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### Mansfield • Wichita Falls August 6, 2015 U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Petition for Exemption Under Section 333 ofthe FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations Dear Sir or Madam: Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform Act) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, Biggs & Mathews Environmental, Inc. (Biggs & Mathews), an operator of the eBee Unmanned Aircraft System (eBee) seeks an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) listed below: • 14 C.F.R. 21 • 14 C.F.R. 61.133(a) (b) • 14 C.F.R. 91.7(b) • 14C.F.R.91.119 • 14 C.F.R. 91.151(a) • 14 CFR Subpart E (91.401 - 91.417) The requested exemption would authorize commercial operations using the eBee for mapping, training, aerial imaging, and survey applications. These operations will be subject to strict operating requirements defined in the eBee user manual, which is included as an enclosure to this exemption request. Biggs & Mathews believes the eBee training program is proprietary under 14 C.F.R. 11.35(b) and requests that the FAA does not include this document in the public docket. Established in 1953, Biggs & Mathews has provided professional engineering and hydrogeologic services to municipalities, governmental agencies, and private clients for more than 60 years. Biggs & Mathews provides consultant engineering services primarily to clients with development needs that include water treatment and supply, wastewater collection and treatment, infrastructure development, and municipal solid waste solutions. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT The eBee is a small (37.8 inches wingspan) and ultra-light (maximum take-off weight of 1.7 pounds) platform made of flexible foam that performs pre-programmed precision aerial mapping missions thanks to the on-board GPS and the related flight management software (eMotion) that allows the operator to plan safely and efficiently a mission in 3D, 1700 Robert Road, Suite 100 • Mansfield, Texas 76063 • Phone: 817-563-1144 • Fax: 817-563-1224**~l** 

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J U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 2 and then monitor it in real-time. Thanks to the embedded camera, protected by a foam envelope, the eBee takes a collection of high-definition still images that are used later to generate maps and contour lines ofthe surveyed area. The four main characteristics ofthe eBee are: a. Very light weight: The eBee is so light that the operator can launch it by hand and let it land on almost any surface without requiring a parachute or landing net (belly land). Its low impact energy (38 

### J in case of a controlled emergency landing) also significantly reduces the risk of hazardous situations. Finally, the wings of the eBee are detachable and made offlexible foam with no sharp or hard edges and almost no internal strengthening structure. b. Electric-powered: The eBee is electric powered. A brushless engine technology makes it silent and reliable. The propeller is attached with a rubber band to the body of the plane so that it can easily flex away in case of contact with any object. c. Semi-automatic flight: The artificial intelligence incorporated within the eBee autopilot system continuously analyzes data from the Inertial Measurement Unit and from the onboard GPS and takes care of all the aspects of the flight under the supervision ofthe operator. d. Option for Manual control: Additionally, the eBee provides an override capability that allows the operator to take manual actions during the flight (Go to Home, Go Land, Hold and Resume the mission) and also suspend automated operations and take manual control of the aircraft should it become necessary to respond to emergency circumstances, thanks to the remote controller provided with the system. APPLICATIONS Mapping applications with the eBee may include aerial imaging, construction, and survey/GIS operations. The eBee solution has been very successful worldwide due to the many operational benefits related to the use ofthis solution: a. 

### b . First, the eBee brings safety to daily survey operations: there is no need for humans to access dangerous working areas anymore (mines, quarries, or polluted sites). The missions can be programmed and reproduced reliably as often as needed for regularly updated maps. Second, the eBee is a cost-effective solution. It is cheaper to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) rather than an aircraft or other ground systems for the same results. Moreover, small UAS like the eBee can help organizations
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. J U.S. Department ofTransportation August6,2015 Page 3face the growing needs of the population while reducing operational costs. The eBee also enables the ability to take up new challenges - like water or environmental management through analysis ofwetland index maps. c. Third, users can save time and work more efficiently by using the eBee. A mission does not need a long preparation time or long deployment constraints or long waiting time for perfect weather conditions unlike (for example) the use of satellites. Initial results are accessible directly on-site, which is impossible with imaging provided by satellites or manned aircraft. APPLICABLE LEGAL STANDARD UNDER SECTION 333 Airworthiness assessment ofthe eBee: The airworthiness ofthe eBee has already been demonstrated for different projects in the United States, involving state/federal agencies and universities including (among others) the New Mexico State University): https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/10208/nmsu-uas-flight-test-center-conductsebee-airworthiness-assessment, and the USACE New Orleans, who coordinated with the Department of Army and the FAA to obtain all authorizations required in order to operate the eBee UAS). Moreover, the eBee has already received 15 Exemptions from the FAA. SenseFly also obtained flight approvals for the eBee (delivered by national civil aviation authorities) in many countries, among others: • Switzerland (flight approval for VLOS operations) • Canada (flight approval for VLOS operations) • Australia (flight approval for VLOS operations) • France (flight approval for Extended-VLOS operations) • Germany (flight approval for VLOS operations) • United Kingdom (flight approval for VLOS operations) • Norway (flight approval for VLOS operations) • Sweden (flight approval forVLOS operations) • Denmark (flight approval for VLOS operations) Operating requirements: Grant of the exemption to Biggs & Mathews for the eBee will be subject to the following operating conditions: 1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the SenseFiy eBee when weighing less than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a petition to amend this exemption. 2. Operations for the purpose of closed-set motion picture and television filming
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## 1 j**~** .J U.S. Department ofTransportation August6, 2015 Page 4are not permitted. 3. The UA may not be operated at a speed exceeding 87 knots (100 miles per hour). The exemption holder may use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to determine compliance with the 87 knot speed restriction. In no case will the UA be operated at airspeeds greater than the maximum UA operating airspeed recommended by the aircraft manufacturer. 4. The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). Altitude must be reported in feet AGL. 5. The UA must be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the pilot in command (PIC) at all times. This requires the PIC to be able to use human vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, as specified on the PIC's FAA-issued airman medical certificate or U.S. driver's license. 6. All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. The VO may be used to satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maintains VLOS capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times; electronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC must be designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation for the duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties required ofthe VO. 7. This exemption and all documents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its operations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this grant of exemption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating documents. The operating documents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents, the conditions and limitations herein take precedence and must be followed. Otherwise, the operator must follow the procedures as outlined in its operating documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. It is the operator's responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised documents to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. The operator must also present updated and revised documents if it petitions for extension or amendment to this grant of exemption. If the operator determines that any update or revision would affect the basis upon which the FAA granted this exemption, then the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS-80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the operating documents. 8. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the UAS operation or flight characteristics, e.g. replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under

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## J U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 5this exemption. Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and must remain at least 500 feet from other people. The functional test flight must be conducted in such a manner so as to not pose an undue hazard to persons and property. 9. The operator is responsible for maintaining and inspecting the UAS to ensure that it is in a condition for safe operation. 10. Prior to each flight, the PIC must conduct a pre-flight inspection and determine the UAS is in a condition for safe flight. The pre-flight inspection must account for all potential discrepancies, e.g. inoperable components, items, or equipment. If the inspection reveals a condition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the aircraft is prohibited from operating until the necessary maintenance has been performed and the UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight. 11. The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer's maintenance, overhaul, replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and aircraft components. 12. Each UAS operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer safety bulletins. 13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver's license issued by a state, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal government. The PIC must also meet the flight review requirements specified in 14 CFR 

### § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate. 14. The operator may not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC demonstrates the ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC qualification flight hours and currency must be logged in a manner consistent with 14 CFR 

### § 61.51(b). Flights for the purposes of training the operator's PICs and VOs (training, proficiency, and experience-building) and determining the PIC's ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption are permitted under the terms of this exemption. However, training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During training, proficiency, and experiencebuilding flights, all persons not essential for flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC must operate the UA with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in accordance with 14 CFR 

### § 91.119. 15. UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR 

### §

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__, U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 6 1.1. All operations must be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights under special visual flight rules (SVFR) are not authorized. 16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) orfor airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on the current FAA- published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport's management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 17. The UA may not be operated less than 500 feet below or less than 2,000 feet horizontally from a cloud or when visibility is less than 3 statute miles from the PIC. 18. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UA must return to a pre-determined location within the private or controlled-access property. 19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies. 20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the intended operation and to operate after that for at least five minutes orwith the reserve power recommended by the manufacturer if greater. 21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate ofWaiver orAuthorization (COA). All operations shall be conducted in accordance with an ATO-issued COA. The exemption holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to conduct operations that cannot be conducted under the terms ofthe attached COA. 22. All aircraft operated in accordance with this exemption must be identified by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification (N- Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable. 23. Documents used by the operator to ensure the safe operation and flight ofthe UAS and any documents required under 14 CFR 

### §§ 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the PIC at the Ground Control Station ofthe UAS any time the aircraft is operating. These documents must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 24. The UA must remain clear and give way to all manned aviation operations and activities at all times. 25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle.

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. ' U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 726. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures unless: o a. Barriers or structures are present that sufficiently protect nonparticipating persons from the UA and/or debris in the event of an accident. The operator must ensure that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection. If a situation arises where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately in a manner ensuring the safety of nonparticipating persons; and o b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission for operating closer to those objects and the PIC has made a safety assessment of the risk of operating closer to those objects and determined that it does not present an undue hazard. The PIC, VO, operator trainees or other essential persons are not considered nonparticipating persons underthis exemption. 27. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled-access property with permission from the property owner/controller or authorized representative. Permission from property owner/controller or authorized representative will be obtained for each flight to be conducted. 28. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical boundaries ofthe operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS-80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov. EXEMPTION REQUEST AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY SHOWINGS UNDER APPLICABLE RULES SUBJECT TO EXEMPTION Biggs & Mathews requests an exemption from the following regulations as well as any additional regulations that may technically apply to the operation ofthe eBee: 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR 

### § 91.203(a)(1) Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the issuance of airworthiness certificates as required by FAR 

### § 91.203(a)(1 ). Given the size and limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized by Biggs & Mathews, an exemption from Part 21 Subpart H meets the requirements of an equivalent
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# l j U.S. Department ofTransportation August6, 2015 Page 8 level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. Section 44071 (t) of the Act and Section 33 ofthe Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate upon consideration ofthe size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the particular UAS. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the UAS's operated without an airworthiness certificate, in the restricted environment and under the conditions proposed herein will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed. The UAS's to be operated hereunder are less than 55 lbs fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operated exclusively within a secured area. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by Biggs & Mathews pursuant to the eBee user manual's requirements, and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety requirements, to provide security for the area of operation as in now done with conventional aerial mapping and surveying. These safety enhancements, which already apply to civil aircraft operated in connection with mapping and surveying operations, provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than conventional operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H. Lastly, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national security posed by the UAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of operation, lack of explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a substantial external load. 14 C.F.R. 

### § 61.3: Requirements for certificates, ratings and authorizations 14 C.F.R. 

### § 61.113(a) & (b); 61.133(a): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations; Pilot in Command; Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations The regulation provides that no person may serve as a required pilot flight crewmember ofa civil aircraft ofthe United States, unless that person: (1) Has a pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization issued under this part in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization. However, when the aircraft is operated within a foreign country, a pilot license issued by that country may be used. The regulation provides also that no person that holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft for compensation or hire. Subparagraph (b) allows a private pilot to act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if: (1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. Given the safety features of the eBee and the fact that the missions are pre-programmed

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j U.S. Department ofTransportation August6,2015 Page 9 and monitored in real-time with a specific flight management software (eMotion), SenseFiy proposes that operators of the eBee should not be required to hold a commercial pilot certification. Instead, operators should be required to: Have a sport or recreational pilot license (at least) and have successfully passed a manufacturer's training program forthe eBee. 14 C.F.R. 

### § 91.7(a): Civil aircraft airworthiness This regulation requires that no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. Should the exemption be granted allowing commercial operation of the eBee without an airworthiness certificate, no standard will exist for airworthiness of the eBee. Given the size of the aircraft and the previous airworthiness assessments given to the eBee by: • New Mexico State University: https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/10208/nmsu-uas-flight-test-centerconducts-ebee-airworthiness-assessment • USACE New Orleans, who coordinated with the Department ofArmy and the FAA to obtain all authorizations required in order to operate the eBee UAS for levee system monitoring, documentation of construction progress, and extensive oblique photography of USACE structures & activities An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by insuring compliance with the user's manual prior to each flight. 14 CFR § 91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes The regulation provides that over sparsely populated areas the aircraft cannot be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. Since the aircraft will be operating at a maximum of400 feet AGL, the eBee cannot comply with this requirement. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the eBee will only fly over private property with the permission ofthe landowner. The operator will define before every flight a working area radius and a flight area ceiling, preventing the eBee to go beyond the flight area. The landowner and the persons who may be on the ground in the flight area will be briefed ofthe expected route offlight and the associated risks to persons and property on the ground. Due to the small size of the eBee and the material with which the eBee is built, the hazard to persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures is not comparable to manned aircraft and should be considered in granting the exemption. Moreover, the aircraft will not be operated over congested areas nor over any open-air assembly of persons. The aircraft will be operated at an altitude allowing, if a power unit
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I I ) U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 10 fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. 14 C.F.R. 

### § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions The regulation provides that no person may begin a flight in an airplane under day-VFR conditions unless there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly afterthat for at least 30 minutes. Given the area of operation for the eBee, Biggs & Mathews believes that an equivalent level of safety is already achieved with the specific procedure preventing the eBee to accept a take-off order is the battery level is below a given value. Moreover, SenseFiy has integrated "low" and "critical" battery level warnings and implemented a "return to Home" (and "Go Land") actions in these situations. 14 CFR Subpart E (91.401- 91.417)- Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Alterations The regulation provides that the operator is primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition, including compliance with Parts 39 and 43. Paragraphs 91.407 and 91.409 require that the aircraft be "approved for return to service by a person authorized under 43.7" after maintenance and inspection. Section 91.409(a)(2) requires an annual inspection for the issuance of an airworthiness certificate. Section 91.417(a) requires the owner or operator to keep records showing certain maintenance work that has been accomplished by certificated mechanics, under Part 43, or licensed pilots and records of approval ofthe aircraft for return to service. Biggs & Mathews proposes that the maintenance ofthe eBee will be accomplished by the owner/operator according to the maintenance manual, provided by SenseFiy. Biggs & Mathews requests the FAA treat the eBee training program as proprietary under 14 C.F.R. 11.35(b) and not include this document in the public docket. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the eBee 1) is small in size, 2) is not a complex mechanical device, 3) will carry no external payload, and 4) will operate only in restricted predetermined areas. Moreover, the operator is the person most familiar with the aircraft and is best suited to maintain the aircraft in an airworthy condition and to ensure an equivalent level of safety. Finally, before every flight, the eBee runs automatically a sequence of pre-flight tests to make sure that every sensor and every critical part is running properly. If a problem is detected, the eBee will not be able to be switched-on and a message error is displayed on the main screen of the flight management software. The operator can then refer to the maintenance manual to troubleshoot this issue. Several parts of the eBee are easily interchangeable (propellers, wings), which allows the operator to make sure the wings and propulsion system are always airworthy when a mission is initiated.

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### '**~J** 1 I I 'J U.S. Department ofTransportation August 6, 2015 Page 11 CONCLUSION Based on the aforementioned reasons, Biggs & Mathews respectfully requests that the FAA grant an exemption allowing efficient commercial operations ofthe eBee pursuant to FAA requirements and conditions. Please contact us ifyou have any questions or comments regarding this submittal. Sincerely, BIGGS & MATHEWS ENVIRONMENTAL
Caleb R. Hollingshead, P.E. Project Engineer Enclosure: eBee Owner's Manual

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### I September 2014 Copyright© 2010-2014 senseFiy Ltd



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## GENERAL INFORMATION READ THIS USER MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE USING ASENSEFLY LTD PRODUCT. senseFly Ltd products are intended for professional use only. 

## Applicable Regulations senseFiy Ltd products are subject to Civil Aviation regulations. Regulations may vary depending on the country where you intend to operate your product. ANY USE OF SENSEFLY LTD PRODUCTS IN BREACH OFTHE LAWOFTHE COUNTRYWHERE YOU OPERATETHE PRODUCT IS UNDER YOUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY. INFORM YOURSELF BEFORE USING THE PRODUCT. SOME COUNTRIES MAY HAVE LAWS THAT LIMIT THE USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFTTO 'LINE-OF-SIGHT' OPERATIONS AND/OR PROHIBIT THE USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT AT ALL OR IN SPECIFIC AREAS. 

## Privacy Recording and circulating an image ofan individual may constitute an infringement oftheir image and privacy for which you can be liable. Askfor authorization before taking pictures ofan individual, particularly ifyou wantto keep your recordings and/or circulate images on the Web or any other medium. Do not circulate degrading images or ones that could undermine the reputation or dignity of an individual. Checkthat your use ofthe cameras on board senseFly Ltd products comply with the legal provision on privacy in the country where you operate your product. 

## Limited Warranty SenseFiy Ltd warrants that the productwill be free from defects in material and workmanship for aperiod oftwelve (12) months from the date ofdelivery. SenseFly Ltd further warrants that the product will perform substantially in accordance with its specification. During the warranty period senseFiy Ltd's sole liability shall be at senseFiy Ltd's sole option, eitherto repair orto replace the defective productwith another product or aproduct with similar specifications, at no charge, orto reimburse the purchase price ofthe product, or ifrepair or replacement is not possible, issue a credit note; provided however, that the defect has been confirmed by senseFiy Ltd and that the defective product is returned to senseFly Ltd in accordance with the support and repairform togetherwith all required flight logfiles. Warranty does not apply, without limitation, in case: a) the products are not stored and used according to their specifications, b) the products are damaged due to carelessness, negligence, or wrong use by the user, and c) for defects due to normal wear and tear including, but not limited to, deterioration to the airframe after first flight, normal degradation, misuse, moisture or liquids, proximity or exposure to heat, accidents, excessive strain, abuse, neglect, misapplication, repairs or modifications made bythird party otherthan senseFiy Ltd, damage due to manual operation, damage dueto take-offor landing location with obstacles, damage dueto lowaltitudeflight, damage due to loss ofdata radio connection, damage due to strong wind, rain or humidity, or othercauses forwhich senseFly Ltd has no control.**~** 

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1 i I j**~ ~i**  THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES ARE IN LIEU OF ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR APARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND OF ANY OTHER OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF SENSEFLY LTD. 

### Limitation ofliability TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BYAPPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENTWILL SENSEFLY LTD BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFIT, LOSS OF DATA, OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF SENSEFLY LTD HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND WHETHER THIS LIABILITY ARISES FROM ACLAIM BASED ON CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT OR OTHERWISE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND DEATH. YOU SHALL AT ALL TIMES OPERATE THE PRODUCT IN AREAS OR UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES SO AS TO GUARANTY SECURITY AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE, PROPERTYAND ANIMALS. 

### Copyrights senseFiy Ltd reserves the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions contained in this document at any time without notice. Please consult www.sensefly.com forthe latest release. Copyright© 2014 senseFly Ltd. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION, USE OR DISCLOSURE OF ALL OR IN PARTOFTHIS MANUALTO THIRD PARTIES WITHOUTTHE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF SENSEFLY LTD IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.c-1 

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## Technical support Ifyou have questions on your eBee oraccompanying software please consult senseFly Ltd's Technical supportwebsite atthe following address: http:/ /www.sensefly.com/support/. 1 I

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### This manual refers totheversion 2.4 ofeMotionand version 3.2 of Postflight Terra 30 software. Check the software version included in your package and consult the Release Notes for potential changes included in more recent versions ofthe software.cc ' I )

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# Package contents

eBee battery

packs spare propeller remote control, cables and

propeller -- attachment bands ground modem 

## EPP glue

wing eBee central body wing User manual battery charger

eBee battery charger cable camera charger
camera. 1 

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### The standard eBee 

### package contains the following items: • 1 xcarrying case with foam protection • 1x eBee

### central body with built-in autopilot • 1x pair ofdetachable wings • 1 xspare propeller • 1 Ox spare propeller attachment rubber bands • 2x Lithium-Polymer battery packs • 1x Lithium-Polymer battery charger (including cables) • 1x2.4 GHz USB ground modem for radio data link (including USB cable) • 1x2.4 GHz remote control (including including 3AA batteries) • 1xstill camera (including memory card, battery and charger) • 1 x USB cable for interfacing with camera and on-board autopilot • 1xEPPglue • 1 xeBee 

### User Manual • 1xcamera User Manual Depending on your order, your package may also include other items, such as additional payloads. Please verify upon delivery that your package is complete. In case ofamissing item, please contactyour eBee 

### reseller immediately. 

# 0 Note: 

### Camera user manuals are also available to download from sensefly.com/support/download.**~** 

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## Hardwarefeatures

Topface ofthe eBee
ground sensor**-----ii-+----+~·**



### Bottomface of the central body**"'-------~==-** 

### Detachable 

### wing /-winglet



### The eBee 

### is an autonomous flying drone comprised ofthefollowing components: • Central 

### body: This is the core ofthe eBee 

### and includes all the electronics, actuators and communications hardware on-board the drone. 

### • Wing: The two wings ofthe eBee 

### are detachable for storage and replacement. Each wing hastwowing struts and two clipsto hold itin placewithin the central body.. lI

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### • Winglets: 

### These structures add aerodynamic stabilityto the dronewhile it is in flight. • Ailerons: 

### Used to control the eBeewhile in flight. • Servo connection mechanism: 

### The ailerons are connected to the servomotorswithinthe central bodyofthe dronethrough this connection mechanism. • Propeller: 

### Used to generate thrust while it is in flight. Caution: 

### When attached to the motor the propeller spins at high speeds and can be potentiallydangerous if itcomes into contactwith exposed skin. Besuretoalways keepyour hands clearofthe propeller when the battery is attached to the eBee. • Battery compartment: 

### The eBee is powered by a LiPo (Lithium Polymer) battery stored within the battery compartment. Caution: 

### Proper care ofyour battery is essential. Please read section 'Properbatterycare' on page 135 before using yourdroneforthefirst time. • Camera compartment: 

### The eBeefeatures abuilt-in camerafortaking aerial images stored within the camera compartment. • Data LinkAntenna: 

### Used bythe drone to communicate with the eMotion 

### softwarethrough the USB ground modem. • Pitot probe: 

### This is the sensor used by the eBeeto detect airspeed, wind and altitude. It must be kept clean and clear of obstructions to function properly. • Status LED: 

### This coloured LED displays the current state ofthe eBee. It is housed underneath the pitot probe and thus illuminates the entire transparent probe in various colours depending on the drone's state.- j



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### The ground sensor, composed of a high-speed optical sensor and lens assembly, is used to detectthe proximity ofthe ground.**~,** I 4 j

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## Softwarefeatures The eBee 

### package allows for the download and use of eMotion 

### * and Postflight Terra 30

### *at no extra cost. 

# eMotion 2 senseF/y eMotion 

### is the integrated software package that allows you to interact with your eBee. 

### Its easy-to-use interface allows you to plan amapping flight intuitivelyfrom the comfort ofyour office or directly in the field. Once the drone is launched, you can use eMotion's

### wireless connection withyour eBee

### to track its position, monitor the progress ofyour mapping flight and send commands ifdesired. 

# Postflight ,.

# t1 1:' Terra .. Powered

## byPix4D ..,... Once your eBee 

### returns after an aerial mapping flight it is the turn of Postflight Terra 30

### to process the captured images fully automatically. Postflight Terra 30 

### is afull-featured mapping solution: withjust afew mouse clicks itcan create highqualitygee-referenced 20and 3D orthomosaics and digital elevation/surface models (DEM/DSM). While you are still in thefield PostflightTerra 30

### analyses the qualityofthecaptured images and generatesan easyto understand report, lettingyou know immediately ifthe data you captured meets your mapping requirements. 

## * Software access terms and conditions apply. PostflightTerra 3D is limited to eBee images only.' '_)

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## Contents Quick start guide 17 1 Planning and simulating aflight 18 1.1 Installing 

### eMotion, Postflight Terra 30, and the ground modem drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 1.2 The 

### eMotion interface ... 1.3 Creating a newflight plan 1.4 The mission phase ofaflight . 1.5 Simulating your flight ... 1.6 Getting ready for a mission 

### 2 Executing aflight 2.1 Weather check 2.2 Preparing the 

### eBeefor flight . 2.3 The setup phase ofaflight .... . 2.4 Take-off .............. . 2.5 In-flight monitoring and control .. 2.6 Landing . . . . . . . . . 2.7 Potential in-flight errors 

### 3 Processing image data 3.1 Importing images and flight data 3.2 In-field image quality check ... 3.3 Creating advanced mapping products 

### 19 21 22 

### 24 

### 25 27 27 28 

### 37 

### 41 44 46 46 48 48 51 

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## J II Advanced functionalities 4 Understanding aerial mapping with the 

### eBee 4.1 Waypoints and their properties ..... . 4.2 Advanced polygonal mission area .... . 4.3 30 mission planning using elevation data ... . 4.4 Flight visualization in 

### Goog/e EarthTM ..... . 4.5 Autonomous controller and modes offlight .. . 4.6 Linear landing ................. . 4.7 Flying multiple drones atthe same time ... . 4.8 Individual phototargets and oblique imagery 

### 5 

### eMotion in-depth guide 5.1 Toolbar .. 5.2 Simulator . 5.3 Control Bar 5.4 Flight Monitoring tab 5.5 Setup Phase tab .... 5.6 Mission Planning tab .. 5.7 Mission Waypoints tab . 5.8 Camera tab ...... . 5.9 Flight Parameters tab 

### 6 Manual control ofthe 

### eBee 6.1 6.2 6.3 Enabling manual control . Pre-flighttesting ofthe remote control Full Manual mode .......... . 

## 55 56 56 

## 60 61 64 66 

### 70 75 81 

### 83 84 87 

### 89 92 

### 96 100 109 111 

### 116 

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### 6.4 Assisted Manual mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124I

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## Maintenance, Repair and Troubleshooting 127 Maintenance and repair ofthe eBee 

### 128 

### 7.1 Updating the eBee

### software 

## ... 128 7.2 Cleaning and storage ....... 

### 131 7.3 Full airframe and sensor inspection 

### 131 7.4 Repairing the eBee 

### airframe 

### 135 7.5 Proper battery care . 

### 135 Troubleshooting 

### 137 

### 8.1 Pre-flight errors . 

### 138 8.2 Take-off

## vetoes . 141 8.3 In-flightwarnings 

### 143 8.4 Critical failures 

## .. 155 8.5 Resetting default camera settings 

### 158 8.6 Improving radio signal communication 

### 158 8.7 Losing and locating your eBee 

### in the field 

### 159 8.8 Reporting aproblem with your eBee . . . 

### 160 

## Specifications 161 Software requirements 

### 162 Drone specifications 

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# Part I 

# Quickstart guide The first part ofthis document introduces you to the 

### eBee and contains the basic informationyou will needto plan and execute asimple mapping project. Atypical mapping project can be divided intothree main phases: 1. 

### Planning and simulating aflight: Every project begins with careful planning, whether it is a quick flight over a small area or a multi-stage flight in complex terrain. Section 'Planning and simulating aflight' on the next page describes howto usethe Mission Planningfeaturetoquicklygenerate aflight plan and totest it using the built-in simulator. 2. 

### Executing aflight: Once planning is complete, it is time for the drone to perform its flight. In section 'Executing aflight' on page 27 you will learn howto prepare your droneforflight, connect itto 

### eMotion, and to monitor it in flight while it gathers images. Though the 

### eBee can complete aflight fully autonomously from take-offto landing, you can also modify its flight plan at any point during flight. 3. 

### Processing image data: The last step in a project is converting the images taken byyour 

### eBee into usable products such as precise gee-referenced orthomosaics or30terrain models. section 'Processing imagedata'on page48 leads you through the process oftransferring images from the drone to a computer, checking ifthe image quality suits your needs while still in the field and producing advanced 20 and 30 maps.**~** J '1



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### Quick start guide 

# 1 Planning and simulating aflight Goal ofthis section: This section introduces the eMotion 

### software used to interface with the eBee. 

### It describes the steps required to plan, simulate, and save a simple mapping flight. A more detailed description ofeMotion

### and its advancedfunctions is presented in section 'eMotion 

### in-depth guide' on page 83. 

### 1.1 Installing

## eMotion, PostflightTerra30,andtheground modem drivers You can download the latestversion ofeMotion 

### and Postflight Terra 30

### at: www.sensetly.com/support/download Use the password provided with your eBee

### to access the download section. We recommend that you download and install Google EarthTM

### to take full advantage ofthe features of eMotion. 

### You can find more information at the following address: www.google.com/earth/ To install eMotion 

### on Windows, simply execute the provided installersfor eMotion 

### and Postflight Terra 30 

### and follow the on-screen instructions. The eMotion 

### and PostflightTerra30

### softwarewill be available inthe 'Start'

### menu. Driversforthe USB ground station ground modem will automaticallybe installed along with eMotion. 

### In case aproblem arises afterconnecting the ground modem to the computerfor the first timeyou can find the drivers in one ofthe following directories (depending on yourversion ofWindows):

18 

### C:\Program Files\senseFly\eMotion 2\usb_driver\ C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\senseFly\eMotion 2\usb_driver\,- ·-l '

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### Planning and simulating aflight See section 'Updating the eBee 

### software' on page 128 ifyou have any difficulty with software installation. 

## 1.2 The eMotion 

## interface Thanksto the powerfultools available within eMotion, 

### designing amappingflight foryour eBee 

### is asimple process. To get started, launch eMotion 

### and choose what you would like to do...

Process**lt~g.htdata.** I OK: 

### • To run a simulation, select the simulator, choose the drone you want to simulate and click OK. • To fly adrone, connect your ground modem to your computer and select Drone. Ifyou have morethan one USB device connected toyour PC, choose the ground modem you wantto connectto from the list and click OK. Otherwise,just click OK. • To process flight data you already created, select the Flight Data Manager and click OK. We recommend thatyou plan flights using asimulated drone. Once connected to areal or simulated drone you will see the main screen ofeMotion. 

### The main screen ofeMotion 

### is split intofour sections: 191. 'J



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20 Map Area Flight Parameters tab -----, Camera tab ------. Mission Waypoints tab -----,

Mission Planning tab ----, Setup Phase tab Flight Monitoring tab

Sidebar



### • MapArea: 

### The Map Area of 

### eMotion displays amap with the drone's current position, indicated by the**~** 

### symbol. Asmall Status Panel floats besidethesymbol, indicating importantstatus information includingthe 

### eBee's currentaltitude (bothAbovetheTake-offAltitude, marked asATO, and Above Mean Sea Level, marked as AMSL), battery level,flighttime, and status. The Status Panel can be hidden by clicking on the drone. Moving around the map is done by clicking and dragging at any place not occupied by asymbol (such as awaypoint orthe drone symbol).

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I ) Planning and simulating aflight


### • Control Bar: The Control Bar is used to issuevarious commandstothe

### eBee while it is in flight, such as starting the mission phase or holding position. It is also used to display and acknowledge warnings that may occur either before or during aflight. 

### • Toolbar: TheToolbarcontains buttonsto controlthe layers, sources or map informationand otherdisplayoptions related tothe MapArea. 

### eMotion can use many sources ofmapping information. 

### • Sidebar: The Sidebar is split into several tabs, each with a particularfunction. The Flight Monitoring tab is used for monitoring the drone while in flight. The Setup Phase tab controls the take-off and landing portions of a flight plan (referred to as the 'setup phase') whereas the Mission Planning tab defines the image acquisition portion ofthe flight plan (referred to as the 'mission phase'). The last three tabs are used for advanced waypoint planning and parametersetting. You can hidethe Sidebar by clicking on its left edge. The Sidebar also contains controls for the simulatorwhen connected to asimulated drone. 

## 1.3 Creating a newflight plan Every mapping flight requires a flight plan, which is a path defined by a set of waypoints, or points in 30 space, and aset ofactions that can be performed at or in between waypoints, such as taking images, proceeding to the next waypoint or landing. A flight plan is shown in the Map Area using circles to represent waypoints, lines to representtheflight path and arrowsto showthedirection offlight. The large circle with athick border illustratestheworking area boundaries within which the 

### eBee will always remain. See section 'Waypoints and their properties' on page56for more information on waypoints andthevarious symbols presented in the Map Area. A complete flight plan for an 

### eBee is divided into two separate phases: the setup phase and the mission phase. The mission phase includes waypoints and actions related to mapping and capturing images. The setup phase includes waypoints and actions related totake-offand landing. This phase is usually planned directly 21I ' J

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### Quick start guide in the field and is explained in detail in section The setup phase of aflight' on page 37. 

## 1.4 The mission phase ofaflight The easiestwayto create amappingflightforthesystematiccoverage ofan area is to usethe automatic mission planningfeature ofeMotion. Bysimply positioning a rectangle aroundthe areayou would liketo cover, eMotionwill generate amission plan optimised for the ground resolution thatyou desire.

Step2: Step 1: open tab and select correct camera

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# 0 Note: 

### For more complex terrain and missions, eMotion has the abilityto set polygonal mission areas ofany size and shape, and to automatically adjust waypoint altitudes based on elevation data. These powerful features are described in more detail in section 'Advanced polygonal mission area' on page 60and section '3D mission planning using elevation data' on page 61, respectively. Followthese steps to automatically setup waypoints for amapping mission:

22 

### 1. Select the Mission Planning tab from the Sidebar. Agrey zone will appear in the Map Area to designate the mission area to cover. Information such, I i

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### Planning and simulating aflight
as size and position is overlaid on the area. A mission plan, including the required waypoints, is automatically calculated and displayed to preview the mission plan that will be created. 2. Adjust the location, size, and shape ofthe mission area. The area can be relocated bydragging the grayzone. Thefoursquare handles on the edges ofthe area can be used to resize itand the round handles on the corners of the area can be used to rotate it. As you adjust the area the mission plan preview is continuously updated. 3. Adjust the mapping and mission parameters in the Mission Planning tab to suityourterrain and quality requirements1• 

### As afirst step, eMotion 

### provides two predefined set ofparameters; 'Easyterrain' are the default parameters designedfor simplerterrain, such as mines oragriculture,whereas 'Difficult terrain' is designed for complex areas, such as forests, and provides higher image overlap at the cost ofalower resolution. Be sure to include an estimated wind speed and direction, as this has an effect on the area that can be covered in asingle flight. Once again, the mission plan preview will be continuously updated as you modifythe parameters. 4. Checkthe resulting flight characteristics in the tab. Once you are satisfied, upload the mission plan to the simulated drone by clicking the 'Upload' button. 5. Click**the~** 

### button in theToolbarto open theflight plan in GoogleEarthTM2• 

### Review the flight plan to ensure that there is sufficient clearance between the flight plan and the ground. Any updates to the flight plan that you make within eMotion 

### will be reflected directly in Google EarthTM.

1 see section 'Mission Planning tab' on page 100for acomplete description ofavailable parameters 2 see section 'Flightvisualization in Goog/eEarth

## TM'on page 64 23

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### Quick start guide 

### Caution: eMotion 

### as well as the automatic mission planning tool are not aware of any obstacles that may exist in the area. In addition, when not using elevation data, the mission planning tool assumes thatthe mission area isflat and atthe same altitudethan thetake-off location. It is also notaware ofany legal restriction (such as minimum or maximum altitude) that may exist in your region. The resulting flight plan should be carefully reviewed in orderto avoid anycollision with uneven terrain or tall objects such as buildings, and to comply with local regulations. The final step after you have prepared aflight plan is to save itto afile that you can load into the eBee

### when you are in the field. Select the Setup Phase tab from the Sidebar, click on 'Save flight plan to file..:, choose afilename and location and click 'Save'. 

## 1.5 Simulating your flight Simulating your flight gives you an idea ofthe position and size of images that will be taken during the flight. In addition, itallows you to learn to use advanced functions, such as in-flightwaypoint editing and camera control, without putting your eBee 

### at risk3• 

### When eMotion 

### is connected to asimulated drone an extra set of buttons appear in the Sidebar: fast-forward**--------,~~** r------- re-position take-off location play ---..., initiate take-off pause --, 

# r- instant recharge ofbattery 

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### You can setthetake-offlocation ofthe eBee 

### by clicking on the 

### 0 icon and placing the point on the map. This simulates the action ofswitching on the real drone 3 see section 'Simulator' on page 87 for acomplete description ofthe simulator 24

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### Planning and simulating aflight and letting it acquire GPS signals. You can test your flight plan by clicking the .., icon, simulating atake-off manoeuvre. The eBee will then go through its flight plan in the same way it would in the field. You can pause, play or speed up the simulation by clicking the corresponding buttons in theToolbar. You can monitor the stateofthe dronewhile inflight usingthe Flight Monitoringtab andthe Status Panel4• 

### You may also monitorthe flight in 3D in Google EarthTM by clicking on the Q button in the Toolbar. Caution: 

### The simulator is atool designed to aid with flight planning and to familiarise you with the advanced functions ofyour eBee. The simulated physics, however, are basic and do not always accurately reflect the true behaviour ofthe drone in flight. In particular, estimates ofbattery level and reactions to wind are difficultto simulate with high accuracy. You should in no case depend on behaviours seen with asimulated drone to be reproduced exactly in real flight. 

## 1.6 Getting readyfor a mission Before leaving forthe field to perform aflight, be sure to fully charge all your eBee batteries5• 

### When delivered, the eBee battery may not be fully charged. power cable LiPo Balance**~-~~~** Charger balance LEDs eBee battery pack status LEOs (notto scale) 

### To charge an eBee battery pack, connect it to the battery charger as illustrated above. During charge, the status LED on the charger is solid red. Charging is complete when the status LED turns green. The charger provided independently balances the voltage ofeach ofthe 3 cells contained in the battery packto ensures optimal performance and battery life. If 4 see section 'In-flight monitoring and control' on page 44 5 Consult your payload user manual to know ifthe payload battery is necessary forthe flight 25. 1**~** 

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### File menu. More details on howto take advantage ofthevarious map sources available in eMotion 

### can be found in section 'Toolbar' on page 84.

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# 2 Executing aflight 

# 0 Goalofthissection:

### This section describes howto prepareyoureBee for flight, launch, monitor and control from the air, and initiate an autonomous landing. Note: 

### We recommend that you perform your first flight in a large obstacle-free area and limit the length ofthe mission in order to familiarise yourselfwith the eBee in flight. 

## 2.1 Weather check Before each flight, you should be aware ofthe weather conditions. The eBee is asmall drone that cannot fly in heavy rain or strong wind conditions. In case of doubt, make sure to check aweather bulletin including wind estimations in the flight area. Note that wind is often stronger at higher altitudes and that the wind perceived at the surface is not always agood reference to estimate the wind at flight altitude. Cloud velocity ortall tree movements can helpyou to estimate the wind speed once you are out in the field. Weatherforecasts may use various units to measure wind speed. As areference, 1m/s

# =3.6 km/h

# =2.24 mph

# =1.94 kts. Caution: 

### The eBeeshould not be launched ifthewind speed exceeds 12 m/s (in other units: 43.2 km/h, 26.8 mph, 23.3 kts). Caution:

### The eBeeis notdesignedtofly intemperatures above35° C. 

### Avoid exposing the droneto high temperature for prolonged periods oftime. In particular, leaving the drone exposed to the sun or in acar should be avoided.
27

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## 2.2 Preparing the eBeefor flight The 

### eBee's simple design means it can go from the box to being ready for flight in minutes. We recommend that you perform the following 6steps before every flightto ensure thatthe platform is best prepared forflight. 

# 0 Note: 

### Remove the red warning sticker from the motor before your firstflight.
6

Central body top view 

# 0

Central body bottom view 

### 3

Wing -detached 

### Step 1: Perform ageneral inspection 

### Visually inspectthe drone for damage orwear using the following steps:

28 

### 1. Checkthe foam central body and wings for cracks or other damage. 2. Verifythatthe pitot probe is properly attached tothe airframe and thatthe holes in the probe are free ofobstructions. 3. Verify that the ground sensor is free ofobstructions and that the sensor's lens is clean.' 1 I

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### Executing aflight 4. Verifythatthe wing struts are not split or damaged in any way. 5. Verify that the tubes within the Central Body that hold the wing struts are not cracked or damaged in any way. Caution: 

### It is vital to carefully inspect the wing struts and tubes withinthe Central Body before everyflight, as they maycause acrash ifthey are damaged in any way. This is particularly important ifthe wings were found separated from the Central Body after a previous flight. 6. Verifythatthe powercables within the batterycompartment are well insulated and not damaged. 

# 0 Note: 

### Ageneral inspection should be performed before everyflight. It is also good practice to perform afull airframe check regularly to keep your eBee 

### in good shape. See section 'Full airframe and sensor inspection' on page 131 for more details.

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# ~~ propeller@ attachment**~** 

### rubber bands Step 2: Install the propeller 

### Mount the propeller on the motor axis. Secure the propeller using two attachment rubber bands as illustrated above. Ensure that the propeller is lying flat against the motor mount, and that the rubber bands do not show cracks or any other sign ofaging. 

# 0

30 

### Caution: 

### Failureto usetwo rubber bands may result in the loss ofthe propeller in flight! Note: 

### Afterextensive use,the rubber bands maydevelopcracks. This is normal and is caused bytheageing ofthe rubber material. Formaximum security, inspect the rubber bands regularly and discard them ifthey show cracks. 10 spare rubber bands are included in the package., I \ 1

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### Step 3: Install the camera plug in camera connector to camera plug

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### Install the camera into the payload bay6 

### within the eBee and close the camera compartment lid. Ifthe camera connector is not already connected, plug it into the connectorwith the

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### The eBee has not been designed to flywithoutthe camera. Attemptingtoflywithoutthe camera may renderthe drone unstable, which may eventually lead to acrash.
6 Some payloads may require a separate battery or SD card to operate properly. Please referto the

User Manual ofthe camera orotherpayload for proper installation instructions. 31l

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ensure servo

connection mechanism is aligned and engaged 

### Step4: Attach thewings insert wing struts into central body



### Attach the wings to the central body by inserting the wing struts into the receptacles in the central body. Ensure that the ailerons are properly aligned with the servo connection mechanism before pushing the wings fully into the central body.

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### Caution: Flying with damaged wing struts ora badly engaged servo connection mechanism may cause erratic flight and ultimately a crash. Be sure to properly inspect and attach the wings beforeflight.. 1

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Step 5: Install and connect the battery 

### Lay the 

### eBee horizontally on the ground outside in the vicinity ofthe take-off location, with the topface up. To install the battery, begin by connecting the power cables to the battery. Insertthe connectors firmlytothe end in orderto avoid undesired disconnection when in flight. Once connected, insert the battery into its compartment and close the compartment lid. Caution: 

### Take care to keep the propeller area clear, in case it suddenly starts spinning. 331 I -I

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### Only connect the battery cables to the drone when you are ready for start-up. Do not leave the battery connected for extended periods of time when the drone is on the ground, as this may dischargethe batteries and cause irreparable damage. When connected and not in flight, the eBee

### will briefly move its ailerons up and down every minute as areminderthat itis switched on. As soon as the battery is connected the eBee

### will perform an automatic self-check ofits sensors and acquire GPS signals. Be sure notto movethe drone duringthese tests. Itis importantthatthedrone is notinclined morethan 10degrees in orderto start up properly. Pre-flightchecks may lastfrom afew secondstoseveral minutes in the case ofpoor GPS signal reception. As these satellite signals are required for the checks to complete, be sure to place the eBee 

### outside with aclearview ofthe sky. During the pre-flight checks the status LED will pulse blue. Once the pre-flight checks are complete the eBee

### will flip its ailerons up and down and the status LED will turn solid green to indicate it is ready. You may already connect the drone to eMotion (Step 6) before pre-flight checks are complete to get abetter idea ofthe status ofthe checks. 

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34 

### Note: 

### If there was any problem during the pre-flight checks performed bythe dronethis will be indicated byaPre-flighterrorin eMotion as well as abythe status LED blinking red. See section 'Pre-flight errors' on page 138for adescription of possible Pre-flight errors and howto handle them.' 1 i 

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### Start byconnecting the USB ground modemto yourcomputer. Then launch eMotion, which will displaythe Connection window. Select the eBee connection profile, choose the corresponding FTDI port and click 'OK'. 

# 0 Note: 

### Every eBee is paired with the ground modem it is delivered with, and will onlyworkwith that particularmodem. The name ofthe FTDI port corresponding to the ground modem is labelled as 'eBee**SERIA~** 

### where SERIAL is the serial number ofthe drone it is paired with. When aconnection is established eMotionwill displayamap and the Status Panel indicating the current state ofthe drone. Ifthe eBee has notyet detected its location the Status Panel will appear in the top right corner ofthe Map Area with the text 'GPS: Waiting for signals..:. During this time the status LED on the drone will pulse blue. Once your drone has set its position using GPS signals, an icon ofthe drone will appearat its location on the map. Ifthe drone's location is not on the mapyou can click**the·~·** button from the Toolbarto centre the map on the drone. The drone's status on eMotion will be displayed as 'Idle, Readyto take-off' and the status LED will become solid green. 351 j _j



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### Quick start guide You can now load aflight plan you prepared earlier by selecting the Setup Phase tab from the Sidebar, clicking on 'Load flight plan from file..: and selecting your flight plan file. Alternatively, you can plan the entire mission in thefield, following the same process outlined in section 'Planning and simulating aflight'on page 18.

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## 2.3 The setup phase ofaflight The setup phase ofaflight includesthe waypoints and actions related to the takeoffand landing ofthe eBee 

### and includes the following locations:
• Take-off location: 

### The pointfrom which the drone is launched/ automatically set to the location calculated from GPS signals by the drone when it is launched. This location defines the altitude of 0 m/ATO (ATO stands for above take-off); the altitudes ofall other waypoints/ when defined in m/ AT01 

### are referenced to the altitude ofthis location. • Startwaypoint: 

### Thefirst pointthatthedroneflies towardswhen launched (once it reaches the take-offtransition altitude). • Home waypoint: 

### The safe point for the drone to circle in case of emergency/ as well as its landing position at the end ofaflight for both Linear and Circular landings.

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### eBee should always be launched against the wind. Select atake-off location clear ofobstacles (buildings, rocks, power lines, hills, trees, etc.} within adistance of at least 40 m in the upwind direction. Immediately after takeoff it will keep its wings level and climb in the general direction it was launched until it reaches thetake-offtransition altitude7, atwhich point itwill startflying towardsthe Start waypoint. By default,the Start waypoint is set to adistance of80 m West ofthe initial position ofthe droneand an altitudeof75 m/ A

TO. It is good practiceto movetheStart waypointclose toand upwindfrom thetake-offlocation to allowasmooth transition between take-offand waypoint-directed flight. You can move waypoints by clicking on them and dragging them within the Map Area8• The Home waypoint is used both as the landing location and as asafety position in case ofan In-flightwarning. The 

### eBee can perform either a Linear or a Circular landing. Linear landing is the default and recommended landing type, especially in high winds. To prepare a Linear landing, place the Home waypoint centre at a location that is at the same altitude as the take-off location and is clear ofobstacles in a 10 m radius. Choose one or several approach sectors that are free of obstacles for at least 60 m from the Home waypoint centre. You can drag the approach sectoraroundthe Homewaypointand change itswidthdirectlyintheMap Area orfrom within the Setup Phase tab. Make the approach sector(s} as wide as possible to maximize the chance that the drone can subsequently land against the direction ofthe wind. Ensure that the terrain within the approach sector is flat and contains visual contrast to allow the ground sensor to function properly during landing. When a Linear landing is initiated (either automatically or by pressing the 'Go Land' button in the control bar} the drone will fly towards the Home waypoint, circle the waypoint (at 75 m/ATO by default} to measure the direction ofthewind 7 By default the take-offtransition altitude is set to 20 m. In difficult launch conditions you can set

both the take-offheading and the take-offtransition altitude in the Setup Phase tab, as described in section 'Setup Phase tab' on page 96. 8 see section 'Waypoints and their properties' on page 56 for a more detailed explanation on waypoints and howto modifythem 38-, i


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# 0 Note: 

### There are a number of requirements that must be fulfilled to ensure a successful Linear landing. Section 'Linear landing' on page 70 describes in more detail the Linear landing process and how to properly define approach sectors in more complex terrain. In particular, in the case of strong-wind conditions, low light or lowcontrast terrain, the precision of the final landing location around the Home waypoint is reduced. Therefore, it is saferto plan for more clearance, especially along the possible landing axes. Ifthere are no suitable approach sectors to perform a Linear landing the drone can also perform aCircular landing around the Home waypoint. When initiating aCircular landing around the Home waypoint the drone will switch off its motor and glide down while circling around the Home waypoint at the waypoint's radius. During the Circular landing procedure the drone uses its ground sensor to measure the height above the ground, ifthe ground is well textured and there is enough light. When it reaches an altitude of25 m above the ground the drone will level out, estimate the direction ofthe wing and resume its descent so as to touch down againstthe wind while remaining on the circle defined bythe Home waypoint.Caution: 

### The ground sensor can only provide usable feedback in daylightconditions aboveflatterrainthatcontains enough visual texture. Ifthese conditions are not metthedronecannotensure atouchdown against the direction of the wind. Landing in the direction ofthe wind in strong-wind conditions may result in a high landing speed and damage to the eBee.

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