RCSRC Aerial Productions

Flight Operations Manual

Personal Protocols and Controls

1. Prior to any commercial flight, the PIC shall insure that all notifications required by the approved 

exemption have been completed. This shall include notification to the controlling FAA FISDO office, the 

appropriate airport manager, as necessary; and that all property owner/agent’s operation approval have 

been received.

2. Prior to any commercial flight, the PIC must insure the Aircraft Maintenance manual and 

Manufacturer’s User Manual is present for the operation that is intended.

3. Prior to any flight for commercial purposes, the PIC shall complete a thorough preflight inspection of 

the vehicle in accordance with the Manufacturer’s User’s Manual for that specific model. This shall 

include as a minimum, but not be restricted to:

a) A thorough examination of the craft for any broken or missing mechanical items; broken, 

cracked or loose propellers, or landing gear.

b) A mechanical test of all motors to insure they turn freely and have no binding or abnormal 

motor bearing noises.

c) All exposed wiring and connections are in place, securely attached to the framework, and that 

no chaffing exists.

d) Prior to initial motor startup, the power battery is fully charged, either by its integrated LED 

power monitoring system, or by the use of an external voltage indication system that can be 

plugged into the power battery.

e) Once the transmitter is powered on, and the craft is powered on, that it is monitored for the 

correct initialization cycle as specified in the specific Manufacturer’s User Manual.

f) If the craft is to be operated through the use of GPS facilities, the craft had acquired and locked 

on to the minimum required GPS satellites.

4. Prior to takeoff on any commercial flight, the PIC must insure that the flight can be conducted safely. 

This includes having an appropriately trained safety observer, and a coordinated plan for the flight. The 

observer will not have any other duties except to look for any potential obstruction hazards, any persons 

not involved with the commercial flight, and any full sized aircraft that might be in the vicinity. The 

observer shall be in direct communication with the PIC, and shall immediately communicate to the PIC 

any infringement or obstacle that could create a safety hazard. Upon such notification by the SO, the 

PIC shall terminate the flight operation or maneuver the craft to resolve the conflict as expeditiously as 

possible, to include an immediate landing, if so necessary.
5. The flight shall be conducted so as to be able to return to its home starting point with at least 25 

percent of its power battery remaining. If the flight control system telemetry has a caution/warning 

function built into it, the PIC will abide by that function. If the flight control system does not have an on 

board telemetry system, the craft will have been previously test flown and had its power battery 

remaining voltage tested vs flight time, and the PIC will not fly the craft any longer that that measured 

endurance capability.

6. At the end of each operational session, the PIC will enter into the Aircraft Log, the number of flights, 

and the duration of each flight and that a post session inspection of the craft was completed. If 

necessary, any discrepancies will be entered into the craft maintenance manual.