Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Safety What to know before you fly

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sUAV sUAV is a small unmanned aerial vehicle that weight between 0.55 lbs. and 55 lbs. (25kg) Classes of sUAV Fixed wing Rotor

sUAV These aircraft can be operated as either as a hobbyist or a commercial operator Both categories fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration Part 101.41 RC models - Hobbyist Part 107 Use for commercial or research UAV is an aircraft that can be operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft

sUAV Main components of UAVs Airframe Controller or control station Pilot in Command (PIC) Visual Observer (VO) Operator

What Are the Main Risks with sUAVs? First and foremost, shared airspace. To point out the obvious here, aircraft collisions are by the far the most dangerous and worrisome fear when it comes to piloting UAVs. If a UAV were to say, fly in the restricted airspace of an airport and collide with a plane (or take out one of its engines), there could be serious and fatal consequences. It’s dangerous, reckless, and the most volatile aspect of publicly operated drones.   UAV sightings near airports increased 46% from 2016 to 2017.

What Are the Main Risks with sUAVs? Ground collisions are a worry as well. Most UAVs come in small sizes that would not feasibly kill a human, there are larger UAVs with payloads that could pose a threat to life if the system were to fail and the aircraft were to drop from a high altitude Failed UAVs dropping from the sky is worrisome any place where there are active people; roads, highways, shelters, shopping malls, and so forth. Most UAV crashes are due to technical failure of the UAV

Additional Risks Spinning rotors or propellers Catapult launch Privacy

Commercial and Research use of UAVs Requires a person to be a certified as UAV operator 14 CFR Part 107 COA North Carolina has additional requirements and testing Department of Transportation Aviation Division

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace Two categories of Airspace Regulated Nonregulated Within these two categories, there are four types Controlled Uncontrolled Special use Other airspace

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace Controlled Airspace – term used to cover different classifications of airspace and defined dimensions within which air traffic control (ATC) service is provided Class B – surface to 10,000 feet MSL (e.g. Los Angeles and Charlotte) Class C – surface to 4,000 above the airport elevation (AGL) (e.g. Greensboro) Class D – Surface to 2,500 AGL, control tower Class E – Airspace below 1,200 to 14,500 MSL

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace Uncontrolled Airspace – the portion of the airspace that has not been designated as Class A, B, C, D or E. Class G – Surface to the base of the overlying Class E airspace Special Use Airspace – designation for airspace in which certain activates must be confined Prohibited Area Restricted Areas Warning Areas Military Operation Areas Alert Areas Controlled Firing Areas

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace

Safely Flying UAVs - Airspace At all times the UAV must be in view of the PIC or VO Beyond line of sight requires special permits from the FAA UAVs are restricted to 400 feet above ground level UAVs must give right of way to all manned aircraft The UAV PIC must contact and receive permission before flying in controlled airspace Publish a NOTAM – Notice to airman that informs pilots of the area of operation, time of day and flying heights

Safely Flying UAVs - Weather Weather, such as wind, can have an adverse effect on sUAVs Down drafts Cross winds Variable wind speed at different elevations Before Flying, the UAV PIC must check the local weather at the site to be flown

Safely Flying UAVs - Weather Aviation Weather Reports are designed to give accurate depiction of current weather conditions METARs are observations of current surface weather Example Time given in UTC

Safely Flying UAVs - Weather Effects of Weather on SUAV Performance Density Altitude – as the density of the air increases, aircraft performance increases and conversely, as air density decreases, aircraft performance decreases Effects of Pressure Effects of Temperature – Increase of temperature decreases density Effects of Humidity Primary Performance Factors most affected by performance is take-off and landing, rate of climb, ceiling, payload, range, speed, maneuverability, stability and fuel economy

Safely Flying UAVs - Weather Effects of Obstructions on Wind – obstructions on the ground affect to the flow of wind Unseen danger

Safely Flying UAVs - Weather Low-Level Wind Shear – a sudden, drastic change in wind speed and/or direction Violate updrafts or downdrafts Can occur at any altitude Low-level wind shear is especially hazardous due to the proximity of the aircraft to the ground Common associated with a passing front, thunderstorms, temperature inversions and strong upper level winds

Safely Flying UAVs - Loading The remote pilot in charge should verify the aircraft is correctly loaded by determining the weight and balance condition of the aircraft Compliance with the manufactory's weight and balance limits is critical to flight safety Maximum gross takeoff weight may not always allow for safe takeoff Weight changes during the flight have a direct effect on aircraft performance

Safely Flying UAVs - Loading Stability is the inherent quality of an aircraft to correct for conditions that may disturb its equilibrium Maneuverability Controllability Weight and Balance – compliance with the weight and balance limits of any aircraft is critical to flight safety Operations above the maximum weight may compromise the structural integrity of an aircraft Operations with the center of gravity outside the approved limits result in control difficulties

Safely Flying UAVs – Emergency Procedures An inflight emergency is usually unexpected and unforeseen event Serious consequences for an unprepared remote pilot During an emergency a remote pilot is permitted to deviate from any part of the federal regulations found in Part 107 When a remote pilot deviates from a rule due to an emergency, the remote pilot will report the emergency if asked to do so by the FAA

Safely Flying UAVs – Emergency Procedures The remote pilot in charge is responsible for the safe operation of the sUVA at all times A remote pilot in charge must ensure that the aircraft is in a safe operating condition before flight Ensure that there are no hazards to persons or property Require all crew members be briefed on the operation and emergency procedures

Physiological Factors Affecting Pilot Performance 14 CFR Part 107 does not allow operation of sUAV if the remote PIC, the person manipulating the controls or the visual observer (VO) is unable to safely carry out their responsibilities Alcohol and drugs are known to impair judgement Over the counter drugs such as antihistamines and decongestants may cause drowsiness

Physiological Factors Affecting Pilot Performance Part 107 prohibits the following: Consummation of alcohol within the preceding 8 hours Is under the influence of alcohol Has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or higher Is using a drug that affects the person’s mental or physical capabilities

Physiological Factors Affecting Pilot Performance Medical factors Hyperventilation Stress Fatigue Dehydration Heatstroke Effects of drugs and alcohol

Safely Flying UAVs – Preflight Inspection Before each flight, the PIC should perform a preflight inspection of the UAV to ensure it is a condition for safe flight Should be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer’s inspection procedures All inspections should be recorded in the aircraft records Repairs Modifications Overhauls Time in service

Safely Flying UAVs – Preflight Inspection Check Sectional Aeronautical Charts for controlled airspace Uses an app such as B4UFly to check for restricted airspace Consult the FAA Chart Supplement to find radio frequencies used by local air traffic controllers and manned aircraft

Accident Reporting The remote PIC must report an sUAS accident to the FAA, within 10 days of the operation, if any of the following thresholds are met: Serious injury to any person or any loss of consciousness Damage to any property, other than the sUAS, if the cost is greater than $500 to repair or replace the property (whichever is lower). Example – a small UA damages property of which the fair market value is $200, and it would cost $600 to repair the damages. Because the fair market value is below $500, this accident is not required to be reported.

FAA Inspection You must make available to the FAA, upon request, the sUAS for inspection or testing In addition, you must verify before flight that all required documents are physically or electronically available Pilot certificate Aircraft registration Any necessary waivers or exemptions Other documents related to the operation

sUAS Registration Most sUAS must be registered with the FAA prior to operation in the National Airspace Greater than 0.55 lbs. Aircraft must be marked with the unique identifier number Legible and durable Visible or accessible

Carriage of Hazardous Material sUAS may not carry hazardous material Hazardous material is defined as substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined is capable of posing a unreasonable risk to health, safety and property when transported in commerce

Daylight Operations Part 107 prohibits operation of sUAS at night Defined as the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight In the contiguous United States, evening civil twilight is the period of sunset until 30 minutes after sunset

Visual Line of Sight The sUAS must remain within the LOS of flight crewmembers. VLOS means the flight crewmembers is capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses Crewmembers must be able to see the aircraft at all times during flight

Operating Limitations The sUAS must be operated in accordance with the following: Cannot be flown faster than a ground speed of 87 knots (100 miles per hour) Cannot be flown higher than 400 feet above the ground (AGL) Unless flown within 400 foot radius of a structure and not flown higher than 400 feet above the structure Crewmembers must operate within the following limitations Minimum visibility, as observed from the location of the control station, must be no less than 3 statute miles Minimum distance from clouds must be no less than 500 feet below a cloud and 2,000 feet horizontal from the cloud

Right of Way Rules Know the location and flight path of your UAV at all times Be aware of other aircraft, persons and property in the vicinity of the operating area Be able to maneuver the sUAS to avoid collision and prevent other aircraft from having to take evasive action

NO Operation Over People You may not operate a sUAS directly over another person, unless that person is: Directly involved in the operation Within safe cover The PIC should employ a strategy to avoid flying over people Select an operation area that is sparsely populated If operating in a populated area make a plan to keep non-participants clear

Operation from a Moving Vehicle or Aircraft Part 107 permits operation of sUAS from a moving land or water borne vehicle over sparsely populated areas Operations from an aircraft is prohibited

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