Drone Flight Operations

         

 

FAA Flight Operations

 

  • The unmanned aircraft must remain within Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the small UAS. Alternatively, the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the visual observer.
      • The FAA understands and accepts the person maintaining VLOS may lose sight of the UA for brief moments of the operation (e.g., through perform actions such as scanning the airspace or briefly looking down at the control station, or conducting a search operation around a fire scene behind dense smoke)
      • FAA declined to specify a quantitative value to an interruption of visual contact
      • VLOS must be maintained by the PIC or VO unaided by any device (other than corrective lenses) in order to: 

        (1) Know the unmanned aircraft's location

        (2) Determine the unmanned aircraft's attitude, altitude, and direction of flight

        (3) Observe the airspace for other air traffic or hazards

        (4) Determine that the unmanned aircraft does not endanger the life or property of another

 

  • Small unmanned aircraft may not operate over any persons not directly participating in the operation and who are not under a covered structure or are not inside a covered stationary vehicle
      • The FAA clarified the term "over" refers to UA flights over any part of a person that is not "directly participating" 
        • Directly participating - Specific personnel that the remote pilot in command has deemed to be involved with the flight operation of the small unmanned aircraft. These include the remote pilot in command, the person manipulating the controls of the small UAS, and the visual observer.
      • No minimum stand-off distances from non-participants are designated by the FAA, but are prudent safety precautions.
      • Operations over people - A new rule which establishes four new categories of small unmanned aircraft for routine operations over people. The final rule also allows for routine operations over moving vehicles.
        • Category 1 eligible small unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 0.55lbs, including everything on board or otherwise attached, and contain no exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin. No FAA-accepted Means of Compliance(MOC) or Declaration of Compliance(DOC) required.
        • Category 2 and 3 must not cause injury to a human when transferring 11 foot-pounds of kinetic energy and 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, respectively. The drone must contain no exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin, and must not contain any safety defects identified by the Administrator.
        • Category 3 sUAS have further restrictions. The remote PIC may not operate a sUAS over open-air assemblies of human beings. sUAS in this category can only operate over people if:
              • The operation is within or over a closed or restricted-access site and all people on site are o notice that a sUAS may fly over them.
              • The small unmanned aircraft does not maintain sustained flight over any person unless that person is directly in the operation.
              • the people are located under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle that can provide reasonable protection from a falling sUAS.
        • Category allows sUAS issued with an airworthiness cert by the FAA to operate over people (as long as these operations are not prohibited by the flight manual or the Administrator). Furthermore, no remote PIC may operate an sUAS in sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation is compliant with Remote ID. These are generally going to be much heavier drones. 
        • Sustained Flight means hovering stationary above heads of person gathered at an open-air assembly, flying back and fourth over it, or circling above the assembly in a way that the sUAS remains over it. This also applies to vehicles in motion.
  • Nighttime Operations 
    • Remote pilots in command who wish to conduct small unmanned aircraft operations at night must complete either the updated initial test or the updated recurrent online training prior to conducting such operations.
    • Additionally, prior to conducting small unmanned aircraft operations at night, the small unmanned aircraft must be equipped with operational anti-collision lights that can be seen for 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. 
    • Standard red and green indicator lights are often not visible from the required distance, thus it is likely an additional light will need to be added
    • Operations occurring during civil twilight (30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset, local time) must also have appropriate anti-collision lighting.