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Robert M. Serino 

FAA Private Pilot Certificate Number 33442220 

Safety Protocols and System Controls 

Required Best Practices – Extracted and Adapted from FAA Exemption 11138 

1.0 Safety Protocols and System Controls. Safety of the public - on the ground and in the air - is 

the most important consideration for the Pilot-In-Command, and safety must be considered before/during/after 

conduct of all flight-related activity. The following safety protocols and system controls must be implemented for 

each flight event. 

1.1 Pre-Flight Aircraft Protocol: 

• Insure PIC and Observer are both in place and ready. 

• Insure NAZA-M Software is preset with 150 feet maximum altitude and 750 feet maximum range. 

• Insure NAZA-M Software is preset to Intelligent Orientation Control to allow both manual and automated 

activation of Fail-Safe and the Low-Battery mode to result in a Return-to-Home. 

• Insure First Person Viewing is enabled. 

1.2 Pre-Flight Ground Protocol: 

• Check Smart Batteries manually and via Ground Station to insure fully charged and ready for use. 

• Inspect batteries for damage, lumps, or leakage that may affect proper operation. 

• Inspect propellers for cracks, chips or damage that may cause sudden loss of propulsion or 

unmanageable/uncontrolled flight. 

• Check weather forecasts for wind advisory or other conditions that my impact flight. 

• Consult five (5) mile radius map for airport vicinity. 

• Contact respective airport to advise of estimated flight time, estimated flight duration, estimated elevation 

of flight, and any other pertinent information. 

• Conduct Compass Calibration for every flight. 

• Conduct GPS lock to at least 6 satellites and registration of Home Point on Ground Station for every flight. 

1.3 Pre-Flight Ground Control Station Protocol: 

• Insure Ground Control Station is linked to aircraft.

• Ground Control Station signal strength is OK.

• Battery level monitoring and low-battery warning is OK.

• GPS signals are OK with not less than 6 satellites.

• Real-time monitoring of Altitude/Speed/Geo-Location are OK.

• Fail-Safe. Auto-Land, Return-to-Home, Home-Lock, Command Shut-Off, and Software-Based Altitude and 

Range Maxima are confirmed OK and operable.

1.4 Inspect Flight Area: 

• Vicinity of public safety helipads/heliports. 

• Vicinity of medical helipads/heliports. 

• Vicinity of light poles. 

• Vicinity or utility wires. 

• Vicinity of trees. 

• Flocks of birds that may cause interference and potential flight impact. 

• Vicinity of any elevated obstructions that may pose potential flight hazard. 

• Vicinity of roadways with moderate to heavy traffic that can be distracted. 
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• Public gatherings that may attract viewers. 

• Optional point of control for best visual site of UAS while in flight. 

1.5 Takeoff and Landing: 

• Inspect area for best and safest point of takeoff and landing. 

• If in a subdivision or area that is within 150 feet of a residential street, post warning sign(s)/stand(s) 

"Attention Aerial Photography In Progress - Remain Back 150 Feet ". 

1.6 In-Flight Protocol: 

• Takeoff and land from same location. 

• Reporting of Ground Control Station signal strength is OK.

• Reporting of battery level monitoring and low-battery warning is OK.

• Reporting of GPS signals are OK with not less than 6 satellites.

• Reporting of Altitude/Speed/Geo-Location are OK.

• Remain alert to birds, sound or aircraft, curious public, and approaching vehicles. 

• Do not allow anyone to engage in conversation or distract the remote control pilot. 

• Restrict flight to minimal elevation sufficient to acquire desired results. 

• Remain prepared for emergency landing at all times.

• Pay attention to flight time. 

• Set a timer or have a clock as a safety alert. 

• Land UAS and shut down propulsion immediately following landing. 

1.7 Post flight: 

• Remove battery to prevent accidental activation of propulsion system. 

• Remove props to prevent accidental activation of propulsion system. 

• Secure UAS in a safe location. 

• Remove all warning signs from public access areas. 

1.8 Emergency Situation or Suspected Hazard or Potential Problem ... 

 Immediately land UAS at safest and closet ground location in the event of any of the following: 

• Manned aircraft is heard or seen in vicinity of flight. 

• Public gathering within established safety boundary wanting to observe flight. 

• Pilot is being distracted from focusing on flight and safety. 

• Sudden change in weather (wind bursts) or visibility. 

• Sudden increase in vehicular traffic in vicinity of flight. 

• Birds enter into proximity of flight. 

• Sudden unpredicted and unsafe event that can cause collision, distraction or interruption of control. 

2.0 Required Best Practices – Extracted and Adapted from FAA Exemption 11138 

2.1 Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the following aircraft described in the 

operating documents which is a quad-rotor aircraft weighing less than 3 pounds: PHANTOM 2 Unmanned 

Aircraft System (UAS). Proposed operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a petition to 

amend this grant. 

2.2 The UA may not be flown at an indicated airspeed exceeding 30 knots. 
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2.3 The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 300 feet above ground level (AGL), as indicated by 

the procedures specified in the operating documents. All altitudes reported to Air Traffic Control (ATC) must be 

in feet AGL. 

2.4 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.

2.5 All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within the visual line of sight 

(VLOS) of the 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. 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 functions prescribed in the operating documents. 

2.6 The operating documents and this grant of exemption 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 upon 

request. The operator must also present updated and revised documents if he 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 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. 

2.7 Prior to each flight, the PIC must inspect the UAS to ensure it is in a condition for safe flight. If the inspection 

reveals a condition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the UAS is prohibited from operating until the 

necessary maintenance has been performed and the UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight. The 

Ground Control Station must be included in the preflight inspection. All maintenance and alterations must be 

properly documented in the aircraft records. 

2.8 Any UAS 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. The PIC who conducts the functional test flight 

must make an entry in the aircraft records. 

2.9 The preflight inspection section in the operating documents must account for all discrepancies, i.e. 

inoperable components, items, or equipment, not already covered in the relevant sections of the operating 

documents. 

2.10 The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer’s aircraft/component, maintenance, overhaul, replacement, 

inspection, and life limit requirements. 

2.11 The operator must carry out its maintenance, inspections, and record keeping requirements, in accordance 

with the operating documents. Maintenance, inspection, and alterations must be noted in the aircraft records, 

including total flight hours, description of work accomplished, and the signature of the authorized person 

returning the UAS to service. 

2.12 Each UAS operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer Safety Bulletins and all 

manufacturer Software/Firmware Downloads. 

2.13 The authorized person must make an entry in the aircraft record of the corrective action taken against 

discrepancies discovered between inspections. 
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2.14 UAS operations must be conducted by a PIC possessing at least a private pilot certificate and at least a 

current third-class medical certificate. 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. 

2.15 Prior to operations conducted for the purpose of aerial videography/cinematography and augmenting real 

estate listing videos (or similar operations), the PIC must have accumulated and logged, in a manner consistent 

with 14 CFR 61.51(b), a minimum of 25 hours of total time as a UAS rotorcraft pilot including at least 10 hours 

logged as a UAS pilot with a multi-rotor UAS. Prior documented flight experience that was obtained in 

compliance with applicable regulations may satisfy this requirement. Training, proficiency, and experiencebuilding flights can also be conducted under this grant of exemption to accomplish the required flight time. 

However, said training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During training, 

proficiency, and experience-building flights the PIC is required to operate the UA with appropriate distances in 

accordance with 14 CFR 91.119. 

2.16 Prior to operations conducted for the purpose of aerial videography/cinematography and augmenting real 

estate listing videos (or similar operations), the PIC must have accumulated and logged, in a manner consistent 

with 14 CFR 61.51(b), a minimum of 5 hours as UAS pilot operating the make and model of the UAS to be used 

in operations under the exemption; 5 hours make and model time may be included in the 10 hours of multi-rotor 

time prescribed above. The PIC must accomplish 3 take-offs and landings in the preceding 90 days (for currency 

purposes). Training, proficiency, experience-building, and take-off and landing currency flights can be conducted 

under this grant of exemption to accomplish the required flight time and 90 day currency. However, said training 

operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During training, proficiency, and

experience-building flights the 24 PIC is required to operate the UA with appropriate distances in accordance 

with 14 CFR 91.119. 

2.17 The operator may not permit the PIC to operate the UAS for the purpose of aerial videography/ 

cinematography and augmenting real estate listing videos (or similar operations), unless the PIC has 

demonstrated and logged in a manner consistent with 14 CFR 61.51(b), 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 people, vessels, vehicles and structures. 

2.18 UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR 1.1. All operations must be 

conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). 

2.19 The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point as denoted on a current FAApublished aeronautical chart. 

2.20 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. 

2.21 If the UA loses communications or loses its GPS signal, it must return to a predetermined location within the 

planned operating area and land or be recovered in accordance with the operating documents. 

2.22 The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies in accordance with the 

operating documents. 

2.23 The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) 

there is enough power to fly at normal cruising speed to the intended landing point and land the UA with 30% 

battery power remaining. 

2.24 The operator must obtain an Air Traffic Organization (ATO) issued Certificate of Waiver or Authorization 

(COA) prior to conducting any operations under this grant of exemption. This COA will also require the operator 

to request a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) not more than 72 hours in advance, but not less than 48 hours prior to 

the operation. 
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2.25 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 (NNumber) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 

45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable. 

2.26 Before conducting operations, the radio frequency spectrum used for operation and control of the UA must 

comply with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or other appropriate government oversight agency 

requirements. 

2.27 The documents required under 14 CFR 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the PIC at the Ground Control 

Station of the UAS any time the UAS is operating. These documents must be made available to the 

Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 

2.28 The UA must remain clear and yield the right of way to all manned aviation operations and activities at all 

times. 

2.29 The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle. 

2.30 The UA may not be operated over congested or densely populated areas. 

2.31 Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons, vessels, vehicles, 

and structures unless: 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 and/or; b. The aircraft is operated near vessels, 

vehicles or structures where the owner/controller of such vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission 

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, and; c. Operations nearer to the PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential 

persons do not present an undue hazard to those persons per § 91.119(a). 

2.32 All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled-access property with permission from the land 

owner/controller or authorized representative. Permission from land owner/controller or authorized 

representative will be obtained for each flight to be conducted. 

2.33 Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical boundaries of the 

operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to the FAA’s UAS Integration Office (AFS80) 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.