## GE Aviation

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION – GE CONFIDENTIAL
The information contained in this document is GE proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property o f GE and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of GE, including, but without lim itation, it is not to be used in the creation, manufacture, development, or derivation of any repairs, modifications, spare p arts, designs, or configuration changes or to obtain FAA or any other government or regulatory approval to do so. If consent is giv en for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. 

# GE Aviation Systems LLC small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) General Operations Manual

26 June 2015 Publication No. : GE sUAS GENERAL OPERATIONS MANUAL.Docx

Point of Contact: Mike Feldmann GE Aviation Telephone ( 616) 241

- 8847

GE Aviation Systems LLC 3290 Patterson Ave. SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 geaviation.com
Copyright 2015 General Electric Company , U.S.A.I of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

– GE CONFIDENTIAL

- Subject to the restrictions on the cover or first page 

# Contents

1. Operations Manual

— 1
1.1 Pre

- flight test meeting 1.2 Day of flig ht testing 1.3 Transmitter/Payload Set

- up 1.4 Operation of Unmanned Aircraft 1.5 Flight operations standards 1.6 Safety Procedures 

## 2. Flight Manuals

— 3 3. Operator Training Manual

— 4
3.1 GE Flight Operation Observer (FOO) standards 

## 4. Maintenance and Inspection Manual

— 5
4.1 Maintenance 4.2 Inspection1 of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

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- Subject to the restrictions on the cover or first page 

# 1. Operations Manual 1.1 Pre

- flight test meeting

 B efore flight testi ng, assemble key team members and brief flight test plan

. 

###  Discuss test plan, special equipment needed, location, start time.



###  Assign responsibilities for pac king, transporting, and setting

- up all equipment. 

## 1.2 Day of flight testing

 Assemble and set up all equipment.



###  Verify all equipment is operational.



###  Prep sUAS for f light.



###  Measure all flight and equipment batteries for proper charge.



###  Verify correct software loads.



###  Verify correct RF Transmitter switch positions for the mission.



###  Brief the test plan.



###  Run tests.



###  Download all data.



###  De

- brief team.



###  Tear down and p ack up all equipment.



###  Transport equipment back to the Shop. 

## 1.3 Transmitter/Payload Set

- up

 Use lapt op to connect to transmitter using a terminal emulator (Putty, Teraterm, etc.) and capture pose angles (roll, pitch, yaw).



###  Input pose angles into sUAS payload using terminal emulator.



###  Verify correctness of yaw by checking x/y output from the navigation solution at known points on field.



###  Verify correctness of roll/pitch by moving sUAS (with detectors facing grid) along x and y axes and ensuring that the values o f the z output don't change. 

## 1.4 Operation of Unmanned Aircraft

 Low battery alarm alert s Pilot in Control (PIC) and Flight Operation Observer (FOO) when approximately 30% battery capacity remains. Landing to be performed when Low Battery alarm is triggered.



###  N avigational warning alarms alert PIC and FOO any time navigational accuracy or performance is compromised. Landing to be performed on this alarm.



###  Command and Control (CC) link warning alarms alert PIC and FOO any time CC link is compromised. Auto

- land to be executed any time CC is compromised.



###  Landing to be performed when any other applicable alarm is triggered.



###  All GE sUAS to be provisioned with an RF

- activated “kill switch” that can stop the electronics and motors, terminating flight.



###  Non

- essential pers onnel are precluded from flight operations area during all flight activity.



###  PIC and FOO shall maintain Visual Line Of Sight (V LOS) to GE sUAS at all times.



###  The PIC and FOO shall maintai n Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) to each other at all times.



###  A “Geo Fence” shall be set up and enabled to restrict operation within the geographic boundaries of the operating area.



###  GE sUAS shall not to be operated when flight visibility is less than 1 nautical mile, or with cloud clearance of less than 500 feet below or 2000 fee t horizontally , or at night

. 

###  The airspace used shall be wholly within the underlying property owner’s boundaries and used with his consent. 

## 1.5 F light Operations S tandards The following procedures shall apply during flight test operations to establish an Equiv alent level of safety (ELOS) :



###  GE sUAS shall weigh less than 5 5 pounds, be battery pow ered, and carry inert payloads.



###  All GE sUAS shall be U.S. registered and display marks either in accordance with 14 CFR Part 45, Subpart C, or approved alternative marking s.2 of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

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###  GE sUAS operations shall be conducted within unaided VLOS of the PIC and at least one observer, at less than 200 feet AGL within Class G airspace. Operations in Class B, C, or D airspace shall not be performed.



###  GE operations shall be conducted in define d regions and over property authorized for this use by the landowner. All operations shall remain within the geographic boundaries of the operating area.



###  GE sUAS operations shall be conducted under the supervision of a designated PIC who has final respons ibility for the operation, and in accordance with 14 CFR 91.3.



###  All GE sUAS PIC and FOO shall have completed training on the normal, abnormal, and emergency flight test procedures
, and have demonstrated proficiency with the sUAS being operated.



###  Operators an d engineers shall maintain GE sUAS system in a cond ition for safe operation per associated manufacturer’s maintenance manuals.



###  Pre

- flight inspections shall be performed.



###  Post

- flight inspections shall be performed.



###  PIC and FOO shall maintain situational awa reness and perceive, process, and perform risk management prior to and during each flight test operation.



###  PIC shall terminate operation s if hazards that cannot be acceptably mitigated are observed.



###  GE sUAS shall safely stop operating and either return home or auto

- land if Command and Control link is lost.



###  For each GE sUAS, PIC shall have the ability to force a controlled landing at any time. 

## 1.6 Safety Procedures

 Normal: PIC executes mission with FOO observing.



###  Abnormal : PIC observes or perceives a condition that req uires PIC intervention to switch to a manual stabilized mode and executes a controlled landing.



###  Emergency : PIC or FOO observes or perceives a dangerous condition and the phrase “Knock It Off” is loudly proclaimed, at which time PIC shall immediate ly end test flight

.3 of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

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- Subject to the restrictions on the cover or first page 

# 2. Flight Manuals

a. sUAS 01 (Nxxx1GE), sUAS 02 (Nxxx2GE), & sUAS 03 (Nxxx3GE) http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/introduction/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/introduction/quick

- start

- guide/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/initial

- setup/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/initial

- setup/assembly

- instructions/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki /flying

- arducopter/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/configuration/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/mission

- pla nning

- and

- analysis/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common

- optional

- hardware/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/c ommon
- autopilots/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common

- use
- cases
- and

- applications/ http://copter.ardupilot.com/wiki/common

- appendix/common

- table

- of

- contents/ b. Parrot Bebop Drone (Nxxx4GE) http://www.parrot.com/products/bebop

- drone/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VStmhGd8pys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFJgAbXnbA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMG0w9m2M4s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRNziFTIi5s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyggq1

- VXJI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFtkCaGivI

c. (Nxxx5GE) Reserved4 of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

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# 3. Operator Training Manual

a. GE Pilot in Command (PIC) standards for sUAS 01 (Nxxx1GE), sUAS 02 (Nxxx2GE), & sUAS 03 (Nxxx3GE)



###  A GE PIC shall be qualified under the guidance of an FAA certificated private or commercial pilot who is current (operationally, medically, and bi

- annually) and a GE employee with applicable experience operating the GE sUAV, and is a current GE PIC.



###  Have f lown and logged a minimum of 50 flight cycles and 10 hours of total time as a sUAS pilot for a given GE sUAS make and model.



###  Have fl own and logged a minimum of 5 hours as sUAS pilot with the make and model of the GE SUAs, as well as having conducted three take

- offs and landings with that aircraft make and model, in the preceding 90 days.



###  Each PIC shall maintain their own log showing qualification and currency that can be made available to the FAA upon request. b. GE PIC standards for Parrot Bebop Drone (Nxxx4G E)



###  A GE Bebop PIC shall be qualified under the guidance of a GE PIC to interface with the PIC and provide chase video of flight missions.



###  A GE Bebop PIC shall demonstrate flight proficiency on the chosen video chase drone under the direction of a GE PIC.



###  The GE Bebop PIC shall attend the mission preflight brief and be aware of the intended flight plan.



###  The GE Bebop PIC shall take direction from the PIC during the mission and be aware of the safety procedures of: Normal, Abnormal , and Emergency

.



###  After the m ission the GE Bebop PIC shall download all flight video and provide it to the team for analysis and use. 

## 3.1 GE Flight Operation Observer (FOO) standards

 A GE FOO shall be qualified under the guidance of a GE PIC to interface with the PIC under the above safet y procedures of: Normal, Abnormal , and Emergency

. 

###  To remain current a FOO must have reviewed the safety procedures with a GE PIC in the preceding 90 days.



###  Normal responsibility is observation only.



###  Abnormal responsibility is observation and discretionary v erbal input to the PIC.



###  Emergency responsibility is too loudly proclaim “Knock It Off”.



###  Each FOO shall maintain their own log showing qualification and currency that can be made available to the FAA upon request.5 of 4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

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- Subject to the restrictions on the cover or first page 

# 4. Maintenance and Inspection Manual 4.1 Maintenan ce Prior To Each F light:

 The Pilot in Command (PIC) or Flight O peration Observer (FOO) shall perform a pre
- flight vis ual inspection of the sUAS to verify flight worthiness.



###  Batteries shall be checked for percent of charge.



###  Transmitter shall be checked for state of charge and that the correct sUAS has been selected.



###  PIC shall be responsible for sUAS arming plug, and issue it to the FOO as required. 

## General Maintenance

 Motors shall be monitored for excessive temperature.



###  Props shall be inspected for airworthiness.



###  Prop nuts shall be checked as required for proper torque. 

## Crash Damage

 After any hard landing or crash the entire airframe shall be inspected for damage. Any faulty parts shall be replaced.



###  Pre

- flight inspection shall be performed

. 

###  Check fl ight shall be conducted to verify proper operation prior to any further testing. 

## 4.2 Inspection sUAS Pre

- Flight Checklist

 Load software build onto sUAS using Mission Planner software



###  Pre

- check hardware and connections on sUAS



###  Pre

- flight battery check



###  Check fli ght parameters (EKF_GPS_TYPE, FLOW_ENABLE, etc.)



###  Check flight modes (Stabilize, Altitude Hold, Auto, etc.)



###  Accelerometer Calibration (if necessary)



###  Compass Calibration (if necessary)



###  Ensure all necessary logs have been downloaded



###  Clear Logs (before first f light ONLY)



###  Ensure payload mounted on sUAS is powered (otherwise I 2 C bus will go down)



###  Configure payload (turn on payload data recording)



###  Connect to payload on sUAS to ensure detectors are receiving data



###  Ensure all cameras are turned on and recording video prior to liftoff



###  Connect RF receiver to laptop



###  Ensure flow sensor (if being used) is uncapped so that rangefinder captures data



###  Review autonomous flight plan (if applicable)



###  Write autonomous flight plan to sUAS (if applicable)



###  Pre

- flight debriefing



###  Verify LEDs are displaying as expected 

## sUAS Post

- Flight Checklist

 Post

- flight battery check



###  Unplug batteries from payload (after last flight ONLY)
, and from sUAS



###  Conduct p ost

- flight debriefing



###  Download and label logs



###  Download data (typically at the end of all fl ights)



###  Perform q uick analysis of flight data and repeat test if necessary