# June 25, 2015

Exemption No. 11896 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

– 20 15

- 1247

Mr. Eric Gakstatter Discovery Management Group, LLC 19760 Bellevue Way PO Box 663 West Linn, OR 97068

Dear Mr. Gakstatter : This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends. By letter dated April 3, 2015 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Discovery Management Group, LLC ( hereinafter petitioner or operator ) for an exemption. The petitioner requested to operate an unmanned ai rcraft system (UAS) to conduct ae rial mapping, photography, filmmaking, and photogrammetry

. See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA describing the proposed operations and the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption

. The FAA has determined that good cause exists f or not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner.

Airworthiness Certification

The UAS proposed by the petitioner is a DJI Phantom 2

. The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates

. In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of P ublic Law 112

− 95 in reference to 49 U

. S

. C

. § 44704, and in

# 2 consideration of the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated with the aircraft and its operation, the Secretary of Transportation has determined that this aircraft meets the conditions of Section 333. Therefore, the FAA finds that the requested relief from 14 CFR part 21 , Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates , and any associated noise certification and testing requirements of pa rt 36, is not necessary.
The Basis for Our Decision You have requested to use a UAS for aerial data collection 1



# . The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition. In Grants of Exemption No s

. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352), 11109 to Clayco, Inc. ( see Docket No. FAA

− 2014

− 0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 11213 to Aeryon Lab s , Inc. ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0642), the FAA f ound that the enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned aircraft (UA) with the specifications described by the petitioner and carrying no passengers or crew, rather than a manned aircraft of significantly greater proportions, carrying crew in addition to flammable fuel, gives the FAA good cause to find that the UAS operation enabled by this exemption is in the public interest. Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that

—

• They are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in Grant of Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 ;

• The reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 also apply to the situation you pre sent; and

• A grant of exemption is in the public interest.

Our Decision In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption is in the public interest. Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, Discovery Management Group, LLC is g ranted an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 61.23(a) and ( c ), 61.101(e)(4 ) and (5), 61.113(a), 61.315(a) , 91.7(a), 91.119(c), 91.121, 91.151(a)(1), 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(1) and (2), and 91.417(a) and (b), to the extent necessary to allow the petitioner to operate a UAS to perform aerial data collection. This exemption is subject to the conditions and limitations listed below.

1 

## Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard the UA. Examples include imagery (photography, video, infrared, etc.), electronic measurement (precision surveying, R F analysis, etc.), chemical measurement (particulate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by instruments aboard the UA.

# 3
Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, Discovery Management Group, LLC is hereafter referred to as the operator. Failure to comply with any of the conditions and limitations of this grant of exemption will be grounds for the immediate suspension or rescission of this exemption.

1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the DJI Phanto m 2 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 are 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 opera ted 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 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 maint ains VLOS capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times ; e lectronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC must be designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation fo r the duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties required of the 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 thi s 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 limita tions in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents,

# 4 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 ope rator 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 up dated 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 FA A’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 op eration or flight characteristics, e.g. , replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under this exemption. Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and mu st 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 i s 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 comp onents, 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 Col u mbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal government. The PIC must also meet the flight revi ew requirements specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

# 5
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 main taining 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 (trai ni ng, 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 operat ions may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During traini ng, proficiency, and experience

- building 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 § 1.1. All operations must be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights under special visual f light 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) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport sym bo l 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 t he UAS loses communications or loses its GPS sign al, the UA must return to a pre

- determined location within the pr ivate or controlled

- access property.
19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies.

20. The PIC is prohibit ed 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 or with the reserve power recommended by t he manufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). All operations shall be cond ucted in accordance with an ATO

- issued COA. The exemption holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to con duct operations that cannot be conducted under the terms of the attached COA

.

# 6
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 of the UAS and any 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 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 a nd 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.

26. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons, vessels, v ehicles, 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 protectio n. 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 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 t rainees or essential persons are not considered nonparticipating persons under this exemption.

27. All operations shall be conducted over private or control led

- access property with permission from the property owner/controller or authorized representative. P ermission 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 of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to the FA A'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

.

# 7 If this exemption permits operations for the purpose of closed

- set motion picture and television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply.

29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM) as documented in this grant of exemption.

30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this exemption must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) wi th jurisdiction over the a rea of proposed filming. The 3

- day notification may be waived with the concurrence of the FSDO. The plan of activities must include at least the following:

a. Dates and times for all flights; b. Name and phone number of the operator f or the UAS aerial filming conducted under this grant of exemption;
c. Name and phone number of th e person responsible for the on

- scene operation of the UAS; d. Make, model, and serial or N− Number of UAS to be used;
e. Name and certificate number of UAS PICs involve d in the aerial filming; f. A statement that the operator has obtained permission from property owners and/or local officials to conduct the filming production event; the list of those who gave permission must be made available to the inspector upon request; g. Signature of exemption holder or representative; and h. A description of the flight activity, including maps or diagrams of any area, city, town, county, and/or state over which filming will be conducted and the altitudes essential to accomplish the operation

. 31. Flight operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet from participating persons consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming production, as specified in the exemption holder’s MPTOM. Unless otherwise specified in this grant of exemption, the UAS, the UAS PIC, and the UAS operations must comply with all applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to, parts 45, 47, 61, and 91.

# 8 This exemption terminates on June 30, 2017 , unless sooner superseded or rescinded. Sincerely,

/ s/ John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures

# 1

Discovery Management Group, LLC, Oregon – Section 333 Exemption Petition April 3, 2015 U. S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590
Re: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act of the Federal Aviation Regulations from 14 C.F.R. Part 21; 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b); 14 C.F.R. 91.7(a); 91.9(b) (2); 91.103(b); 91.109; 91.119(a)(b), 91.121; 91.151(a); 91.203(a)&(b); 91.405(a); 91.407(a) (1); 91.409(a) (2); 91.417(a)&(b); 14 C.F.R. 407(a)(1); 14 C.F.R. 409(a)(2); and 14 C.F.R. 417(a)&(b) 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, Discovery Management Group, LLC (“Discovery”), the owner and operator of the DJI Phantom 2 quad-copter Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), seeks an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) listed below so that Discovery can operate our small ultra-light weight UAS commercially in airspace regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”). Discovery will utilize an experienced, licensed pilot holding an FAA third-class airman medical certificate as the operator 1 

## (Pilot in Charge [PIC]) and a visual observer (VO) 2 

## that can perform the functions prescribed in the operating manual for all flights under this Exemption, if granted. The requested exemption would support an application for a commercial Certificate of Authorization to use the system to perform aerial mapping to enhance academic community awareness, augment real estate listing videos, filmmaking, golf course mapping, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries. Use of the DJI Phantom 2 UAS for aerial mapping reduces the need to operate conventional aircraft for the same purpose and provides very high quality imagery at a fraction of the dollar cost and danger to human life 34 

## of using conventional aircraft. By

1 

## See Appendix A for PIC qualifications and certifications.
2 

## Note; the VO will not be operating the UAS.
3 

## See National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 2000. U.S. Civil Rotorcraft Accidents, 1963 Through 1997. http://www.ihst.org/portals/54/industry_reports/NASA%20TP%20209597.pdf

# 2

approving these exemptions, the FAA will create benefits through safer survey methods by UAS, resulting in decreased potential for loss of life and enhanced efficiency and productivity for the affected activities, as well as environmental benefits, which are all ultimately in the public interest. Committed to safety with each flight, Discovery’s, exemption request would permit operation of ultra-light weight, unmanned (piloted by remote control) and comparatively inexpensive UAS in tightly controlled and limited airspace. Currently, similar lightweight, remote controlled UAS's are legally operated by unmonitored amateur hobbyists with no safety plan or controls in place to prevent catastrophe. In addition, Douglas Trudeau (Exemption No. 11138) and Slugwear, Inc (Like On A Tree; Exemption No. 11157) were granted exemptions for these types of surveys with the DJI Phantom 2. Discovery has created and will follow its UAS Flight Protocols and Controls 5 

## for safe operation to avoid and prevent public hazard, as well as manned aircraft hazards/catastrophe. This will act to further safety protocols exclusive to lightweight UAS's specific video and photography usage as Discovery records flight data and other information gained through permitted flight operations to share with the FAA through any required FAA reports to assist with future protocol and safety regulation. Granting Discovery’s request comports with the Secretary of Transportation’s (FAA Administrator’s) responsibilities and authority to not only integrate UAS's into the national airspace system, but to “...establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft systems [UAS's] in the national airspace system” under Section 333(c) of the Reform Act specific to the use of UAS's for real estate/Realtor purposes. Further, Discovery, will conduct its own operations in compliance with the protocols described herein or as otherwise established by the FAA. For the reasons stated below, Discovery, respectfully request the grant of an exemption allowing Discovery to operate ultra-light weight, remote controlled UAS’s for community awareness, enhance real estate listing videos for homeowners, filmmaking, golf course mapping, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries. All of which will promote local economic growth through increased employment and increased tax base. Both with public safety in mind by keeping heavier manned aircraft containing combustible fuel that that poses potential public hazard.

4 

## See Helicopter Accident Analysis Team. 1998. The Final Report of the Helicopter Accident Analysis Team. June 1998. http://www.ihst.org/portals/54/industry_reports/HAATFinalReport.pdf 5 

## See Appendix B. for Discovery’s UAS Flight Protocols and Safety Controls. Applicant submits this manual as a confidential document under 14 CFR 11.35 (b). The manual contains proprietary information that the applicant does not wish to be shared publically. The manual contains operating requirements and procedures that are not available to the public and are protected from release under the Freedom of Information Act 5 USC 552.

# 3

I. Contact Information: Eric Gakstatter Discovery Management Group, LLC PO Box 663 – 19760 Bellevue Way West Linn, OR 97068 Mobile: (541) 829-3443 Email: Ericpg@gps-mapping.com

# 4

II

. The Specific Sections of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations From Which Discovery Requests Exemption are: 1 4 C F R P a r

t 2 1 ; 1 4 C

. F

. R

. 4 5

. 2 3 ( b ) ; 1 4 C

. F

. R

. 9 1 , e t s e q

. ; 1 4 C F R 4 0 7 ( a ) ( 1 ) ; 14 CFR 409 (a) (2); and, 14 CFR 417 (a) & (b). 

# III. The Extent of relief Discovery seeks and the Reason Discovery Seeks Such Relief: Discovery submits this application in accordance with the Reform Act, 112 P.L. 95 §§ 331-334, seeking relief from any currently applicable FARs operating to prevent Discovery contemplated commercial cinematic, academic and other flight operations within the national airspace system. The Reform Act in Section 332 provides for such integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into our national airspace system as it is in the public’s interest to do so. Discovery’s, ultra-light weight UAS meets the definition of “small unmanned aircraft” as defined in Section 331 and therefore the integration of Discovery’s ultra-light weight UAS is expressly contemplated by the Reform Act. Discovery would like to operate its ultra-light weight UAS prior to the time period by which the Reform Act requires the FAA to promulgate rules governing such craft. Thereby, providing direct experience and valuable information for formal regulation that can be administered uniformly to all agriculture, mapping, and real estate related UAS aerial video and photography. The Reform Act guides the Secretary in determining the types of UAS's that may operate safely in our national airspace system. Considerations include: The weight, size, speed and overall capabilities of the UAS's; Whether the UAS will be operated near airports or heavily populated areas; and, Whether the UAS will be operated by line of sight. 112 P.L. 95 § 333 (a). Each of these items reflect in favor of an exemption for Discovery. Discovery’s UAS utilizes four (4) counter-rotating propellers for balance, control and stability. Weighing less than five (5) pounds (far below the maximum 55 pound limit); including camera with gimbal. Discovery’s UAS is equipped with a compass, GPS, auto return safety technology if communication is lost between the UAS and the controller, Real-Time Fight Data Display 6 

## , and a No Fly Zone 7 

## software default setting to force the device to abide by International Civil Aviation Organization regulations. Discovery considers safety as foremost with each flight. Discovery’s small UAS is designed to hover in place via GPS and operate in less than a 24 knot (15 mph) wind. For safety, stability and fear of financial loss, Discovery will not fly in winds exceeding 16 kph (10 mph) nor exceed an indicated airspeed of 29 knots (15 m/s). Built-in safety

6 

## Real-Time Flight Data includes UAS flight height, horizontal speed, vertical speed, and distance from the PIC.
7 

## DJI’s “No Fly Zone”: Two classes in this mode limit the DJI Phantom 2’s ability to fly near restricted airport air space. Class A will not allow the UAS to take off within 1.5 miles of the GPS location of an airport. Class B will has incorporated an increasing height limit from 35 feet AGL at 1.5 miles from an airport, increasing to 400 feet at 5 miles an airport. The UAS control system will also automatically warn the PIC when the UAS has approached within 330 feet of the 5-mile buffer zone around an airport. This software will also not allow the user to set GPS waypoints within 5 miles of the 5-mile No Fly Zone around an airport. For further details, visit http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc

.

# 5

systems include a GPS mode that allows Discovery’s UAS to hover in place when radio controls are released. With three modes to choose from, Discovery will utilize the Smart Mode for aerial videography/photography. This is the safest, most reliable and stable mode to prevent accident and hazard. When PIC communication is lost, Discovery’s UAS is designed to slowly descend to point of take-off ( Return to Home ). Discovery will not operate the UAS near Airports, Hospitals, nor Police heliports, and will not operate near areas where general public is within fifty to one hundred (50-100) yards depending on location, conditions and weather. Discovery’s PIC and VO will be on constant alert for any manned aircraft (Police/Medical helicopters, etc.) or other UAS, and prepared to land/abort immediately to the nearest and safest ground point should a manned aircraft or UAS approach Discovery’s location, or Discovery suspects manned aircraft or UAS may approach near our location. Discovery’s UAS is capable of vertical and horizontal operations, and is only flown within the line of sight of both the PIC and VO. Utilizing battery power rather than combustible fuels, flights with Discovery’s UAS generally last between five (5) to seven minutes, with an altitude under 400 feet. Discovery will utilize a fresh fully charged battery with each flight as a safety precaution; full flight time limit for each battery is nine (9) to 12 minutes as tested. Discovery will not operate our UAS at or below manufacturer recommend minimum charge levels for operation; preferring to remain well within a safe operating range to insure adequate communication between radio control and UAS to eliminate potential for crash, loss of control or hazard. Reserve batteries are at hand with each exercise to insure replacement for sufficient safe level of operation. Discovery does not believe in taking risk that may cause a crash that could create hazard to the public/property/manned aircraft, and have no desire to lose an investment. Discovery has clocked numerous practice flights in remote areas as a hobbyist simulating flights for future commercial use to gain familiarization with the characteristics of this specific UAS's performance under different temperature and weather conditions. Discovery also practices computerized simulated flights to maintain adequate skills and response reflex time, for the sake of safety. Discovery is extremely cautious when operating any UAS and will not “create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or the public.” 112 P.L. 95 § 333 (b). Given the small size and weight of Discovery’s UAS, it falls well within Congress’s contemplated safety zone when it promulgated the Reform Act and the corresponding directive to integrate UAS's into the national airspace system. Discovery’s UAS, used in hobby flight, has a demonstrable safety record and does not pose any threat to the general public or national security. 

# IV. How Discovery’s Request Will Benefit the Public As A Whole: Aerial videography for geographical awareness in real estate, filmmaking, golf course mapping, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries has been around for a long time through manned fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. For small budget companies, farms and average homeowners, the expense of manned aerial videography is cost prohibitive. Only large companies can afford to absorb such expense, this depriving the remainder of the public from a valuable marketing and mapping tool. Manned aircraft pose a threat to the public through potential catastrophic crash that Oregon has experienced in the past with private and public officials involved

# 6

in crashes in recent years 8



## . Furthermore, Discovery’s PIC, Eric Gakstatter, is an editor for GPS World magazine and Geospatial Solutions. He has written several articles on UAS and intends to continue writing such articles to raise awareness and education of productive and safe UAS operations. Congress has already proclaimed that it is in the public’s interest to integrate commercially flown UAS's into the national airspace system, hence the passing of the Reform Act. Granting Discovery’s exemption request furthers the public interest through academic/visual awareness of the geographical benefits around Oregon. Discovery’s ultra-light weight UAS is battery-powered and creates no emissions that can harm the environment. The consequence of my ultra-light weight UAS crashing is far less than a full size helicopter or fixed wing aircraft; which are heavy, contain combustible fuel and can cause catastrophic devastation to the public. The public’s interest is furthered by minimizing ecological and crash threat by permitting aerial video/photo capture through our battery operated ultra-light weight UAS's. Permitting Discovery to immediately fly within national air space furthers economic growth by offering cost-effective videography and mapping products. 

# V. Reasons Why Discovery’s Exemption Will Not Adversely Affect Safety Or How The Exemption Will Provide a Level of Safety At Least Equal To Existing Rule: Discovery’s exemption will not adversely affect safety. Quite the contrary, for the reasons stated, permitting Discovery to log more flight time in FAA controlled airspace, with communication with the FAA, will allow us to contribute to the innovation and implementation of new and novel techniques for realtors, filmmaking, golf courses, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries as well as continuing to educate the public through publishing articles. In addition, Discovery submits the following representations of enhancements to current aerial videography and photography for real estate, filmmaking, golf courses, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries:

 Discovery’s UAS weighs less than 5 pounds complete with a small ultra-light weight high quality GoPro 4 Black camera;

 Discovery will only operate this UAS below 400 feet, as recommended by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012;

 Discovery’s UAS will only operate for 10 minutes per flight;

 Discovery will land this UAS prior to manufacturer recommended minimum level of battery power, 30% battery power remaining. Also, Discovery’s UAS has an automated function which results in immediate landing when a low battery is detected;

 Discovery will pilot this UAS through remote control by line of sight;

 Discovery’s UAS has GPS-controlled autopilot system to maintain UAS stability and control,

 Discovery’s UAS has an Auto Return-to-Home & Landing function to increase

8 

## Three injured in helicopter crash in rural Douglas County , http://www.kpic.com/news/local/Helicopter-crashes-in-Douglas-County-229583111.html ‘Ax Men’ pilot dies in Oregon helicopter crash, http://www.kptv.com/story/23447746/one-personkilled-in-linn-county-logging-helicopter-crash

# 7 safe return of the UAS to the ground,

 A pre-programmed flight safety feature whereby Discovery’s UAS automatically hovers and then slowly lands if communication with the remote control pilot is l o s t ;

 Discovery will actively analyze flight data and other sources of information to c o n s t a n t l y u p d a t e a n d e n h a n c e s a f e t y p r o t o c o l s ;

 Discovery will only operates in reasonably safe environments that are strictly controlled and are away from: power lines, elevated lights, airports and actively p o p u l a t e d a r e a s ;

 Discovery will conduct extensive pre-flight inspections and protocol review, d u r i n g w h i c h s a f e t y c a r r i e s p r i m a r y i m p o r t a n c e ;

 Any maintenance or alterations of Discovery’s UAS that could affect operation or flight characteristics will require a functional test flight before returning to work;

 Discovery will always obtain all necessary permissions prior to operation, i n c l u d i n g i s s u i n g a n o t i c e - t o - a i r m e n ( N O T A M ) p r i o r t o o p e r a t i o n s ; a n d ,  Discovery will have procedures in place to abort flights in the event of safety breaches or potential danger.

 In recognition of the FAA’s Exemption No. 11062, and specifically Exemption No. 11138 for the same UAS model (DJI Phantom 2); prior to conducting operations for the purpose of aerial photography/videography, Discovery’s PIC will have accumulated 25 hours of total time as a UAS rotorcraft pilot including at least 10 hours as a UAS pilot with a multi-rotor UAS. Prior to operations, Discovery’s PIC must also have accumulated a minimum of 5 hours as a UAS pilot operation the DJI Phantom 2. In addition to the hour requirements, the PIC must accomplish 3 take-offs and landings in the preceding 90 days (for currency purposes). Discovery’s, safety protocols provide a level of safety equal to or exceeding existing rules. It is important to note that absent the integration of commercial UAS into our national airspace system, helicopters are the primary means of aerial video and photography for community awareness and real estate. While the safety record of such helicopters is astounding, there has been local incidents involving loss of life as well as extensive property damage; it is far safer to operate a battery powered ultra-light weight UAS.

 First, the potential loss of life is diminished because UAS's carry no people on board and Discovery will only operate its UAS in specific areas away from mass populations.

 Second, there is no fuel on board a UAS and thus the potential for fire or explosions is greatly diminished.

 

## Third, the small size and extreme maneuverability of Discovery’s UAS allow the P I C t o r e m o t e l y p i l o t a w a y f r o m a n d a v o i d h a z a r d s q u i c k l y a n d s a f e l y

. L a s t l y , given its small size and weight, even when close enough to capture amazing images, Discovery’s UAS need not be so close to the objects they are focused on through the technology and use of post editing software allowing pan and zoom. Accordingly, Discovery’s UAS has been experimentally operated for familiarization/competency and will continue to operate at and above current safety levels. Furthermore, Discovery’s PIC has accumulated 25 hours of total time as a UAS

# 8

multi-rotor pilot. Discovery’s PIC has also accumulated more than 5 hours as a UAS pilot operation the DJI Phantom 2. 

# VI. A Summary The FAA May Publish in the Federal Register: A. 14 C.F.R. 21 and 14 C.F.R. 91: Airworthiness Certificates, Manuals and The Like. 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, sets forth requirements for procurement of necessary airworthiness certificates in relation to FAR § 91.203(a)(1). The size, weight and enclosed operational area of Discovery’s UAS permits exemption from Part 21 because Discovery’s UAS meets (and exceeds) an equivalent level of safety pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act. The FAA is authorized to exempt aircraft from the airworthiness certificate requirement under both the Act (49 U.S.C. § 44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act. Both pieces of legislation permit the FAA to exempt UAS's from the airworthiness certificate requirement in consideration of the weight, size, speed, maneuverability and proximity to areas such as airports and dense populations. Discovery’s current UAS meets or exceeds each of the elements. 14 C.F.R. 91.7(a) prohibits the operation of an aircraft without an airworthiness certificate. As no such certificate will be applicable in the form contemplated by the FARs, this Regulation is inapplicable. However, Discovery’s PIC will still ensure that the UAS is in an airworthy condition based on compliance with the operating documents prior to every flight. 14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b) (2) requires an aircraft flight manual in the aircraft. As there are no on board pilots or passengers, and given the size of the UAS, this Regulation is inapplicable. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by maintaining a safety/flight manual delineating areas where safety can be defined 9 

## . The FAA has previously issued exemptions to this regulation in Exemption Nos. 8607, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A, 9565, 9565B, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 10700 and 32827. However, Discovery’s UAS operations manual will be kept in a location accessible by Discovery’s PIC. 14 C.F.R. § 91.103 regarding preflight action. Discovery’s PIC will take certain actions before flight to ensure safety of the flight. These will include reviewing weather, flight battery requirements 9 

## , landings, and takeoff distances and aircraft performance data before initiation of the flight. 14 C.F.R. § 91.121 regarding altimeter settings is inapplicable insofar as Discovery’s UAS utilizes electronic GPS with a barometric sensor. According to the manufacturer of Discovery’s UAS, the GPS sensor is accurate to 2.6 feet Vertical and 8.2 feet Horizontal. These accuracies are adequate for Discovery to safely operate the UAS for its exempted purposes. 14 C.F.R. § 91.203 (a) and (b) provides for the carrying of civil aircraft certifications and registrations. They are inapplicable for the same reasons described above. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved by maintaining any such required certifications and registrations by Discovery in a location accessible by Discovery’s PIC.

9 

## See Appendix B and C

# 9

B. 14 C.F.R. § 45.23: Marking of The Aircraft. Applicable Codes of Federal Regulation require aircraft to be marked according to certain specifications. Discovery’s UAS, by definition, is unmanned. Therefore the UAS does not have a cabin, cockpit or pilot station on which to mark certain words or phrases. Further, two-inch lettering is difficult to place on such small aircraft with dimensions smaller that minimal lettering requirement. The FAA has previously issued exemptions to this regulation through Exemptions Nos. 8738, 10167, 10167A and 10700.
C. 14 C.F.R. 91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes. 14 C.F.R. § 91.119(a) and (b) prescribes safe altitudes for the operation of civil aircraft. It allows helicopters to be operated at lower altitudes in certain conditions. Discovery’s UAS will never operate at an altitude greater than 400 AGL; safely within the standard 400 AGL as recommended by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Discovery will however operate its UAS in safe areas away from areas depicted in “yellow” on VFR charts, providing a level of safety at least equivalent to or below those in relation to minimum safe altitudes. Discovery will conduct all operations under Discovery’s Protocols and Controls 10 

## , including posting a warning sign reading: “Attention Aerial Photography in Progress – Remain Back 150 Feet”. Discovery will operate its UAS in accordance with Exemption No. 11109, which may require the UAS be operated closer than 500 feet to essential persons. Non-participating persons must remain at appropriate distances (500 feet) from the UAS, and if they need to be closer than 500 feet, non-participating persons will remain behind barriers or structures that can sufficiently protect them from the UAS debris in the event of an accident. Given the size, weight, maneuverability and speed of Discovery’s UAS, an equivalent or higher level of safety will be achieved. D. 14 C.F.R. 91.405 (a); 407 (a) (1); 409 (a) (2); 417(a) & (b): Maintenance Inspections. The above-cited Regulations require, amongst other things, aircraft owners and operators to “have [the] aircraft inspected as prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this chapter. . . .” These Regulations only apply to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate. They will not, therefore, apply to Discovery’s UAS. However, as a safety precaution Discovery’s PIC and VO will inspect Discovery’s UAS before and after each flight.

10 

## See Appendix B.

# 10

A Summary the FAA May Publish in the Federal Register: A. 14 C.F.R. 21 and 14 C.F.R. 91: Airworthiness Certificates, Manuals and The Like. 14 C.F.R. 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, sets forth requirements for procurement of necessary airworthiness certificates in relation to FAR § 91.203(a)(1). The size, weight and enclosed operational area of Discovery’s UAS permits exemption from Part 21 because Discovery’s UAS meets an equivalent level of safety pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act. The FAA is authorized to exempt aircraft from the airworthiness certificate requirement under both the Act (49 U.S.C. § 44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act. Both pieces of legislation permit the FAA to exempt UAS's from the airworthiness certificate requirement in consideration of the weight, size, speed, maneuverability and proximity to areas such as airports and dense populations. Discovery’s UAS meets or exceeds each of the elements. 14 C.F.R. 91.7(a) prohibits the operation of an aircraft without an airworthiness certificate. As no such certificate will be applicable in the form contemplated by the FARs, this Regulation is inapplicable. 14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b) (2) requires an aircraft flight manual in the aircraft. As there are no pilots or passengers, and given the size of the UAS's, this Regulation is inapplicable. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by maintaining a manual. The FAA has previously issued exemptions to this regulation in Exemption Nos. 8607, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A, 9565, 9565B, 10167, maintenance program that involves regular software updates and curative measures for any damaged hardware. Therefore, an equivalent level of safety will be achieved. 

# In summary, Discovery seeks an exemption from the following Regulations: 14 C.F.R. 21, subpart H; 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b); 14 C.F.R. § 91.7 (a); 14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b)(2); 14 C.F.R. § 91.103(b); 14 C.F.R. § 91.109; 14 C.F.R. § 91.119 (a)(b); 14 C.F.R. § 91.121; 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a); 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.203(a) and (b); 14 C.F.R. § 91.405 (a); 14 C.F.R. § 91.407 (a)(1); 14 C.F.R. § 91.409 (a)(2); 14 C.F.R. § 91.409 (a ) (2); and, 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.417 (a) & (b) to commercially operate Discovery’s small unmanned vehicle/lightweight unmanned aircraft vehicle in community awareness, real estate operations, filmmaking, golf course mapping, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries and to develop economic platforms for real estate and golf courses. Currently, area awareness, filmmaking, real estate aerial videography/photography, golf course mapping, agricultural mapping, and photogrammetry for various industries relies primarily on the use of larger aircraft running on combustible fuel, posing potential risk to the public. Granting Discovery’s request for exemption will reduce current risk levels and thereby enhance safety. Discovery’s UAS craft does not contain potentially explosive fuel, is smaller, lighter and more maneuverable than conventional real estate video and photographic aircraft with much less flight time. Further, Discovery will operate at lower altitudes and in controlled airspace eliminating potential public risk flying to and from established air fields. Discovery has been informally analyzing flight information and will compile safety protocols and the implementation of a flight operations manual for real estate usage that exceeds currently accepted means and methods for safe flight. Formal collection of information shared with the FAA will enhance the FAA's internal efforts to establish protocols for complying with the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.

# 11

There are no personnel on board Discovery’s UAS and therefore the likelihood of death or serious bodily injury is significantly diminished. Discovery’s operation of its UAS, weighing less than 5 pounds and travelling at lower speeds within limited areas will provide an equivalent level of safety as that achieved under current FARs. Accordingly, Discovery respectfully request that the FAA grant Discovery’s exemption request and Discovery is willing to cooperate in sharing information to benefit the FAA, safety of manned aircraft, and the general public at large.

Respectfully submitted,



# Eric Gakstatter Discovery Management Group, LLC PO Box 663 – 19760 Bellevue Way West Linn, OR 97068 Mobile: (541) 829-3443 Email: Ericpg@gps-mapping.com

# 12



# Appendix A
Pilot in Charge Certifications and Licenses

# 13

# 14



# Appendix B
Discovery Management Group’s UAS Flight Protocols and Safety Controls Public safety both on the ground as well as manned aircraft in flight, is an essential part of Discovery’s safety concerns during all aerial commercial work. As such, safety protocols and controls must be implement for every flight; through pre-flight preparation and through the duration of the flight.



# Pre
‐ Flight Planning Protocols:

 Inspect flight area for:

o Vicinity of public safety helipads/heliports

o Vicinity of medical helipads/heliports

 Check weather forecasts for wind advisory, low cloud ceiling, fog, or other weather conditions that my impact flight.

 Consult Sky Vector aeronautical Charts (Skyvector.com) for airport vicinity and flight paths of possible air traffic.

o Contact respective airport to advise of estimated flight time, estimated flight duration, estimated elevation of flight, and any other pertinent information. 

# Pre-Flight Protocol:

 Check batteries with voltage meter to insure fully charged and ready for use, including inspection of batteries for damage 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 all GPS and Telemetry connections prior to flight.

 Inspect the Ground Control Station (radio controller) for proper operation and appropriate battery life.

 Inspect flight area for:

o Vicinity of light poles, utility wires, and trees,

o Flocks of birds that may cause interference and potential flight impact,

o Vicinity of any elevated obstructions that may pose potential flight hazard,

o Vicinity of roadways with moderate to heavy traffic that can be distracted,

o Public gatherings that may attract viewers,

o Optional point of control for best visual site of UAS while in flight,

 Emergency landing areas Takeoff and landing:

o Inspect area for best and safest point of takeoff and landing,

# 15 o If in a residential or commercial subdivision or area that is within 150 feet of a residential street, post warning sign(s) with the follow text; “Attention Aerial Photography in Progress – Remain Back 150 feet”



# F l i g h t P r o t o c o l :

 Takeoff and land from same location (have alternate landing areas in case of emergencies), remain alert to birds, sound or aircraft, curious public, and
a p p r o a c h i n g v e h i c l e s

.
 The visual observer will not allow anyone to engage in conversation or distract t h e r e m o t e c o n t r o l p i l o t

.
 R e s t r i c t f l i g h t t o m i n i m a l e l e v a t i o n s u f f i c i e n t t o a c q u i r e d e s i r e d r e s u l t s r e m a i n e d p r e p a r e d f o r e m e r g e n c y l a n d i n g a t a l l t i m e s p a y a t t e n t i o n t o f l i g h t t i m e

– w a r n i n g meter for low voltage.
S e t v o l t a g e m e t e r a l a r m f o r l o w v o l t a g e a n d f l i g h t t i m e r a s a s a f e t y a l e r t l a n d U A S a n d shut down propulsion immediately following landing – priority of disconnecting batteries 

# Post flight: 1. Disconnect battery to prevent accidental activation of propulsion system. 2. Secure UAS in a safe location. 3. Remove all warning signs from public access areas. 

# Safety Protocol: In the event of a problem or emergency, the UAS will immediately be landed at the safest and closet ground location. An event includes;

 Manned aircraft heard or seen in vicinity of Discovery’s flight.

 There is a public gathering within established safety boundary wanting to observe flight.

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

 Sudden change in weather (i.e., wind bursts, fog encroachment, rain).

 Sudden increase in vehicular traffic in vicinity of flight.

 Birds enter into proximity of flight.

 Any sudden unsafe event that can cause collision, distraction, or interruption of control.

# 16

Daily Flight Record Project: ______________________________ Date: _________________________ Maintaining a record of safe flight for FAA request and for determining future UAS safety protocols is imperative. Discovery will complete this datasheet with every commercial flight.


# Proximity to airport (miles): _____ (see attached map including Discovery flight)

Airport notified ☐ Yes ☐ No Date:____________ Time: _____________ Contact Name: _________________ Phone Number: _____________________

Nearest major traffic intersection: ___________________________________________ Proximity to medium traffic road: ___________________________________________ Proximity to heavily traveled roadway road: ___________________________________ Proximity to congested population: __________________________________________

Pre

‐ flight Inspection : ☐ Yes ☐ No
Date:____________________ Location: ____________________________________ Comment: ____________________________________________________________ E s t i m a t e d E l e v a t i o n G r o u n d l e v e l :

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ s e a l e v e l :

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Takeoff Time : _____________ Landing Time: ______________ Weather Conditions (check all that apply):

Weather Good ☐ 

# Fair ☐ 

# Poor ☐ 

# Comment :

Visibility Good ☐ 

# Fair ☐ 

# Poor ☐ 

# Comment :

Wind Speed (mph) Avg. _______ Gusts ____ Comment :

Safety C o n c e r n s :

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Additional Comments: ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

# 17



# Appendix C – Phantom 2 User Manual,
Smart Flight Battery Guidelines, and

Phantom 2 FPV Hub Kit Instructions

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 1 | 

# PHANTOM 2 User Manual V1. 2

For PHANTOM 2 Flight Controller Firmware version V 3 .0 8 & PHANTOM 2 Assistant version V 3. 4 & PHANTOM RC Assistant version V1.1 

## 2014. 10

Congratulations on purchasing your new DJI product. Please thoroughly read the entire contents of this manual to fully use and understand the product.

It is advised that you regularly check the PHANTOM 2 ’s product page at 

## www.dji.com which is updated on a regular basis. This will provide services such as product information, technical updates and manual corrections. Due to any unforeseen changes or product upgrades, the information contained within this manual is subject to change
wit hout notice.
DJI and PHANTOM 2 are registered trademarks of DJI. Names of product, brand, etc., appearing in this manual are

trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owner companies. This product and manual are copy righted by DJI with all r ights reserved.

If you have any questions or concerns regard ing your product, please contact your dealer or DJI Customer Service

.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 2 | 

## C ontent
CONTENT

................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 2

IN THE BOX

................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 4

LEGEND

................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 4

1. PHANTOM 2 AIRCRAF T

................................ ................................ ............................... 5

1.1 B UILT



## - IN 

## F LIGHT 

## C ONTROL 

## S YSTEM 

## I NSTRUCTIONS



## ................................ ................................ .. 5 1.2 C ONNECTIONS WITH 

## O THER 

## DJI P RODUCTS



## ................................ ................................ ........... 5 Important Notes of Using with Other DJI Products

................................ ........................ 6 Connections with Other DJI Products

................................ ................................ ............. 7 1.3 LED F LIGHT 

## I NDICATORS 

## D ESCRIPTION



## ................................ ................................ ............... 11 1.4 N OTES FOR 

## PHANTOM 2 USING WITH OTHER 

## DJI PRODUCTS



## ................................ ................ 12

2 PROPELLERS

................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 13

2.1 A SSEMBLY



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 13 2.2 D ISASSEMBLY



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 13 2.3 N OTES



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 13

3 REMOTE CONTROL

................................ ................................ ................................ .... 14

3.1 P OWER ON THE 

## R EMOTE 

## C ONTROL



## ................................ ................................ .................... 14 3.2 R EMOTE 

## C ONTROL 

## LED I NDICATOR 

## S TATUS



## ................................ ................................ ......... 15 3.2.1 Remote Control Power LED Indicator Status

................................ ....................... 15 3.2.2 Remote Control Battery Level Indicator Status

................................ .................... 15 3.3 A NTENNA 

## O RIENTATION



## ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 16 3.4 R EMOTE 

## C ONTROL 

## O PERATION



## ................................ ................................ ......................... 16 3.5 L INKING THE 

## R EMOTE 

## C ONTROL 

## & B UILT



## - IN 

## R ECEIVER



## ................................ ........................... 18

4 INTELLIGENT BATTER Y

................................ ................................ ............................... 19

4.1 C H ARGING 

## P ROCEDURES



## ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 19 4.2 I NSTALL THE 

## B ATTERY



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 20 4.3 B ATTERY 

## U SAGE



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 20 4.4 D ESCRIPTION OF THE 

## B ATTERY 

## L EVEL 

## I NDICATOR



## ................................ ................................ ... 21 4.5 C ORRECT 

## B ATTERY 

## U SAGE 

## N OTES



## ................................ ................................ ...................... 22

5 CALIBRATING THE CO MPASS

................................ ................................ ...................... 23

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 3 | 

## 5.1 C ALIBRATION 

## W

ARNINGS



## ................................ ................................ ................................ . 23 5.2 C ALIBRATION 

## P ROCEDURES



## ................................ ................................ .............................. 23 5. 3 W HEN 

## R ECALIBRATION IS REQU IRED



## ................................ ................................ ................... 23

6 FLIGHT

................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 24

6.1 F LYING 

## E NVIRONMENT 

## R EQUIREMENTS



## ................................ ................................ .............. 24 6.2 S TARTING THE 

## M OTORS



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 24 6.3 T AKEOFF 

## /L ANDING 

## P ROCEDURES



## ................................ ................................ ....................... 24 6.4 F AILSAFE 

## F UNCTION



## ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 25 6.5 L OW 

## B ATTERY 

## C APACITY 

## W ARNING 

## F UNCTION



## ................................ ................................ ..... 27 6.6 F LIGHT 

## L IMITS 

## F UNCTION



## ................................ ................................ ................................ . 27 Max Height & Radius Limits

................................ ................................ ......................... 27 6.7 F LIGHT 

## L IMITS OF 

## S PECIAL 

## A REAS



## ................................ ................................ ...................... 28 6.8 C ONDITIONS OF 

## F LIGHT 

## L IMITS



## ................................ ................................ ......................... 30 Disclaimer

................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 30

7 ASSISTANT INSTALLA

TION AND CONFIGURATI ON

................................ ...................... 31

7.1 I NSTALLING 

## D RIVER AND 

## PHANTOM 2 A SSISTANT



## ................................ ............................... 31 7.2 U SING THE 

## PHANTOM 2 A SSISTANT ON A 

## PC

................................ ................................ .... 32 7.3 F IRMWARE UPGRADE OF 

## PHANTOM 2

................................ ................................ ............. 33 7.4 PHANTOM RC A SSISTANT 

## D ESCRIPTION



## ................................ ................................ ........... 33

8 APPENDIX

................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 35

8.1 S PECIFICATIONS



## ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 35 8.2 LED F LIGHT 

## I NDICATORS 

## D ESCRIPTION



## ................................ ................................ ............... 35

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 4 | 

## I n the Box
PHANTOM 2 Remote C ontrol

- 2.4 GHz Propeller Pair

Intelligent Battery Charger Plug Set

Screwdriver Assistant Wrench Cables

Micro

- USB Cable Screws Accessories Box



## Legend Forbidden(Important) Caution Tip Reference

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 5 | 

## 1. PHANTOM 2 Aircraft

Figure 1

- 1 Figure 1

- 2 [1] Propeller [2] Motor [3] Front Side [4] Front LEDs [5] Micro

- USB Port [6] Landing Gear [7] Receiver
Antenna [8] CAN

- Bus Connector [9] LED Flight Indicators [10 ] DJI Intelligent Battery [11] Compass


### 1.1 Built
- in Flight Control System Instructions The built

- in flight control system is u s ed to control the entire aircraft’s functions in flight such as Pitch (forwards and backwards), Roll (left and right), Elevator (up and down) and Yaw (turn left or right). The flight controller
contains the MC (Ma in Con troller), IMU, GPS, compass, receiver.
The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) has a built

- in inertial sensor and a barometric altimeter that measures both attitude and altitude. The compass reads geomagnetic information which assists the GPS (Global Position System) to accurately calculate the aircrafts position and height in order to lock the aircraft in a stable hover. The receiver is

used to communicate with the remote control and the MC acts as the brains of the complete flight control system connecting a nd controlling all the modules together.

The PHANTOM 2 can be configured in the Assistant , by choosing Naza

- M mode or P hantom 2 mode.
This manual is for P hantom 2 mode. Please refer to the Naza

- M V2 Quick Start Manual for more
information.


### 1.2 Connections with Other DJI Products PHANTOM 2 is compatible with other DJI products, inclu ding ZENMUSE H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal , iOSD mini , iOSD Mark II. Below are connections for these products and wireless video transmission module.

Figure 1

- 3

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 6 | Important Notes of Using with Other DJI Products
( 1 ) The video cable can provide power for the wireless video transmission module with a battery voltage (11.1V~12.6V) and a maximum current 2A. ( 2 ) Make sure the working current of the wireless video transmission module you connect can work with an operational voltage between 11.1V~12.6V and the total working current of the iOSD and wireless video transmission module is under 2A, as an overcurrent will damage the central board’s components. If the total current exceeds 2A, please be sure to provide power supplied from a separat e power source for the
wireless video transmission module. ( 3 ) PHANTOM 2 uses a 2.4GHz RC system. To avoid communication interference, it’s not recommended to use other 2.4GHz devices (including 2.4G Wi

- Fi or 2.4G wireless video transmission module) except the
2.4G Bluetooth and 2.4G Datalink. ( 4 ) Be sure to keep the wireless video transmission module and other communicating devices away from the compass during installation and connection to avoid interference. ( 5 ) To improve the compatibility with ZENMUSE gimbals, the latest factory deliveries of PHANTOM 2 has updat ed to the Version 2 shown below. H3

- 2D / H3

- 3D gimbal can be directly installed for the Version 2

while for Version 1 , a H3

- 3D adapter kit ( coming soon) is required to install the H3

- 3D gimbal

.

Figure 1

- 4 ( 6 ) When using the H3

- 3D gimbal, please connect the 8

- Pin cable of PHANTOM 2 to the G8 port of H3

- 3D
shown below.

Figure 1

- 5

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 7 | Connection s with Other DJI Products ( 1 ) C onnecting the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal and wireless video transmission module , the figure below use s H3

- 2D as a n example.

F ig ure 1

- 6 ( 2 ) C onnecting the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal, iOSD mini and wireless video transmission module , the figure
below uses H3

- 2D as an example.

F igure 1

- 7

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 8 |

( 3 ) Connecting the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal, iOSD mini and DJI specified wireless video transmission module AVL58 , the figure below uses H3

- 2D as an example.

F igure 1

- 8
W e recommend connect ing the V Bat+ port of the video cable to the two BATT+ ports of the AVL58 simultaneously

. T he same is true of the GND port of the video cable and two BATT

- ports.

( 4 ) C onnecting the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal, iOSD Mark II and wireless video transmission module , the figure below uses H3

- 2D as an example.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 9 | F igure 1

- 9 The diagram below illustrates the conneciton between the iOSD Mark II and the wireless video transmission module

.

Use the 8

- Pin cable in the iOSD Mar k II package when connecting to the DJI specified wireless video
transmission module AVL58.

( 5 ) U sing the i Pad Ground Station

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 10 | Figure 1

- 10

Connect the Air End of 2.4G Bluetooth Datalink to a spared CAN

- Bus port of iOSD if an iOSD is used. ( 6 ) U sing the PC Ground Station

Figure 1

- 11

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 11 | 

### 1.3 LED Flight Indicators Description 1. LED flight indicators are used to show the aircraft ’ s current status. O nce power ed on, the indicators will light

up.



### A ircraft in Normal status 

### D escriptions
Power On Self

- Test Warming Up & Aircraft cannot take off during warming up Ready to Fly Ready to Fly (non

- GPS)


### Aircraft in abnormal status 

### W arnings and errors
Remote C ontrol Signal Lost
1 st Level Low Battery Capacity Warning
2 nd Level Low Battery Capacity Warning Not Stationary or Sensor Bias is too big
Error s & Aircraft c annot fly. Compass data abnormal because of ferro

- magnetic interference or the compass needs calibration.
( 1 ) The LED indicators diagram above are for P hantom 2 mode. In Naza

- M mode, LED indicators
will work according to the Naza

- M flight control system

. ( 2 ) Conn ect to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant for detailed information about warnings and errors.
2. The front LEDs are f or indicating where the nose of the aircraft is. They light up solid red only after the motors
have s pooled up

.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 12 | 

### 1.4 Notes for PHANTOM 2 using with other DJI products Before using PHANTOM 2 with other DJI products, users should connecting the products correctly and upgrade the firmware as requirements below . Items to upgrade Firmware versions required Assistant for upgrading Assistant version P330CB (built

- in central board) V1.0.1.19 or above PHANTOM 2 V1.0 8 or above

Zenmuse H3

- 2D CMU V1.0 , IMU V1.6 or above PHANTOM 2 V1.0 8 or above iOSD Mark II V3. 0 1 or above iOSD V 4.0 or above iOSD mini V1.0 6 or above iOSD V 4.0 or above

* T he iOSD Assistant is applied to both iOSD Mark II and iOSD mini.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 13 | 

## 2 Propellers
PHANTOM 2 use s the original 9

- inch propellers which are classified by the color of each central nut. Damaged

p ropellers should be replaced by purchas ing new ones if necessary. Propellers Grey Nut (94 50 ) Black Nut (94 50 R)

Diagram

Assembly Location Atta ch to the motor thread that does
not have a black dot

. Atta ch to the motor thread that has a
black dot

. Fastening/Un

- fastening
Instructions Lock: T ighten the propeller in this direction. Unlock: Remove the propeller in this direction.


### 2
. 1 Assembly
1. ( Figure 2

- 1 ) Remove the four warning cards from the motors after you ’ ve read them.
2. ( Figure 2

- 2 ) Prepare the two grey nut propellers and two black nut propellers. Make sure to match the black nut propeller s with the correctly marked black dot motors. T ighten the propellers according to the fastening instructions

.

Figure 2

- 1 Figure 2

- 2 Figure 2

- 3


### 2
. 2 D isassembly ( Figure 2

- 3 ) Keep the motor deadlock ed in place with the assistant wrench (or one hand) and remove the propeller according to the un - fastening instructions

. 

### 2
. 3 Notes
1. P ropellers are self tightening during flight. DO NOT use any t hread locker on the threads.
2. Make sure to match the propeller nut colors with the corre sponding motors.
3. I t is advised to wear protective gloves during propeller assembly and remov al

. 4. Check that the propellers and motors are installed correctly and firmly before every flight.
5. Check that all p ropell e rs are in good condition before flight. DO NOT use any ageing , chipped, or broken

p ropellers

. 6. To avoid injury, STAND CLEAR of and DO NOT touch the propellers or motors when th ey are spinning.
7. ONLY use original DJI propellers for a better and safer flight experience

.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 14 | 

## 3 Remote C ontrol
T he PHANTOM 2 remote control can be configured in the PHANTOM RC Assistant

. T he sticks mode is Mode 2 on delivery.

For upgraded remote control (models: NDJ6 or NRC900), select “Upgrade Version” in Phantom Assistant. For basic remote control (models: DJ6 or RC900), select “Basic Version” in Phantom Assistant.

F igure 3

- 1 Figure 3

- 2 [1] Antenna [2] Carrying Handle [3] Left Dial [4] 3

- Position Switch S1 [ 5 ] 3

- Position Switch S2 [ 6 ] Joystick1 ( J1;J2 ) [ 7 ] Joystick2 ( J3;J4 ) [ 8 ] Neck Strap Attachment [ 9 ] Power Switch [ 10 ] Power Indicator [ 1 1 ] Battery Level Indicator s LED1/LED2/LED3/LED4 (from left to right) [ 12 ]Trainer Port [13 ] Battery Charge & RC Assistant Port (m icro

- USB p ort ) [ 1 4 ] Potentiometer


### 3.1 Power on the Remote C ontrol 1. Set the S1 and S2 switches to the upper most position and ensure both joy sticks are at
the mid

- point position. Then toggle on the power switch.
2. P ush the power switch to the right to power on the remote control

. I f the power LED
indicator is solid on, the remote control is functioning normally. The batt ery level

i ndicators display the current battery level

.

1. P lease make sure the battery level of remote control is enough . If the low voltage warning alert
sounds ( refer to < Remote C ontrol Po wer LED Indicator Status >), please re charge the battery as soon as possible.
2. Charge the remote control’s battery by using the included micro

- USB cable. Using the incorrect type of charging cable may cause damage.
3

. Turn off the remote control before charging. The po wer LED indicator will display solid red when charging is in progress. The LED indicators will display solid green when the battery is fully charged.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 15 | 

### 3.2 Remote C ontrol LED Indicator Status 3.2.1 Remote C ontrol Power LED Indicator Status
Power LED Indicator Sound Remote C ontrol Status
None Functioning n ormal ly

. None Charging( remote control is powered off)
None Remote control joysticks calibration error , need to be re - calibrate.
BB

--- BB

--- BB Low voltage (from 3. 5 V

- 3.53 V) , rec harge the remote control.

B

- B

- B

...... Critical l ow voltage ( from 3. 4 5 V

- 3.5 V)

. Recharge the remote control

immediately

.

B

-- B

-- B

...... Al ert will sound after 15 minutes of in activity. It will stop once you

start using the remote control

.
T he remote control will power off automatically when battery voltage drops below 3.45 V

. Land and

re charge the battery as soon as possible when the low voltage alert occurs to avoid loss of control during flight.



### 3.2.2 Remote Control Battery Level Indicator Status The battery level indicators will show the current battery level during both the discharging process
. T he following is a description of the indicators.

: The LED is solid on : The LED will blink regularly

: The LED is light off

D ischarging process
LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 C urrent battery level
75 %~100%
50 %~75%
2 5%~50%
12.5%~25%
0%~12.5%
<0%

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 16 | 

### 3.3 Antenna Orientation The remote control ’ s antenna should point skyward s without obstructions for maximum communication range during flight.

F igure 3

- 3 

### 3.4 Remote C ontrol Operation The operations of remote control are based on mode 2 stick configuration

. 

### Definitions
The ‘ stick neutral’ position s and ‘ stick released’ mean the control stick s of the remote control are p laced at the central position. To ‘move the stick ’ means that the stick of remote control is pushed away from the central position.
Slide Lever is used for the pitch control of the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal.

Remote C ontrol (Mode 2) Aircraft

( nose direction ) Operation details

T he t hrottle stick controls aircraft altitude/ elevation. Push the stick up and the aircraft will rise. Pull the stick down and the aircraft will descend

. The aircraft will automatically hover and hold its altitude if the stick s are centered. P ush the throttle stick above the centered (mid

- point ) position to make the aircraft tak e off. When flying, we suggest that you push the throttle stick slowly to prevent the aircraft from sudden and unexpected elevation changes.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 17 | The y aw stick controls the aircraft rudder. Push the stick left and the aircraft will rotate counter clock

- wise

. Push the stick right and the aircraft will rotate clock

- wise

. If the stick is centered, the aircraft will remain facing the same direction. The yaw stick controls the rotating angular velocity of the aircraft. Pushing the stick further away from center results in a faster aircraft rotation velocity. The pitch stick controls the aircraft’ s front & back tilt

. Push the stick up and the aircraft will tilt and fl y forward

. Pull the stick down and the aircraft will tilt and fl y back ward

. The aircraft will keep level and straight if the stick is centered. Pushing or pulling the stick further away from center will result in a larger tilt angle (maximum of is 35 ̊) and faster flight velocity. The roll stick controls the aircraft ’s left & right tilt. Push the stick left and the aircraft will tilt and fl y left. Pu sh the stick right and the aircraft will tilt and fl y right. The aircraft will keep level and straight if the stick is centered. Pushing the stick further away from center will result in

a larger tilt angle (maximum of 35 ̊) and faster flight velocity.

Position

- 1 Position

- 2 Position

- 3 S1 is for compass calibration. T oggle the S1 switch from position

- 1 to po sition

- 3 and back to position

- 1 at least 5 times, which will force the aircraft to enter into compass calibration mode. U sers can configure position 3 (bottom position) of the S1 switch to trigger the Failsafe in the Assistant

.

OFF Course Lock Home

point Lock S2 is the IOC mode switch. IOC (Intelligent Orientation Control) function can be enabled in the Assistant when in Naza

- M mode . Only use the IOC function after you are familiar with flying

.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 18 | The l eft d ial control s the pitch of the H3

- 2D and H3

- 3D gimbal. T he position of left dial determines the pitch angle relative to the horizontal level. Turn the left dial to the right to make th e gimbal pitch
up
. Turn the left dial to the left to make the gimbal pitch down. The gimbal will keep its current position if t he dial is static.

( 1 ) For ‘ R eady to F ly’ the aircraft will hover when all stick s are released. ( 2 ) For ‘ Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) ’ the aircraft will only keep the altitude when all stick s are released. 

### 3.5 Linking the R emote C ontrol & B uilt
- in R eceiver PHANTOM 2 has a built

- in receiver, the link button and indicator located on the bottom of the aircraft as illustrated

in the Figure 3

- 4

. The link between the remote control and a ircraft is already established for you so you can initially skip this procedure . If you ever replace the remote control , re - establishing the link is required.

F igure 3

- 4 Linking procedures

1. Power on the PHANTOM 2.
2. Turn on the remote control and place it 0.5m~1m away from the aircraft.
3. P ush the link button with a thin object and hold it until the Link indicator blinks red , then r elease it

. 4. When the Link indicator turn s solid green , the link between the remote control and the built

- in receiver has been successfully established.

Link Indicator S tatus

T he remote control is turned off and there is no 2.4GHz signal around , please turn on the remote control

. T he receiver is ready for linking

. There is 2.4GHz signal around but the remote control is not linked with the receiver ,

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 19 | please carry out the linking procedures. T he remote control is linked with the receiver successfully. 

## 4 Intelligent Battery
The i ntelligent battery is specially designed for the PHANTOM 2 , with a battery capacity of 5200mA h, voltage of
11.1 V and charge

- discharge management functionality. The battery should only be charged with the DJI charger.

I ntelligent Battery Charger

DJI Intelligent Battery Functions
( 1 ) B alance Charg ing Automatically balance the voltage of each battery cell during charging. ( 2 ) C apacity Display D isplay the current battery level

.
( 3 ) Communicating T he main controller communicate s with the battery via communicat ion ports for battery voltage, capacity, current and other information.

( 4 ) O vercharging Protection C harging stop s automatically when the battery voltage reaches 12.8V to prevent overcharging damage

. ( 5 ) Over D ischarging
Protection D ischarging stop s automatically when the battery voltage reaches 8.4V to prevent over discharging damage

. ( 6 ) S hort C ircuit Protection A utomatically cut s off the power supply when a short circuit is detected.

( 7 ) Sleep Protection The battery will enter sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity to save

power
. The static current is 10nA in sleep mode when the battery is powered on without connecting to other devices

. ( 8 ) C harging T emperature D etection T he battery will charge only when its temperature is within 0 °C

~ 55 °C

. I f the battery temperature is out of this ran ge, the battery will stop charging

. ( 1 ) Before use, please read and follow the user manual, disclaimer , and the warnings on the battery.
Users take full responsibility for all operations and usage

. ( 2 ) T he battery should only be charged with the charger provided by DJI. DJI does not take any responsibility for operation of any charger from a third party.


### 4
. 1 Charging Procedures
1. Connect the charger to a wall socket (Use the plug set if necessary )

. 2. Connect the batte ry to the charger. If the current capaci ty of the battery is over 75%, you should power on the battery to begin charging

. 3. T he Battery Level indicators display current capacity level as the battery charges. P lease refer to battery

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 20 |

level indicator descriptio n for details.
4. T he battery is full y charged when the Battery Level indicator light s are off

. P lease disconnect the charger and battery when the charging is completed

.



### 4
. 2 Install the Battery Push the battery into the battery compartment correctly as the following diagram show s . Make sure to push the battery into the compartment until you hear a ‘click’ sound.

F igure 4

- 1 An incorrectly inserted battery may cause one of the following to occur : (1) Bad contact. (2) Unavailable battery information. (3) Unsafe for flight. (4) Unable to take off.


### 4
. 3 Battery Usage

F igure 4

- 2 (1) Checking the battery level: When t he battery is powered off; press ing the battery power button once will indicate the current battery level. Refer to < Battery Level Indicator Description> for details. (2) Powering on: When t he battery is powered off; press the battery power b utton once and then press and hold for 2 seconds to turn on the intelligent battery. (3) Powering off: When the battery is powered o n ; press the battery power button once and then press and hold for 2 seconds to turn off the intelligent battery. LED3
LED4 Battery Power Button (Built

- in Battery Power Indicator) LED2
LED1 Battery Level Indicator

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 21 | (4) Check ing the battery life: When t he battery is powered off; press and hold the battery power button for 5 seconds to check the battery life. T he battery level indicators will show the life and the battery power indicator will blink for 10 seconds, then all LEDs will light out and the intelligent battery will turn off

. Refer to < Battery Level Indicator Description> for details. More battery information is available in the battery tab of the PHANTOM 2 Assistant

. 

### 4.4 Description of the Battery Level Indicator The battery level indicators will show the current battery level during both the charging and discharging process as well as battery life. T he following is a description of the indicators.

: The LED is solid on : The LED will blink regularly

: The LED is light off

C harging process
LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 C urrent battery level
0%~25%
25%~50%
50%~75%
75%~100%
F ull charged

D ischarging process
LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 C urrent battery level
87.5%~100%
75%~87.5%
62.5%~75%
50%~62.5%
37.5%~50%
25%~37.5%
12.5%~25%
0%~12.5%
<0%

B attery life
LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 C urrent battery life
90 %~100%

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 22 | 80 %~ 90 %
70 %~ 80 %
60 %~ 70 %
50 %~ 60 %
40 %~ 50 %
30 %~ 40 %
20 %~ 30 %
L ess than 20 %



### 4
. 5 Correct B attery Usage Notes
1. N ever plug or unplug the battery into the aircraft when it is power ed on. 2. The battery should be charg ed in an environment that is between 0 °C to 40 °C , and be discharg ed in an
environment that is between

- 20 °C to 50 °C

. B oth charging and discharging should be in an environment
where the relative humidity is lower than 80%.
3. It’s recommended to charge and discharge the battery thoroughly once every 20 charge/discharge cycles. Users should discharge the battery until there is less than 8% power left or until the battery can no longer

be turned on. U sers shou ld then fully recharge the battery to maximum capacity. This power cycling procedure will ensure the battery is working at its optimal level.
4. F or long term storage please p lace the battery with only a 40~50% capacity in a strong battery box securely. W e recommend discharging and charging the battery completely once every 3 months to keep it in good condition. The capacity should be varie d in such a cycle ( 40%~50% )

— 0%

— 100%

— ( 40%~50% )

. 5. It’s suggested you purchase a new battery after you have discharg ed you r current battery over 300 times.
Please completely discharge a batter y prior to disposal

. 6. It’s suggested that you purchase a new battery if the current battery is swollen or damaged in any way.
7. Never try to recharge or fly with a battery that is swollen or damaged in any way.
8. Never charge the battery unattended. Always charge the battery on a non

- flammable surface such as concrete and never near any flammable materials.
9. S afety is extremely important and users can get more information in the DISCLAIMER.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 23 | 

## 5 Calibrating the Compass
IMPORTANT: Make sure to perform the Compass Calibration procedure s prior to the first flight.
The compass is very sensitive to electromagnetic interference which cause s abnormal compass data and lead s to

poor flight performance or even flight failure . Regular calibration of the compass enables the compass to perform at its optimal level.


### 5
. 1 Calibration Warnings

( 1 ) DO NOT calibrate your compass where there is a possibility for the existence of strong magnetic interference such as magnetite, parking structures, and steel reinforcement underground.
( 2 ) DO NOT carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration such as keys or cell ular phones.
( 3 ) Compass Calibration is very important; otherwise the flight control system will work abnormal ly

. 

### 5 .2 Calibration Procedures Please carry out the calibrating procedures in the flight field before flight. Please watch the quick start video of the
PHANTOM 2 for more compass calibration details.



### 5 .3 When Recalibration is required ( 1 ) When Compass D ata is abnormal , the LED flight indicator will blink alternating between red and yellow. ( 2 ) Last compass calibration was performed at a completely different flying field/location. ( 3 ) The mechanical structure of the ai rcraft has changed, i.e. changed mounting position of the compass

. ( 4 ) E vident drifting occurs in flight , i.e. the aircraft doesn ’ t fly in straight lines.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 24 | 

## 6 Flight 6 .1 Flying Environment Requirements ( 1 ) Before your first flight, please allow yourself some flight training (Using a flight simulator to practice flying, getting instruction from an experienced person, etc.). ( 2 ) D O NOT fly in bad weather, such as rain or wind (more than moderate breeze) or fog. ( 3 ) The flying field should be open and void of tall buildi ngs or other obstacles; the steel structure within buildings may interfere with the compass. ( 4 ) Keep the aircraft away from obstacles, crowds, power lines, trees, lakes and rivers etc. ( 5 ) Try to avoid interference between the remote control and other wireless eq uipment (No base
stations or cell towers around ). ( 6 ) The flight control system will not work properly at the South Pole or North Pole. ( 7 ) N ever use the aircraft in a manner that infringes upon or contravenes international or domestic lays and regulations.


### 6 .2 Starting the Motors A Combination Stick Command (CSC) is used to start the motors

. Push the sticks according to one of the options
below to start motors. Once the motors have started , release both stick s simultaneously. The same CSC is used to

st op the motors

.

F igure 6

- 1


### 6 .3 Takeoff/Landing Procedures
1. Start by placing the PHANTOM 2 on the ground with the battery level indicator s facing you
. 2. T urn on the remote control

. 3. Power on the aircraft by turning on the intelligent battery

. 4. When LED flight indicator blinks green/yellow, the PHANTOM 2 is entering Ready to Fly / Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) mode. Start the motors with the CSC command.
5. Push the throttle stick up slowly to lift the aircraft off the ground

. R efer to < Remote C ontr ol Operation > for
more details.
6. Be sure you are hovering over a level surface. Pull down the throttle stick to descend. The stick will lock into

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 25 |

place and the aircraft will descend steadily.
7. After landing, leave the throttle stick down for 3 to 5 seconds t o stop the motors. Return throttle stick to middle position after the motors have stopped.

You SHOULD NOT execute the CSC during normal flight ! This will stop the motors and cause the
aircraft to descend rapidly and drop without any type of control. ( 1 ) When the LED flight indicator blinks yellow rapidly during flight , the aircraft has entered in to Failsafe mode , refer to <Failsafe Function> for details. ( 2 ) A low battery capacity warning is indicated by the LED flight indicator blink ing red slowly or rapidly during flight . R efer to the <Low Battery Capacity Warning Function> for details. ( 3 ) Watch the quick start video about flight for more flight information. ( 4 ) Aircraft and battery performance is subject to environmental factors such as air density and temp erature. Be very careful when flying 3000 meters (9800 feet) or more above sea level, as battery and aircraft performance may be reduced. ( 5 ) When used wit h a H3

- 3D gimbal, a GoPro camera, and the iOSD mini, your Phantom 2 will be very close to its maximum takeoff weight. It is not recommended that you attach the Phantom 2 propeller guards at this weight. Otherwise, the aircraft will be unable to fly normall y. 

### 6 .4 Failsafe Function The aircraft will enter Failsafe mode when the connecti on from the remote control is lost . T he flight control system will automatically control the aircraft to return to home and land to reduce injuries or damage. T he following
situations w ould make the aircraft fail to receiv e a signal from the remote control and enter Failsafe mode: ( 1 ) The remote control is power ed off. ( 2 ) The remote control is power ed on but the S1 is toggled in the position triggering the Failsafe (this must have been configured in t he PHANTOM 2 Assistant )

. ( 3 ) The aircraft has flown out of the effective communication range of the remote control

. ( 4 ) There is an obstacle obstructing the signal between the remote control and the aircraft, essentially reducing
the distance the signal can travel. ( 5 ) There is interference causing a signal proble m with the remote control

.

Failsafe works different ly depending on the mode the aircraft is in when Failsafe mode is initiated whether it i s in the Ready to Fly or Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) mode. Ready to Fly (non

- GPS)

---- Automatic l anding The flight control system will try to keep the aircraft level during descent and landing. Note that the aircraft may be drifting during the descent and landing process.

Ready to Fly

---- Automatic g o h ome and land The flight control system will automatic ally control the aircraft to fly back to the home point and land.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 26 | Home Point
When the aircraft is initializing the Ready to Fly status, the aircraft will record the current GPS coordinates as
the home point. I t is recommended to lift off only after Ready to Fly status is confirmed for the safety of being
able to fly back to home point successfully in case the Failsafe mode is initiated.
Go Home Procedures

Figure 6

- 2 ( 1 ) I n a Failsafe situation, if less than 6 GPS satellites are found for more than 20 seconds, the aircraft will descend automatically. In Phantom 2 mode, users can set a new home point manually when the aircraft is in “ Ready to fly ” status as long as a home point has been recorded automatically. Q ui ckly flipping the S2 switch of the remote
control from upper most to lower most positions 5 times or more will reset the current aircraft position as a new home point of PHANTOM 2. When successfully reset, you will see a series of rapid green blinks on
the LED Flight Indicator. T he definition of “ home point ” is: ( 1 ) The home point is the place PHANTOM 2 returns to when the control signal is lost , which is
recorded last time

. ( 2 ) The home point is used to calculate the horizontal distance between you and the aircraft, the

distance will be displayed as if using iOSD module.

Regaining Control during Failsafe Procedure

Position of Switch S1 Position

- 1 Position

- 2 Position

- 3 (No triggering the Failsafe)

How to regain control When the S1 switch is switched to Position

- 1,

toggle the S1 switch to any other position once to regain control . I f remote control ’s signal is recovered, control is returned back to the pilot. R egain control as soon as signal is

recover ed.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 27 | 

### 6 .5 Low Battery Capacity Warning Function The low battery capacity warning alerts users when the battery is close to depletion during flight. When it appears, users should promptly fly back and land to avoid accidental damage. The PHANTOM 2 has two levels of low battery capacity warning. The first appears when the batter y has less than 30% power and the second appears when it has
less than 15 % power
. ( 1 ) When battery power drops below 30% and LED indicator will blink red slowly

. ( 2 ) At lower than 15 % the LED indicator will blink red rapidl y, the PHANTOM 2 will also begin to desce nd and land automatically. After it has landed, keep the throttle stick at its lowest point or execute CSC

. ( 3 ) There is a hidden third low battery threshold in addition to the 1st and 2nd level warnings. This uses 10.65V as its threshold. Both this voltage th reshold and the 2nd Level Low Battery Warning will trigger auto

- landing. Altitude can be maintained if necessary by pu sh ing up on the throttle stick

. ( 1 ) Remember to fly your P HANTOM 2 back as soon as you see a low battery capacity warning. ( 2 ) Keeping the battery contact needles and pads clean is very important. Any dirt and dust may
cause a communication failure.



### 6
. 6 Flight Limits Function All UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators should abide by all regulations from such organizations at ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and per country airspace regulations. For safety reasons, the flight limits function is enabled by default to help users use this product safely and legally. The flight limits function includes height, distance l imits

. In Ready to Fly status, height, distance limits works together to restrict the flight. In Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) status, only height limit works and the flying height restricted to be not over 120m.

(1) The default parameters in the Assistant is compl iant within the definitions of class G ruled by ICAO. (Refer to Airspace Classification to get more details). As each country has its own rules,

make sure to configure the parameters to comp ly with these rules too , before using the
PHANTOM 2

. (2) Users in Mainland China can refer to 民用航空空域使用办法

. 

### Max Height & Radius Limits The Max Height & Radius restricts the flying height and distance. Configuration can be done in the PHANTOM 2
Assistant . Once complete, your aircraft will fly in a restricted cylinder.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 28 | Figure 6

- 3 Figure 6

- 4

Ready to Fly

Limits Ground Station Rear LED flight indicator

Max Height The flight height is restricted to fly

under the max height. Warning: Height limit

reached. None.

Max Radius The flight distance is restricted to fly

within the max radius. Warning: Distance limit

reached. Rapid red flashings
when close to the Max radius limit.

Ready to Fly(non

- GPS)
Flight Limits Ground Station Rear LED flight indicator

Max Height The flight height is restricted to fly

under the minor height between the Max height and 120m. Warning: Height limit reached.
None.

Max Radius Not limited, no warnings or LED indicators.

(1) If the aircraft flies out of the limits, you can still control your aircraft except to fly it further away. (2) If the aircraft is flying out of the max radius in Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) status, it will fly back within the limits range automatically if 6 or more GPS satellites have been found.



### 6. 7 Flight Limits of Special Areas Special areas include airports worldwide. All special areas are listed on the DJI official website. Please refer to http://www.dji.com/fly

- safe/category

- mc for details. These areas have been divided into category A and category B.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 29 | Category A Category B

Ready to Fly

Airspace Limits Rear LED Flight Indicator

A Orange Motors will not start.

If the Phantom flies into a special area in Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) mode and Ready to Fly mode activates, it will automatically descend and land then stop its motors.
B
Yellow If the Phantom flies into a special area in Ready to Fly

(non

- GPS) mode and Ready to Fly mode activates, it will descend to airspace C and hover 5 meters below edge d

.

C
Green No restrictions of flight, but the Phantom will not enter

Category A, the aircraft can fly free, but it will not enter Airspace B through Boundary b & d. Around Category B sites, the phantom can fly freely, but it will not enter into Airspace A through Bou ndary a. D
Blue No restrictions. None.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 30 |

Semi

- automatic descent : All stick commands are available except the throttle stick command during the descent and landing process. Motors will stop automatically after landing. Users must toggle the S1

switch to regain control. This is the same as regaining control during Failsafe. Please refer to Regaining Control During Failsafe Procedure (Page 23 )

. (1) When flying in the airspace (A/B/C) of restricted special area, LED flight indicators will blink red
quickly and continue for 3 seconds, then switch to indicate current flying status and continue for 5 seconds at which point it will switch back to red blinking. (2) For safety reasons, please do not fly close to airports, highways, railway stations, railway l ines, city centers and other special areas. Try to ensure the aircraft is visible.


### 6. 8 Conditions of Flight Limits In different working modes and flight modes, flight limits will differ according to number of GPS satellites found.
The following table demonstrates all the cases( √ : available; × :unavailable ). All flights are restricted by height, distance and special areas simultaneously. The Failsafe and Ground Station operations are not restricted to flight limits, but if Ground Station function is used , the flight will be restricted the special area limits built in to Ground Station. Refer to the Ground Station manual for details.

Phantom mode
Flight Status Limits of Special Area Max Height Max Radius
Ready to Fly √ √ √ Ready to Fly (non

- GPS) × √ ×

Naza

- M mode

Control Mode number of GPS found Limits of Special Area Max Height Max Radius

GPS ≥ 6 √ √ √

< 6 × √ ×

ATTI. ≥ 6 √ √ ×

< 6 × √ ×

Manual ≥ 6 × × ×

< 6 × × × 

### Disclaimer Please ensure that you are kept up to date with International and Domestic airspace rules and regulations before using this product. By using this product, you hereby agree to this disclaimer and signify that you have read this fully. You agree that you are responsible for your own conduct and content while using this pr oduct, and for any direct or indirect consequences caused by not following this manual, violate or disregard any other applicable local laws,
administrative rules and social habits thereof.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 31 | 

## 7 Assistant Installation and Configuration
7. 1 Install ing Driver and PHANTOM 2 Assistant
Install ing and run ning on Windows
1. Download driver installer and Assistant installer in EXE format from the download page of PHANTOM 2
on the DJI website.
2. Connect the PHANTOM 2 to a PC via a Micro

- USB cable. 3. Run the driver installer and follow the prompts to finish installation. 4. N ext, r un the Assistant installer and follow the prompts to finish installation. 5. Double click the PHANTOM 2 icon on your Windows desktop to launch the software.

T he i nstaller in EXE format only supports Windows operating systems (Win XP, Win7, Win8 (32 or 64 bit)).

Install ing and run ning on Mac OS X
1. Download the Assistant installer in DMG format from the download page of PHANTOM 2 on the DJI
website. 2. Run the installer and follow the prompts to finish installation.

3. When launching for the first time if use Launchpad to run the PHANTOM 2 Assistant
, Launchpad won ’ t allow access because the software has not been reviewed by Mac App Store.

4. L ocate the PHANTOM 2 icon in the Finder, p ress the Control key and then click the PHANTOM 2 icon (or right

- click the PHANTOM 2 icon using a mouse). Choose Open from the shortcut menu, click open in the prompt dialog box and the n software will launch

. 5. After the first successful launch, directly lau nching of the software can be achieved by double

- clicking
the PHANTOM 2 icon in the Finder or using Launchpad.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 32 |

Installer in DMG format supports only Mac OS X 10.6 or above.
Usage of PHANTOM 2 Assistant on Mac OS X and Windows are e xactly the same. The Assistant pages appear in other places of this manual are on the Windows for example.


### 7 .2 Using the PHANTOM 2 Assistant on a PC
1. Start up the PC, power on the PHANTOM 2 , then c onnect the PHANTOM 2 to the PC with a Micro

- USB
cable. DO NOT disconnect until configuration is finished.
2. Run the PHANTOM 2 Assistant and wait for the PHANTOM 2 to connect to the Assistant

. Observe the

indicators on the bottom of the screen. When connected successfully, the connection indicator is
and communication indicator is blinking

. 3. Choose [Basic] or [Advanced] configuration page s
. 4. View and check the current configuration in the [View] page.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 33 |

( 1 ) Users should not enable the Naza

- M function before finishing Advanc ed Flight Maneuvers procedure in the " PHANTOM Pilot Training Guide”. If the Naza

- M mode is enabled, users can
switch the control mode between ATTI. Mode, GPS Mode or Manual Mode , and access the advanced settings (e.g. IOC). In addition, the LED loca ted on the rear frame arms will display
Naza

- M flight status indications instead of the PHANTOM 2's indicator s . Do not enable the
Naza

- M mode unless you are an experienced user or guided by a professional. ( 2 ) You can change to the P hantom 2 mode by clicking the same button used to turn on the Naza

- M
mode

. This operation will disable the N aza - M mode and enable P hantom 2 mode

. All parameters
will be returned to factory settings

. 

### 7
. 3 F irmware upgrade of PHANTOM 2 Please re fer to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant to install d river and PHANTOM RC Assistant
, and then follow the procedure s below to upgrade the software and firmware; otherwise the PHANTOM 2 might not work properly

. 1. An internet connection is required to upgrade PHANTOM 2’s firmware.
2. Click the [ U pgrade] icon to check the current firmware version and whether the installed firmware is the
latest version

. I f not, click the relative links to upgrade.
3. Be su re to wait until the Assistant shows “finished”. Click OK and power cycle the PHANTOM 2 after 5

seconds. Once completed, t he firmware is up to date.

( 1 ) DO NOT power off until the upgrade is finished. ( 2 ) If the firmware upgrade failed, the main controller will enter a waiting for firmware upgrade status automatically. If this happens, repeat the above procedures.

F irmware upgradable items: ( 1 ) Main Controller ( 2 ) P330CB (Main Board) ( 3 ) Receiver ( 4 ) Gimbal
C MU ( 5 ) Gimbal IMU ( 6 ) Battery


### 7 .4 PHANTOM RC Assistant Description Please follow the procedures to finish the configuration of the remote control

.

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 34 |

1. Turn off the remote control and find the Micro

- USB port on the bottom of it.
2. Start up the PC, power on the remote control , and then connect the remote control to the PC with a
Micro

- USB cable. DO NOT disconnect until th e configuration is finished.
3. Run the PHANTOM RC Assistant and wait for the remote control to connect to the Assistant

. Observe the

indicators on the bottom left of the screen. When connected successfully, the connection indicator is
and communication indicator is blinking

. 4. Finish c onfiguration in the [ Main ] page.
5. Finish upgrade in the [ Info ] page if necessary

.

M ain P age of the 2.4G Hz R emote C ontrol

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 35 | 

## 8 Appendix 8. 1 Specification s 

## A ircraft
O perating environment temperature

- 10 °C to 50 °C
P ower consumption 5.6W
S upported Battery DJI Intelligent battery
W eight (including the battery) 1000g
Take

- off W eight ≤ 1300g Hovering Accuracy ( Ready to Fly ) Vertical: 0.8m ; Horizontal: 2.5m
Max Yaw Angular Velocity 200°/s
Max Tilt Angle 35° Max Ascent / Descent Speed Ascent: 6m/s; Descent: 2 m/s
Max Flight Speed 15 m/s (Not Recommended)
W heelbase 350mm 

## 2.4GHz Remote Control Operating Frequency 2.4GHz ISM Communication Distance ( open area ) 1000m Receiver Sensitivity ( 1%PER )

- 9 7 dBm
W orking Current/Voltage 1 2 0 mA@ 3.7 V
Built

- in LiPo Battery Working Current/Capacity 3.7V, 2000mAh 

## DJ I Intelligent Battery
T ype 3S LiPo Battery
C apacity 5200mAh
, 11.1V Charging Environment R ange 0 °C to 40 °C Discharging Environment R ange
- 20 °C to 50 °C



### 8
. 2 LED Flight Indicators Description A ircraft in Normal status 

### D escriptions
Power On Self

- Test Warming Up & Aircraft cannot take off during warming up Ready to Fly Ready to Fly (non

- GPS)


### Aircraft in abnormal status 

### W arnings and errors
Remote C ontrol Signal Lost
1 st Level Low Battery Capacity Warning

### ©2013

- 2014 DJI . All Rights Reserved. 36 | 2 nd Level Low Battery Capacity Warning Not Stationary or Sensor Bias is too big
Errors & Aircraft c annot fly.* Compass data abnormal because of ferro

- magnetic interference or the compass needs calibration.

* U sers can connect to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant to get detailed information about warnings and errors.©2013 DJI Innovations. All Rights Reserved. 1 | 

## PHANTOM 2 FPV HUB Kit Instruction V1.0

PHANTOM 2 FPV HUB kit contains only cables and the FPV HUB to

mak e connections convenient , easy and thus removing the need to do soldering when connecting the m to a n iOSD mini , iOSD Mark II or a DJI speci fied wireless video transmission module AVL58. Only 4 cables require soldering if users opt to use a wireless video transmission that’s

not specified by DJI.

1. FPV HUB , the main connection board used to extend devices.

2. HUB

- AVL58 cable, used to connect AV L58 and FPV HUB

.

3. HUB

- iOSD Mark II cable, used to connect iOSD Mark II and FPV HUB

.

4. HUB

- ZEN cable, used to connect H3

- 2D gimbal and FPV HUB

.

5. HUB

- iOSD mini cable, used to connect iOSD mini and FPV HUB

.

6. HUB

- VTX cable, used to connect the FPV HUB and other wireless

video transmission module

.©2013 DJI Innovations. All Rights Reserved. 2 | Connections C hoose devices collocation used with FPV

- HUB accor ding to required

functions.
C ollocation F unctions

1 W ireless video transmission module V ideo transmitting

2 iOSD mini
, W ireless video transmission module OSD
, V ideo transmitting

3 iOSD MARK II
, W ireless video transmission

module OSD
, V ideo transmitti ng,
Data record
F or wireless video transmission, the ALV58 is recommended for easy

connection, using a HUB

- AVL58 cable.

C ollocation 1: W ireless video transmission module connected only

1) Stop the Micro switch at VID position i f only wireless video

transmission module is connected to the FPV HUB.
2) Wireless video transmission module is alternative to AVL58 or
others unspecified. I f using the AVL58, connect it to the FPV HUB

via HUB

- A VL 58 cable. I f using other w ireless video transm ission©2013 DJI Innovations. All Rights Reserved. 3 |

module , connect it to the FPV HUB via HUB

- VTX cable according to
pins description of the HUB

- VTX cable.

GND GND wire from PHANTOM 2, connect it to the GND port of wireless

video transmission module.

VCC P ower wire from PHANTOM 2 provid es 1.5A@12V p ower . C onnect it

to the VCC port of wireless video transmission module

.

VIDEO_GND GND wire of analog video signal, connect it to the V IDEO_ GND port

of wireless video transmission modul e. I f the video transmission module used has only one GND port on the t ransmitter, it ’ s alright to connect both GND and VIDEO_GND to the only GND port.

VIDEO F or a nalog video output, connect it to the video input port of the

wireless video transmission module. C ollocation 2&3: iOSD mini/iOSD MARK II and video transmission

module connected

1) I t ’ s alternative to use iOSD mini or iOSD Mark II.
2) Stop the Micro switch at OSD position when iOSD is connected to©2013 DJI Innovations. All Rights Reserved. 4 | the FPV HUB.
3) P lease refer to Collocation1 to connect the wireless video

transmission module.

N otes (1) I f using the FPV HUB, the original 4

- Pin cable and video cable on PHANTOM 2 will be spare d , please remove and clear them out

. M ake sure the video cable is totally cleared without any copper wire left to prevent short circuit damage. (2) A ll the connect ion operations should be conducted when the intelligent battery is powered off. (3) C heck whether pins of the connectors on the FPV HUB are straight

and in good condition before connecting

. P lease and plug and unplug the connector carefully to avoid damage or short circuit. (4) It’s not recommended to install the FPV HUB and extended devices

inside the PHANTOM 2 aircraft. (5) M ake sure to install the AVL58 away from the compass to avoid

interference. (6) FPV HUB is non water

- proof, if it is wet, please wash it with a lcohol ic cleanser and dry it before use. O therwise components may be damaged cause of electrochemical corrosion

. (7) Do not leak any metal, conductive objects into the connector pins of FPV HUB to prevent short circuit damage. (8) It’s not recommended to use cables not in the kit to connect devices©2013 DJI Innovations. All Rights Reserved. 5 | to avoid unexpected damage. (9) Make sure the connection is correct when using wireless video

transmission module unspecified by DJI

. T ips (1) FPV HUB has a resettable fuse for over circuit precaution. T he fuse will automatically ope n to prevent damage if the working current of

power consuming devices (except DJI Zenmuse series) goe s over 2 A

or if VCC and GND short circuit ed

. A fter the short circuit trouble issued or the over current load is removed, turn off the power of the intellig ent battery, the fuse will recover after 10secs. (2) A component will be damaged if PHANTOM 2 has been short circuit

once. I n this condition, users still can use the FPV HUB and make the PHANTOM 2 work well again, ignoring the damaged component.

Declaimer
P l ease read this disclaimer carefully before using this product. B y using this product, you hereby agree to this disclaimer and signify that you have read them fully. Y ou agree that you are responsible for your own conduct and content while using this produc t, and for any consequences thereof. DJI accepts no liability for damages or injuries

incurred directly or indirectly caused by abuse or operations failed to follow this manual of this product. If you have any questions or concerns regarding you r product, please contact your dealer or DJI Customer Service

.