Hidalgo County Drone Program. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Template. February 23, 2017

Transcription

1 Hidalgo County Drone Program Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Template The following is a detailed (but intended as a comprehensive) framework of topics to be covered in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) relative to suas, UAV, drones. The SOP is intended as a supplementary guide as mandated by Federal, State, and Local laws/regulations pertaining to the operation of drones commercially and by public service entities. Generally, SOPs are more specific and rigorous covering potential gaps in mandated regulations. Strict approval and version control is recommended as laws/regulations are expected to change over time. February 23, 2017 Page 1 of 8

2 FRAMEWORK: 1. Administration a. Scope b. Definitions c. SOP Document approval and version control. d. Organization/Personnel. Sample org chart: CEO/Director Operations Manager Training Manager Responsible Person for Maintenance Chief Pilot Support crew Controller e. Facilities f. Scheduling i. Equipment Check- out/check- in procedure g. Manufacturer s Operations Manual h. Maintenance i. Regularly scheduled maintenance ii. Field- replaceable parts i. FAA Part 107 Compliance i. Pilot/Operator/CRM requirements ii. Documentation Page 2 of 8

3 iii. Weather & Environment iv. Airspace v. Incident Reporting vi. Modifications to regulations. 2. Safety 3. Training a. Safety Policy b. Crew Resource Management Safety Officer c. Drug & Alcohol Policy d. Stress & Fatigue- related Policy e. Safety Training f. Medical Factors g. Hazard & Risk Mitigation h. Occurrence Report and Investigations i. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) j. Seek and Avoid Best Practices a. Objective b. Initial Training c. Evaluating Competency & Proficiency d. Training Plans e. Training Records (TCOLE credits) f. Ongoing Proficiency Training g. Instructors 4. General Operating Procedures a. Concept of Operations i. Specific Mission- type Definition (by Department) ii. Request for UAS Support iii. Call- out Procedure iv. Deployment Priorities b. Description of suas components i. UAV Aircraft Page 3 of 8

4 ii. Payloads/cameras iii. GCS (Ground Control Stations) iv. Battery Charging and Handling v. Misc. Support Equipment & Accessories c. Approved Areas of Operations i. Fight Boundaries ii. Geo Fence Definition d. Authorization of Operate i. Part 107 ii. Approved Part 107 Waivers iii. COA (where applicable) iv. Approval, by department v. Obtaining Warrant e. Contingency Planning i. Emergency Operations 1. Loss of GPS 2. Loss of Communications 3. Loss of Control 4. Injury 5. Aircraft Crash 6. FAA incident reporting compliance ii. Launch & Recovery f. Crew Resource Management Responsibilities g. Crew Resource Management Communications h. Contracted Services i. Data/Content Management Procedures i. Gathering & Recording ii. Evidence Handling iii. Analysis iv. Storage v. Security vi. Image/data use policy 5. Pre- flight/post- flight Actions a. Inspections b. Weather Page 4 of 8

5 i. Weather forecasts ii. Weather Station c. Site Assessment d. Planning e. Documentation i. Flight Plan ii. Remote Pilot Licenses iii. Flight Log iv. Maintenance Log v. Insurance f. Checklists g. Other 6. Exclusions (A definition of what is NOT permitted, by department). Page 5 of 8

6 Sample Checklist (to be used as a reference): Before Departing for Site Check Aircraft (AC) and Remote Controller (RC) batteries fully charged Tablet fully charged Portable Radio for communicating with manned AC fully charged (optional) Ensure SD card has free space and is inserted into the camera Ensure Firmware is updated on AC and RC(s) Cache location maps into all DJI Pilot app devices Check for frequency (FX) used by local manned AC Check if flight location is in No-Fly Zone (Airmap io) Check for NOTAMs and Temporary Flight Restrictions (Airmap io) Check weather Precipitation (no go) Winds under 21mph; no gusts above 25mph Cloud layer above 500' (152M) 1 statute mile visibility KP index is 5 or less (Hover app) Check Sunrise, Sunset, Moonrise, Moonset Comprehensive maintenance after 200 flights or 50 flight hours. Location On-Site Check Check flying area free of overhead obstructions Wires, low flying AC, trees, tall buildings Antennas that may interfere with compass and GPS reception Weather meets conditions Winds under 20 kts (23 MPH or 10 meters per second) Clouds above 500 (152M) Page 6 of 8

7 Visibility for 1 statute mile KP index 5 or less Confirm flight plan with camera operator and/or spotter Note: Still perform step if by oneself, it adds clarity to decision making. Physical Aircraft Check CAMERA CHECK: Camera locked in place SD card in camera Motors clear of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Check propellers for any melting, misshapen, or cracks Propellers hand tight Prop locks firmly attached or Quick Release plastic base has no cracks or fissures. Remote Controller Check Antennas oriented Properly Switch to P-GPS mode Landing gear switch oriented down Check battery level of RC for minimum 75% DJI Pilot App Check Maximum Flight altitude set Note: 121 Meters = 400 Failsafe Mode, Set for 10M Clearance above highest obstacle in flight plan Note: 1 Meter = 3.3 RC Signal Lost set to Return-to-Home Check Sensors Page 7 of 8

8 Gyroscope between -1.0 to +1.0 Acceleration between -1.0 to +1.0 Compass MOD between Check IMU Image Transmission Channel set Note: Watch channels for 30 seconds to ensure selected channel is indeed stable Battery Cells all 4.28V or greater At least 98% battery Ensure no greater than.2v between battery cells Adjust Gimbal Roll to make level Ensure enough Satellites are locked (12 or more) Back of AC facing the wind Start Video recording Start Propellers using a Combined Stick Command (CSC) Ensure blue dot representing RC is accurately located on map Ensure home point is accurately set on map Ensure elevation reads 0 (zero) Page 8 of 8