Engineers ♦ Surveyors ♦ Inspectors ♦ Construction Managers ♦ GIS

Phone: (301) 260-0090 17830 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 200, Ashton, MD 20861 Fax: (301) 260-0018

www.mercadoeng.com

UAS Policies and Procedures Manual

Version: 1.0.1 Updated: 9-23-15

Purpose: This system safety assessment has been developed to satisfy FAA regulatory 

requirements for use of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for commercial purposes. This 

document describes the operational scenarios in which the UAS will be operated, the general 

safety policies and procedures to be used before flight, during flight, and after flight 

completion, the overall UAS design and operation focus of Mercado Consultants, Inc., training 

procedures for all UAS pilots and visual observers, and regular maintenance procedures. 

UAS Description: Mercado Consultants, Inc. will be operating the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+. This 

Polies and Procedures Manual is intended to be used with this UAS only, as specific safety 

system guidelines have been developed with the specific capabilities and control systems 

available on the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+.

Company Description: Mercado Consultants, Inc. is a multi-disciplined engineering company 

providing transportation infrastructure services to a variety of public and private clients

throughout the Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas. Services related to the use of the UAS 

include topographical survey and aerial imagery, construction management/observation, and 

bridge inspection. Please see www.mercadoeng.com for a more detailed list of services 

provided. 

1.0 Operational Scenario Description

1.1 Overview

1.1.1 Mercado Consultants, Inc. intends to operate the UAS in three different 

operational scenarios detailed in sections 1.2 through 1.4. In all scenarios 

two criteria are always followed – the UAS is operated below a height of 

400 feet and the UAS is always within visual sight of the pilot in command 

(PIC) and visual observer (VO) which shall not exceed a horizontal 

distance of 400 feet from the PIC and VO. 

1.2 Scenario 1 – General Site Survey

1.2.1 Description: This scenario is intended to be used with general site 

imagery for use in aerial survey or construction management observation 

tasks. It is not meant to be used with detailed site photogrammetry.

1.2.2 Sample Work Tasks: Aerial photographs of various stages of a 

construction project, aerial video or photographs of a general site for 
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general use by engineers during design phase, aerial images of bridge or 

critical transportation infrastructure after hazardous event (i.e. flood, 

earthquake, etc.).

1.2.3 Deliverables: High quality photos or videos taken from UAS.

1.2.4 Limitations: This scenario is not meant to provide precise 

photogrammetry or aerial imagery photos to be scaled, projected, or 

dimensioned for precise engineering.

1.3 Scenario 2 – Bridge Inspection

1.3.1 Description: Bridge girders, piers, and abutments may be in locations that 

are difficult to reach for bridge inspections and often require costly 

equipment. This scenario uses UAS to inspect portions of bridges that are 

difficult to access.

1.3.2 Sample Work Tasks: Image of deteriorated girder over 30 feet above a 

stream crossing, images of concrete deterioration on bridge piers or 

abutments, emergency inspection of critical bridge components.

1.3.3 Deliverable: High quality photos or videos taken from UAS.

1.3.4 Limitations: The UAS is not to be flown over vehicular traffic. This 

scenario is for inspecting portions of a bridge that are not directly over 

traffic and typically includes components below the underside of the 

bridge.

1.4 Scenario 3 – Aerial Mapping

1.4.1 Description: Aerial photogrammetry or precise aerial mapping of site for 

detailed engineering use. It is expected that any photographs taken from 

this scenario would be post processed in a way to be used in geographical 

information system (GIS) or computer automated drafting and design 

(CADD) environments.

1.4.2 Sample Work Tasks: Aerial photogrammetry of small site for use of design 

engineers. 

1.4.3 Deliverable: High quality photos.

1.4.4 Limitations: This scenario is generally to be used for small sites (several 

acres) and not intended for large area photogrammetry.

2.0 General System Safety Information

2.1 Overview

2.1.1 This section provides the general safety policies and procedures for 

operating the UAS in the scenarios outlined in section 1. Detailed safety 

operations for specific scenarios that may occur during operation of the 

UAS are described in more detail in section 4.

2.2 Pre-flight Safety Policies and Procedures

2.2.1 System Calibration

2.2.1.1 Compass

2.2.1.1.1 Before each flight, the on-board compass must be 

calibrated before the UAS takes flight. This is 

particularly important after the UAS has been 

transported to the site in a motorized vehicle. 
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Successful compass calibration will be evident by a 

sequence of colored lights on the bottom of the UAS 

(see Phantom 2 Vision+ user manual for more 

information) and by a message on the application 

screen.

2.2.1.1.2 If the compass cannot be calibrated due to a 

mechanical error or proximity to electrical current (i.e. 

powerlines), operation of the UAS is to cease 

immediately and the UAS returned back to the office.

2.2.1.2 Gimbal, battery level, and internal controller

2.2.1.2.1 Before each flight, ensure that there are no mechanical 

or software errors in the gimbal, batteries, or internal 

controllers. Any errors will be evident by a message on 

the application screen at startup.

2.2.1.2.2 If mechanical or software errors are present, operation 

of the UAS is to cease immediately and the UAS 

returned back to the office. 

2.2.2 Inclement Weather

2.2.2.1 Due to the lightweight and small nature of the Phantom 2 Vision+, 

the UAS is only to be operated during the daytime in an area with 

adequate visibility. The UAS must be visible at all times during 

operation. 

2.2.2.2 The UAS may not be operated during snow or rain or during high 

winds.

2.2.3 Right-of-way Access

2.2.3.1 The UAS must only be operated in the Right-of-way airspace 

allowed by the FAA. Any owners associated with the airspace that 

the UAS will be operated in must be contacted and permission 

must be granted. 

2.2.4 Flight Plan

2.2.4.1 Prior to commencing any operation of the UAS, a flight plan must 

be established for the tasks to be accomplished. The flight plan 

must include the goal of the UAS flight, any potential issues that 

may arise during flight, and must go over any emergency landing 

procedures and areas for the UAS.

2.2.4.2 The location of any nearby airports must also be noted. As part of 

the GPS system built into the Phantom 2 Vision+, the onboard 

control system for the UAS will not let the UAS fly into the 

airspace restricted by an airport. However, an inspection on a 

map shall be made prior to going to the site to ensure that the 

flight will not occur in or near restricted airport airspace. 

2.2.5 Visual Site Survey

2.2.5.1 Once at the site, prior to operating the UAS, the overall 

surroundings must be inspected before launching. Items to pay 

particular attention to are overhead branches or obstructions, 
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utility lines, low flying aircraft, and the potential for inclement 

weather.

2.3 Flight Safety Policies and Procedures

2.3.1 Pilot in Command and Visual Observer

2.3.1.1 The UAS shall always be operated with a team of two individuals. 

One individual shall be designated the pilot in command (PIC) and 

shall operate the remote control for the UAS and always have a 

visual eye on the UAS. The second individual shall be the visual 

operator (VO) and shall keep a visual eye on the UAS and the 

overall surroundings paying particular attention to hazards that 

the PIC may not be able to see.

2.3.2 Flight Altitude and Horizontal Limits

2.3.2.1 The UAS shall not be operated over an altitude of 400 feet above 

the ground.

2.3.2.2 The UAS shall not be operated horizontally beyond a distance of 

400 feet of the PIC and VO. At all times the UAS shall be visible by 

the PIC and VO.

2.3.3 GPS

2.3.3.1 GPS shall try to be established prior to liftoff of the UAS. In many 

cases that may require waiting 15 to 30 minutes for the GPS signal 

to be established.

2.3.3.2 In general, it is easier to obtain a GPS signal from a location 

without any vertical obstructions such as a parking lot or open 

field. 

2.3.3.3 If a GPS signal cannot be obtained, the UAS should lift off to an 

elevation of 200 feet above the ground and stay steady in the 

same location for several minutes. Typically during this maneuver, 

a GPS signal can be established.

2.3.4 Establishing a Home Point

2.3.4.1 When GPS signal is available, a home point shall be established. 

As a failsafe on the Phantom 2 Vision+, if connectivity is lost with 

the UAS, the UAS will elevate by 20 meters, hover over the home 

point, and land. 

2.3.4.2 The location of the home point shall be one without any vertical 

obstructions. Particular attention should be paid to assessing the 

vertical path the UAS would take to get back to the home point if 

signal is lost and ensuring that there are no obstructions in this 

path.

2.3.4.3 During the course of operating the UAS, it may become necessary 

to change the home point to the UAS’s current location as it gets 

further away from the location the initial home point was set at. 

Changing the home point during flight can be accomplished using 

the controller. At all times, the home point shall be chosen with 

the failsafe procedure in mind. 

2.3.5 Lost Remote Control Signal
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2.3.5.1 In the event that the remote control signal is lost, the UAS will 

initiate its failsafe procedure and return to the home point. 

2.3.5.2 The UAS returns to the home point in a very slow manner. Often 

remote control signal can be reestablished by walking towards the 

UAS. 

2.3.5.3 Within a horizontal distance of 400 feet from the UAS, losing 

remote control signal with the UAS is very rare.

2.3.6 Low Battery

2.3.6.1 In the event of a low battery, the UAS will proceed to fly back to 

the home point. A battery level indicator will appear on the 

application screen. Once the low battery message appears, the 

PIC must start to move the UAS into a position where it can be 

landed. 

2.3.6.2 The UAS shall not take off with a battery that has less than 25% of 

its full charge.

2.3.7 Emergency Landing Due to Mechanical or Software Failure

2.3.7.1 Prior to operating the UAS, a flight plan shall be established. As 

part of this plan, an area should be designated as an emergency 

landing area in the event of a mechanical or software failure. The 

emergency landing area should be in an open area without any 

overhead obstructions or hazards on the ground.

2.3.7.2 Typical emergency landing areas include a grassy, open area or a 

paved area without any parked cars. 

2.4 Post Flight Policies and Procedures

2.4.1 Mechanical Maintenance

2.4.1.1 If the UAS experiences a mechanical or software failure during 

flight, it shall be returned to the office immediately after the 

incident to evaluate the damage to the UAS. The UAS shall never 

be operated if there is a mechanical or software failure of one of 

its components.

2.4.1.2 The electrical motors, landing gear, propellers, camera, compass, 

and other mechanical components of the UAS shall be inspected 

at the completion of each flight. If any damage is observed to any 

of the components, attention shall be brought immediately to the 

issue. 

2.4.2 Storage

2.4.2.1 The UAS shall be stored in the hard shell case when not in use. 

During transportation to and from the job site, the UAS shall 

always be in the hard shell case.

2.4.2.2 During longer periods when the UAS is not in use, the batteries 

shall be discharged to 50% before storing to prolong their usable 

life and ability to hold charge.
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3.0 Design Focus

3.1 Overview

3.1.1 This section describes the overall goals in designing and planning the 

flight plan of the UAS for each work task.

3.2 Safety First

3.2.1 The focus of planning each flight shall always be the safety procedures 

outlined in section 2. Attention shall be made to potential site hazards 

during flight and landing. Since transportation projects are the focus of 

the use of this UAS, for operational scenarios 1 and 3 (general site survey 

and aerial mapping), the UAS flight path shall try to be limited as much as 

possible to areas that are not above live traffic. For operational scenario 

2 (bridge inspection) where the UAS will be operated below a bridge in 

limited clearance locations, the UAS shall not fly over live traffic. 

3.3 Focus on Deliverable Type

3.3.1 Each flight plan shall clearly establish the goal of the flight and the 

deliverable type – photographs or video. All flight maneuvers shall be 

made to position the UAS to take these photographs/videos.

3.4 Routine Maneuvers

3.4.1 Every effort shall be made to have a flight path that has routine 

maneuvers, such as limited turns, limited changes in elevation, and ample 

horizontal and vertical clearance.

3.5 Site Selection for Emergency Procedures 

3.5.1 In the flight plan, both the home point and emergency landing area shall 

be designated. 

3.5.2 As stated in section 2.3.4, the home point shall be selected as a location

where GPS signal can be established. In addition the UAS must be able to 

return to the home point during its failsafe procedure if an emergency 

happens during flight. It is imperative that the area between the UAS and 

the home point not have any obstructions throughout the operation of 

the UAS to allow for the failsafe procedure.

3.5.2.1 Several home points may need to be specified during a flight to 

ensure that the UAS can return back safely to the home point 

location if the fail safe procedure is activated.

3.5.3 As stated in section 2.3.7, an emergency landing area shall be designated 

in case of a critical mechanical or software failure where the fail safe 

procedure cannot be activated. In this case the PIC should use any control 

means necessary to get the UAS to the emergency landing location.

3.5.4 It is essential that at all times during operation, the PIC and VO can 

visually see the UAS. The UAS should not be operated in sites that are 

heavily wooded and have large visual obstructions.
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4.0 Operation Focus

4.1 Overview

4.1.1 The section describes the overall goals when operating the UAS. In 

particular, details of each of the operational scenarios in section 1.

4.2 Scenario 1 – General Site Survey

4.2.1 Vertical Clearance over Obstructions

4.2.1.1 Scenario 1 will be used to give general site imagery of a specific 

site. Typically projects will be in the transportation field and may 

include locations such as construction sites, bridge sites, and 

stormwater management ponds. Since the goal is general site 

imagery, the UAS should be operated higher than any vertical 

obstruction (such as a tree or structure) provided that it does not 

exceed 400 feet above the ground. 

4.2.2 Lateral Clearance from Obstructions

4.2.2.1 The UAS should try to be maintained a preferred distance of 50 

feet from any lateral obstruction. The UAS should not be operated 

within 10 feet of any lateral obstruction.

4.2.3 Level of Accuracy of Photos of Videos

4.2.3.1 The goal of the overall deliverable, general aerial site photographs 

and videos, means that precise imagery is not required. Photos or 

videos at angles to the ground (not facing directly downward) may 

be taken and are encouraged to give a sense of the overall site. It 

is anticipated that video will be the main deliverable type of this 

operational scenario. As such, the UAS should be operated a low 

speeds with as little turning as possible to ensure quality video. 

See section 3.4 for more information.

4.3 Scenario 2 – Bridge Inspection

4.3.1 Lateral Clearance to Bridge Components

4.3.1.1 As part of operational scenario 2, the UAS will be used to inspect 

critical elements of a bridge that are not easily accessible. During 

this inspection it is anticipated that the UAS will need to get close 

to the element being inspected to take high quality photos of any 

defects. The horizontal clearance may be as small as 5 feet. Due 

to this small distance, it is important that the PIC and VO always 

have a visual eye on the UAS when it is close to the structural 

element. In addition lateral protection shields should be used to 

prevent any contact with the bridge elements, see section 4.3.2.

4.3.2 Lateral Protection Shields

4.3.2.1 When the UAS will be within 5 feet of any structural element of a 

bridge, lateral protection shields should be used. These lateral 

protection shields are essentially a shield around the propellers 

that would contact the structural element before the propeller. 

Since the shields and propellers are made of plastic and the UAS 

only weighs several pounds, any contact would not impact or 

harm the bridge. Furthermore the lateral protection shields would 
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protect the propellers from getting damaged by any contact and 

ensure the UAS remains in flight.

4.3.3 GPS Limitations

4.3.3.1 In the area below a bridge, the UAS typically cannot reliably 

obtain GPS signal. As a result, the control algorithms in the UAS 

are not as effective as when it has GPS signals. During bridge 

inspection, the PIC and VO shall be as close as possible to the UAS 

and shall always have a visual eye on the UAS.

4.3.4 Operating over Bridge

4.3.4.1 The UAS shall not operate over traffic that is crossing the bridge. 

The only time the UAS will be at an altitude above the top surface 

of the bridge would be to take an overall site photo or video of 

the bridge. This can be accomplished without having to be over 

live traffic and taking a photo or video at an oblique angle. 

4.3.5 Operating above Live Traffic

4.3.5.1 The UAS will never be operated over live traffic. This includes both 

traffic that may be over the bridge or passing under the bridge.

4.3.6 Licensed Professional Engineer

4.3.6.1 A licenses professional engineer must always be at the site during 

this operational scenario. 

4.4 Scenario 3 – Aerial Mapping

4.4.1 Altitude

4.4.1.1 Aerial mapping/photogrammetry involves taking high quality 

photographs at precise locations. It is anticipated that in order to 

take these photos, the UAS will need to be near its upper altitude 

limit of 400 feet above the ground. At all times the UAS shall be 

operated above any obstruction (tree or building) provided it does 

not go higher than an elevation of 400 feet above the ground. 

4.4.2 Quality of Deliverables

4.4.2.1 Aerial mapping requires high quality photographs that will be 

projected and post processed for use in applications. To ensure 

the quality of these photographs, the UAS should be operated a 

slow speed with as little turning as possible. See section 3.4 for 

more information.

5.0 Training Focus

5.1 Overview

5.1.1 This section provides training requirements and guidelines for the 

individuals operating the UAS in the operational scenarios described in 

section 1.0. 

5.2 PIC and VO Requirements

5.2.1 Pilot in Command (PIC) Requirements

5.2.1.1 The PIC shall meet the requirements of 14 C.F.R. 61.113(a) & (b): 

Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations: Pilot in Command.

5.2.2 Visual Observer Requirements (VO)
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5.2.2.1 The visual observer shall be knowledgeable on the DJI Phanton 2 

Vision+ and its limitations. This includes but is not limited to 

limitations on maneuvers the UAS can perform, typical battery 

discharge times during flight, GPS control limitations, and light 

signals on the aircraft. The VO shall understand situations that 

would be hazardous to the UAS during flight and shall be 

knowledgeable on all emergency procedures stated in section 3.5. 

5.2.2.2 For operational scenario 2 (bridge inspection), the visual observer 

shall hold a professional engineering license in the state the 

bridge inspection is being conducted. 

6.0 Maintenance Focus

6.1 Overview

6.1.1 This section describes any maintenance that may be required for the 

UAS.

6.2 Motors and Propellers

6.2.1 Prior to beginning each flight and immediately after each flight, the 

motors and propellers must be examined for any damage or excessive

wear that may impact their functionality. 

6.2.2 If a propeller is found to have any damage or excessive wear, replace the 

propeller immediately with a new one.

6.2.3 If the motors have any kind of damage or excessive wear, the UAS must 

be brought into the office immediately and the manufacturer contacted.

6.3 Gimbal and Camera

6.3.1 If the gimbal or camera has any mechanical errors, a message will appear 

on the application screen. If a message appears indicating mechanical 

error in either of these two components, the UAS must be brought into 

the office immediately and the manufacturer contacted.

6.4 Control System Software/Firmware

6.4.1 All control system software and firmware must be kept up to date. 

Announcements on software and firmware updates for the UAS are 

available on the UAS manufacturer website and must be checked 

regularly. 

6.5 Batteries

6.5.1 UAS Batteries

6.5.1.1 The UAS uses lithium polymer (Lipo) batteries. These batteries 

must be checked regularly using the software application from 

DJS which checks the battery life. 

6.5.1.2 If the batteries will be stored for prolonged periods of time, they 

should be stored at 50% charged capacity.

6.5.2 Range Extender Charge

6.5.2.1 The range extender must be charged before each flight. This is 

accomplished using a standard USB charger cable.

6.5.3 Remote Batteries
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6.5.3.1 The batteries used in the remote control (AA) must be replaced 

periodically.

6.6 Compass

6.6.1 Prior to beginning each flight and immediately after each flight, the 

compass must be inspected for any damage. If damage can be visibly 

seen or a hardware error message appears on the screen during compass 

calibration before the flight, the UAS must be brought into the office 

immediately and the manufacturer contacted.

Additional Information: This document was created by Mercado Consultants, Inc. to provide 

the system safety assessment required to operate the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ UAS for 

commercial applications. If additional information is required, Mercado Consultants, Inc. can be 

contacted at:

Mercado Consultants, Inc.

17830 New Hampshire Ave.

Ashton, MD 20861

301-260-0090