfly helicopter to make sure it’s airworthy. We recommend a static on-the-ground pre-flight as illustrated below, and once you have taken off, we suggest a second flight check in a hover to make sure the aircraft and system are behaving properly. If you have any doubt, or suspect a problem, either cancel the mission or abort the flight until the problem is corrected.

Page 49 Check your props to make sure they are locked securely in place and double check props for nicks or cracks

Double check and make sure landing gear is firmly locked in place Double check to ensure the canopy is secured tightly

If you are flying with a payload, make sure the quick release is securely fastened and camera is properly secured to the camera mount Spin all motors by hand to make sure they spin smoothly Ensure booms are locked firmly in place

Draganflyer Commander System Pre-flight Check

### Pre-flight system checks: As illustrated above it’s very important to pre-flight your aircraft before every flight. The system pre-flight is a quick but important procedure to follow even between flights. Never take anything for granted because more times than not, when you “assume” something is okay, that is the day you experience a problem. Boom check Check to make sure all four of the booms are locked in place and inspect each of the boom lock clips to make certain they are not cracked or showing signs of wear. If any of the clips are loose or damaged service the aircraft before flying. Canopy check Give the canopy a tug to make certain the nose of the canopy is locked firmly in place. Also inspect the rear slots to make sure the canopy is not cracked or torn. If you suspect a problem of any kind with the canopy do not fly the aircraft. For anyone that has experienced an in-flight canopy failure the results can be catastrophic. Motor check Rotate the prop on each motor slowly for one or two revolutions to check and make sure the motor is not binding. After a slow spin test, using your finger, give the prop a good fast spin and listen to the motor. Make sure to check all four motors and if you suspect a problem do not fly the aircraft and contact Draganfly. Prop and prop installation check Inspect the props for nicks, dents or cracks. If a prop is damaged either replace the prop or abort the flight. In regards to installation, the props are keyed so they can only be installed on the correct motor. Please, double check to make certain the props are mounted properly and firmly locked in place. At the same time inspect the prop latching mechanisms to make sure they are not worn or cracked. If you suspect a problem with the prop mounting system do not fly the aircraft.
Page 50Landing gear Make certain each landing gear strut is extended and locked firmly in place. Also take this time to look them over carefully for any cracks or possible damage from a hard landing. Aircraft payload If you are flying with a payload, make certain all four of the payload quick release is firmly secured. Check the camera cables to make certain they do not bind as the camera is rotated in the mount and most importantly, make certain the camera mounting screw is secure. Antenna orientation This is also covered in the handheld controller manuals but please note, the strongest signal is achieved when the antenna is perpendicular to the aircraft. The weakest signal is off the “tip” of the antenna. Many people position the controller antennas sideways or on the GCS, pointing straight back off the controller.

Control system check Check to confirm the handheld controller is communicating with the aircraft and execute a few quick tests before getting the helicopter in the air. If you are not familiar with using either the standard Handheld Controller (HHC) or the handheld Ground Control System (GCS) refer to their specific manuals for in-depth details about their operation and control over the aircraft. Page 51 Special notice: Avoid pointing the handheld controller antennas directly at the aircraft. The signal will be degraded if the “tips” of the antennas are pointed at the aircraft. In the event of a datalink error, quickly move the orientation of the controller.Variable aircraft and GCS settings: And what we’re referring to is aircraft settings that are most often used such as Navigation LED brightness, Altitude limit, GCS display brightness, GCS volume and your camera gimbal tilt angles. You want to double check these settings to make sure they are to your personal or mission specific preferences before getting in the air. For example if you’re conducting flight training indoors, setting the altitude limit for the room will help prevent you from going into the ceiling, or flying for example a mission under a bridge or overhanging structure. Setting the limit with some buffer is a good idea to help prevent an accident. The list below details a control system check using the handheld GCS:

• Power-on the GCS and power on the helicopter.
• The GCS will boot-up and the helicopter navigation lights will begin blinking
• Establish the wireless connection between the GCS and the aircraft.
• When connected, you will see aircraft telemetry displayed on the GCS.
• Because the motors are NOT ARMED, you can raise the throttle to test the GCS and helicopter data link.
• As the throttle is increased, the rear, white navigation lights will blink faster.
• If the payload is attached to the aircraft you can also tilt the camera and if the camera is powered on, take a photo using the shutter button on the handheld GCS.
• Take this time to also test the live streaming video link. With the camera powered on and the video network established, select the blue “play” arrow displayed on the video screen to enable streaming video. 

### Documentation and observers: Log book entries There’s an old saying that your work isn’t done until the paperwork is completed. Very few people enjoy paperwork but when it comes to operating an aircraft it’s an important and valuable part of the job. Page 52Included with your system is a Draganfly Systems Log Book and we highly recommend that you get into the habit of using it. The log book will detail flight times, any problems encountered, what batteries were flown and most importantly it’s a good place to “match-up” comments about a flight with the flight data log recorded on the GCS or handheld controller. In the long run you will find the comments, history and information recoded in the log book to be of great value. Please use the log book. Spotter or observerIn some countries it’s a requirement to have a trained spotter or observer working sideby-side with the pilot in command. Check with your local air space regulatory agency to understand the operating requirements in your country. And whether it’s a requirement or not, it’s often a good idea to have a spotter or observer. The Draganfly aircraft camera controls can be wirelessly paired to an observer handheld controller, and working together, the pilot and observer fly the mission much the same as what’s done in full size aircraft.

Page 53

# Flight drills After your flight training it’s important to keep flying and hone your flying skills. We have seen instances where people have come back for the training of two, three or four pilots but they only have one helicopter system. Over time it works out that one or two people are the primary pilots and the others are not able to fly often. Because they are not flying on a regular basis they quickly loose their skills and confidence. If you can’t afford multiple Draganfly systems another approach is to compliment the helicopter system with an inexpensive aircraft like the “Lil’ Draganflyer” that is provided along with your purchase. The Lil’ Draganflyer is not as sophisticated but it serves as a good training platform to maintain your basic flight skills. Understand that just “flying around” isn’t practice. To really practice your skills you need to have clear goals and fly structured flight drills. You were exposed to flight drills during your Draganfly training and we encourage you to continue running drills with the same course using small soccer or traffic cones flying either your Draganflyer Commander system or the Lil’ Draganflyer pictured here. The following provides some suggested ideas for various flight drills and feel free to get creative and create some of your own. The important thing is to have clear goals and fly over a course of specific objects to provide some form of measure to determine how well you are doing. For example flying with the helicopter “nose-in” in a stationary hover Page 54over a cone for one minute, rotate 90 degrees over the same cone and hold for one minute. With clear goals you will get results. 

### Training course: A typical exercise course is created using 9 small traffic or soccer cones. The spacing between the cones varies on the size helicopter you are flying and the amount of space that you have available. With Draganfly training we will often use the training course for indoor flight instruction but the same exercises can be run outdoors on a much larger scale. You can master the flight drills indoors and simply moving outdoors, creates an interesting challenge by simply having to deal with wind and the environment. 

### Flight exercise #1 - practice hover: In this exercise you will simply takeoff, hover briefly and move out over a practice cone in a stationary hover.

• Keep the helicopter at chest height and hover over the center cone
• Hold hover position for one minute
• Remain over the center cone and yaw the helicopter 90 degrees
• Hold hover position for one minute
• Repeat this sequence for a complete 360 rotation over the center cone
• Return and land

Page 55 Typical training course layout using 9 cones

### Flight exercise #2 - practice roll: During your Draganfly flight training you might recall the term “safety position”. The navigation LEDs on the Draganfly helicopters are very bright and at the rear of the aircraft you see two bright white LEDs. When both of these LEDs are pointed in your direction we call this the safety position because the helicopter heading is pointed in the same direction you are. This makes it easier to fly the aircraft because if you roll right, the aircraft moves right. You move pitch forward and the helicopter goes that direction. The LED navigation lights on the Lil’ Draganflyer have been setup to match the Draganfly helicopter systems and whenever in doubt, always yaw the helicopter to the safety position and recovering from a disorientation problem will be much easier. In this exercise you will fly in the safety position, meaning the rear of the aircraft will be pointed at you at all times.

• Keep the helicopter at chest height and hover over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter sideways over the right middle cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter left back over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter left over the left middle cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter right to get back over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Return and land

Page 56

### Flight exercise #3 - practice pitch: This exercise is very similar to what we just did in exercise number two except we’re primarily using pitch to change our position moving forward and backwards over the course.

• Keep the helicopter at chest height and hover over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter forward over the far middle cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter left back over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter back over the rear middle cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter forward to get back over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Return and land 

### Flight exercise #3 - practice pitch & roll: It’s now time to combine the two movements of pitch and roll to move around the training course. Do your best to maintain a constant altitude, take it slow and hold your hover position over the cones always flying in the safety position at all times. You can fly several different patterns in different directions so have fun with this but again, always hold your hover over each target cone. If you just go sailing past a cone you’re flying the helicopter but you’re not developing the skills required to control the helicopter. There is a big difference between just flying and really being in control.

• Keep the helicopter at chest height and hover over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter forward over the far middle cone Page 57• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter left over the far left corner cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter back over the rear left corner cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter right to the rear far right cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter forward to the front far right cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter left over the far center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Slide the helicopter back over the center cone
• Hold hover position for thirty seconds
• Return and land

Page 58

### Flight exercise #4 - practice combined pitch & roll: It’s now time to keep the helicopter in a safety position but slide the helicopter on the diagonal from corner to corner. To accomplish this you will need to move the helicopter in both pitch and roll to create the diagonal movement. When you get to a corner, hold in a hover for 30 seconds and slide sideways to the next corner, then back on the diagonal.



### Flight exercise #5 - 90 degrees out: The exercises get a little more difficult as we move away from the safety position. The secret to maintain your orientation is to mentally place yourself inside the helicopter. If you can mentally see your surroundings from the perspective of the aircraft, you will Page 59always know whether you need to pull roll or pitch one direction or the other, to maintain proper control. Earlier in the manual we also discussed the concept of “staying ahead” of the aircraft. Remember you’re the one that’s in control. Much like an F1 driver, at the speeds they’re traveling the racers adjust their entry speed and start to turn, before they get to a corner. And as the pilot in command as best as you can, you need to mentally stay ahead of the aircraft. For this exercise you will:

• fly out to the center cone and hover for 30 seconds
• yaw the helicopter 90 degrees clockwise and hover for 30 seconds over the cone
• yaw back to your safety position and hover for 30 seconds
• yaw 90 degrees counter clockwise and hover 30 seconds staying over the cone
• yaw back to your safety position and hover for 30 seconds
• return and land Don’t make things anymore difficult than they are already. When you’re 90 degrees out either clockwise or counter clockwise and you want to get back to your safety position, always take the shortest path around. For example if the nose is 90 degrees clockwise pointing to the right, when you yaw back to your safety position, yaw counter clockwise. Why? Because if you were to continue yawing clockwise the helicopter requires another 270 degrees of rotation to regain your safety position. Remember to mentally stay ahead of the aircraft to anticipate your control inputs. 

### Flight exercise #6 - nose in: Practice your 90 degree out flying quite a bit before you launch into nose-in flying. With the 90 degree out orientation have some fun and fly different patterns around the training course. And you might think it sounds silly but this can be mentally tiring so take a few breaks between these practice drills. Page 60With nose-in flying you’ll hear some people say “all the controls are backwards” but honestly don’t fall into that trap. If you think this way, you will struggle with nose-in flight for the rest of your life. It’s a mental leap to get yourself into the cockpit of that aircraft but you can do it. When you’re out flying the helicopter in flight drills or a specific mission, imagine your surroundings from the viewpoint of the helicopter. If you can do this - flying nose-in is easy. Take your time and work your way into it:

• fly out to the center cone and hover for 30 seconds
• yaw the helicopter 45 degrees clockwise and hover for 30 seconds over the cone
• yaw another 45 degrees clockwise and hover for 30 seconds over the cone
• yaw another 45 degrees clockwise and hover for 30 seconds over the cone
• yaw another 45 degrees clockwise and at this point the helicopter is nose-in, pointing straight at you. Hover over the center cone for 30 seconds
• yaw 180 degrees clockwise to your safety position and hover for 30 seconds
• return and land 

### Flight exercise #7 - combined skills: By now you are very comfortable flying the aircraft in several different orientations so at this point try different exercises flying around the training course, taking time to stop, think, and hover over target cones. And there is no such thing as style points, so if you’re more comfortable turning your body or the controller to help with your control/orientation of the aircraft go ahead and do what works for you. Enjoy your flying!
Page 61

# Helicopter flight

Leading up to this section we’ve talked about wind, temperature, basic pre-flight checks and training exercises. And as we’ve said before, the great thing about a helicopter is that we don’t need to be going 56kph (35mph) to takeoff like an airplane; the helicopter can be flown a quarter-of-an-inch at a time, meaning you can take things at your own pace. Before you take the helicopter up high or far away, you need to be in control at closer distances and lower altitudes so please take it low, and slow, to get started. The illustration above is no joke, in operation at altitude, the helicopter gets very small very quickly. Page 62In this section we’ll cover flying the aircraft but keep in mind we won’t be covering the detailed interaction with the handheld controllers. We assume that you have already looked over the start-up guide or handheld controller manuals and are familiar with connecting to the aircraft, arming the motors, engaging motors, engaging a GPS hold, and all the steps required to disarm, and disengage motors. If you have no idea what we’re talking about - stop now, and read over the GCS and handheld controller manuals. 

### Getting ready: For your first flight it’s a good idea to get out by yourself on a nice calm day. We’ve had many people contact us after either crashing or loosing their aircraft because they went out with a friend, or group of friends, and instead of listening to common sense they were listening to their friends say ... how high will it go, how fast will it go, and under peer pressure have done something they were not ready for. On the other hand, if you have a friend that gets you to slow down, to think things through, and error on the cautious side, they would be good to have by your side. Safety We talk about safety a lot because in the end, safety, and the safe operation of the aircraft is your responsibility. When the props are spinning and when the helicopter is in the air it can potentially hurt someone if it is flown into them or drops on them. Just like a real helicopter pilot that’s scanning for places to set-down the helicopter in the event of an emergency, you need to be thinking about the people and property around and below the aircraft. If you don’t wear glasses, you and anyone near you should be wearing safety glasses. We provided you with one pair and if you need more, you can contact us or even better, purchase a couple pair locally to have on hand. Your eyes are a precious thing not easily repaired, so take all the steps required to protect them.

Page 63For your first flights if you’re flying indoors make sure you have looked around the immediate area and along the ceiling, or roof area, to make sure there are no dangling strings, ropes or wires. Quite often people will hang a sign or something but when it comes time to take things down, the sign is gone but the cables or wires are still left hanging there. If you’re flying outdoors be aware of the wind and other people in the immediate area. Ideally you want the sun to your back, light or calm wind conditions and no people around. Pre-flight Go through the list of pre-flight items we discussed earlier and double check to make sure everything is in good working order. Run through the pre-flight to inspect:

• Boom check
• Canopy check
• Motor check
• Prop check
• Landing gear check
• Payload check
• Handheld controller battery
• Handheld controller antenna orientation
• Variable aircraft and GCS parameters check
• Control system check
• Fully charged helicopter flight batteries Look over the area Whether you’re indoors or outside look around the immediate area and think of places to easily set the aircraft down if needed. Also position any people or helpers behind you and instruct them to stay in one area. Page 64If you’re flying in a public area be aware that people will be curious and often in flight you’ll be happily hovering the helicopter and all of a sudden someone will speak-up and ask you a question. You didn’t even notice them approach you so it can be startling to find you have one or two people with you. Often people have several questions so it might just be better to bring the aircraft back, land, power down, answer their questions and before you know it they are gone. If you think it’s dangerous to drive a car while talking on the phone it’s even more dangerous to be distracted while flying. Power on systems Okay, time to power-up the helicopter and either the GCS or standard handheld controller.

• Power-on the GCS or standard handheld controller
• Power-on the helicopter
• Position helicopter pointing into the wind if any
• Establish wireless connection between controller and helicopter
• Double check telemetry, battery health, signal strength, and GPS satellites It’s time to takeoff Assuming everything looks good it’s time to takeoff. Step back away from the aircraft at least 3 to 5 meters (10 -15 feet) and if anyone is with you, make sure they have eye protection and are standing back behind you.

• Wait for a GPS position lock and switch to GPS position hold mode
• Clearly announce that you are taking off
• Arm the motors
• Engage motors and ensure all props are spinning
• Scan the immediate area and double check your airspace to be clear
• To takeoff. In one motion, raise the throttle and lower to center.
Page 65When you execute an automatic takeoff the prop speed will increase and the helicopter will come up off the ground and settle at an altitude of about 3 meters or 10 feet. In this manual we have talked about “staying ahead” of the aircraft so keep in mind that although the helicopter is in a GPS position hold you should be ready if needed to control pitch, roll and yaw to maintain a stationary hover or switch to altitude hold mode if there is an unexpected problem.

During takeoff the throttle control is basically locked out until the aircraft reaches the target altitude. When the aircraft settles into a nice hover, let it sit there briefly to evaluate system power and calculate estimated flight and mission time. Get some altitude Assuming an auto-takeoff, the helicopter is in GPS position hold and will remain in position. After you’re comfortable the system has calculated the estimated flight time, conduct a secondary preflight to make sure all the controls are functioning properly. Satisfied the aircraft is good to go, increase altitude and execute your flight flying in either GPS position hold mode, or in Altitude hold mode. Landing and disconnect For this first flight let’s bring the aircraft down for a manual landing. Keep the helicopter in a stationary hover and slowly decrease altitude. As the skids near the ground the helicopter will hit what’s called ground effect, being buffered by the prop downwash and creating a cushion of air. At times it feels like you have to push the aircraft down to the Page 66 Special notice: During an automated takeoff the helicopter is in GPS position hold and should remain stationary. If at anytime something doesn’t look or feel right, be prepared to take manual control by switching over to Altitude Hold Mode.ground so as you get close to the ground keep descending and when the struts touch, pull the throttle all the way back, wait a second or two, and disengage motors.

• Decrease altitude
• When helicopter is down, pull throttle all the way straight back and hold
• Disengage motors
• Motors will automatically disarm
• Disconnect from aircraft
• Power down systems



### Let’s do some real flying: In the beginning you need to run through flight drills with your helicopter and get really good at taking off and landing. If you can’t takeoff and land or you’re really nervous about it, you need to be comfortable doing this before you consider flying around higher or further away. So for now, let’s assume you can easily fly all the flight drills and without even breaking a sweat, takeoff and land in varying environmental conditions.

Page 67 Special notice: When you land the aircraft and pull the throttle all the way back it’s very important to pull straight back. If not you’ll introduce a yaw command and the helicopter will attempt spinning around on the ground. Also keep in mind the throttle needs to be pulled straight back and held for at least one second before you attempt to disengage motors. See your handheld controller manual for more details.In this scenario we’ll fly up and away to shoot photos of the estate illustrated below. At the same time, we’ll pass along some tips, and tricks, in an attempt to circumvent

problems some people have experienced. Notice the helicopter is quite a bit closer than the graphic at the beginning of this section. Until you build more confidence please keep the aircraft within 60 to 80 meters (197-263 feet) of your position and whenever possible, operate into the wind. Pre-planning: Before you just takeoff and go, set aside a few minutes to look at the area, get a feel for the weather, wind, and mentally rehearse the shots that you want to capture. In this Page 68scenario we are operating in a light breeze blowing from the direction of the estate and the sun is low in the horizon to our back. Power-up and go: After a complete pre-flight and payload check, also check the airspace for any aircraft or low flying birds. Most birds will fly around the aircraft but the larger birds like geese are more unpredictable so just keep an eye open for them. Okay, let’s power-up and takeoff:

• Power-on the GCS or standard handheld controller
• Power-on the helicopter
• Power-on the camera
• Position helicopter pointing into the wind
• Establish wireless connection between controller and helicopter
• Double check telemetry, battery health, signal strength and GPS satellites
• Enable streaming video to the handheld GCS
• Wait for a GPS position lock and place system into GPS position hold mode
• Clearly announce that you are taking off
• Arm the motors
• Engage motors and ensure all props are spinning
• Scan the immediate area and double check the airspace to be clear
• To takeoff. In one motion, raise the throttle and lower to center
• Let system hover and execute a secondary pre-flight control check
• Increase throttle and pitch forward in a steady climb at moderate speed As you Increase throttle and pitch forward in a steady climb, the helicopter will be flying away from you at a moderate speed. To fly faster, switch to altitude hold mode. For this flight stop climbing at an altitude of 30 meters (98 feet) and keep the helicopter no more than 60 to 80 meters (197-263 feet) away.

Page 69As you near your target destination slow the aircraft and double check your helicopter GPS position accuracy. If everything looks good, bring the aircraft to a stationary hover at 30 meters (98 feet) altitude and switch back over to a GPS position hold. At this point the autopilot onboard the aircraft is holding position and altitude for you at the given location. Be aware that although the autopilot is doing most of the work for you, your job is to make sure everything is going okay and be prepared to fly the aircraft at a moments notice. Often “listening” to the aircraft is as important as watching it and why? Because you will hear when the aircraft is fighting the wind or having a good/bad time up there so keep your ears open. Toggle your GCS screen to full screen video and adjust the helicopter yaw position as well as the camera tilt position to frame the shots you want to capture. After taking a few photos you can either move the helicopter while it’s in GPS position hold, or release the GPS hold and fly to the next location; hover, and switch back over to GPS position hold. So what’s the difference? Flying in a GPS position hold is slow because you’re basically overriding the GPS hold information. As a result, the helicopter moves at a much slower speed but for minor adjustments in position this works very well. As a rule of thumb if you plan to move a large distance, disengage the GPS hold and manually fly to the next location. For minor adjustments and position changes, stay locked in GPS hold mode and move the aircraft to the new location.

Page 70Remember that when you turn off the GPS position hold, you’re flying the aircraft again so as we have said over and over, you want to “stay ahead” of the aircraft whenever possible. In this scenario we’re hovering in a wind so the instant the GPS hold is turned off the helicopter will start blowing back towards our location. If you want the helicopter to come back your way that’s fine but, if you want to move in any other direction; to help get ahead of this, start by moving pitch forward so the helicopter begins penetrating the wind, then turn off the GPS position hold and fly to your new location. At the new location, slow to a steady hover and turn-on GPS position hold to frame and get more photos.

Page 71When you get your first battery low alarm, it’s time to start bringing the helicopter back. In this scenario the helicopter is up-wind from your location. Yaw the helicopter to the safety position and when the GPS position hold is turned off, the wind will blow the helicopter back towards you. When descending it’s always best to “fly” the helicopter back down to the ground and what we mean is, let the helicopter keep moving as you descend so the helicopter is coming down through clean air. If you’re ever in a situation where you must descend vertically, you’ll notice the helicopter will be fighting very turbulent conditions on the way down. This happens because the aircraft is coming down through it’s own turbulence. To avoid this, bring the helicopter down at an angle, almost like the glide angle of an airplane. In this scenario, announce to those around you that you’re landing the aircraft. Turn off the GPS position hold and the wind will start blowing the helicopter back towards you. If it’s going too slow, add some backwards pitch to adjust speed while at the same time reduce throttle and start descending. Try adjusting the speed and descent rate so the helicopter ends up at a low but comfortable altitude near your takeoff position. As the aircraft nears this spot, hover the helicopter in this position and prepare to land. Keep the aircraft in a steady hover, descend and make your landing by:

• Decrease altitude and keep aircraft stationary
• When helicopter is down, pull throttle all the way straight back
• Disengage motors
• Motors will automatically disarm
• Disconnect from aircraft
• Power down camera
• Power down systems Page 72Automated landings: In the manual so far we have discussed landing manually because it’s an important skill to develop. There are situations however when you might like some help, so the system has the ability to automatically “return home & land” or you can fly the aircraft back manually and execute an “automated landing”. At the time of this writing, return to home and auto-landing are not supported on the GCS. Return Home: It’s a good habit to always wait for a GPS position lock before taking off and it’s essential to implement an automated Return to Home (RTH). Without a GPS position lock before takeoff the aircraft has no idea where to go - so always make sure you have a good GPS position lock before takeoff. To implement an RTH on the standard handheld controller navigate to the GPS screen and select Return. If too low, the aircraft will immediately climb to the desired RTH altitude and at speed, fly home. The aircraft will stop over the takeoff point, descend to about 4 meters, and hover/wait for you to select “Land Now” or manually take over control and land. During an auto-landing you can adjust or nudge the aircraft position by controlling pitch, roll, and yaw.

Auto-landing: The process is the same except you manually fly the aircraft back to an area where you want to land. Place the aircraft in a GPS position hold, make sure the area below is flat and clear of obstacles and from the GPS screen select “Land Now”. As the aircraft descends straight down, if needed, you can adjust the aircraft position using pitch, roll, and yaw. When the aircraft lands it will disengage the motors, disarm the system, and you’re ready to power-off. Page 73

Special notice: If at anytime you want to manually take over control you can ... simply place the aircraft in Altitude Hold mode, and you have full manual control.

### Aggressive flying skills: After weeks and months of developing your flying skills, confidence builds and control inputs become reflex actions versus something you need to process and execute. Instinctive reflex reactions help you “stay ahead” of the aircraft and when this happens, you’re ready to tackle more aggressive flying skills. The vast majority of the work you do with the aircraft will be the typical flight earlier described where you fly out, hover, shoot photos or gather data, and return. Simple up, out, hover and back work, but when the time comes to get up quickly, reposition quickly or shoot more interesting and creative video, the Draganflyer system is up to the task. Drag racing: Not only is this fun, but it’s a great flight training exercise to become familiar with flying your helicopter at higher speeds, high speed banking, and slowing to a stop.

Take the helicopter to an open area so there is no concern about running into a tree, light pole or other obstacle. And as always you don’t want this to be a crowded area. If at all possible you want to be free of people, trees, poles or anything that will get in the way. As we’ve mentioned altitude will vary with changes in air pressure so understand that you will need to “stay ahead” of the aircraft and control throttle throughout this maneuver. Special notice: Autopilot altitude is determined by barometric pressure. In strong winds or at high speeds the air pressure inside the bodywork will change causing momentary variations in altitude.

Page 74For this first pass bring the aircraft up to about 10 or 15 meters (32-50 feet) and fly off to the right about 20 meters (66 feet) (lets call this an easterly direction) at normal speed. Hover the aircraft and yaw so the helicopter is pointed west. Lets ease into this by making a few runs at medium speed before a high speed pass so to get going, ease pitch forward and fly straight west past your position. After traveling another 20 meters (66 feet) past your position maintain your speed and introduce both yaw and roll to bank and turn left. As needed correct altitude throughout the flight. The coordinated turn will require the use of all four controls. Maintain pitch forward, roll left and yaw left to bank the aircraft left through a wide 180 degree turn. Use throttle to maintain altitude. As you fly back and around to your original start location, begin slowing the aircraft as you make your next left turn, slowing to a hover at your original start point. Repeat this pattern three or four times until you are very comfortable flying the circuit. During practice work on perfecting your coordinated turns. With some practice now work on building speed. To get a quick start push pitch all the way forward and increase throttle at the same time to maintain altitude. As your speed builds bring throttle back to the center position and as you start your left hand turn, begin easing back on pitch, slowing the aircraft through the turn. On the return leg of the circuit, travel at a moderate speed and when you enter the next left turn, slow the aircraft to a hover at your original start point. Have fun with this and pay attention to maintaing altitude and speed. practice the coordinated turns and always keep in mind that a good way to slow down the aircraft is a nice coordinated turn. Quick stops: In flight training and during routine practice, quick stops are something full size helicopter pilots practice often. It’s a safety maneuver and at the same time whether Page 75you’re flying a full size aircraft, RC helicopter or the Draganflyer, it’s a fun, coordinated skill to execute. In a full size aircraft the pilot will pull pitch back and drop collective pitch at the same time to maintain altitude and stop the aircraft. As airspeed drops the aircraft looses transitional lift and the pilot must quickly pull collective to maintain altitude. The same is true with a traditional RC helicopter and with the Draganflyer, you have the benefit of the autopilot system helping you through the process.

Page 76Using the same drag racing circuit we’ll execute the same basic pattern but instead of making a left hand turn, we’ll stop, hover, yaw 180, and come back the opposite direction at a high rate of speed. At the end of the run execute a quick stop, hover, yaw 180 and race back the other way to repeat the exercise. To get started it’s very much the same as what we described in the drag racing section but as you near the end, you will execute a quick stop by quickly pulling back on pitch. This control input will suddenly, and abruptly, pitch the nose of the aircraft up and “stop” the aircraft. It’s just like slamming on the brakes but be prepared on the throttle to help the autopilot maintain altitude. Like all the exercises we have described work your way up to this maneuver starting slow and building up your speed. Rapid ascent and descent: If you push throttle all the way up, you’re commanding the autopilot to increase altitude at the maximum programmed climb rate of 2 meters (6.5 feet)/second. And the same is true for the descent, pulled all the way back the helicopter will drop at about 2m/s (6.5 f/s). Execute your preflight, auto takeoff and move the helicopter out about 6 meters (20 feet) in front of you. From a hover increase throttle all the way and the helicopter will climb quickly. At 30 meters (98 feet) slow the ascent and bring the throttle to the center position, hovering at that altitude. It’s a matter of personal preference. If you descend vertically at a fast descent rate the helicopter will get caught up in it’s own turbulence so it’s preferred to fly forward in a turn to quickly descend and land the aircraft. So lets give it a try. From your hovering position at 30 or 40 meters (98-140 feet) fly the aircraft forward at a good speed and execute a coordinated turn either clockwise or counter clockwise around your location and while maintaining your speed and the coordinated turn pull Page 77throttle all the way back to the maximum descent rate. What you’re doing is “flying the aircraft down” through clean air making for an amazing and impressive descent. As the aircraft gets lower start slowing the aircraft, reducing your descent rate by bringing throttle back up towards the center position until you are in a stable hover at chest height out in front of your starting position. Professional approach & landing: Earlier we had you flying the helicopter back from your photo taking position in the safety position, essentially flying backwards to your landing spot but with more practice and the skills just described you have the option to bring the aircraft back with style. When it’s time to head back for a landing, point the helicopter nose in flying forward to your landing location. As the helicopter approaches a good way to slow and descend is a nice coordinated turn. As the aircraft approaches start reducing throttle, and in this example we’re flying counter clockwise around our position with a coordinated turn, constantly descending and slowing through the turn. Slow to a hover at chest height near your landing spot and land the aircraft. 

### Summary: We covered a lot of material in this section from:
• power management - flight time and mission time
• environmental concerns like wind and temperature
• flight training exercises
• your first flight
• basic mission flights
• more aggressive flying and skill development We hope you found this document useful, informative, and very possibly it has given you some ideas and insight to help get the most out of the complete helicopter system. The Draganflyer Commander system is a precision tool designed to provide you with a new aerial perspective and new creative edge to your work. Page 78

# Chapter 4

Page 79

# Maintenance The Draganflyer Commander features a direct drive system requiring minimal maintenance as compared to a tradition style helicopter with servo linkages, gears, drive shafts, clutch, rotor head, swash plate, tail rotor and pitch change mechanisms. However, as the pilot in command, in addition to the health of your batteries, you are responsible for the mechanical integrity of the aircraft, so it’s a good idea to inspect the aircraft on a regular basis for any wear or damage. Should any component on the helicopter or support equipment show signs of fatigue or damage, immediately discontinue use until the component has been properly replaced. To help ensure safe operation and keep your Draganflyer running at its best we recommend that you inspect or service the aircraft at the following intervals listed below. Every Flying Session:

• Inspect folding mechanisms and all joints for damage or wear
• Inspect LEDar sensor and clean if needed
• Inspect motors for rough motion
• Inspect all props and mounting clips for damage
• Inspect batteries for damage or puffing
• Inspect payload attach points and cable
• Check to ensure the hand held controller is recording a log file.
• Clean all components with a soft damp cloth or compressed air Every 3 months:

• Check for software updates
• Check mounting bolts on rotor mounts to ensure they are tight
• Perform a motor test and inspect for rough sounding motors Page 80• Cycle flight batteries
• Inspect canopy mounting latch and slot for tears or cracks Every Year or 300 flight hours: Please contact Draganfly Innovations Customer Service Department for assistance with the following service requirements.

• Inspect and clean all electrical connections
• Inspect all crimps and solder connections on movable components
• Inspect all moveable components for wear
• Recalibration of magnetometer and main circuit board
• Inspect motor assemblies and replace all that are worn
• Inspect all fasteners, linkages and joints
• inspect all rubber mounting brackets
• Cycle and test flight batteries
• Cycle and test hand held controller battery
• Cycle and test base station battery
• Check for software updates Every 600 flight hours: Congratulations for hitting the 600 hour mark. Please contact Draganfly Innovations Customer Service Department for assistance to overhaul or replace all motor assemblies.

Page 81

# Troubleshooting Problem: The aircraft will not power-on... nothing happens. 

### Possible cause:

• Make certain the helicopter battery is connected
• Check the battery charge by depressing the battery selftest button
• Possibly one of the motor fuses have blown 

### Solution: At the rear of the Commander helicopter, under the deck plate, you will see four fuses. Assuming your battery was connected and charged it’s time to check the fuses so to begin, first start by “disconnecting” the power cable to helicopter battery. With the battery disconnected, remove and inspect each fuse. Often you can visually inspect a fuse but the better test, is to check them with a continuity tester, or ohm meter to make sure they are good. If all the fuses test good and you still can not power on the helicopter after reinstalling the fuses and battery, contact Draganfly Innovations by phone or e-mail for more assistance. 

### Problem: In flight the helicopter requires excessive stick input to remain level and hover in one position. 

### Possible cause:

• You’re manually trying to hover in a strong wind
• Pitch or Roll trim set to an excessive value
• Damaged rotors or motor
• Insecure circuit board or battery is hitting electronics assembly 

### Solution: There are some quick and simple things you can check to address this problem. If you’re flying in a strong wind, you’ll be more than aware of the conditions and if you have access to a large indoor area, or a place protected from the wind double check to see if you really have a problem. Page 82Another possibility is that you or someone has adjusted either the pitch or roll trim to an excessive position. To check this, reset and make sure your trim tabs are in the “zero” position. If you’re not familiar with what we’re describing here, look in your GCS manual to get more information on setting pitch and roll trim. Assuming this is not a wind or trim problem, also inspect your motors and props for any damage. The props are visually inspected as well as running your hands over the leading edge of the props trying to feel for any damage. To test the motors, use your finger and simply give the prop/motor a good spin. The motors should all spin and sound about the same. If you see or detect a problem contact Draganfly to get more information. If none of these ideas have solved your problem another possibility is that your flight battery is touching or pushing on the electronics directly in front of it. When you install the battery, you need to take care and leave a small gap or space, between the battery and electronics. Also inspect the electronics mounting to make sure the circuit board assembly has not come loose, or that one of the vibration isolators haven’t broken.If none of these suggestions have helped, contact Draganfly Innovations by phone or email for more assistance. 

### Problem: From the time it takes off to the time I get it back on the ground the helicopter is spinning in circles. 

### Possible cause:

• Yaw trim adjusted to an extreme limit
• Aircraft calibration error 

### Solution: If the problem is the same using either the GCS or the Standard Handheld Controller (HHC) there is a serious calibration problem with the aircraft and you’ll need to contact Draganfly.

Page 83The GCS doesn’t have a yaw trim adjustment so if the helicopter flies fine with the GCS and not the HHC, you need to check the HHC yaw trim value. If you’re not familiar with adjusting the trim values, reference the HHC user manual and set it to zero. 

### Problem: I wait and wait, but I’m not getting a GPS position lock. 

### Possible cause:

• Poor satellite conditions
• You are indoors
• You are possibly surrounded by large buildings or trees 

### Solution: Even out in wide open spaces on a nice sunny warm day, there will be instances when it takes several minutes to get a solid GPS position lock. The great thing about the Draganfly system is that the helicopter can be easily flown manually under GPS denied conditions. That’s great but you want to use the GPS... The GPS receiver needs to “see the sky” and as a result, you typically will not receive a GPS position lock if you are indoors, under a canopy of trees, in a forested area or a dense urban area with tall skyscrapers. If you are in what we would consider “ideal” conditions and if after 5 - 7 minutes you’re not getting satellites there is more than likely a problem with the GPS receiver. Contact Draganfly to get more information. 

### Problem: When I snap one of the booms in place it just doesn’t feel right and seems loose. 

### Possible cause:

• Worn boom latch clip
• Damaged airframe 

### Solution: DO NOT fly the aircraft until this problem is resolved; closely inspect the boom latch for cracks or damage. If that’s the only boom affected and the others are solid, more than likely the latch clip of the suspect boom is at fault or the boom hinge Page 84assembly is broken. Contact Draganfly to discuss this further and have the aircraft serviced. Do not fly until this problem is resolved. 

### Problem: It feels like a motor is loose. 

### Possible cause:

• Motor mount screws missing
• Internal motor mounting has come loose
• Broken motor mount
• Damaged airframe 

### Solution: DO NOT fly the aircraft until this problem is resolved. The motors are held in place with five small set screws around the top lip of a motor pod. The motor pods are molded as one piece making up a helicopter boom. Take a look and make sure all five screws are in place and also inspect to make sure the motor pod is not cracked around the screw holes. If the motor is physically coming out of the motor pod this is a serious problem but if you can grab a prop and push the motor around a little - some movement is normal because internally the motors are mounted on rubber bushings. Test all motors and if they all feel the same you more than likely don’t have a problem. If there is any doubt, contact Draganfly to get more information. 

### Problem: I’m in a GPS position hold but the helicopter is wandering all over the place. 

### Possible cause:

• Poor GPS position lock
• Heavy, gusty, wind conditions
Page 85

### Solution: In windy conditions it is normal to have the helicopter move around a little and it will also vary in altitude. When you are in a position hold take note of the GPS accuracy number on the GCS and write it down. If you’re seeing numbers like 1.6 or 2 the helicopter will be moving anywhere in the range of 2 meters (6.5 feet) either direction. If you’re seeing numbers like .6 this is a much tighter GPS position lock and the aircraft should stay in position within a meter either direction. Understand that in windy conditions the helicopter will be moving around within limits determined by the GPS position accuracy. If your GPS numbers look good and you’re still having problems, contact Draganfly for more information. 

### Contacting Draganfly Service: When you contact Draganfly Innovations for service before making the phone call or sending the e-mail, it’s best to gather up and write down some information. Please be prepared to tell the support specialist your:

• Account ID number

• Company or customer name

• Helicopter firmware revision level

• GCS firmware and DraganView software revision level

• Standard handheld controller firmware revision level

Page 86

## Draganflyer Airframe Data Sheet

Model Name Draganflyer Commander airframe Applicable Model Revision Number(s) Draganflyer Commander all build revisions

Permissible Payloads ASMI-2B, QX100I-1D, DF-ADC-1B, DF-ADC-1C, TAUx-1D (all supported cameras on the above payloads are permissible.)

Permissible control stations HHCx-1C and newer GCSx-1A and newer

Page 87 Units in inchesOperational Characteristics and Limitations:
Maximum expected/ achievable during operation Sustained before failure Safety factor
Maximum Takeoff Weight 3.57kg (125.9oz) do not exceed 3.57kg (125.9oz) Maximum payload weight 1.0 kg (35.2oz) do not exceed 1.0 kg (35.2oz) Empty Weight 2.57 kg (90.7oz) N/A

Climb rate 393.7 ft/min (2m/s) N/A Descend rate 393.7 ft/min (2m/s) N/A Maximum operating speed 26.9 knots (50km/hr) Not achievable Maneuvering speed 26.9 knots (50km/hr) Not achievable Stall speed N/A N/A Glide speed N/A N/A Autorotation speed N/A N/A Maximum endurance 55 minutes N/A Maximum operating range Direct visual line of sight Do not exceed rated limit Maximum controller signal range 1 km (0.62miles) Do not exceed rated limit Maximum Attitude angle 34 degrees Not achievable

Max turn rate (yaw) 90 degrees/sec Not achievable
Page 88Sound at 1 meter / 3meters 79db / 71db N/A Width 87cm (34.4”) N/A Length 87cm (34.4”) N/A Height 30.7cm (12.1”) N/A Top diameter 106cm (42.0”) N/A Service Ceiling 2438m (8000ft) ASL N/A Maximum operating altitude 242m (794ft) AGL N/A G Limit 1.89G 6.48G 3.4 Yaw Torque limit 0.25N.m (Newton Meters) 2.1N.m (Newton Meters) 8.4 Max Rotor RPM 5000 RPM >12000 RPM >2.4

Disc Loading 3.38 kg 23.2kg 6.8 Airframe Loading (distributed on two props) 6.75 kg 23.2 kg 3.4

Power consumption Sustained for normal operating conditions: 390W

Peak during maximum

expected operating conditions:

690W >880W

Operating Temperature -25C to +38C (-13F to 100.4F) Do not exceed rated limits Max Wind speed up to 35km/hr (21mph) Do not exceed rated limits Relative humidity 0% to 90% non-condensing Do not exceed rated limits Page 89Icing Flight prohibited with any known atmospheric icing conditions Do not exceed rated limits.
UAV Description Multi rotor VTOL, fixed pitch, rotary wing Composition

• Carbon fiber
• Glass filled injection molded nylon
• FDM ABS plastic
• SLS nylon plastic
• Aluminum
• Aluminum and stainless steel fasteners
• PETG Propulsion system Four non serialized brushless electric motors Manufacturer: Draganfly Innovations Inc. Model: X4P-MOTOR-1C Revision: HC4212-480-C Fuel/Energy System Dual 4 cell 14.8 Volt 6750mAh lithium polymer battery with integrated protection and logging circuit. Method of Take-off/Launch VTOL, no external equipment required. Altitude control assisted by barometric pressure and Leddar range finder. Page 90Method of Landing/Recovery VTOL, no external equipment required. Altitude control assisted by barometric pressure and Leddar range finder. Navigation equipment/capability Operation within direct visual line of sight, control and command inputs giving by Pilot in Command. Automated flight possible for limited range using Draganfly Surveyor software using GPS and IMU data, PIC remains in control loop. Electronic Surveillance Equipment UAV system has no electronic surveillance equipment. Flight Sensors

• 3 axis accelerometer • 3 gyro • 3 axis magnetometer • GPS (position and altitude) • Barometric pressure • Leddar LED range sensor Redundant Systems Redundant power system, failure of a single battery or battery connection will still have adequate power for normal operations

Page 91Visual Detectability

• High visibility 40lm luminious flux navigation lights following standard marking colors.
• Optional high visibility paint scheme using day-glow and/or high contrast colors Control Methods and Failsafe During operation there is always pilot in the loop regardless of flight mode. Available flight modes are manual flight, GPS position hold and preprogrammed automatic flight using Surveyor mapping software. Failsafe is user adjustable before flight as either land immediately or return to base, this is triggered by a loss of control communication signal between the controller and UAV. Flight Instrumentation The following real time flight data is presented on a sunlight readable display on the ground station.

• UAV battery voltage • Control station battery voltage • Control communication signal strength • GPS position and altitude • GPS signal strength, accuracy and position errors • Aircraft heading and bearing • Aircraft altitude (AGL an ASL) • Aircraft horizontal and vertical velocity • Aircraft attitude • Flight time • Current time • Aircraft internal system temperature • Current throttle position • System alarms and messages • Flight time and mission time remaining
Page 92Systems diagnostic and monitoring information System messages and alarms for changes in the operating status, system failures and flight conditions are presented to the operator by visual messages on a sunlight readable display screen and through audio alarms. Alarms and system messages include but are not limited to:

• Aircraft low battery voltage • Controller low battery voltage • Weak or degraded communication signal • System failures and alarms • Acquisition or loss of GPS lock • Indicators for flight conditions and settings (motor engages, landing initiated, position hold engaged, etc.) Environmental warnings The UAV system does not have an integrated weather station or environmental detection equipment. Environmental and weather conditions are to be observed by the operator to ensure compliance with the following limitations and warnings.

• Maximum wind speed for operation is 35km/hr, do not operate in wind exceeding this • Do not operate in conditions where precipitation is forecast or may be present. • Do not operate in conditions where any known form of atmospheric icing is forecast or may be present • Do not operate in environmental or weather conditions that may exceed the specified operating limitations. • Do not operate within 100 meters of active power lines, electrical substations or similar structures. • Do not operate in areas where HIRF may be present

Page 93Control Station power source For Hand Held Controller (all build revisions)

• 3 cell 11.1 Volt 1350mAh internal rechargeable lithium polymer battery. For GCS controller (all build revisions)

• 4 cell 14.8 Volt 2700mAh internal rechargeable lithium polymer battery.
Equipment in control station Control station has integrated sunlight readable display screen which is illuminated for night operations.
Command and Control links North America: Control comms Operating frequency: 902 to 928 MHz Transmit power: 250mW RF Data rate: 200kb/s Range: up to 2 km Frequency hopping spread spectrum International: Control comms Operating frequency: ISM 2.4GHz Transmit power: 63mW RF Data rate: 250kb/s Range: up to 1 km Direct sequence spread spectrum
Page 94Both North American and International data packets sent to the aircraft are encrypted and the aircraft will only accept command signals issued from the MAC address of the control station. Neither system has redundancy on the communication signal.
Lost link indications The control station displays a real time indicator the communication signal strength, if the communication signal becomes degraded or lost a visual and audible alarm will be presented on the control station. Payload Only the listed permissible payloads may be used on the UAV system. None of the permissible payloads are dangerous goods or include items such as explosive, lasers or pesticides. None of the permissible payloads have secondary purposes intended for navigation or flight decision making and control.

Page 95

# Contact Information

Page 96 This product and manual are copyrighted by Draganfly Innovations Inc. with all rights reserved. No part of this product or start-up guide shall be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent or authorization of Draganfly Innovations Inc. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the product or information contained herein. Document Revision Level: v1.6 

### Draganfly Innovations Inc.

Sales information: Phone: 1-800-979-9794 International: 1-306-955-9907 Online: www.draganfly.com e-mail: sales@draganfly.com
https://www.draganfly.com Product support: Phone: 1-800-979-9794 International: 1-306-955-9907 e-mail: support@draganfly.com

Mailing address: Draganfly Innovations Inc. 2108 St. George Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7M0K7 Canada