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normal operating procedures, including pre-flight, take-off, launch, approach, landing and recovery procedures
emergency procedures, including with respect to
a control station failure
an equipment failure
a failure of the remotely piloted aircraft
a loss of the command and control link
a fly-away
flight termination
Emergency | Procedure Keyword | Numbers/References |
|---|---|---|
Control station failure | Control loss, Control malfunction | |
Equipment failure | Mechanical failure | |
RPAS general failure | Mechanical failure | |
Loss of command/control link | Control malfunction | |
Fly-away | Control malfunction | |
Flight termination |
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Control loss | |
Animals or pets giving RPAS attention | Animal interference |
| Note |
|---|
Control malfunction - when the drone is still flying, but not following instructions |
Try to regain control of the aircraft. This involves adjusting the antenna on the controller, moving farther into sight-lines of the craft.
Report the following to the visual observer.
climb rate
speed
compass heading, cardinal directions
flight time remaining
Instruct them to call the authorities of controlled airspace in the flight path of the drone.
If the drone is hovering, wait for a reasonable amount of time while trying to reestablish control link. Try to activate DJI’s RTH function.
| Note |
|---|
Control loss - when the connection fails and failsafes kick in |
DJI drones will RTH after 3 seconds of communication dropout. If this doesn’t occur, proceed to Control Malfunction.
Assuming flight is terminated, the drone will either RTH, become a fly-away, or crash. In the case of crashing, keep track of where the drone lands and note:
any obstacles, including trees, power lines, fences, rivers, swamps, rocks, hills
people or animals nearby
Retrieve the drone if possible.
| Note |
|---|
Mechanical failure - when a part of the drone becomes damaged or broken |
Assess the state of the drone via:
error messages on the controller
irregularities in flight pattern
visual faults on the drone
If this is severe, the drone has likely crashed already. If not: try to control its descent, keeping away from bystanders, animals, environmental hazards, buildings, and controlled airspace.
If the damage is moderate, but the flight pattern is still being affected: navigate to a relatively safe + close landing site and land ASAP.
If the damage is minor, and the flight pattern is not affected, bring the drone back to its landing site in a safe manner. Do not attempt any risky manoeuvres before assessing the damage close-up.
Before retrieving or touching the drone:
visually inspect for damage, paying attention to motors and battery
if safe, turn the battery off and remove it
bring it to control station if not already there
assess damage
| Note |
|---|
Animal interference - when an animal is chasing the drone |
Follow the steps in order, only proceeding to the next if the previous doesn’t work.
hover in place
higher altitude and farther away
get nearby involved members and or bystanders to restrain the animals
if landing is necessary, land quickly and make sure props are stopped and drone is retrieved ASAP
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