prairie and northern region special flight operations ...€¦ · 10/06/2016 · and has received...

Prairie and Northern Region Special Flight Operations Certificate Application Form – RDIMS-#11086630

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344 Edmonton Street Winnipeg, MB R3C 0P6

June 10, 2016

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your interest in applying for a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for the operation

of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for non-recreational purposes within the Prairie and Northern

Region (PNR) of Canada. This area encompasses the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta,

as well as the Yukon Territory, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

Due to the extremely high demand for issuance of these certificates, you are required to fill in your

particular information on the form you will find below before it will be reviewed for issuance.

There are several resources available to you to aide in understanding your requirements and

responsibilities as a UAV Operator. Links to these resources are as follow:

1. The Canadian Aeronautics Act is the Act that governs all Aviation activities in Canadian Airspace.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-2/

2. The Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR’s) are the regulations derived from the Aeronautics Act.

You will find specific references to the CAR’s throughout this application form and you are

required to fully understand them as they form the legal basis for the information you are

requested to provide.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/regulations-sor96-433.htm

3. The Staff Instruction (SI) No. 623-001 is a Transport Canada document which provides

Inspectors with guidance on the review and processing of an application for an SFOC for the

operation of UAV’s. This is the main document used to determine whether you are eligible for

issuance of an SFOC UAV. The SI provides specific guidance to the Inspectors as to what to look

for in an application, and also serves as a very specific resource to applicants in preparing their

application.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-uav-4161.html

4. TP 15263 – Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Unmanned Air Vehicle Systems (UAV) 25 kg

or Less, Operating within Visual Line of Sight. This is a document that provides a guide to what

you as a UAV Operator should know at a minimum. If you are not knowledgeable in these

subjects listed it is strongly recommended that you seek education from one of the many

education resources available within Canada.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/publications/page-6557.html

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-2/

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/regulations-sor96-433.htm

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-uav-4161.html

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/publications/page-6557.html


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To help you find training resources, refer to the following link for Unmanned Systems Canada.

They have links to training providers within Canada.

https://unmannedsystems.ca/

5. SFOC’s are authorizations that allow for risk based aviation activities that can not or may not

meet all the Canadian Aviation Regulations. To help allow what are considered “Low Risk”

operations to be carried out with a minimum of regulatory oversight, Transport Canada has

promulgated two exemptions. These exemptions take the place of SFOC’s as long as the

operator is complies with each and every condition listed on the applicable exemption. If an

operator is unable to comply with any conditions, they are required to apply for and operate under

an SFOC.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/standards-4179.html

The above link also provides links to other resources for UAV operators. Of note is the fact that

just because you are an SFOC Holder, or are in the process of applying for an SFOC, you are still

able to work in accordance with the exemptions provided you comply with all of the conditions.

Reference the Advisory Circular (AC) Guidance Material for Operating Unmanned Air Vehicle

Systems under an Exemption for detailed explanations for each of the 37 or 58 conditions.

https://unmannedsystems.ca/

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/standards-4179.html


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CLICK ON EACH YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED AREA AND FILL IT IN WITH THE REQUESTED INFORMATION. DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. SIMPLY FILL IN THE HIGHLIGHTE AREAS.

To expedite the processing of your application, please ensure that you fill in ALL of the highlighted fields below. Each field is a regulatory requirement that must be addressed. To simply state that the requested information is Not Applicable to your operation is not acceptable, and the Inspector reviewing your application for regulatory compliance will return it to you for clarification. If you feel that the requested information does not apply to your operation, please state that it does not apply and include an explanation of why it does not apply. This is a requirement. Additionally, you will find CAR references and references to SI 623-001 which you should refer to in order to ensure that your application contains the proper information. The notes provided in some sections provide guidance in sections which operators in the past have found problematic. Ensure you read and understand the notes, and that your information you fill in addresses the specifics noted.

BASIC INFORMATION

a. Date Of Application

8th May/10 April 2016

Note: if the application is modified or amended please indicate the amendment number of the final application upon which the SFOC will be based. Ie. September 5, 2013 amendment 1,2 or 3 as required.

b. Type of application (check the appropriate box)

i. Restricted Operator Complex -

We are requesting permissions for the following operations:

1) Multicopter scientific operations for tundra greenness monitoring and structure for motion work on tundra vegetation from 15 June - 15 August using two Tarot 680PRO (Pixhawk) hexacopters.

2) Fixed-wing scientific operations for tundra greenness monitoring from 19 July - 3 August using a lightweight swept-delta flying-wing aircraft (Pixhawk) using the Zeta FX61 Expanded PolyOlefin (EPO) foam airframe.

3) Scientific outreach operations to collect imagery and video of the field sites from 15 June - 15 August using a 3DR Solo (Pixhawk) quadcopter, Tarot 680PRO (Pixhawk) hexacopters and lightweight swept-delta flying-wing aircraft (Pixhawk) using the Zeta FX61 Expanded PolyOlefin (EPO) foam airframe.

c. Liability Insurance – By checking YES, the Certificate applicant confirms that prior to commencing operations, they will subscribe to liability insurance in accordance with the requirements in Section 6.31 of SI 623-001.

The University of Edinburgh’s public liability insurance covers any injury, damage or financial loss in

connections with UAVs up to £5,000,000. Zurich Municipal – Insurance No: NHE-15CA02-0013; Expiry:

31 July 2017. A copy of the insurance certificate will be carried on site at all times during operations.

Please contact the applicants if a digital copy of the insurance certificate is required.

YES -

d. Type/Name of UAV(s)


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Swept-delta-flying-wing (Zeta FX61)

Hexacopter (Tarot 680)

3DR Solo (Pixhawk) quadcopter

Note: Multiple UAV’s are allowed to be listed on the same SFOC as long as they are of similar performance and/or flight characteristics. Be aware that you do not need to be in the possession of the UAV(s) listed to apply for your SFOC, so if you are intending on purchasing different types, please include them here.

e. Applicant Information (Certificate Holder)

Isla Myers-Smith Chancellor’s Fellow The University of Edinburgh Crew Building, Kings Buildings Alexander Crum Brown Road Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom [email protected] +44 131 650 7251

f. Operation Manager Information (may be the same person as the Applicant)

Isla Myers-Smith Chancellor’s Fellow The University of Edinburgh Crew Building, Kings Buildings Alexander Crum Brown Road Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom [email protected] +44 131 650 7251

i. Method by which the Operation Manager may be contacted directly during the operation (CAR 8.3 623.65(d)(3)(c))

UAV operations will be carried out as part of a larger field campaign of the University of Edinburgh in coordination with Yukon Parks, between 10 June and 20 August 2016 on Herschel Island - Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Yukon. The island is extremely remote and no cell phone coverage is available. Satellite phones are available to the field crew, but due to power limitations it will be impractical to leave these switched on at all times. It is therefore proposed that the Operation Manager may be contactable by TC as follows:

1) Directly, via satellite phone

a) Between 12pm and 1pm (PDT) on each day of the field campaign on satellite phone.

b) During the period 10 minutes prior to aircraft launch until 10 minutes after landing.

- Satellite phone one: +88-163-152-4157 - Satellite phone two: +88-163-151-4987

2) Indirectly, through the Herschel Island Park Rangers who have direct contact to the Operations Manager’s two-way radio at any time.

mailto:[email protected]



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Contact: Richard Gordon, Senior Park Ranger, Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island Park Telephone: 867-777-4058

Note: If the operation area is remote, the Operation Manager must provide a means of contact. Some areas may require Satellite Telephone coverage if other (cell or landline etc.) methods are not practicable.

ii. Describe how/why this person is qualified to act as the Operation Manager. CAR 8.2.623.65 (d)(3)(b)

Isla Myers-Smith is the principal investigator of the scientific research team from the University of Edinburgh (UoE). She has experience leading nine remote field season campaigns in the Canadian Arctic and Alaska. She has developed local connections to the Yukon Parks management, Aurora Research Institute and community of Inuvik to support logistical operations out of Herschel Island – Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park. She leads highly experienced a team of expertise in building and deploying remotely piloted aircraft systems (UAVs), including Jakob Assmann, Andrew Cunliffe and Jeffrey Kerby (details below), and works closely with the UoE’s Airborne Geosciences facility, managed by pilot Tom Wade. As authorised by a previous SFOC in 2015, she successfully led the 2015 field expedition to Herschel Island which included over 30 UAV missions and one month of flight operations. She has also seven year’s experience working with charter airlines including Aklak Air and TransNorth Helicopters conducting remote fieldwork logistics including coordinating long-lining, short-lining and medivacs in both summer and snowy conditions. She also worked out of the Kluane Lake Research Station at the Silver City Airstrip and has received advice on Canadian aviation safety and procedures from pilots Lance Goodwin and Sian Williams. She has one year of experience working with UAV systems including ground control station operation, maintenance and flight training.

Note: SI 623-001 is not intended to confine a UAV operator to a mandatory management structure, including position titles. A UAV operator may or may not use position titles such as "Operation Manager" and "Ground Supervisor" within their organization, however someone must have operational control over the operation and someone must be responsible for supervision of the operation area. It must be clearly indicated in the SFOC application who has been designated these responsibilities. In small operations, the Operation Manager and the Ground Supervisor could be the same person.

g. Ground Supervisor(s)

"The name, address, telephone and facsimile numbers of the person designated to be responsible for supervision of the operation area (Ground Supervisor), if different from the Operation Manager during the operation."

Ground supervision of UAV operations will be undertaken by any of three people, referred to throughout the rest of this document as the pilot-in-command (PIC):

- Isla Myers-Smith (Chancellor’s Fellow) - Andrew Cunliffe (Postdoctoral Research Associate) - Jeffrey Kerby (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) - Jakob Assmann (PhD Candidate)

E-mail (preferred contact)

isla.myers-

[email protected]

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Phone +441316507251

+447787408789 +44 7542455770 +1 9736007142

Address The University of Edinburgh Dartmouth College







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Crew Building, Kings Buildings Alexander Crum Brown Road Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, United Kingdom

Life Sciences Center Dewey Field Road Hanover, NH 03755

i. Method by which the Ground Supervisors may be contacted directly during the operation

All three PICs can be contacted as described above for Operations Manager.

Note: If the operation area is remote, the Ground Supervisor must provide a means of contact. Some areas may require Satellite Telephone coverage if other (cell or landline etc ) methods are not practicable.

ii. Describe how/why this person is qualified to act as the Ground Supervisor.

All pilots working as a part of these operations are over 18 years old, are healthy and able to conduct remote wilderness fieldwork, are knowledgeable about UAV systems and Canadian UAV regulations and have ample experience outlined below.

Isla Myers-Smith’s experience is described above, with regards to her qualifications to act as operations manager.

Andrew Cunliffe is experienced in deploying unpiloted aerial systems for proximal remote sensing of ecosystems. He has three years of experience constructing, maintaining and deploying Arducopter-based flight systems, including over 120 survey flights in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. He has completed all three parts of the BNUC-S award, a UK Civil Aviation Authority accreditation qualification scheme for operating remotely piloted aerial systems.

Jeffrey Kerby has extensive experience supporting, piloting, and managing fixed-wing and multi-rotor UAV systems for remote sensing of vegetation dynamics and terrestrial mammal populations. He has flown over 300 data missions across sites in the Arctic (Greenland), Africa (Tanzania, Congo, Namibia), and South America (Suriname). Additionally, he is a professional UAV safety and mapping instructor for Ready-To-Drone, LLC with over 100 hours teaching experience with conservation and higher education groups (Jane Goodall Institute, Conservation International, Dartmouth College). He is technical director of the non-profit group ConservationDrones.org.

Jakob Assmann is experienced in deploying unpiloted aerial systems for environmental remote sensing. He assembled the multicopters descripted in this SFOC, and therefore has detailed knowledge of these flight systems. He has undertaken over 30 flight operations using similar multicopter platforms in both the UK and at the same Arctic location specified in this SFOC in the summer of 2015. He is conversant with the relevant Canadian aviation regulations.

When conducting UAV operations, each PIC will be supported by an observer, with responsibility for monitoring the ground environment. The observer will act according to pre-flight briefing by the PIC, and duties will include watching for potential incursion by people on the ground, and watching for other hazards (including, for example, bears). The Observer role is not a highly technical task, and thus requires limited training – but thorough briefing on actions required under various contingencies, and communication requirements and protocols, will be provided by the PIC.

INCIDENT REPORTING PROCEDURES


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By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that they will report to Transport Canada Prairie and Northern Region via email at [email protected] as soon as possible, details of any of the following aviation occurrences during the operation of the UAV:

a. Injuries to any person requiring medical attention; b. Unintended contact between the UAV and persons, livestock, vehicles, vessels

or other structures; c. Unanticipated damage incurred to the airframe, control station, payload or

command and control links that adversely affects the performance or flight characteristics of the UAV;

d. Anytime the UAV is not kept within the geographic boundaries and/or altitude limits as outlined in this Certificate;

e. Any collision or risk of collision with another aircraft; f. Anytime the UAV becomes uncontrollable, experiences a fly-away or is missing;

and g. Any other incident that results in a Canadian Aviation Daily Occurrence Report

(CADORS).

The UAV Certificate Holder shall not operate the UAV following any of the aviation occurrences listed in the condition above, until such time as this office approves its further operation. Any such approval for resumption of operations shall be documented.

YES -

Note: This procedure is regulatory in nature and not to be used as a method of emergency contact. It is meant only to inform Transport Canada (PNR) of the incident after Emergency responders and/or local law enforcement personnel have been notified and the situation is secure.

OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

iii. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that all UAV pilots, visual observers and any other personnel involved in the operation of the UAV are 18 years of age or older.

YES -

iv. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated within 1 nm of any active emergency scene where emergency personnel are in attendance, unless written permission of the on-scene commander is obtained.

YES -

v. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will at no time be operated within 5 nm of a forest fire area or within any other airspace that has been restricted by the Minister under Section 5.1 of the Aeronautics Act.

YES -

vi. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated in visibility and ceiling conditions lower that 3 statute miles visibility and ceilings of 1000 feet AGL or 3 statute miles visibility and ceilings of 500 feet above the maximum planned operating altitude of the UAV, whichever is higher.



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YES -

vii. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that they have in place a system to ensure that any person involved in the operation of the UAV has not consumed alcohol or drugs within 8 hours of reporting for duty and that any person involved in the operation of the UAV is free from any adverse effects resulting from such consumption.

YES -

viii. Flight Duty Time Limitations and Rest Periods - By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that they have in place a system to ensure that any person involved in the operation of the UAV will be provided with a minimum rest period of 12 hours between duty periods not exceeding 14 hours. Additionally, the Certificate holder agrees that they will have in place a system to record and track rest and duty times.

YES -

Fatigue of the flight crew is an important factor which must be appropriately managed and monitored to ensure safe flight operations can be undertaken. A maximum of 14 hours work will be undertaken in any 24 hour period during the field campaign, and all duty periods will be separated by a minimum rest period of 12 hours.

Using the multicopter and fixed-wing platform described herein, individual flights will not exceed 45 minutes, and a break (minimum 15 minutes) will be taken between consecutive flights. A maximum of 10 flight operations will be conducted per duty period (totalling 6 hours’ flight time per 24-hour period).

We complete pilot and flight logs to track rest and duty times, aircraft operation and maintenance procedures (see example log sheets in the Additional Information section). A document folder is maintained for the aircraft / operation, which includes the On-Site Survey Form and each aircraft’s Technical Log. During the campaign this file will also include each pilot’s logbook.

The Operation Manager will be responsible for oversight of the duty times and scheduling of all flight crews involved in the operation for duration of the campaign.

The On-site Survey form includes:

A checklist of pre-flight actions (checks, NOTAMs, notifications, cordon establishment etc.)

A dynamic risk assessment log including pre-and post mitigation risk analysis

An authorisation field for logging the Pilot-in-Command release for flight operations (subject to the risk assessment and checks above).

Space to record flight conditions (meteorological data etc.) and task details and records, as well as the identification of aircraft used, specific flight times and more general operating notes.

The aircraft technical log includes:

Individual flight details (times, location, crew, etc.) as well as any technical records relating to the aircraft and /or payload, defect notes and maintenance records.

The Pilot Log includes the following, for each specific pilot:


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Aircraft type, ID, flight date/times and location for each flight

The conditions under which the flight is undertaken

Any training / currency exercises undertaken during the course of the flight

The capacity of the pilot during the flight (PIC, Pilot under training, ground control-manager etc.)

ix. Type and Purpose of the Operation - CAR 8.4 623.65(d)(3)(d)

Daytime VLOS, VFR operations will be carried out to collect visible spectrum and multi-spectral aerial image data for research purposes.

The research is part of a larger project lead by Dr. Isla Myers-Smith, Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh (a Canadian National) with the purpose of monitoring the impact of climate change on the vegetation in Herschel Island Territorial Park in collaboration with the Yukon Territorial Government, Canadian Centre for Earth Observation and Mapping and a team of researchers from universities and research centres in Canada, US and Europe.

The aim of the UAV operations is to collect visual- and multi-spectral (near-infrared) image data of long-term vegetation monitoring plots and their immediate surroundings to ground-truth satellite-remotely sensed data. The vegetation monitoring plots are part of an on-going long-term research project started by Yukon Parks in collaboration with the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) in 1999.

Flight operations will be carried out between 15 June 2016 and 15 August 2016 in collaboration with Yukon Parks. All research efforts are coordinated with Yukon Parks and relevant permits and licenses are in place, covering the whole scope of planned research including the UAS operations:

Yukon Environment Park Permit: Research permit application was submitted in March 2016 and is currently pending. Last year’s permit number was Inu 02-15.

Yukon Science and Explorer License: Research permit applied for in March 2016 and currently pending. Last year’s permit number was 15-50S&E.

Permit and license have been issued to the field campaign leader Dr. Isla Myers-Smith from the

University of Edinburgh. Copies of the permits are available on request from the applicants (isla.myers-

[email protected]).

Note: The Certificate applicant must provide a description of the type(s) (e.g. VLOS, BVLOS, day, night, VFR, IFR) and the purpose(s) of the operation (e.g. aerial photography, geophysical surveying, aerial demonstration, aerial inspection, wildlife management, search and rescue). The Certificate applicant must be specific when describing the purpose(s). Where a UAV system will be used for multiple purposes, all these purposes and the associated risk mitigations must all be detailed later in the SFOC application.

x. The dates, alternate dates and times of the proposed operation

Flight operations will be undertaken between 15 June 2016 and 15 August 2016. For the safe operation of the mulicopter and fixed-wing UAVs described in this document, and the acquisition of high quality image data, wind speeds below 30 mph (13.4 m/s) are required, however data quality suffers at high wind speeds so missions will only be planned when winds are gusting <17 mph (7.6 m/s) prior to take-off. Collection of image data requires favourable light conditions, therefore survey flight operations will only be




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undertaken between 0800 and 2000 (PDT). Each mission will last approximately 2-3h, including ground set-up and UAV operation. Actual flight time is estimated to be 10-40 min per mission.

Maximum Permissible Wind Speed Including Gusts3

m s-1 13.4

knots 26.0

Maximum Permissible Wind Gusts, over constant, up to maximum permissible

m s-1 7.6

knots 14.8

Note: Provide specific dates and times for site specific operations. For standing operations, a period of up to one calendar year may be applied for. If you require specific dates due to operational reasons, please state this. If your times are flexible, it is suggested that you apply for a given time period from the date of issue.

xi. Location(s) of the operation

Standing Area

The operations will consist of ~200 missions that will be flown on days with suitable weather conditions

between 15 June and 15 August 2016. The purpose of these missions is to obtain aerial imagery to

describe the vegetation structure (biomass and plant greening) over the growing season of areas

surrounding long-term vegetation monitoring plots and vegetation maps that have been established and

assembled over the last 20 years in Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island Territorial Park.

The operations area includes all of Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island bounded by the following coordinates:

North-West Corner: N69° 43' 04" W138° 48' 52"

North-East Corner: N69° 42' 03" W139° 21' 03"

South-East Corner: N69° 25' 23" W138° 46' 29"

South-West Corner: N69° 25' 05" W139° 20' 01"

All vegetation plots and the areas covered by the individual missions lie within the boundaries of the

operations area demarcated in the coordinates above and shown in Map 2.

All missions will be completed over land only, within the specified coordinates.

Site surveys of the mission zones and surrounding areas will be carried out by the research team before

each mission. All surveys will be conducted according to the University of Edinburgh’s site survey

guidelines; GPS data of the exact plot locations and survey area boundaries will be collected, landing

areas identified, flight plans created and finalised site assessments carried out before any flight missions

occur.


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The vegetation on Herschel Island is predominantly low and the natural surfaces are generally favourable

for landing UAV aircraft. Areas with shrub growth are an exception. However, the vegetation cover is very

heterogeneous, suitable landing areas will be found within less than 323 ft (100 m) of vegetation plots.

This will allow short approach and departure paths. When appropriate, a landing platform will be used for

take offs and landings, providing a flat landing surface.

Flight routes will either be mapping transects (rectangular plots) or zigzag routes (square plots) together

with the relevant approach and departure paths from and to the landing area. Flight routes will be created

with the surveying tool of the Mission Planner 1.3 Software, which takes into account camera type, lens,

desired image overlap (60% in this case) and flight altitude to determine the optimal flight paths.

For multicopter operations, missions will be flown either at or below 323 ft usually at final survey altitudes

of either 82 ft, 162 ft or 323 ft (25 m, 50 m or 100 m) AGL. All flights will be completed below 400 ft AGL;

the maximum planned survey height is 100 m (323 ft) AGL.

For fixed wing operations, missions will be flown either at or below 394 ft usually at final survey altitudes

of either 262, 323 ft or 394 ft (80 m, 100 m or 120 m) AGL. All flights will be completed below 400 ft AGL;

the maximum planned survey height is 120 m (394 ft) AGL.

For outreach operations, collecting video and imagery of the field sites for scientific engagement, flights

will be conducted below 300 ft.

Each mission will consist of up to three flights along the same flight route, one for visual spectrum

imagery, one for multi-spectral imagery, and with a multispectral sensor.

For multicopter operations, depending on the vegetation plot size areas a total area of around 0.5 ha (~

54000 sq feet) to 1 ha (~108000 square feet) will be mapped (see above).

For fixed wing operations, depending on the vegetation plot size areas a total area of around 10 ha (~

1,070,000 sq feet) to 100 ha (~10,700,000 square feet) will be mapped (see above).

For outreach operations, imagery/video will be collected as required to document the field sites.

GPS signal is generally relatively high on the Island (hdop usually 1.3 – 1.7 with 10 – 13 satellites).

The research basecamp at the old whaling station at Pauline Cove (yellow star, Map 2) and the signal

tower (red star, ~16 ft (5 m) height, Map 2) are the only man-made structures within the operations area

or its proximity.


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Map 1. Aeronautical Chart of Herschel Island and its surrounding area (Scan of NAV Canada VFR

Navigation Chart Mackenzie Delta). The blue square indicates the region shown in Map 2. The red circle

indicates estimated potential maximum reach of the aircraft with full batteries (15 nm) in the case of a

flyaway downwind at wind speeds of 17 mph (7.5 m/s) from either of the two most distance locations from

where flights are planned on the island.


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Map 2. Primary operations areas (Qikiqtaruk-Herschel Island Territorial Park), Research base camp at the

old whaling station at Pauline Cove (yellow star) and Signal Tower (red star), black boxes indicate primary

mission areas. The only potential obstacle is the man-made mast of the signal tower. No missions or

approach paths will be flown closer than 30 m (100 feet) to the mast of the signal tower. An informal

airstrip and waterdrome are located in Pauline Cove. We will not fly within 500m of this zone as indicated

by the yellow flight exclusion zone on the map. We are also in communication with the Park Rangers

about any potential air traffic in the region and will be filing NOTAMs (see below), thus mitigating risk

associated with the infrequent air traffic in the region.

Note: There are two types of applications. Site-specific and Standing Area.

For site-specific, please describe the site in detail through the use of latitude and longitude coordinates of the corners of a polygon that encompasses the entire proposed operation area or via a latitude and longitude coordinate and a radius of operations from that point. Screen shots and/or maps are not acceptable unless they are sent in .kml file format.

For standing area applications, describe the area in detail through the use of latitude and longitude coordinates of the corners of a polygon that encompasses the entire proposed operation area or via a latitude and longitude coordinate and a radius of operations from that point. Alternatively, you may request a large standing area such as a province, provinces or territories. You will need to demonstrate risk mitigation procedures for all types of authorized airspace within the operation area you apply to work in.


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xii. The altitudes and routes to be used on the approach and departure to and from the area where the operation will be carried out - CAR 8.10 623.65(d)(3)(j)

There are no obstacles within the approach and departure paths between the take off and landing sites and the areas of interest which will be surveyed as part of the flight missions.

xiii. The location and height above ground of all obstacles in the approach and departure path to the areas where the operation will be carried out

No natural obstacles are present on the island. The only potential obstacle is the man-made mast of the weather station (5 m above ground level). No missions or approach paths will be flown closer than 30 m (100 feet) to the mast of the weather station.

xiv. The altitudes and routes to be used while carrying out the operation

For multicopter operations, all flights will be completed below 121 m (400 ft) AGL. The maximum planned

survey height is 100 m (323 ft) AGL; although many missions with be flow at lower altitudes.

For fixed-wing operations, all flights will be completed below 121 m (400 ft) AGL. The maximum planned

survey height is 120 m (393 ft) AGL; although many missions with be flow at lower altitudes.

Note: As a general rule, flights within 5 nm of any aerodrome will be limited to 100 feet AGL. Flights outside of 5 nm will normally only be permitted as high as 400 feet AGL. Flights higher than these altitudes will require the applicant to demonstrate to the Minister how the additional safety risks of higher flights will be mitigated.

AIRSPACE COORDINATION PROCEDURES (see Appendix A below)

Please specify your proposed coordination and operating procedures for each type of airspace listed below:

Note: For site specific applications, identify the type of airspace you plan to operate in and the specific procedures you intend to follow. For standing SFOC’s (blanket geographic areas) you must identify the types of airspace and your procedures for operations within each type. If you do not intend to work in a particular type of airspace, please indicate this in the space provided. For all applications, indicate the maximum proposed altitude and specific contact numbers in the case of site specific applications. For standing areas, include the method that will be used to determine who to contact for coordination.

i. Class A and Class B airspace

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. We are only requesting permission to fly in class G airspace (uncontrolled airspace).

ii. Class C airspace

By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated within Class C airspace without prior coordination in accordance with the direction given in Appendix A of this document through the appropriate Nav Canada Flight Information Region (FIR) as follows:


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a. For UAV flights within Edmonton FIR, Nav Canada can be contacted at: i. Planning 1: 866-992-7433 ii. Planning 2: 780-890-4739 iii. Emergency 1: 780-890-8397 iv. Emergency 2: 780-890-4739 v. Email:[email protected] vi. Hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1530 MDT Excl.Statutory Holidays

b. For flights within Winnipeg FIR, Nav Canada can be contacted at 204-983-0304, e-mail is [email protected]

c. For flights within Montreal FIR, Nav Canada can be contacted through the Iqualuit Flight Service Station manager or via email [email protected]

YES -

iii. Class D airspace

By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated in Class D airspace without prior coordination in accordance with the direction given in Appendix A of this document through the appropriate Nav Canada Flight Information Region (FIR) as follows:

a. For UAV flights within Edmonton FIR, Nav Canada can be contacted at: i. Planning 1: 866-992-7433 ii. Planning 2: 780-890-4739 iii. Emergency 1: 780-890-8397 iv. Emergency 2: 780-890-4739 v. Email: [email protected] vi. Hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1530 MDT Excl.Statutory Holidays



YES -

iv. Class E airspace

By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated in Class E airspace without prior coordination in accordance with the direction given in Appendix A of this document through the appropriate Nav Canada Flight Information Region (FIR) as follows:

a. For UAV flights within Edmonton FIR, Nav Canada can be contacted at: i. Planning 1: 866-992-7433 ii. Planning 2: 780-890-4739 iii. Emergency 1: 780-890-8397 iv. Emergency 2: 780-890-4739 v. Email: [email protected] vi. Hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1530 MDT Excl.Statutory Holidays












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YES -

v. General Built-up areas procedures

By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be flown within any built-up or populated areas unless all of the following conditions are met:

a. The UAV shall not be operated within any built-up or populated area unless written permission from the local governing authorities has been given’

b. The UAV shall not be operated within 100 feet horizontally of any person, structure or vehicle not directly associated with the operation of the UAV unless written permission has been obtained;

c. The UAV shall not be operated within 100 feet horizontally of any public roadway, right of way, or public access route unless a security plan is in place that is capable of precluding public access or incursion within 100 feet horizontally of the UAV;

d. The UAV shall not be operated within 500 feet horizontally of any public owned areas including parks, playgrounds or other public spaces without a security plan in place that is capable of precluding public access or incursion within 500 feet horizontally of the UAV;

e. The UAV shall not be operated within 500 feet horizontally of any schools during normal school hours or whenever the school is occupied; and

f. The UAV operation shall be terminated immediately if a risk of public incursion of the operation area is evident or likely to occur.

YES -

vi. Class G airspace (outside of built-up areas and outside of 5nm from any aerodromes)

We are only requesting permission to fly in class G airspace (uncontrolled airspace) outside of built-up areas and outside of 5 nm from any aerodromes.

Maximum altitude will be 121 m (400 ft) AGL. A NOTAM will be issued through the ATC in Edmonton, advising of the planned UAV flight operations at Herschel Island for the duration of the field campaign.

The NAV Canada National Operations Centre (+1 613-563-5626), the ATC in Edmonton, the FIS in Edmonton and the FSS at Inuvik Airport can be contacted via satellite phone from the area of operations. Any recommendations or requirements from TC for prior notification of the flight operations will be followed.

All air traffic visiting Herschel Island for supply, research and other purposes has to be authorised by the

territorial park rangers. The UAV operations subject to this application are closely coordinated with the

rangers, both the operations manager and the visiting aircraft operators will be notified of each other’s

activity. No UAV flights will be undertaken during scheduled take off and landing of aircraft on the island.

Additionally, all charter companies based in Inuvik which operate in the Northern Yukon will be contacted

via phone prior the start of the field campaign and informed of the planned UAV operations within the

area of operations defined above (see above). The charter companies are:


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Aklak Air (Twin Otter) 1-867-777-3555

North-Wright Airways (Float Plane) 1-867-777-2220

Gwich’in Helicopters 1-867-678-2270

Canadian Helicopters 1-867-777-2424

All UAV flights will be undertaken over land only. All contacts above will be briefed to this effect, in order to assist in safe approach planning in the event of an unplanned or emergency diversion into the Pauline Cove area.

vii. Class G airspace (within built-up areas)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. No flights will be conducted within 500 m of any buildings (including the small settlement at Pauline Cove which is identified above as an exclusion area).

viii. Class G airspace (within 5nm of an aerodrome)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. No aerodrome is present within or adjacent to the operating area. A small number of supply flights by seaplane are expected to operate into the bay near Pauline Cove during the summer, but coordination will be undertaken (and UAV flights halted) as described in the section above.

ix. Class G airspace (within 1nm of an aerodrome)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. As per the previous section.

x. Class F airspace (CYA)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. No Class F airspace is present.

xi. Class F airspace (CYR)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. No Class F airspace is present.

xii. Any Class of Department of National Defense (DND) controlled airspace

a. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be flown within any class of airspace controlled by the Department of National Defense (DND) unless written coordination details and permission of DND is obtained.

YES -

b. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be flown in the airspace underlying any class of airspace controlled by the Department of National Defense (DND) unless written coordination details and permission of DND is obtained.

YES -

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable. No such airspace is present.

Note: The Certificate applicant is responsible for working with appropriate military authorities to gain access to the Base/Range airspace and prepare their operating procedures to the satisfaction of the applicable Range Control Officer and/or the


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Base/Wing Commander. SFOC’s that permit operations within any military airspace will be contingent on the approval of DND.

DND requires that the Certificate applicant provide both their approved SFOC and Base/Range authorization letter to 1 CAD for verification a minimum of 30 days prior to the intended date of operations. Upon confirmation of a valid SFOC and applicable Canadian Forces Base range access approval, 1 CAD will issue a letter of endorsement

xiii. Class F airspace (CYD)

Fill in your coordination procedures – Not Applicable

xiv. Class C Tower control zone


xv. Class D Tower control zone


xvi. Class E control zone


xvii. Mandatory Frequency control zone (MF)


xviii. Aerodrome Traffic Frequency zone (ATF)


xix. Privately owned, unlicenced, unregistered Aerodrome Procedures

See details and maps above. No flights will be conducted within 500 m of the informal unlicenced/unregistered waterdrome and unlicenced/unregistered beach air strip – our flight exclusion zone. Flight operations will be coordinated with Park Rangers, and any researchers or other personnel working with charter flights, so that we can avoid any drone activities when aircraft are operating in the area.

xx. Air Defense Identification Zone

By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be flown within the Air Defense Identification Zone unless they are able to fully comply with the provisions of CAR 602.145.

YES -

xxi. The UAV may be operated at night, and only for the purposes authorized to a maximum altitude of XXX feet AGL. The area must have adequate supplemental illumination to


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operate safely and avoid hazards. The integrated UAV aircraft lighting is not approved and not to be used for sole source reference.

Not applicable, night-time operations will not be carried out. Note: the specific lighting systems to be used and the altitude request must be justified. Normally the altitudes allowed will be significantly lower than that allowed in daylight. (100 feet AGL is normal unless higher is required and justified)

xxii. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that a current copy of the Canada Flight Supplement and current, relevant aeronautical charts shall be available and utilized when planning all UAV operations.

YES -

SECURITY PLAN

For site-specific applications, fill in the details of the particular site(s) at which you plan to operate.

For standing area applications, you must provide a procedure or list that includes a process for completing a security plan that covers all of the details for each and every operation in the area in which you plan to work. Keep in mind that your SFOC requires you to maintain records of all flights conducted under the SFOC and as such it is highly recommended that you develop a form or checklist that you will use. Cut and past the information required from the form into the applicable sections below.

CAR 8.7 623.65(d)(3)(g)

The security plan for the area(s) of operation and security plan for the area(s) to be over flown to ensure no hazard is created to persons or property on the surface. The Certificate applicant must describe the security plan for the area(s) of operation and for the areas to be over flown.

In addition to the assessment provided through this SFOC application, the School of GeoSciences, has in place a two stage safety assessment procedure:

Stage 1: A full Site Safety Assessment (SSA) form, which is a desktop exercise undertaken prior to deployment to assess aeronautical risks, local regulations, requirements for specific permissions, and hazards to / from persons and property on the ground. All crew will be briefed on the content of the SSA prior to deployment.

Stage 2: An On-Site Survey form, which is required to be completed daily, and at each separate site used during the course of the day, This checks that all appropriate coordination / notification procedures are completed, and provides a dynamic risk assessment form to allow the crew to identify, assess and mitigate any unforeseen hazards that may only become apparent while on site.

The SSA is completed electronically, and a hard copy carried in the field. The On-Site Survey form is completed on a hard copy while in the field, and archived on return to base. All records are kept in the Airborne GeoSciences Facility at the Unviersity of Edinburgh for a minimum of 5 years following completion of operations.


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An overview of these risk management procedures (as well as all other operational matters) is maintained with the UoE Airborne GeoSciences Facility UAV Operations manual, which will be adhered to throughout all operations.

With regards to this specific campaign:

The operation is extremely remote and all people present in the operating areas will be in direct contact with the operations manager. All people present within the fly-away range will be notified of the flight operations.

Two additional events could be identified as potential risks occurring during the operation. All three together have been rated as low-level risks or below, due to their unlikelihood of occurrence:

Large animals entering the area of operation (low risk)

Aircraft approaching the area of operation (very low risk)

The following security plan and procedure is in place to mitigate the level of risks even further.

The ground team conducting the operations will consist of two people:

The Operations Manager: Either Isla Myers-Smith, Andrew Cunliffe, Jakob Assmann or Jeffrey Kerby are responsible for coordinating all aspects of flight operations and assume the role of pilot-in-command (PIC). The second ground team member will act as the ground environment controller.

The Ground Environment Controller (GEC): A member of the research team assisting the Operations Manager in overseeing the ground environment. The main task of the GEC is to look out for people and large animals (such as bears, muskox and caribou) that could potentially enter the operations area, and to survey the sky in the highly unlikely event of an aircraft approaching the operations area, and supporting the Operations Manager in carrying out ground based tasks. Such as setting up the ground station, camera and staking out the landing area.

All ground team members will be briefed in the potential hazards involved with operating UAVs, relevant safety procedures, the above identified risks and mitigation strategies.

In the unlikely event of a person external to the team approaching the area of operation the GEC will contact (via radio or directly) the relevant person and ensure that he or she stays clear of the operations area within 100 feet (30 m).

All three ground team members will stay within audible range of each other or maintain continuous contact with two way radios at all times. The following codes in case of an unexpected event that requires immediate action:

“Danger: Person approaching!” – If a person not part of the ground crew is within 100 feet (30 m) of the operations area

“Danger: Animal approaching!” – If a large animal is within 500 feet (150 m) of the area of operation

“Danger: Aircraft approaching!” – If an aircraft is approaching the area of operation at an estimated low altitude (below 150 m or 500 ft AGL)


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This will be followed by the relative cardinal direction of the hazard, the relative direction of movement and the relative distance to the UAV. In case of an approaching aircraft a ground crew member may also provide an estimated altitude AGL if he or she is able to do so. Should an external person approach the flight operations area, they will be requested to remain at a safe distance until flight operations are concluded. Should a large animal be approaching in a dangerous manner, the PIC will interrupt the automated mission immediately and – if safe to do so – return and land the aircraft by triggering the automated RTL function. In the case of immediate danger an emergency landing will be carried out. Should an aircraft be approaching, the PIC will immediately interrupt the automated mission by switching to manual control and bring the UAV to a low altitude 25 m (82 ft) above ground level), return and land it within the designated landing zone. In the case of immediate danger an emergency landing will be carried out. The operations will then be put on hold until the hazardous situation has passed and it is safe to continue. The launch / recovery area for the aircraft will be marked with hi-vis markers to ensure that the crew, and any potential others, can clearly identify the area. All ground team members will be instructed to stay clear of it at all times.

An alternate landing area will also be identified prior to operation, In the event that the primary landing area becomes unavailable the aircraft will be landed within the alternate landing area.

The PIC will continuously update the ground team of the mission progress, particularly immediately before take off and landing using the following command codes:

“Stay clear – Ready for take-off!”

“Stay clear – Aircraft landing!”

i. Proposed safe altitudes and distances for the operation (e.g. from members of the public, structures, vehicles, vessels etc.)

The park rangers and the researchers participating in the field campaign are the only people expected to be on the island through the time frame when operations are conducted.

The rangers and research team members will be briefed in the morning of planned UAV operations and will be advised to stay at least 30 m (100 feet) away from the operating area.

Additionally, direct radio link to the park rangers and nearby research teams is available at all times through two-way radios.

There are no large natural objects such as trees on Herschel Island and the only man made structures are the old whaling station (the base camp for all operations on Herschel Island) at Pauline Cove and a small mast (< 33 ft, 10 m) of a weather station approximately 1.35 nm (2.5 km) north-east of Pauline Cove. The UAV will not be flown within 1650 feet (500 m) of the old whaling station at Pauline Cove and within 100 feet (30 m) of the mast.

There are not expected to be any persons, vehicle, vessels or structures within or adjacent to the survey areas. Nonetheless, each operating site will be subject to a daily On-Site Survey (prior to any flight) to


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ensure that no unanticipated hazards are present, or will be created by the operation, and appropriate mitigating action (e.g. avoids etc.) taken. This process is documented in the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility UAV Operations Manual that is described in detail below.

Note: flight within 100 feet horizontally of persons not involved in the operation of the UAV will not be permitted. Flight within 100’ horizontally of buildings and occupied vehicles or vessels will not be permitted without the owners consent and lack of objection from the occupants. Flight within 100 feet of occupied vehicles(without the occupants’ permission) also serves to preclude operation of the UAV within 100 feet of roads and rights of way unless the applicant can demonstrate how and under what authority they plan to prevent such incursions of the UAV.

ii. Isolation of bystanders during take-off/launch, in-flight and landing/recovery (e.g. fences, barriers, removal of people from operating area, etc.)

The University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility UAV Operations Manual outlines cordon procedures for isolation of bystanders etc. The extent of the cordon procedure required is determined by the likelihood of public incursion into the operating area.

Due to the remote nature of this operation, a limited cordon procedure is proposed. This will involve a ground level cordon of ~ 33 ft (10 m) radius around the launch / recovery point and radio contact to inform all personnel on the island of our flight operation activities. In this very remote environment, the risk of spectator incursion is extremely low in this environment as all people on the island will be made aware of our specific operation plans each day we fly a mission.

A red flag will be mounted to the telemetry pole at any time the aircraft is powered. This should ensure that TC separation regulations are maintained for the critical launch/recovery phases. The Ground Environment Controller will be responsible for intercepting any people approaching the survey areas within less than 100 ft (30 m) and will ask them to remain clear using two-way radios (all researchers and Park Rangers monitor the marine radio frequency 69).

Note: Use of warning signs only is not considered acceptable in areas with a reasonable possibility of spectator incursion. The applicant must outline how they intend to secure the site. If the applicant intends to close public roadways, sidewalks or other public spaces, they must show proof that they have the authority of the controlling agency to do so. In the case of a large geographic area, a process must be shown whereby these permissions may be obtained.

iii. Permission to access private property;

Not applicable, no private property will be accessed or overflown during the operations.

Note: The application must indicate that permission has been or will be obtained before flight for all properties over which and from or to which flights of the UAV will take place.

iv. Permission from aerodrome authorities;

Not applicable, operations will not take place in proximity to a registered aerodrome.

Note: The applicant must demonstrate that the aerodrome authorities and/or controlling agencies for both the aerodrome and the surrounding airspace have been contacted and have approved of the operation. The applicant must provide documentation to that effect


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including names and contact numbers of the parties concerned and details of the operational security plan. This section does not cover airspace coordination. Typically the airspace surrounding the aerodrome is not controlled by the aerodrome authority/operator, airspace in Canada is normally controlled by NavCanada. The aerodrome authorities only authorize you to take-off and land from the surfaces, but not operate within the airspace.

v. Permission for land use from other jurisdictions (e.g. civic authorities, government held property, DND, etc.).

Flight operations will be carried out between 15 June 2016 and 15 August 2016 (see above) in collaboration with Yukon Parks. All research efforts are coordinated with Yukon Parks and relevant permits and licenses are in place, covering the whole scope of planned research including the UAV operations:

Yukon Environment Park Permit: Research permit applied for in March 2016 and currently pending. Last year’s permit number: Inu 02-15.

Yukon Science and Explorer License: Research permit applied for in March 2016 and currently pending. Last year’s permit number: 15-50S&E.

Permits and licenses are issued to the field campaign leader Dr. Isla Myers-Smith from the University of Edinburgh. Copies of the permits are available on request from the applicants ([email protected]).

Note: Similar to private property in that the application must indicate that permission has been or will be obtained before flight for all affected properties over which and from or to which flights of the UAV will take place. Depending on the level of safety mitigation required, the inspector may or may not require the applicant to provide documentation granting permission. Documentation of coordination with DND, Parks Canada, City or Provincial Governments and any other affected agencies is required to be attached to the application.

OPERATING PROCEDURES AND EMERGENCIES

CAR 8.8 623.65(d)(3)(h)

"The emergency contingency plan to deal with any disaster resulting from the operation."

i. The Certificate applicant must describe the emergency contingency plan(s).

General emergency procedures are outlined in the University of Edinburgh (UoE) Airborne GeoSciences Facility UAV Operations Manual (Part D, Standard Operating procedures). Please note that the terms UAV and UAS are synonymously used with UAV in this document. Type specific (fixed wing vs. multirotor) procedures for handling the aircraft in emergencies are outlined in a Flight Reference Card for that type (rather than model), which takes the form of an appendix to the operations manual.

Due to the remote location of the operation additional emergency plans are in place. These concern particularly the communication links and are as follows:




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1. If any accident or emergency occurs the Park Rangers will be immediately be contacted via radio. This is to ensure maximum awareness of the incident amongst all persons on the island and to inform the park authorities of the incident.

2. If required the FSS in Inuvik, ACC in Edmonton and TC Canada will be notified via satellite phone of the incident. Additionally, the coastguard may be contacted by satellite phone or via radio through the park rangers.

The following list of relevant phone numbers will be available at all times at the Ground Control Station and will be carried by the PIC while flying a mission.

FSS Inuvik Airport – Watch Manager: +1 867 777-2467 Emergency and Incident Number, Government of Northwest Territories: +1 877-989-1400 ACC Edmonton – Watch Manager: +1 780-890-8397 Transport Canada Prairie and Northern Regional Office: +1 888 463 0521 Coast Guard in Inuvik: +1 867-979-5260 Hospital in Inuvik: +1 867-777-8000

Other Emergency Numbers (carried in the cases of all satellite phones together with instructions to use satellite phones):

Aurora Research Institute Cell 1-867-678-5343

Aurora Research Institute

Reception

1-867-777-3298

Inuvik Hospital 1-867-777-8000

Coast Guard (Inuvik) 1-867-777-2667

RCMP (police) 1-867-777-1111

Parks Canada 1-867-777-8800

Yukon Parks (Whitehorse) 1-867-667-5648

Yukon Parks Rangers on Herschel

Island (Satellite phone)

+8816 316-55502

Richard Gordon, Senior Park

Ranger (Inuvik)

1-867-777-4058

List of charter airlines based in Inuvik operating in the area (also on card in satellite phone cases).

Required to arrange medevac:

Aklak Air (Twin Otter) 1-867-777-3555

North-Wright Airways (Float Plane) 1-867-777-2220

Gwich’in Helicopters 1-867-678-2270

Canadian Helicopters 1-867-777-2424

All emergency procedures are coordinated the Aurora Research Institute and the Yukon Territorial Park Rangers, which in turn facilitate the coordination with the emergency authorities, including the Canadian Coast Guard, air plane and helicopter charter companies and the hospital in Inuvik.

General emergency procedures


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ABC powder fire extinguishers and first aid kits will be carried by the operating crew. Additionally, each crew member will carry basic first aid supplies. Comprehensive first aid supplies are located at the Pauline Cove settlement.

All operating crew members will carry handheld 2-way radios these will be used to facilitate communications among team members and with the park rangers and other researchers in the case of an emergency. Two satellite phones will be used for direct communication with emergency services. Each operating UAV crew will have a satellite phone with them when carrying out flight operations.

Operating crew members will be briefed on the emergency procedures outlined above, including the safe usage of fire extinguishers and the handling of Lithium Polymer battery fires.

Additionally, as part of the overarching field campaign under which the UAV operations will be conducted, a clear emergency protocol is in place covering all steps required to:

Alert other crew members, park rangers, the field research station emergency contacts and nearest emergency services

Provide local emergency care

Arrange field evacuation

This protocol will be explained to all members of the field crew prior to arrival on the island. The safety protocol with emergency contact numbers will be outlined in all emergency first aid kits and in all satellite phone cases.

At least one member of the operating crew will be a certified with remote environment first aid training.

Field emergency logistics will be coordinated by the research team leader Isla Myers-Smith, Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Edinburgh and the supporting research station, the Aurora Research Institute in Inuvik. Myers-Smith has completed fieldwork and expedition first aid training.

Nearest medical facilities – Hospital in Inuvik, NT (2 hours helicopter flight from Herschel Island, 4 hour round trip from Inuvik, weather permitting flight)

Please see the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility (UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual and relevant sections below (e.g. medical emergency and fly-away) for further detail.

University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual Common Failure Modes and Mitigation

The Ardupilot-based both multicopter and fixed-wing UAS systems described herein have a number of

failsafes and precautionary procedures to mitigate failures with the control systems. Several potential

system failures and associated failsafes are described below.

Loss of GNSS signal, preventing autonomous navigation:

This could occur due to failure of the navigation module unit, disconnection from the flight control computer,

interference with the incoming signal (for example, due to electromagnetic noise from onboard components,

or restriction of horizon view, or multipathing). If GNSS signal is lost, the flight mode will automatically

change to circle with altitude hold, and the PIC should bring the UAS safely back to land in the Landing

Zone (LZ) after manually taking over.

Loss of GNSS signal, preventing autonomous navigation:


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This could occur due to failure of the navigation module unit, disconnection from the flight control computer,

interference with the incoming signal (for example, due to electromagnetic noise from onboard components,

or restriction of horizon view, or multipathing). If GNSS signal is lost, the flight mode will automatically

change to loiter, and the PIC should take manual control of the UAS and bring it safely back to the Landing

Zone (LZ).

Electro-Magnetic Interference Automatic navigation is lost due to magnetic interference:

This could be caused by the presence of any high-powered electronics in the vicinity, or due to the failure

of the UAS on-board compass unit. The PIC will take manual control of the UAS and bring it safely back to

the LZ. If for some reason manual control cannot be obtained, this can be further mitigated though the use

of a geo-fence failsafe, that will trigger landing at its current location should the UAS continue to exceed

the boundaries (radius and altitude) set within the geo-fence options.

The geo-fence should be configured to 500 m (radius) and 122 m (above ground level) to ensure VLOS

flight rules are not exceed.

Electro-Mechanical Failure could result in greatly impaired flight control: This could occur due to the failure of a propeller, motor, or electronic speed controller (ESC). The

hexacopter (6 motors) multicopters platforms described herein have some degree of control in the case of

a thrust unit (ESC-motor-propeller) failing. And the fixed-wing platforms have glide control in the the case

of a thrust unit (ESC-motor-propeller) failing. However, if an electro-mechanical failure is noticed, the

mission should still be aborted and the UAS landed immediately.

Fire

A fire extinguisher appropriate to the type of fuel / battery in use will be carried for all UAS operations (see

preparation sections above). For LiPo batteries, this will be powder in the event of a fire occurring with any

of the equipment, if safe to do so the powder fire extinguishers should be used to control the fire. For

example, if a LiPo battery has failed and is venting gases (which can be erratic and explosive) then it would

be best to let it burn itself out rather than attempt to put it out, unless doing so risks igniting other materials

which could cause more extensive fires. Sand and other smothering agents could be used to limit the

spread of any fire. All charging of LiPo batteries will occur on metal plates to prevent contact with any

flammable surfaces to prevent the spread of any fire.

Accidents and Incidents – Immediate Actions

Accidents must be recorded even if there is no need to involve outside parties (e.g. emergency services).

This includes such things as loss or damage to the aircraft. Accidents must also be recorded in the pilot’s

flight logbook and the hazard log (general or specific, as applicable).

The immediate actions below should be followed should an accident involving the UAS occur.

Fly-Away

If direct manual control of the UAS is lost, all failsafe’s have a failed and the UAS fly’s off into the distance,

then its last known altitude, location, speed, direction of travel and battery status must be noted.

a. The PIC will work out a rough expected flight time before power depletion will force the UAS to ‘land’. b. If in controlled airspace, the PIC will inform ATC of the last known details of the UAS as well as its

weight. The PIC will ensure the word “UNMANNED” is the first word the ATC hears before details are given, so that they know that this is an unmanned flight.


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Crash (All Cases) If the UAS should suffer a malfunction and crash

a. The PIC will ensure that the transmitter is set to manual mode with zero throttle and will attempt to disarm the UAS (leave the transmitter ON).

b. The PIC will approach the UAS with caution and unplug the battery immediately if no signs of battery swelling or venting are seen.

c. If the battery has swelled, the PIC will monitor it from a safe distance for at least 20 minutes before considering unplugging the battery (ensure the battery is placed into a safe area/container).

d. If the battery is venting, the PIC will allow the battery to burn itself out if it is not likely to damage property or cause further injury etc., elsewise attempt to extinguish it immediately.

Accident Involving Property Damage If the crash caused damage to a property, the immediate actions as per 4.4.2 above are to be applied, and

then:

a. The owner of the property must be informed as soon as possible. b. A full incident report must be complete in accordance with the insurer’s requests. c. The area will be kept clear of non-authorised personnel. d. The PIC will take notes of the event, including photos and witness details.

Accident Involving Injury to Persons In the event of an injury being caused by the UAS:

a. The PIC will land the UAS as soon as safely possible if it has not already come to rest. b. Upon landing, the UAS must be made safe (e.g. disarming and disconnecting the battery). c. If appropriate, first aid action must be taken. d. If appropriate call emergency services and initiate emergency rescue procedures.

Stranding of the UAS If the UAS has become entangled in an object (e.g. a tree) then the PIC will attempt to disarm the UAS and

consider how to safely retrieve it .

Reporting and Recording of Accidents, Incidents & Occurrences

Any accident, incident or occurrence with safety implications or impact will be reported through the

University of Edinburgh School of GeoScience’s Health and Safety reporting system and all relevant local

authorities. Any incident or accident with implications for other airspace users are likely to require reporting

through appropriate CAA* channels (or may be subject to direct investigation by the CAA). The UoE

airborne Geosciences facility manager will be able to advise on appropriate actions if there is any question

of flight safety having been compromised. Additionally, any accident or incident involving people or property

on the ground should be reported to the local police and may be subject to investigation by them, as well

as the CAA.

* The Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) is the UK’s aviation regulator.

Coordination with Emergency Services

If emergency services are required they should be directed to the emergency access routes that are pre-

defined in the site assessment and the below should be followed:

a. All crew will provide appropriate assistance to the emergency services if required. b. All crew members will make sure all equipment is to be kept out of the way of any emergency service

unless it is required by the service personnel.


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c. If air emergency services are required (e.g. air ambulance) then all equipment will be stowed carefully away from potential down drafts from the incoming aircraft.

Note: The emergency contingency plan must at a minimum include ALL of the following:

a. Have an emergency plan in place describing the personnel and equipment available to respond to anticipated emergencies, including incidents and accidents, or medical emergencies;

See above.

b. Have the equipment and personnel described in the emergency plan readily available during flight operations;

Checklist procedures are in place to ensure that all equipment and personnel described above are present during all flight operations.

c. Coordinate the emergency contingency plan with applicable emergency agencies and authorities (e.g. airport operator, etc.);

All emergency procedures are coordinated the Aurora Research Institute and the Yukon Territorial Park Rangers, which in turn facilitate the coordination with the emergency authorities, including the Canadian Coast Guard, air plane and helicopter charter companies and the hospital in Inuvik.

d. Ensure that all persons associated with the operation who may be required to respond to an emergency situation are briefed in advance of the operation (e.g. available emergency services, methods of contacting emergency services, checklists); and

All persons involved in the operations will be briefed in advance of the operations about the emergency procedures described in this document and according to the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual upon which the general procedures are based.

e. Where applicable, ensure access routes are available for emergency vehicles.

Not applicable, there are no motorised ground vehicles on the island. The only potentially possible response involving emergency vehicle is a medical evacuation by helicopter. Vegetation cover is low on Herschel Island (no trees) and a suitable Helicopter landing area is available in close proximity to all areas of operation.

It is expected that the emergency contingency plan will be well thought out and detailed in the SFOC application. Relying on calling 911 would not, meet the standard expected of an emergency contingency plan.If the emergency contingency plan includes contacting 911, the Certificate applicant must identify that calling 911 is only related to the emergency contingency plan actions and that it is not appropriate to call 911 for aircraft-related emergencies (e.g. lost link, fly-away, damage to UAV, etc.)

ii. If not authorized to enter controlled airspace, the Certificate applicants must describe the following items in the event that there is an inadvertent flight into controlled airspace and/or fly-away:


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a. a means of determining if they inadvertently enter controlled airspace;

Not applicable, the nearest controlled airspace is approx. 100 nm away from the area of operations. Exceeding the maximum horizontal distance that the UAV is able to fly in case of a down wind fly-away (estimated: 15 nm) by one order of magnitude.

b. a plan to communicate with the ATS Unit where the UAV inadvertently flies into controlled airspace and cannot be immediately returned to the area of operation; and

Not applicable, see above.

Note: The application must contain specific contact methods including telephone numbers and/or radio frequencies of the affected agencies.

c. the ability to contact, and know who to contact, if the UAV is no longer under control of the pilot and the UAV flies away.

In the case of a fly-away the following chain of action will be undertaken.

Based on the above-described University of Edinburgh UAV guidelines the last known altitude, location,

speed, direction of travel and battery status will be noted.

Location and direction of the operations area from Inuvik Airport (the nearest aerodrome):

135 nm N-W of CYEV

The gathered information will then be supplied to the relevant authorities in the following order:

1) Immediately notify park rangers via radio of fly-away - Park rangers will then warn all personnel on the island of danger through the out-of-control aircraft. - Park rangers will also inform coast guard.

2) Contact FSS at Inuvik Airport via satellite phone: +1 867 777-2467

3) Contact ACC in Edmonton via satellite phone: +1 780-890-8397

3) Contact FSS at Inuvik Airport via satellite phone: +1 867 777-2467Should the FSS at Inuvik Airport not be available the Emergency and Incident Number of the Government of Northwest Territories will be contacted instead: +1 877-989-1400

4) Call Transport Canada Prairie and Northern Regional Office via satellite phone on: +1-888-463-0521

An emergency procedure card outlining this procedure will be carried at all times during the operations.

Note: The application must contain specific contact methods including telephone numbers and/or radio frequencies of the affected agencies.

iii. Detail your specific procedures the outline how to deal with the following emergency situations:


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Detailed flight operations section

a. command and control link failure;

Multiple redundant failsafes are in place in case of a command link failure. This could be due to direct failure

of the transmitter (Tx) failure, interference on the primary control frequency, exceedance of the radio link

range, failure of the on-board receiver (Rx) or the connection between the Rx and the flight control

computer. If the command and control link is interrupted, a ‘radio failsafe’ will activate. If GNSS-derived

position is available, the aircraft will return to launch (RTL) at a prescribed altitude of 100 ft (multicopter)

330 ft (fixed-wing) AGL. If GNSS-derived position is unavailable (or if the GNSS-derived position is lost

while the primary control link is lost), the aircraft will immediately land at the current location. This failsafe

should prevent a fly-away in case of command link failure.

Additionally, a GPS failsafe is in place, which will be activated if the GPS signal drops below a set threshold

(more precisely, this failsafe is activated if the horizontal GPS accuracy is above >2.6 m).

b. loss of visual contact;

The UAV is programmed with a ‘GeoFence’ failsafe. A cylinder of airspace with a radius of 500 m (1640 ft) and altitude of 125 m (410 ft) from the take-off location is defined. Should the UAS breach this perimeter, it will automatically initiate return-to-launch (RTL).

In the case of loss of visual contact, the PIC will initiate RTL via the Tx. The ground control station (GCS) will be monitored closely for aircraft status (particularly position). Should the UAV not be observed (via the GCS) to be complying with the RTL command, emergency ditching will be carried out by sending the LAND command on the Tx.

c. operation of the flight termination system

Flight can be interrupted at any time by initiating either a return-to-launch (RTL) or LAND command. Both commands can be initiated by (i) pre programmed failsafes, (ii) via the Tx, or (iii) via the ground control station over the secondary telemetry link. Once landed the UAV will be disarmed, using the Tx, or as a backup, the GCS. For more detail, please see landing and emergency landing procedures.

d. emergency landing/ditching (e.g. engine failure, fuel starvation, aircraft malfunction, etc.);

Multicopter operations:

Battery status is monitored by the flight control computer through an onboard voltage meter, and reported via telemetry to the ground control station (GCS) where it is monitored by the PIC. Should the voltage drop below 14.4 V (3.6 V per cell on a 4S battery pack), the ‘battery failsafe’ will initiate, triggering a RTL (if GNSS-derived position is available, or LAND if GNSS-derived position is unavailable).

Should an emergency landing be required due to the malfunction of the UAV or a hazardous situation (e.g. approaching aircraft/large animal). The following procedure will be carried out: If the aircraft is deemed safe to return to land the RTL command will be sent from the Tx to the UAV and a landing carried out as for the normal landing procedures. Should it not be possible to safely return the aircraft to the landing area or should the aircraft have a


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malfunction impacting it’s ability to fly, the LAND command will be send from the Tx to the UAV, upon which it imitates an automated decent and lands on at the current location. This command is an absolute last resort and will only be sent if the airspace directly below the aircraft is clear and no additional hazard will be created due to the procedure (i.e. risk to property/people). Should either of the latter hazards be the case the aircraft will be moved manually (in ALTITUDE HOLD or STABILISE mode) to the closest position where automated decent and landing is possible.

If everything else fails, the UAV will be landed manually on the spot using the STABILISE mode.

Once landed the aircraft will be disarmed with the Tx and only approached if deemed safe to do so or required to prevent further harm to people or damage to property (please see UoE guidelines for procedures to approaching damaged aircrafts/batteries).

Fixed-wing operations:

Battery status is monitored by the flight control computer through an onboard voltage meter, and reported via telemetry to the ground control station (GCS) where it is monitored by the PIC. Should the voltage drop below 10.2 V (3.4 V per cell on a 3S battery pack), the ‘battery failsafe’ will initiate, triggering a RTL (if GNSS-derived position is available, or LAND if GNSS-derived position is unavailable).

Should an emergency landing be required due to the malfunction of the UAV or a hazardous situation (e.g. approaching aircraft/large animal). The following procedure will be carried out: If the aircraft is deemed safe to return to land the RTL command will be sent from the Tx to the UAV and a landing carried out as for the normal landing procedures. Should it not be possible to safely return the aircraft to the landing area or should the aircraft have a malfunction impacting it’s ability to fly, the PIC will initiate a low-angle unpowered glide and attempt to land the plane in place at low speed and with priority (avoiding risk to property/people on the ground) regard to any nearby emergency landing area.

Once landed the aircraft will be disarmed with the Tx and only approached if deemed safe to do so or required to prevent further harm to people or damage to property (please see UoE guidelines for procedures to approaching damaged aircrafts/batteries).

e. control station failures (e.g. loss of power, software, hardware, etc.);

The GCS is not primarily used to control the vehicle. The UAV is either controlled autonomously to follow a predefined flight plan, or manually with the Tx. However, the GCS provides updates of the UAV status to the operator via the telemetry link (including among other: battery status, current altitude, ground speed, position and heading ). Should a GCS failure occur this would mean the loss of important information on the UAV’s status. In case of a GCS failure the UAV will be immediately returned to land. The PIC may also carry out an emergency landing at the current position of the UAV if RTL is deemed unsafe. A spare GCS is available in case the main GSC fails.

f. communications failures (e.g. ATC, visual observer, etc.);


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No continuous communications with ATC are required. However, should all means of communications with aviation authorities fail (e.g. no satellite phones are available) no further operations will be carried out till this communication option is re-established.

Each member of the ground crew will carry one handheld two-way radio used for communications among the ground crew and with the park rangers. If these radios fail all ground crew members will stay within earshot of each other and should any communication issues prohibit the safe continuation of the operation the work will be halted. The operations manager will always have a working two-way radio to allow contact with the rangers. If all two-way radios fail the operations will be immediately halted.

g. fly-aways (e.g. immediate actions, ATC communications, etc.); and

ArduCopter use an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm to estimate vehicle position, velocity and angular orientation based on rate gyroscopes, accelerometer, magnetometer, GPS, airspeed and barometric pressure measurements. The advantage of the EKF over the simpler complementary filter algorithms, is that by fusing all available measurements it is better able to reject measurements with significant errors. This makes the vehicle less susceptible to faults that affect a single sensor, such as the not uncommon GNSS glitches. EKF also enables measurements from optional sensors such as optical flow and laser range finders to be used to assist navigation. The failsafe will trigger if:

- EKF’s compass and velocity “variance” are higher than 0.8 (configurable with EKF_CHECK_THRESH parameter) for one second. This “variance” increases as the estimates become untrustworthy. 0 = very trustworthy, >1.0 = very untrustworthy. If both variances climb above the EKF_CHECK_THRESH parameter (default is 0.8) the EKF/Inav failsafe triggers.

When the failsafe is triggered the following will happen:

- The Pixhawk’s LED will flash red-yellow, the tone-alarm will sound, EKF/DCM error will be recoded to the dataflash logs, and if telemetry is attached “EKF variance” will appear on the GCS heads-up-display (HUD).

- If flying in a flight mode that does not require GNSS nothing further will happen but the system will be unable to switch into an autopilot flight mode (Loiter, PosHold, RTL, Guided, Auto) until the failure clears.

- If flying in a mode that requires GNSS (Loiter, PosHold, RTL, Guided, Auto) o Multi-rotor, it will switch to AltHold, allowing the pilot to bring the vehicle home. o Fixed wing, it will go into a Loiter at its current location (altitude and speed are not

affected due to the use of analogue systems for barometric pressure and airspeed). This gives the vehicle the chance to regain a GNSS lock and then continue on its mission, but in cases where this may not happen, it also gives the pilot the option to revert to a manual flight mode (e.g., Stabilize) to bring the vehicle home.

To prevent fly-away the following steps are undertaken to regain control of the aircraft:

a. Attempt automated RTL b. If no response attempt regaining control in LOITER mode c. Still no response attempt regaining control in FBWA mode d. Still no control attempt initiating automated emergency MANUAL land e. If still no control the GeoFence should prevent a fly away.

If all of the above fails the fly away procedure will be carried out: Based on the above described University of Edinburgh UAV guidelines the last known altitude, location,


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speed, direction of travel and battery status will be noted. Location and direction of the operations area from Inuvik Airport (the nearest aerodrome): 135 nm N-W of CYEV The gathered information will than be supplied to the following authorities in the following order:

1) Immediately notify park rangers via radio of fly-away - Park rangers will then warn all personnel on the island of danger through the out-of-control aircraft. - Park rangers will also inform coast guard.

Horizontal fly-away:

2) Contact FSS at Inuvik Airport via satellite phone: +1 867 777-2467


Vertical fly-away with little or no horizontal movement:


3) Contact FSS at Inuvik Airport via satellite phone: +1 867-777-2467

4) Call Transport Canada Prairie and Northern Regional Office via satellite phone on: +1-888-463-0521

An emergency procedure card outlining this procedure will be carried at all times during the operations.

Note: The application must contain specific contact methods including telephone numbers and/or radio frequencies of the affected agencies. The Certificate holder shall have immediately available an Emergency Procedures Checklist for the operator to follow if the UAV runs away, including the applicable Nav Canada Area Control Centre Shift Manager (Edmonton 780-890-8397 Winnipeg 204-983-8338 or Montreal 514-633-3365(if in the vicinity of Iqaluit)) and the local airport Control Tower or Flight Service Station phone numbers.

h. notifying of first responders (e.g. post crash response).

Notification of the first responders is coordinated by the head of the research operations on the island Isla Myers-Smith. In most cases Myers-Smith will be part of the UAV operating ground crew. However, should she be absent all incidences and accidents will be immediately reported via two-way radio to her. The Herschel Island Territorial Park Rangers will also be immediately informed and they will assist in alerting all other people on the island and in contacting all off-island emergency services support. The emergency services that could be contacted in the case of human injury are the RCMP, Coast Guard and Hospital in Inuvik that can be contacted directly via satellite phone on the following numbers: RCMP Inuvik (police): +1 867-777-1111 Coast Guard in Inuvik: +1 867-979-5260 Hospital in Inuvik: + 1 867-777-8000 Please see the other sections relevant to emergency responses for detailed procedures in case of emergency / disasters.


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iv. Flight release/authorization

Flight activity can only be authorised by the on-site pilot-in-command (PIC) (Cunliffe, Assmann, Kerby or Myers-Smith). Authorization requires completion of an On-Site Survey at the start of each day and/or upon moving to a new operating site, which will be recorded on the applicable On-Site Survey form provided within the aircraft’s document folder. This form includes a checklist of items including those listed below as well as a ‘dynamic risk assessment’ to identify any previously unidentified risks / hazards.

v. Pre-flight preparation/planning

2. checking NOTAMS;

Daily NOTAM checks for Herschel Island will be obtained via text to Satellite phones from logistical support people located in internet contact. These texts will include the following information using the following guidelines: To check for current NOTAMs please go to https://flightplanning.navcanada.ca/cgi-bin/CreePage.pl?Langue=anglais&NoSession=&Page=Fore-obs%2Fnotam&TypeDoc=html Enter Inuvik Airport Code “CYEV” and location “Herschel Island” into search field and tick boxes for:

Aerodrome NOTAM

FIR NOTAM file Press Button “Get the NOTAM” at the bottom of the page. Copy and paste all NOTAMs as plain text into email.

Additionally, NOTAMs and aeronautical weather forecasts for the local area will be obtained from flightplanning.navcanada.ca by the logistics coordinator at the Aurora Research Institute (Inuvik) and sent each morning via satellite phone e-mail to the operations manager. If additional information is required, the NAV Canada Flight Information Centres pre-flight service will be called by satellite phone.:

Pilot Briefing Service: +1-866-992-7433

Should the automated service not work the Flight Information Centres (FIC) in Whitehorse or North Bay will be contacted directly:

FIC Whitehorse: 1-866-541-4107

FIC North Bay: 1-866-541-4109

3. filing ATC flight plan;

Not applicable – No flights within controlled airspace

4. weather briefing;

Daily weather forecast for Herschel Island will be obtained from the park rangers and via text to Satellite phones from logistical support people located in internet contact. These texts will include the following information using the following guidelines:

https://flightplanning.navcanada.ca/cgi-bin/CreePage.pl?Langue=anglais&NoSession=&Page=Fore-obs%2Fnotam&TypeDoc=html

https://flightplanning.navcanada.ca/cgi-bin/CreePage.pl?Langue=anglais&NoSession=&Page=Fore-obs%2Fnotam&TypeDoc=html


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1) Government of Canada – Current Conditions Komakuk Beach

https://www.weather.gc.ca/marine/weatherConditions-currentConditions_e.html?mapID=07&siteID=03000&stationID=WKM Please copy wind speed (knots) and direction, pressure and tendency (kPa) and air temperature

2) Government of Canada – Marine Forecast Yukon Coast https://www.weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=07&siteID=16000 Please copy winds. Then click on weather conditions and select “Shingle Point Airport” from drop down on right for:

3) Government of Canada – Marine Weather Current Conditions Shingle Point Airport Please copy wind, cloud conditions, visibility (km) pressure and tendency (kPa) and air temperature (°C).

4) Government of Canada – Weather Forecast Tuktoyaktuk, NT Airport https://www.weather.gc.ca/city/pages/nt-20_metric_e.html Please copy current conditions and forecast for the next three days.

5) NOAA North Slope Public Forecast: AKZ204-121400-EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST- http://www.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=FPAK51PAFG&type=public

6) NOAA Marine weather forecast: PKZ245-121415-FLAXMAN ISLAND TO DEMARCATION POINT-

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=FZAK51PAFG&type=marine

5. fuel/energy and oil requirements;


Each aircraft is supplied with energy from two 5100 mAh 4S LiPo Batteries. Each battery pair allows a maximum of 15 minutes flight time. Batteries will be fully charged before each mission. Flight time estimates are provided by the flight planning software (Mission Planner) of the ground station. Based on these estimates energy requirements (in battery flight time) will be determined for each flight.


Each aircraft is supplied with energy from one 5100 mAh 3S LiPo Batteries. Each battery allows a maximum of 5015 minutes of flight time under ideal conditions. Batteries will be fully charged before each mission. Flight time estimates are provided by the flight planning software (Mission Planner) of the ground station and conservatively adjusted based on pilot experience. The PIC will operate with a philosophy of returning to LZ with >30% power remaining for all flights. Based on these estimates energy requirements (in battery flight time) will be determined for each flight.

6. weight and balance calculations;

Each aircraft and the payload combinations are balanced during manufacture, which is carefully checked in advance of field deployment. Cunliffe, Assmann, Kerby, Wade and Myers-Smith are all involved in aircraft manufacture and maintenance and are responsible for ensuring weight and balance.

https://www.weather.gc.ca/marine/weatherConditions-currentConditions_e.html?mapID=07&siteID=03000&stationID=WKM

https://www.weather.gc.ca/marine/weatherConditions-currentConditions_e.html?mapID=07&siteID=03000&stationID=WKM

https://www.weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=07&siteID=16000

https://www.weather.gc.ca/city/pages/nt-20_metric_e.html

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=FPAK51PAFG&type=public

http://www.arh.noaa.gov/wmofcst.php?wmo=FZAK51PAFG&type=marine


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Fixed-wing operations: Balance point will be manually checked in a wind-shielded environment by balancing plane on fingertips at pre-marked centre of gravity (CG) points by the PIC. Imaging payload does not vary by weight among flights.

7. securing of cargo;

The only cargo is the payload of the cameras, sensors and gimbals. The payload is carefully secured with redundancy such that the failure of any one component – such as the loss of a screw – will not result in the loss of balance of the payload. Before each operation the entire platform is checked for any missing parts or damage that might impact the flight, payload or balance.

8. radio frequency interference check; and

Radio function will be checked before each mission. As described on the pre-flight reference card, the UAV is connected to the GCS with a cable (USB interface) and the Tx will be switched on. The GCS’ software visualises the received radio signals and the radio control link can than be checked for interference and functioning by manipulation all Tx controls to the extremes and confirming the expected response. Telemetry signal strength is checked afterwards through the on-screen signal strength indicator.

9. carriage of dangerous goods;

No dangerous goods will be carried as cargo. However, the LiPo batteries that power the aircraft are considered dangerous goods. Before each flight batteries will be checked for visual damage or deformation and individual cell voltage will be compared for balance. If visible damage or deformation is present the batteries will be taken off the UAV immediately (if deemed safe to do so), contained in a LiPo Safe bag and transported to a safe location for disposal following dangerous goods guidelines.

Note: This section must at a minimum include the following procedures and how each will be accomplished:

10. checking NOTAMS; 11. filing ATC flight plan; 12. weather briefing; 13. fuel/energy and oil requirements; 14. weight and balance calculations; 15. securing of cargo; 16. radio frequency interference check; and 17. carriage of dangerous goods;

1) aborted take-off/launch procedures;


At the beginning of each mission a series of flight checks will be performedAfter completing all applicable pre-flight checks, including the post-battery checklist (i.e. batteries plugged-in and the aircraft deemed ready to fly and placed at the centre of landing area), the UAV’s pre-arm safety lock will be deactivated by pressing and holding the pre-arm safety button for three seconds. The UAV will confirm that it is ready to be armed with a loud beep and a visual indication with the red indicator light changing from flashing to solid. Should the aircraft not respond or anything abnormal occur (change in beeping pattern due to error) the take-off will be aborted.


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If landing area is clear, the UAV will be armed with the Tx and brought into a hover at about 10-20 m in STABILISE mode.

The ALTITUDE HOLD flight mode will then be activated and the aircrafts response to the TX command tested (throttle, yaw pitch and roll). Should the aircraft behave abnormally the UAV will be returned to STABILISE mode, landed manually and disarmed.

If the UAV responds as expected, flight mode will be changed to LOITER and the aircraft will be left hovering on it’s own for a minimum of 15 seconds. If unusual behaviour occurs (e.g. the aircraft is unable to hold it’s position or starts spiralling (a.k.a. ‘toilet bowling’)) the flight mode will be switched back to STABILISE, then the UAV will be landed and disarmed. The UAV will only be approached if the operations manager decides that this is safe to do so. For example, if battery damage is the suspected cause for the malfunction, the UAV will be left alone for a min of 20 min before it is approached to reduce the risk of harm. Should a battery fire be the cause for the interrupted take-off the fire will be let to burn itself out, unless people or property are in danger, then the ABC fire extinguisher will be used (see also: University of Edinburgh RPAS manual) In case off an aborted take-off due to malfunction, the UAV and the flight logs will be thoroughly examined to identify the cause for the unexpected behaviour. No further launches will be attempted until the operations manager is confident that every available avenue to resolve the problem has been completely explored. A take-off might have to be aborted due to other reasons (e.g. approaching aircraft or large animal), in this case the UAV will be brought back into STABILISE mode and manually landed. The ground crew will be updated continuously by the operations manager directly or using two-way radios as described in the detailed flight operations section.


At the beginning of each mission, a series of flight checks will be performed and logged:

After completing all applicable pre-flight checks, including the post-battery checklist (i.e. batteries plugged-in and the aircraft deemed ready to fly and placed at the centre of landing area), the UAV’ will be armed with a loud beep. Should the aircraft not respond or anything abnormal occur (change in beeping pattern due to error) the take-off will be aborted.

If landing area is clear, the UAV will be armed with the Tx and brought into a circle pattern at about 80 m in LOITER mode.

Basic flight characteristics will be assessed using PIC directed FBWA manoeuvres.

If the UAV responds as expected, flight mode will be changed to AUTO. If unusual behaviour occurs (e.g. the aircraft deviates from it’s planned path, it will be switched to RTL. The UAV will only be approached if the operations manager decides that this is safe to do so. For example, if battery damage is the suspected cause for the malfunction, the UAV will be left alone for a min of 20 min before it is approached to reduce the risk of harm. Should a battery fire be the cause for the interrupted take-off the fire will be let to burn itself out, unless people or property are in danger, then the ABC fire extinguisher will be used (see also: University of Edinburgh UAV manual) In case off an aborted take-off due to malfunction the UAV and the flight logs will be thoroughly examined


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to identify the cause for the unexpected behaviour. No further launches will be attempted until the operations manager is confident that every available avenue to resolve the problem has been completely explored. A take-off might have to be aborted due to other reasons (e.g. approaching aircraft or large animal), in this case the UAV will be brought back into FBWA mode and manually landed. The ground crew will be updated continuously by the operations manager as described in the detailed flight operations section.

2) landing/recovery (e.g. programming of navigation system, go-around/balked landing, etc.);

Standard landing procedure:

Multipcopter operations:

Missions are programmed so that the aircraft automatically executes RTOL at the end of the mission. The PIC will continuously update the ground crew about the procedures (please see relevant sections above and below for more detail).


Missions are programmed so that the aircraft automatically executes RTL at the end of the mission. This PIC will choose to either (i) allow the UAV to land in an automated mode, or (ii) switch the UAV into a manual flight mode to be landed manually. The PIC will land that UAV in FBWA mode.The PIC will continuously update the ground crew about the procedures (please see relevant sections above and below for more detail).

For Emergency Landing procedure please see detailed flight operations section.

3) use of checklists;

Checklists are used for the following procedures:

1. On-Site-Survey (Safety Assessment 2. Pre-Launch Checks 3. Launch & In flight procedures 4. Landing Procedures 5. Post flight procedures 6. Items 2 – 5 above are outlined with a Flight Reference Card (FRC) for the aircraft, which forms an

appendix to the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility (UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual. Please see the additional information provided for details.

Note: If checklists and/or procedures are to be used, they must be included in the application.

4) crew coordination (e.g. briefings, calls, handover procedures, etc.);

The ground crew will be briefed before each flight about the flight plan, expected duration and the specific responsibility of each crew member during the flight. Responsibilities and actions required of the various crew members at each stage of the operation are also outlined in the Flight Reference Card (an appendix to the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility (UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual).


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Crew communication calls are used as described in the detailed flight operations section: Before takeoff the crew is warned by the PIC with the following calls:

‘READY FOR LAUCH, CHECK CLEAR’ ‘ARMING’

‘LAUNCH’

Before landing the crew is warned by the PIC with the calls:

‘RETURNING TO LAND, CHECK AREA CLEAR’

‘LANDING’

‘LANDED’

In the case a crew member spots a hazard the operations manager is warned with the following calls:

“Public Incursion, (location)” – If a person not part of the ground crew is within 100 feet of the operations area

“Danger: Animal approaching!” - If a large animal is within 500 feet of the area of operation

“Aircraft Incursion (relative location by clock code, using the line between PIC and the UA as the 12 o’clock reference), (relative height)’ - If an aircraft is approaching the area of operation at low altitude (below 500 feet).

The operations manager continuously provides updates on the flight status to the ground crew members. These include:

Changes in flight mode

Current altitude and battery Status

Initiation of LAND or RTL

Keystones in automated flight:

- Beginning of automated flight - Survey altitude reached - Turn at the end of a transect - Completion of the programmed flight plan

Any unusual behaviour of the UAV

5) Operating in hazardous conditions (e.g. icing, thunderstorms, white-out, windshear, etc.);

Not applicable, UAV operations will not be conducted in hazardous conditions. Operations will only be conducted in clear-sky conditions and at ground wind speeds below 17 mph (7.6 m/s). Should the weather change unexpectedly during a mission the operations will be interrupted immediately and paused till the conditions become more favourable again.


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6) Preventing incidents of interference with UAV system command and control links;

To our best knowledge there are no potential external radiation sources proximal to the area of operations area. Nonetheless, TX/RX radio links are checked before each flight (see Pre-Battery Checklist) and telemetry-link strength is monitored during flight on the GCS. Should the control link between flight control computer and Tx be lost, the radio failsafe will step in and initiate automated RTL or FBWA (depending on availability of positional fix).

7) Describe procedures for determining when to use and when to discontinue the use of automation.

All missions will be carried out in autopilot flight mode except for take-off and landing. Automation will be discontinued in case of:

Hazardous situations (see above)

Drop in battery voltage below 14.4 V (multicopter) 10.4 V (fixed wing) – deemed limit for safe flight

Unexpected behaviour of the aircraft

8) Ensuring that the UAV pilot maintains the UAV within the prescribed altitude and distance limitations;

The GeoFence system will ensure that the UAV does not leave the prescribed altitude and distance limitations within both manual and automated flight.

The GeoFence altitude boundary will be set to 400 feet (122 m) AGL. The GeoFence radius will be set according to the mission objectives, but always below 0.27 nm (500 m).

The ground control station will be used to continuously update the PIC with information regarding location of the aircraft in relation to the programmed flight plan, as well as height above the take-off elevation.

9) Describe the system/procedure for confirming navigation system accuracy and reliability during Beyond Visual Light of Sight Operations (BVLOS).

Not applicable, BVLOS operations will not be carried out.

UAV TECHNICAL DATA AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

CAR 8.6 623.65(d)(3)(f)

"A complete description, including all pertinent flight data on the aircraft to be flown." Notes: The depth of information that needs to be provided varies depending on the size and complexity of the UAV system. Where the purpose of the SFOC application involves test bed aircraft where components are intended to be swapped, it may be necessary to issue more than one (1) SFOC unless this action does not dramatically change the performance characteristics of the UAV system and/or the risks associated with the operation. All information provided in the SFOC application shall use standard aviation related units of measure (e.g. nautical miles per hour (nm/hr), feet (ft), etc.)

Note: If you wish to apply for the operation of more than one type of UAV, cut and paste the following section and fill it in for each individual UAV type requested.


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Describe the UAV and associated systems, including:

a. The manufacturer, make and model of the UAV system including three view drawings or photographs of the aircraft.

Multicopter:

The UAVs are hexacopter rotary wing type aircraft based on the Tarot 680PRO Hexacopter folding frame and a Pixhwak PX4 flight controller running AuduCopter software. The hexacopters were assembled and tested at the University of Edinburgh, Airborne GeoSciences facility flight lab, overseen by Tom Wade (pilot and facility manager for the UoE’s Airborne GeoSciences facility) and Simon Gibson-Pole (PhD Student and specialist in agricultural UAV applications).

Fig. 1: Top view of UAV Fig. 2: Front angle view of UAV Fig. 3: Front view of UAV

a. Category (e.g. fixed wing, rotary wing, airship, etc.);

Hexacopter rotary wing type aircraft

b. Composition (e.g. graphite, composites, etc.);

Carbon-fibre reinforced polymer and fiberglass

c. Measurements (e.g. wingspan, fuselage length, rotor diameter, etc.);

32.3” (82 cm) total diameter x 13.8” (35 cm) height;

Rotor blades: 6” x 13” carbon fibre

d. Weight (e.g. maximum gross take-off weight, empty weight, payload weight, etc.);

MTOW 4 kg; Empty Weight 1.88 kg; Payload Approx. 1 kg.

e. Type of propulsion system (make and model) (e.g. electric, turboprop, turbofan; rear or forward mount, etc.);

Electric (Brushless)


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f. Fuel /Energy system (e.g. battery type, AVGAS, capacity, etc.);

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries: 2 x 5100 mAh 4S 10C during flight

Outreach quadcopter UAV:

3DR Solo (Pixhawk) quadcopter

See the following link for specifications: https://3dr.com/solo-gopro-drone-specs/

a. Category (e.g. fixed wing, rotary wing, airship, etc.);

Rotary wing quadcopter

b. Composition (e.g. graphite, composites, etc.);

Glass Fortified Nylon Props, body composition is ABS with Polycarbonate

c. Measurements (e.g. wingspan, fuselage length, rotor diameter, etc.);

Dimensions: 10 in. tall (25 cm), 18 in. (46 cm) motor-to-motor

Propellers: 10″ diameter 4.5″ pitch self-tightening (24 cm diameter 144 cm pitch); glass-reinforced nylon

d. Weight (e.g. maximum gross take-off weight, empty weight, payload weight, etc.);

Payload weight: 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) / 3.9 lbs. (1.8 kg)

e. Type of propulsion system (make and model) (e.g. electric, turboprop, turbofan; rear or forward mount, etc.);


f. Fuel /Energy system (e.g. battery type, AVGAS, capacity, etc.);

Lithium polymer 5200 mAh 14.8 Vdc

Storage: Batteries will be stored on-site in the research base camp at Pauline Cove on Herschel Island. Batteries will be stored in individual LiPo safety bags within a fireproof container, at 50-60% charge and at ambient temperatures in the range of ca. 4-30ºC at a designated location within the camp.

Shipping: All batteries will be shipped in compliance with the 56th Edition of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).

https://3dr.com/solo-gopro-drone-specs/


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Batteries will be delivered to the Aurora Research Institute Western Arctic Research Centre, 191 Mackenzie Road, Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0 in supplier’s packaging, where they will be stored in specifically designated battery storage, dry and packaged to prevent leakage of battery fluids.

Shipping to and from the Aurora Research Institute to the Herschel Island field site will occur with other research equipment on chartered flights by Aklak Air. The transport of the LiPo batteries will be closely coordinated with the charter company and the pilot. The 5100 mAh 3S batteries have a watt-hour rating of 57 Wh total per battery. Lithium content of each 5100 mAh battery is 4.59 g. To fulfil IATA regulations batteries will be packed individually (Classification UN3480; Packing Instructions 965). Batteries placed individually in fireproof LiPo safety bags. LiPo safety bags will be placed in sturdy container and cushioned to prohibit movement. The over-package will be labelled with a lithium battery-handling label according to IATA instructions.

Batteries will be transported from the research base to the field operating sites in a rugged plastic case (‘Peli’-type) with internal padding; each battery (or at most, a pair of batteries held together with hook-and-loop (‘Duo-Lock’) tape) will be stored within a LiPo Safe bag within this container. At least one fire extinguisher will be readily available (e.g. in a side or mesh pocket of rucksack) to the person carrying the battery case.

Charging: Charging of LiPo battery packs must be undertaken carefully to avoid irreparably damage to the battery, and risk of fire. The main causes of LiPo batteries failure are: over-discharging (below 3.2 V per cell), over-charging (above 4.2 V per cell) and excessive heat (>60°C; typically due to excessive current draw or charging too rapidly, especially when ambient temperatures are high). Charging will be undertaken under constant supervision using appropriate chargers and manufacturer recommended charging rates. All charging will be done on a fireproof platform. Batteries will be charged in LiPo safe charging bags. Fire extinguishers (powder, class ABC) and a bucket of dry sand will be available adjacent to the charging station in the case of a fire. LiPo battery packs will be charged to a maximum of 4.2 V per cell (i.e. 12.6 V for a 4S pack). A balance charger will be used for every charge cycle (to avoid unequal charging of cells). LiPo batteries will be charged at a rate of 1C. Charge rate can be calculated as 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑠 =

𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚𝐴ℎ)

1000× 𝐶 (e.g., 5100 mAh capacity battery @ 1C = 5.1 A).

Fixed wing:

The UAV is a lightweight swept-delta flying-wing type aircraft based on the Zeta FX61 Expanded PolyOlefin (EPO) foam airframe and a Pixhawk PX4 flight controller running ArduPlane software. The aircraft was assembled and tested by the Jeffrey Kerby (Computation Postdoc at Dartmouth College, PIC) with support from Ready-To-Drone LLC and is based on a production model used widely for ecological and conservation research.

Fig. 1: Top front view of UAV

Fig. 2: Bottom front view of UAV Fig. 3: Rear top view of UAV


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g. Category (e.g. fixed wing, rotary wing, airship, etc.);

Swept-delta flying-wing

h. Composition (e.g. graphite, composites, etc.);

EPO foam and a single graphic spar

i. Measurements (e.g. wingspan, fuselage length, rotor diameter, etc.);

26.88” (68.3 cm) Length, 61” (155 cm) Wing Span;

Rotor blades: 6” x 9” plastic composite

j. Weight (e.g. maximum gross take-off weight, empty weight, payload weight, etc.);

MTOW 2.2 kg; Empty Weight 1.3 kg; Payload Approx. 0.9 kg.

k. Type of propulsion system (make and model) (e.g. electric, turboprop, turbofan; rear or forward mount, etc.);


l. Fuel /Energy system (e.g. battery type, AVGAS, capacity, etc.);

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries: 1 x 5100 mAh 3S 10C during flight

Storage: Batteries will be stored on-site in the research base camp at Pauline Cove on Herschel Island. Batteries will be stored in individual LiPo safety bags within a fireproof container, at 50-60% charge and at ambient temperatures in the range of ca. 4-30ºC at a designated location within the camp.

Shipping: All batteries will be shipped in compliance with the 56th Edition of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).

Batteries will be delivered to the Aurora Research Institute Western Arctic Research Centre, 191 Mackenzie Road, Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0 in supplier’s packaging, where they will be stored in specifically designated battery storage, dry and packaged to prevent leakage of battery fluids.

Shipping to and from the Aurora Research Institute to the Herschel Island field site will occur with other research equipment on chartered flights by Aklak Air. The transport of the LiPo batteries will be closely coordinated with the charter company and the pilot. The 5100 mAh 3S batteries have a watt-hour rating of 57 Wh total per battery. Lithium content of each 5100 mAh battery is 4.59 g. To fulfil IATA regulations batteries will be packed individually (Classification UN3480; Packing Instructions 965). Batteries placed individually in fireproof LiPo safety bags. LiPo safety bags will be placed in sturdy container and cushioned to prohibit movement. The over-package will be labelled with a lithium battery-handling label according to IATA instructions.


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Batteries will be transported from the research base to the field operating sites in a rugged plastic case (‘Peli’-type) with internal padding; each battery (or at most, a pair of batteries held together with hook-and-loop (‘Duo-Lock’) tape) will be stored within a LiPo Safe bag within this container. At least one fire extinguisher will be readily available (e.g. in a side or mesh pocket of rucksack) to the person carrying the battery case.

Charging: Charging of LiPo battery packs must be undertaken carefully to avoid irreparably damage to the battery, and risk of fire. The main causes of LiPo batteries failure are: over-discharging (below 3.2 V per cell), over-charging (above 4.2 V per cell) and excessive heat (>60°C; typically due to excessive current draw or charging too rapidly, especially when ambient temperatures are high). Charging will be undertaken under constant supervision using appropriate chargers and manufacturer recommended charging rates. All charging will be done on a fireproof platform. Batteries will be charged in LiPo safe charging bags. Fire extinguishers (powder, class ABC) and a bucket of dry sand will be available adjacent to the charging station in the case of a fire. LiPo battery packs will be charged to a maximum of 4.2 V per cell (i.e. 12.6 V for a 4S pack). A balance charger will be used for every charge cycle (to avoid unequal charging of cells). LiPo batteries will be charged at a rate of 1C. Charge rate can be calculated as 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑠 =

𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚𝐴ℎ)

1000× 𝐶 (e.g., 5100 mAh capacity battery @ 1C = 5.1 A).

Note: where the UAV system uses Lithium batteries or any other type of energy source that is considered

a Dangerous Good, the applicant must describe in detail the procedures to be used when transporting

and storing the Dangerous Goods to and from the job site. Refer to Appendix B below for further

guidance in complying with all of the regulations as set out in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act.

Please include your surface, sea and air transportation procedures as applicable.

m. Method of take-off/ launch (e.g. taxi and take-off, pneumatic catapult, hand-launched, etc.);


UAV has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, so will take off from the ground from a level landing platform or surface.


UAV will primarily be hand launched, however a staked bungee system may also be used at the PIC’s discretion.

n. Method of landing / recovery (e.g. approach and runway landing, parachute, belly/skid landing, skyhook, etc.);


UAV has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, so will land on a designated site on a level landing platform or surface.


UAV will make belly/skid landings under PIC control at designated areas.


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o. Navigation equipment/capability (e.g. visual, GPS, etc.);

Visual (from ground-based pilot). Onboard instruments include (i) multi-constellation global navigation satellite system (GNSS; including GPS), (ii) magnetometers for directional bearing, (iii) barometer for altitude (automatically calibrated prior to take off), (iv) dual-accelerometers within the fight controller (used to monitor aircraft attitude and also to validate changes in GNSS-derived position).

p. Electronic surveillance equipment (e.g. transponder (modes, etc.), ADS-B, etc.);

None; no operations in designated transponder airspace

q. Flight sensors (e.g. barometric altimeter, airspeed indicator, icing detection, etc.);

Onboard flight sensors include (i) multi-constellation global navigation satellite system (including GPS), (ii) magnetometers for directional bearing, (iii) integrated barometric altimeter (automatically calibrated prior to take off), (iv) dual-accelerometers within the fight controller (used to monitor aircraft attitude and also to validate changes in GNSS-derived position), (v) battery voltage monitoring, (vi) current sensing. (vii) laser range finder (Class 1M).

m. Redundant systems (e.g. flight controls, avionics, flight termination system, etc.);


These aircraft do not have full redundancy. The UAV platform has a triple-redundant voltage level converter for critical avionics. The critical avionics include the Pixhawk flight controller with autopilot firmware installed, with integrated GeoFence and failsafes applied (for further details please see GeoFence description below).

This class of hexacopter are designed so that aircraft handling is not catastrophically impaired by the failure of any single thrust unit (electronic speed controller – motor – propeller). Although we have not tested this independently, should a single thrust unit (ESC-motor-prop) fail, the PIC can still perform a controlled landing.


This aircraft does not have full redundancy. The UAV platform has a triple-redundant voltage level converter for critical avionics. The critical avionics include the Pixhawk flight controller with ArduPlane Arducopter autopilot firmware with integrated GeoFence and failsafes (for further details please see GeoFence description below).

n. Visual detectability (e.g. lighting (position, anti-collision), high visibility paint scheme, etc.); and


LED strobe lighting on canopy and bright white coating of canopy.



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LED strobe lighting on canopy and bright white coating with colour patterns on wings.

Flight data on the aircraft to be flown:

a. Performance (e.g. operating speeds, climb and descent rates, maximum altitude, maximum range, maximum endurance, etc.); and


Max altitude: 2000 m asl (though will only be operated <400 ft AGL)) Normal cruise speed (for data acquisition): 6.71 mph (3 m/s) Maximum tested speed: 11.19 mph (5 m/s) Climb rate: tested to 5.6 mph (2.5 m/s) max Descent rate: test ed to 3.4 mph (1.5 m/s) max Max endurance: 5100 mAh batteries: approx. 12 min Max range: 5100 mAh batteries: approx. 2.5 nm in still air


Max altitude: 2000 m asl (though will only be operated <400 ft AGL) Normal cruise speed (for data acquisition): 27 mph (12 m/s) Maximum tested speed: 44 mph (20 m/s) Climb rate: tested to 8 mph (3.6 m/s) max Descent rate: tested to 8 mph (3.6 m/s) max Max endurance: 5100 mAh batteries: approx. 50 min Max range: 5100 mAh batteries: approx. 21 nm in still air

b. Operating Limitations (e.g. winds (wind shear, gusts), cross-winds, temperatures, day, night, icing, etc.).


Maximum wind speed: 17 mph (7.6 m/s) Max Crosswind: Not applicable (VTOL) Recommended Temperature range: Min-Max temp: -5 to 35°C (note that LiPo batteries must be warmed to >5°C prior to use, otherwise cold will inhibit ion transport within the batteries inhibit the supply of current to the platform). Temperature range based on manufacturers information and the University of Edinburgh guidelines.


Maximum wind speed: 17 mph (7.6 m/s) Max Crosswind: 16 mph (7.1 m/sCross-wind) Recommended Temperature range: Min-Max temp: -5 to 35°C (note that LiPo batteries must be warmed to >5°C prior to use, otherwise cold will inhibit ion transport within the batteries inhibit the supply of current to the platform). Temperature range based on manufacturers information and the University of Edinburgh guidelines.


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The Control Station, including:

a. Control method (e.g. manual flight, pre-programmed, tethered, autoland, etc.);

For accuracy, survey flight operations will predominantly utilise autonomous capabilities to complete pre-programmed flight plans, although the PIC will always have the option to revert to manual control at any time.

The ground control station (GCS) will be either a personal laptop computer running Mission Planner 1.3 Software (http://planner.ardupilot.com). The GCS will be connected to the UAV via a 915 MHz radio transceiver.

The ground telemetry radio transceiver will be raised ~ 6.6-9.8 ft (2-3 m) above ground on a telescopic pole for improved signal quality and connected to the laptop via high quality USB extension.

The Mission Planner software will be programmed to provide audible updates on UAV position and mission progress.

Direct control of the aircraft will be via a high end FrSky Taranis R/C system (X9D Plus); X9E; the transmitter (Tx) will be held by the PIC at all times

b. Flight Instrumentation (e.g. attitude, altitude, airspeed, heading, present position, navigation etc., and method of displaying the information);

Telemetry from the Pixhawk flight controller to the ground control station (GCS) provides information on attitude, groundspeed, barometric altitude and GNSS position, as well as navigational data (current stage of pre-programmed flight path etc.).

c. Systems diagnostic and monitoring information (e.g. low battery, fuel status, critical systems failure, visual and audio warnings, etc.);

Battery voltage and electrical load monitored and relayed by the Pixhawk for display on the ground station, with configurable alarms. On board battery / cell monitors provide independent battery health monitoring pre/post and during flight and provide a loud audible alarm signal at low charge (multicopter = below 14.4 V, fixed wing = 10.4 V).

d. Environmental warnings (e.g. icing, rain, terrain, etc.);

Onsite assessment will identify environmental hazards prior to flight operations.

e. Redundant systems (e.g. back-up computer displays, back-up power supply);

We carry a backup control station in case of low batteries or computer failure.

In case of simultaneous failure of the primary command and control link between the Tx and the flight control computer AND a change in ground conditions and the primary landing site which is the automatic target for the failsafe RTL, the GCS and secondary radio telemetry link can be used to designate an alternative safe landing site.

f. Control station power source (e.g. generator, power grid, rechargeable);

http://planner.ardupilot.com/


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Rechargeable batteries.

g. Equipment in the control station (e.g. lights for night operations, fire extinguisher);

Powder fire extinguishers (Class ABC); two-way radios to the campaign base camp; first aid kit with equipment suitable for cuts and burns, as well as other possible injuries and environmental hazards. Appropriate safety equipment for working in a remote wilderness environment will be available at all times. The research expedition health and safety assessment is available upon request.

h. Control station security (e.g. capable of being locked).

Due to the remote locations of the operations and the highly restricted number of people on the island, security is not considered an issue. There will be no other people apart from the flight operations crew at the control station or within the area of flight operations. Malicious Interference both on software and hardware level is likewise highly unlikely. Nonetheless, both main and spare TX, UAV and ground station equipment will be kept in a secure location at the Pauline Cove Basecamp, when not in use.

The Command and Control Links including:

a. C2/data bands and frequencies (e.g. Very High Frequency (VHF) band, Ku-Band, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Satellite Communication (SATCOM), Geostationary satellites, etc.);

2.4 GHz Radio Controller (TX/Rx) Taranis X9E (multicopter operations) or X9D Plus (fixed-wing operations) 915 MHz 3DR telemetry modules compliant with Canadian regulations / limitations for flight controller interface.

The multiple GNSS (GPS, GLOSNAS, Galileo etc.) receiver used for geolocation is more robust against interface and restricted horizon view locations than a single GNSS. The various constellations use a variety of radio frequencies between 1.2 to 2.5 GHz.

b. Radio range of the control links;

Both systems > 0.27 nautical miles (500 m) (all flights will be well below this range)

c. Lost Link indications (e.g. "off flags", signal strength indicators, etc.);

The received signal strength indication (RSSI) for the primary control link between the Tx and Rx is indicated as a percentage on the Tx visual display panel. In case of a lost primary radio link to the UAV the GCS issues a visual and audio warning.

The received signal strength indication (RSSI) for the secondary control link between the SiK telemetry radios is indicated as a percentage on the GCS display. In case of a lost secondary radio link to the UAV, the GCS issues a visual warning.

d. Measures for preventing or mitigating radio frequency interference; and

All system components emitting electromagnetic radiation were checked for comparability during the construction of the UAV. The aircraft controlling link is established on the 2.4GHz frequency at 100 mw.


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These frequencies can be susceptible to interference from other devices, particularly in urban areas. In all instances, all WiFi enabled devices (included phones, laptops and cameras) in the proximity of flight operations should have the WiFi turned off for the duration of flight operations. Importantly, the primary control link (Tx – FrSky Taranis and Rx – FrSky X8R combination) use a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) method, ensuring a robust and virtually interference free 2.4 Ghz link. They also use (EU) ETSI EN 300 328 compliant listen-before-talk firmware.

GCS telemetry is communicated on the 433 Mhz frequency using SiK Radio (3DR’s version 2) HM-TRP radios flashed with SiK 1.9 firmware and the MAVlink communication protocol at 10mw power on a 10 hz cycle (OfCom IR2030/1/10 compliant). As with the FrSky equipment, they also utilise FHSS and listen-before-talk to ensure robust communication. Ground telemetry module is raised 6.6-9.8 ft (2-3 m) above ground to improve signal quality.

e. Single or dual redundant control links.

Dual – direct RC control and automated control via on-board flight controller. Additionally, if the 2.4 GHz primary control link becomes inoperable for any reason (e.g., Tx malfunction or interference), the GCS telemetry link can be used as a backup control link, allowing redirection of the UAV to a safe landing site (should the RTL home location become unsafe, for example, due to encroachment by puppies).

Voice Communications including:

a. Primary method of communicating with ATC and other airspace users (e.g. radio relay through the air vehicle, fixed based transmitter, etc.);

Satellite phone is the primary point of communication due to remoteness of the location and is the only means of direct communication with ATC. Though, contact with Park Rangers at all times through marine radio provide us with communication links to charter flight companies operating in the area (see descriptions of communications with Rangers).

b. Backup communication capability (e.g. landline, cell phone, etc.);

A spare satellite phone is available at the Pauline Cove settlement. Spare batteries are carried at all times.

c. Communication latencies (e.g. able to perform ATC directed actions without delay, etc.); and

Due to the remote nature of the location we are not expecting to require real-time liaison with / control by ATC; we will however be able to communicate with any relevant authorities prior to commencement of flight activities on a daily basis if required (as described above).

d. Communication system used for the pilots, ground support personnel and observers to communicate with each other.

Direct voice communication will be the norm between members of the operating crew. Two-way radios will be used for communication with other members of the field expedition team and park rangers.

Payload(s) including:


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a. Payload limitations (e.g. impact on flight envelope, how conflicts are managed when aircraft and payload operational limits differ, etc.);


These UAVs can carry a maximum payload of 900 g (not including batteries). All missions will be flown with payloads between 210-300g. All performance information in this document will refer to the payload of 240g.


These UAVs can carry a maximum payload of 900 g (not including batteries). All missions will be flown with payloads between 210-300g. All performance information in this document will refer to the payload of 240g.

b. Dangerous payloads (e.g. pyrotechnics, explosives, lasers, pesticides, etc.);

The multicopter UAV platform will also include a Lightware SF11/c laser altimeter. This is a Class 1M laser, and is very safe, and is only dangerous when viewed through optical enhancement and at close range. We will inform all people located on the island to not view the UAV with binoculars. No people will be located below the flight path of the UAV where it would be dangerous to view the UAV through binoculars apart from the flight operations crew.

c. Secondary purposes of payload (e.g. camera controls the flight path of the UAV, etc.); and

None

d. Increase to crew workload (e.g. pilot operating UAV and payload, etc.).

None – acquisitions will run autonomously; one of the observers/spotters will be trained to manage the cameras before and after flight to allow the PIC to concentrate on flight duties.

UAV System Airworthiness and Continuing Airworthiness

Note: Other than small UAVs operated VLOS, TC does not currently define the matters to be taken into account for the design of UAVs and associated systems. Use of the term "airworthy" in this document means "in a fit and safe state for flight" but may not mean in conformity to a type definition.

The Certificate applicant must describe how they have determined that the aircraft and the system are airworthy, including:

a. UAV system designed to facilitate control of the UAV by the pilot and provide clear indications of UAV flight status;


Extensive testing of the control system and flight indicators has been carried out in accordance with the University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences (SoG) guidelines. The all SoG standards for airworthiness.


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These include testing for: - UAV able to hover for 1 min under manual control in STABILISED flight mode - UAV altitude stable in ALTITUDE HOLD mode (visual check) - UAV altitude stable in SIMPLE ALTITUDE HOLD mode and cardinal orientation hold (based on magnetic compass) as expected - UAV altitude and position stable in GPS controlled LOITER mode - Automatic LAND mode works as expected - Automatic RETURN TO LAND mode works as expected - UAV able to successfully complete a simple three waypoint mission in AUTO flight mode - Agreement of ground control visual and audible signals with aircrafts behaviour throughout the above tests. - Telemetry and radio control signal strengths indicators checked for proportionality and a confirmation of a minimum control signal range of 500 m (0.27 nm). This is tested by manually moving the UAV at intervals away from the ground station at ground level. - Agreement of flight controller based battery voltage monitoring with the separate on-board hardware battery monitors. Both readings have been verified additionally with voltage readings from separate devices. - Triggering and functioning of both low battery alarm systems (flight controller and on-board hardware monitors). Tested by raising alarm threshold into normal operating voltage. Extensive testing of the control system and flight indicators has been carried out in accordance with the University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences (SoG) guidelines. These UAVs have fulfilled all SoG standards for airworthiness.


Extensive testing of the control system and flight indicators has been carried out in accordance with Ready to Drone LLC’s operation guidelines and this model has been field deployed in remote regions across Africa and South America without incident. Furthermore, it will be subjected to guidelines similar to the University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences (SoG) guidelines that have been in the standard at this site in the past. The UAV has fulfilled all SoG standards for airworthiness. These include testing for: - UAV able to circle at a designated altitude and GPS location for 1 minute in the LOITER mode.

- UAV bank angles do not exceed limits pre-selected in ArduPilot configuration on freeform FBWA flight. - Automatic RETURN TO LAND mode works as expected - UAV able to successfully complete a simple three waypoint mission in AUTO flight mode - Agreement of ground control visual and audible signals with aircrafts behaviour throughout the above tests. - Telemetry and radio control signal strengths indicators checked for proportionality and a confirmation of a minimum control signal range of 500 m (0.27 nm). This is tested by manually moving the UAV at intervals away from the ground station at ground level. - Agreement of flight controller based battery voltage monitoring with the separate on-board hardware battery monitors. Both readings have been verified additionally with voltage readings from separate devices. - Triggering and functioning of both low battery alarm systems (flight controller and on-board hardware monitors). Tested by raising alarm threshold into normal operating voltage. Extensive testing of the


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control system and flight indicators has been carried out in accordance with the University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences (SoG) guidelines. These UAV have fulfilled all SoG standards for airworthiness.

b. means for the UAV to remain within its flight envelope;

The UAVs’ flight controllers are equipped with a GeoFence function. The GeoFence creates a cylinder shaped fence around the take-off location and initiates an automated RTL upon breaching these boundaries. The GeoFence was tested for functioning by breaching both altitude and radius in manual and automatic flight modes. For further details please see GeoFence description (http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/ac2_simple_geofence.html).

c. redundancy of flight critical components to ensure safe recovery of the UAV (e.g. automatic landing/recovery systems, flight termination systems, etc.);

It is not currently possible to achieve full redundancy with these UAV systems. Where possible, redundancy is incorporated into several parts of these systems. The multicopter wing aircraft are designed so that their handling characteristics are not catastrophically impaired by the failure of any single thrust unit (electronic speed controller – motor – propeller). For the fixed-wing aircraft, a failure of the propellor will result in an enforced glide landing from the point at which the failure occurred. As described in the section on failsafes, there is system redundancy in case of lost primary (Tx-Rx) or secondary (telemetry) radio links. The flight controller is provided with triple-redundant power supply to minimise risk of power loss to the critical systems.

d. operational history - accident rate as compared to total hours flown by the aircraft type. Corrective action taken to prevent future failures;

At the time point of submission, the UAV have been involved in no accidents.

All of the above tests are carried out at regular intervals to ensure continuous functioning of control systems and failsafes. According to the SoG’s guidelines a full system test (including inspection and flight test, as per section 6 for the Flight Reference Card) is required after long distance shipment of the UAV and will be carried out upon arrival on Herschel Island prior commencing survey operations.

e. authorizations issued by other civilian or military authorities.

Not applicable.

UAV System Maintenance

The Certificate applicant must describe how the UAV system is being maintained, including:

a. maintenance and inspection manuals;

Maintenance of the RPA is conducted according to the maintenance program outlined in general terms in the University of Edinburgh Airborne GeoSciences Facility (UoE-AG) UAV Operations Manual Section B2, and detailed within the Flight Reference Card, Section 6, for the aircraft type (see excerpt below).Additionally all available manuals / datasheets for system components are available in either hardcopy and/or electronically within the aircraft’s document folder and supporting field laptops.


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b. maintenance and inspection plan/schedule;

The RPA are subject to maintenance and inspection as outlined below. Maintenance will be undertaken by Isla Myers-Smith, Andrew Cunliffe, Jakob Assmann and/or Jeffrey Kerby, who have experience designing, deploying and maintaining with Pixhawk-based multicopter and fixed-wing UAVs. In all cases the Aircraft Technical Logbook must be filled in to reflect any work completed.

Full System Check (Entry to Service, Major Maintenance or Shipping)

Prior to accepting a new aircraft into general service, following a major service or repair to an existing aircraft, or following reassembly of an aircraft after shipping, a full system check must be completed. The content of this check will be type specific and listed in the type’s Flight Reference Card; for the Tarot 680 Pro and FX61 platforms this involves:

Calibration of IMU

Calibration of compass system

GNSS functionality check (ground)

Radio calibration / configuration & functionality check

Configuration / functionality check of additional sensors, including: o Voltage and current sensors o Laser altimeter / sonar (multicopters only)

Functionality check of additional equipment, e.g. strobes etc.

Configuration / functionality check of camera / gimbal setup

This shall be followed by a full flight test as outlined in the section below.

Details of steps taken and results shall be noted in the aircraft’s technical logbook.

6 Month / 20 Hour Checks

Either every six months or every twenty hours of flight time, whichever comes first, the following inspection should be carried out by a UoE-AG authorised person.

The inspection should be recorded in the Aircraft Technical Logbook along with any findings.

Any issues identified must be remedied and the aircraft must undergo a full flight test before the aircraft is returned to Operational Status:-

Inspect the airframe for any damage, unusual marks and tightness of fixings.

Inspect the motor mountings for correct tension.

Inspect propellers for condition, unusual marks, chips, cracks and tightness of fixings.

Inspect electrical wiring for condition, unusual marks or discolouration.

Inspect electrical terminal fittings and plugs for secure attachment and general condition.

Inspect attachment of all fittings such as flight controller, navigation module, Rx, telemetry antennae etc. for secure attachment

Inspect payload attachment points for condition and security of payload.

Inspect condition and function of all ancillary equipment such as transmitter, ground station etc.

Test all system battery packs for charge status and general condition.


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Any identified defects should be rectified. If minor problems (damaged propeller, faulty battery pack etc.) are identified and remedied and the Pilot-In-Command believes the aircraft is suitable to return to operational status then the work completed should be noted in the Aircraft Technical Logbook.

If major issues are identified (unserviceable motor, damaged airframe etc.) then the aircraft must undergo a full system check (including full flight test) as outlined above and below once the identified fault has been remedied.

Pre Flight Checks

The Pre-Flight checklists are type-specific and are outlined in the Flight Reference Card (published as an appendix to this document) for the specific type of aircraft. For the Tarot 680 Pro and FX61 these include:

Check ‘A’ (Daily, and / or following a site change)

The Check A checklist shall be completed prior to the first flight of the day, or following a change of operating site that involves packing down the aircraft (for example removal of props, folding of frame etc.) and subsequent unpacking.

Unpack the aircraft and complete any minor assembly tasks (e.g. propeller mounting, unfolding of airframe for multicopters or wing attachments for fixed wings etc.) as may be required.

Check the airframe for any damage, unusual marks and tightness of fixings.

Check the motor mountings for correct tension.

Check propellers for condition, unusual marks, chips, cracks and tightness of fixings.

Check electrical connections.

Check security of all fittings such as flight controller, navigation module, Rx, telemetry antennae etc. for secure attachment.

Check payload attachment points for condition and security of payload.

Check condition and function of all ancillary equipment such as transmitter, ground station etc.

Check function of GNSS, IMU and compass

Check ‘B’ (‘transit’ checks)

The Check B checklist shall be completed prior to every single flight. This checklist ensures that critical items remain in satisfactory condition between flights, that the upcoming mission is properly planned and has been successfully uploaded to the aircraft. It includes the replacement of batteries and all subsequent actions prior to launch.

Check / recheck aircraft condition and security of main components

Check battery packs for charge status and general condition.

Connection of battery packs

Upload of mission parameters and check uploaded parameters against reference set.

Check telemetry

Recording

Completion of the Check A checklist shall be recorded on a separate line in the aircraft’s technical log and signed off by the PIC. Successful completion of the Check B checklist is assumed under the PIC’s sign-off for authorisation for a specific flight.

Defects


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If any defect is identified during pre-flight checks, it will be the responsibility of the PIC to assess whether that defect poses any potential hazard to the safe operation of the aircraft and whether it is therefore still safe to conduct the operation as planned.

ALL defects will be recorded in the aircraft’s technical logbook at the time of detection along with the PIC’s decision as to whether to defer the defect (and continue the operation) or ground the aircraft and any justification if applicable.

Any defect shall be rectified as soon as practicable and the original note in the Technical Log updated to indicate that it has been rectified, by whom, and the date of rectification. No page of the Technical Logbook that contains a note of a deferred defect will be removed from the aircraft’s document folder for archiving until such time as the defect is rectified and signed off.

Full Flight Test Schedule

The system must have all functions thoroughly tested with a minimum of ten minutes flight time by PIC recording any abnormalities in the Aircraft Technical Logbook. If the Pilot-In-Command deems the aircraft safe then the Accountable Manager should sign the Aircraft Technical Logbook as fit for Operational use.

Systems with identified issues to firmware or software should be grounded until the problem can be rectified.


The flight test regime for the Tarot 680 Pro platform is as follows:

UAV able to hover for 1 min under manual control in STABILISED flight mode

UAV altitude stable in ALTITUDE HOLD mode (visual check)

UAV altitude stable in SIMPLE ALTITUDE HOLD mode and cardinal orientation hold (based on magnetic compass) as expected

UAV altitude and position stable in GNSS-controlled LOITER mode, no circling (‘toiled bowling’)

Automatic LAND mode works as expected

Automatic RETURN TO LAND mode works as expected

UAV able to successfully complete a simple three waypoint mission in AUTO flight mode

Agreement of ground control visual and audible signals with aircrafts behaviour throughout the above tests.

Telemetry and radio control signal strengths indicators checked for proportionality and a confirmation of a minimum control signal range of 500m (0.27 nm). This is tested by manually moving the UAV at intervals away from the ground station at ground level.

Agreement of flight controller based battery voltage monitoring with the separate on-board hardware battery monitors. Both are verified additionally with voltage readings from the charging stations before recharge.

Triggering and functioning of both low battery alarm systems (flight controller and on-board hardware monitors). Tested by raising alarm threshold into normal operating voltage.


The flight test regime for the FX61 platform is as follows:

UAV able to circle for 1 min under manual control in LOITER flight mode

UAV altitude stable in ALTITUDE HOLD mode (visual check)


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UAV altitude and orientation stable in GNSS-controlled LOITER mode

Automatic RETURN TO LAND mode works as expected

UAV able to successfully complete a simple three waypoint mission in AUTO flight mode

Agreement of ground control visual and audible signals with aircrafts behaviour throughout the above tests.

Telemetry and radio control signal strengths indicators checked for proportionality and a confirmation of a minimum control signal range of 500m (0.27 nm). This is tested by manually moving the UAV at intervals away from the ground station at ground level.

Agreement of flight controller based battery voltage monitoring with the separate on-board hardware battery monitors. Both are verified additionally with voltage readings from the charging stations before recharge.

Triggering and functioning of both low battery alarm systems (flight controller and on-board hardware monitors). Tested by raising alarm threshold into normal operating voltage.

Software and Firmware Update Policy

All new software and firmware will be thoroughly assessed before installation. Particular attention should be focused on relevance to operations, reason for release and any known issues. Multi-rotor and UAS forums should be examined for any reported issues with the release and only when the validity of the upgrade has been confirmed should the upgrade be considered.

In all circumstances the upgrade should only be performed by authorise personnel or appointed service providers. All upgrade information such as version numbers and new functions must be recorded in the Aircraft Technical Logbook. All pilots must be made aware that the firmware or software has been upgraded before any flight is undertaken.

Any upgraded system must then have all functions thoroughly tested with a minimum of ten minutes flight time by an approved pilot recording any abnormalities in the Aircraft Technical Logbook. If the Pilot-In-Command deems the aircraft safe then the Accountable Manager should sign the Aircraft Technical Logbook as fit for operational use. If any doubts exist as to the new upgrade then the aircraft should be downgraded to the previous firmware and the flight test procedure repeated.

Systems with identified issues to firmware or software should be grounded until the problem can be rectified.

c. who established the maintenance schedule (e.g. UAV manufacturer); and

Fill in the appropriate information here. Not applicable is not acceptable. If the requested information does not apply, explain why.

The maintenance schedule has adapted from one developed by the UoE AG facility on the basis of: UK CAA guidance; advice from experienced colleagues with extensive UAV operational experience and qualifications; templates provided by UK recognised training providers; best practice established locally on both unmanned and manned aircraft operations.

d. the keeping of maintenance records (e.g. aircraft, components, control station, C2 link, etc).

Fill in the appropriate information here. Not applicable is not acceptable. If the requested information does not apply, explain why.


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All maintenance records are kept within the aircraft technical logbook. This includes all scheduled maintenance and inspection actions, pre-flight checks, any defects identified, and any rectification and repairs. Each such entry is signed off by the individual responsible. The technical log is checked by the PIC before each flight, providing an up to the minute appreciation of the serviceability state and recent activity.

PNR Specific Operational Restrictions

a. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated in the Oil Sands Area unless the following conditions are met;

i. A Notice to Airman (NOTAM) must be filed with the applicable Flight Information Center (FIC) unless advised otherwise by Nav Canada; and

ii. The UAV pilot-in-command must hold an Aeronautical Radio Operators Licence, a Station License (if required by Industry Canada) and equipment appropriate to monitor the Air Traffic Advisory Frequency (ATF) of 123.5 at all times during the operation.

Not applicable, no operations will be carried out in the Oil Sands Area.

YES -

b. By checking YES, the Certificate Applicant confirms that the UAV will not be operated within 40 nm

of Portage La Prairie – Southport Airport unless the following conditions are met;

i. The UAV shall not be flown within the CYPG control zone unless written permission and coordination details have been obtained from CYPG Air Traffic Services;

ii. The UAV pilot-in-command must hold an Aeronautical Radio Operators License, a Station License (if required by Industry Canada) and equipment appropriate to monitor 126.7 at all times during the operation; and

iii. For Any flights within 40nm of Southport Airport, the UAV pilot-in-command shall notify Allied Wings Flight Operations via email at least 4 hrs prior to flight. Email address is [email protected] : Include company name, contact name and telephone number, time of flight, area of operation (latitude, longitude) and maximum altitude planned.

Not applicable, no operations within 40 nm of Portage La Prairie Southport Airport will be carried out.

YES -

Additional Information

Note: Use this section to add any additional information not included above that may help the inspector assess your application for safety and compliance.



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Flight Reference Cards (Checklists) (Front and Back)


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Emergency Procedure Card – Front and Back


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Daily Flight Log:

On-Site Survey Form – Front and Back:


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Aircraft Technical Log Sheet


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Pilot Log Sheet:

In the UK the CAA does not consider scientific research operations to be ‘aerial work’ and as such specific pilot qualifications are not mandated; however in the interests of safety and quality assurance the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh has undertaken to ensure that any UAS operating


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crew are trained and checked to an equivalent or higher standard than that provided by the recognised training providers (‘Qualified Entities’) as part of the CAA aerial work approval process.

The PIC will have taken training and checking according to the School of GeoSciences internal UAS Training program (outlined in its UAS Operations Manual Part C).

This will involve theoretical training in various areas relevant to UAS operations (see below) and practical training with respect to on-site safety assessment, Ground Control Station setup and operation, aircraft airworthiness and system configuration, as well as simulated and actual flight training.

Familiarization of the operations manager with Canadian laws and regulations has occurred throughout the process of this application. Additional training in Canadian air law and codes of practise (including familiarization with documents such as the CFS) have been provided by pilots at the Kluane Lake Research Station. Contact information: Lance Goodwin and Sian Williams Kluane Lake Research Station Mile 1054 Alaska Highway, Yukon Territory, Y0B 1H0 Phone: 1-867-841-4561

University of Edinburgh School of GeoSciences Operations Manual

Including the parts most relevant to this application:

Part B – Standard Operating Procedures

Part C – Training Syllabus

APPENDIX 1 – Site Safety Assessment Form

On-Site Assessment Form

Pilot Record Sheets

Maintenance Sheets

All of the above are available on request from the applicants or directly from Tom Wade ([email protected]).

UAS Training Syllabus (University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, OM-UAS Part C):

2.1 General Knowledge & Airmanship Training:

The following subjects will be covered mainly in small tutorial/mini-workshop style classroom exercises,

with practical exercises in the field for the flight planning and risk assessment subject areas.

The training record sheet (appendix) should be filled in upon completion of each section below.

Checking:

Checking will be done informally by question-and-answer sessions within the program.

2.1.1 Introduction and UAS Hazard Awareness


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1.1.1.1 Overview of Syllabus a. Content b. Checking c. Feedback

1.1.1.2 Hazard Awareness a. Ground Environment b. Other Airspace Users c. LiPo Battery Safety d. Risk Assessment Process e. Recording / reporting incidents and accidents

1.1.2 Applicable Air Law

1.1.2.1 Regulatory Bodies a. ICAO b. EASA c. CAA

1.1.2.2 UAS Rules & Regulations (UK) a. Applicable Documents & regulations b. Air Navigation Order (Specific Articles) c. UK CAA CAP722 d. UAS Weight Categories e. Meaning of Aerial Work f. Meaning of Congested Area g. Meaning of SUSA h. Operating Conditions i. Visual Line of Site (VLOS) j. Extended VLOS k. Beyond VLOS l. Minimum Separation Requirements m. Requirement for Operating Permission n. UA Qualification / Certification / Registration o. Pilot Qualification

1.1.2.3 UAS Rules & Regulations (Overseas) Applicable Documents & regulations

1.1.2.4 Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) & Notifications a. Aeronautical Information Publication b. NOTAMs c. CANP

1.1.3 Airspace, Charts & Navigation

1.1.3.1 Aeronautical Charts a. Currency b. Scale c. Electronic / web flight planning tools

1.1.3.2 Altimetry a. Barometric (pressure) datums (QNH, QFE, QNE) b. Potential Barometric Errors (temperature, synoptic changes) c. GPS Datum / Geoid & Errors


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1.1.3.3 Airspace Classification & Chart Identification a. Controlled Airspace (Class A, B, C, D, E) b. Uncontrolled Airspace (Class F, G) c. Aerodrome Traffic Zones (ATZ) d. Military Aerodrome Traffic Zones (MATZ) e. Restricted, Danger and Prohibited Areas

1.1.3.4 Aeronautical Hazards & Chart Identification a. High-Intensity Radio Transmission Areas (HIRTA) b. Gas Venting Stations (GVS) c. Aerial Operating Sites (microlight, paragliding, etc.) d. Areas of Intense Aerial Activity (AIAA) e. Military Low Flying

1.1.3.5 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) a. Principle of Operation b. Augmented GPS (e.g. differential, RTK)

1.1.4 Meteorology

1.1.4.1 Services available a. TAFS b. METARS c. Area forecasts

1.1.4.2 Sources of information a. Web Sources b. Electronic flight planning products

1.1.4.3 Meteorological Hazards to UAS a. Thunderstorms (Cb) b. Wind and gust factor c. Turbulence – convective, mechanical, wave d. Visibility

1.1.5 Aircraft Technical

1.1.5.1 Basic Principles of Flight a. Angle of attack b. Dynamic pressure c. Lift / drag d. Aerodynamic stall

1.1.5.2 Stability a. Positive, neutral and negative stability

1.1.5.3 UAS Flight Controllers a. Types of Automation b. Augmented stability c. Auto-flight d. Parts of UAS Flight Control Systems e. Telemetry f. Navigation g. Failure Modes


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1.1.5.4 Connectivity & Configuration Basics a. Pixhawk b. Telemetry Modules

1.1.6 Flight Planning & Site Safety Assessment Procedures

1.1.6.1 Mission Planning a. Mission Planner Introduction (Pixhawk/APM) b. Creating Waypoints & Routes c. Uploading data to flight controller

1.1.6.2 Site Safety Assessment a. Stage One: Site Safety Assessment Form (Pre-Deployment) b. Stage Two: One Site Survey (daily, on-site dynamic risk assessment checklist)

1.2 Multi-Rotor Skills & Knowledge

1.2.1 General Knowledge

1.2.1.1 Rotary-Wing Basics a. Parts of the Aircraft b. Primary & Secondary Effects of Controls c. Effective Translational Lift d. Asymmetric Lift e. Vortex Ring State (VRS) f. Retreating Blade Stall

Simulator Training:

Ten hours of simulator training will be completed prior to moving on to actual flight training. The main aim of the simulator training is to familiarise the trainee with the remote control transmitter (TX), different flight modes and to obtain an intuition and feeling for in flight physics. The trainee will be encouraged to practise flying multiple models of the aircraft type utilised in later missions.

The simulator AeroSIM RC (http://www.aerosimrc.com) is used as a simulator platform for multicopter type aircraft in combination with a Futaba T10J RX or equivalent. It’s a standard for training in the remote controlled and model aircraft community and has an integrated training programme that, in the case of multi-rotor type aircraft familiarises the trainee with:

Throttle control

Hovering

Translating

Take-off and Landing

Forward Flight

Flight Training: Before operating the aircraft independently in the field the pilot will have completed the training by demonstrating the ability to carry out an operation autonomously. This includes: being able to independently set up the GCS and aircraft, carrying out basic maintenance, demonstrating good flight awareness, hazard awareness and an understanding and ability to carry out the measures required to reduce the risk involved with UAV work, additionally the pilot needs to be able to control the aircraft to the

http://www.aerosimrc.com/


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University of GeoSciences’ standard. The trainee needs to demonstrate the above independently to two experienced members of staff (currently Tom Wade and Simon-Gibson Pole). For mulitrotor type aircraft, aircraft control is demonstrated by successfully completing able the following manoeuvres:

Carry out take off and landing in both STABILSE and ALTITUDE HOLD modes

Hover at 33-50 feet (10-15 m) for 1 min and hold altitude and position in STABILISE mode

Fly a square box at approximately 80 feet (25 m) in STABILISE mode

Fly a figure of eight in forward flight at approximately 80 feet (25 m) height in STABILISE mode.

Ascent to 330 feet (100 m) and controlled decent in STABILISE or ALTITUDE HOLD mode

Return aircraft from a distance larger than 820 feet (250 m) in ALTITUDE HOLD or SIMPLE ALTITUDE HOLD mode.

Finally, the pilot will have completed at least 60 min of supervised flight with the respective aircraft before finishing the training and flying independently.


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APPENDIX A:

GUIDANCE ON NAVCANADA EXPECTATIONS AND ROLES IN COORDINATION OF AIRSPACE

The following is a brief explanation of the role and expectations of NavCanada in the airspace

coordination process. Please use this as a guide in determining your procedures regarding airspace

coordination.

NAV CANADA is the company that owns and operates Canada’s civil air navigation service (ANS). They manage 18 million square kilometres of Canadian and oceanic airspace. With 40,000 customers and 12 million aircraft movements a year, they are the world’s second-largest air navigation service by traffic volume. As a private company, revenues come from aviation customers, not government. Services include air traffic control, flight information, weather briefings, aeronautical information services, airport advisory services and electronic aids to navigation. Facilities include area control centres (ACC), airport control towers, flight service stations (FSS), flight information centres (FIC), and Community Aerodrome Radio Stations (CARS). A coordinated and secure UAV integration process into the Canadian air system is part of their mission. Collaboration between UAV users and NAV CANADA will assist in the facilitation of the safe movement of aircraft in Canada. More and more people are using unmanned aircraft for work or pleasure. Transport Canada regulates their use to keep the public and our airspace safe. NAV CANADA manages operations and executes the day-to-day operational control and management of flight operations. Aircraft without a pilot on board go by many names—unmanned air vehicle (UAV), remotely piloted aircraft system, model aircraft, remote control aircraft, and drone. In Canada, we currently use the term “Unmanned Air Vehicle” for all groups, except model hobbyists. UAV users are responsible to fly their aircraft safely and legally. In Canada, users must: • Follow the rules set out in the Canadian Aviation Regulations. • Respect the Criminal Code as well as all municipal, provincial, and territorial laws related to trespassing and privacy. • Be responsible partners and users within the Air Navigation System, coordinating operations with NAV CANADA as appropriate.

DEFINITIONS For the purposes of this document, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms will have the respective meanings set out below and grammatical variations of such terms will have the corresponding meanings: “Party” means NAV CANADA or UAV user and “Parties” means both of them. “Safety Officer” means the individual with responsibility for operational coordination and communication with NAVCANADA. “Unmanned Air Vehicle” means any power-driven aircraft, other than a model aircraft, that is designed to fly without a human operator onboard. “Fly-away” means an interruption or loss of the command and control link where the pilot is unable to affect control of the aircraft and the aircraft is longer following its preprogrammed procedures resulting in the UAV not operating in a predictable or planned manner. ACRONYMS ACC Area Control Centre ASL Above Sea Level


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ATS Air Traffic Services AGL Above Ground Level CYR Canadian Restricted Airspace FIC Flight Information Center FIR Flight Information Region FSS Flight Service Station IFR Instrument Flight Rules IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions MANOPS Manual of Operations NOTAM Notice to Airmen NM Nautical Miles SFOC Special Flight Operations Certificate TC Transport Canada TP Transport Canada Publication UAS Unmanned Aircraft System UAV Unmanned Air Vehicle UPS Unit Procedures Specialist VFR Visual Flight Rules VMC Visual Meteorological Conditions

COORDINATION OF DATA All distances and units of measure for aviation purposes shall be listed and communicated in NM, Nautical Miles, feet or inches. Below two nautical miles, distances from aerodromes may be identified with decimals. Distances below one nautical mile may be identified in feet or in nautical mile. (1 NM=1.151 miles, 1 NM=1.852 km, 1KM = 0.54 NM) Distances should be measured from the aerodrome facility reference point, as listed in the CFS (see 9.2.1), or from a listed Aviation Navigation facility such as a VOR or NDB. All altitudes and elevation measurements for aviation purposes shall be listed and communicated in feet. (1 meter = 3.281 feet) All position locations for aviation purposes shall be expressed in the following formats’ For Planning and NOTAMs; in non-GPS Lat/Long, as expressed in Deg.Min.Sec. (eg; N53 18 36 W113 34 46) For Emergency coordination with ATS units, in a position report expressed by distance in NM and direction in compass rose points from the nearest published Aerodrome/Heliport. (eg; 4.5NM E-N-E of CYQL)

ATC / ANS EXPECTATIONS UAV user integration into Canada’s Air Navigation System must be done in a safe, orderly manner. While Transport Canada is the regulator, the daily operational impact of Air Traffic Control and flight operations is managed by NAV CANADA. While an SFOC provides the regulatory authority to be able to operate your UAV within prescribed conditions, it does not assure operational safety on a tactical basis. Operational safety assessments and impact reviews are made on all aviation operations. As collaborative aviation partners, NAV CANADA and Transport Canada expect UAV users to coordinate and communicate UAV operations where a potential impact to flight safety exists. To that end, the following paragraphs outline areas of concern, procedures, and expectations for UAV operations within the Edmonton and Winnipeg FIR. Additionally, as partners in safety for the Canadian aviation system, NAV


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CANADA requests a copy of user SFOC’s for tracking and contact info. With this information, we will be able to effectively communicate with the UAV user community for flight safety and coordination topics as required within the Air Navigation System. It is the user’s responsibility to understand and apply this document. For UAV operations in the vicinity of any airport with a Control Tower, when authorized to do so by Transport Canada within a SFOC, NAV CANADA expects the following unless otherwise coordinated, by addendum. For operations within Tower control zones: Towers are Air Traffic Control units that deliver positive control to maintain a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic. This means that all aviation users require prior authorization to enter and operate in a Tower’s area of responsibility. Normally this area is a 5NM ring around the facility, and altitude from the surface to 3000’ AGL. That said, the dimensions vary significantly throughout the region and the appropriate aviation publications must be consulted to confirm dimensions. For UAV operations within the control zone, all operations will be coordinated in advance with the applicable ATC unit. Altitudes will normally be limited to 100 feet above ground, and at no time above 300’ AGL unless specifically authorized in the SFOC and specifically authorized by the appropriate control tower. All altitudes and documentation shall be specifically authorized by the appropriate ATC unit, and included in the SFOC application. NavCanada will at all times have the right to refuse UAV operations within their areas of operation if they do not feel the operator will be able to operate safely. Each applicable unit will require the planned UAV operation date, time, location, altitude, and contact information a minimum of 48 hrs in advance. Preliminary assessments for safety will be coordinated at that time. Within 30 minutes of the planned UAV operation, the appropriate NAV CANADA coordination point further requires a final contact for operational approval and a confirmation contact once the UAV operation has concluded. Flight Service Stations: Flight Service Stations are the most common Air Traffic System facility. They maintain close coordination, as appropriate, with other ATS units or concerned agencies. The FSS role is to provide flight services as outlined in their respective site manuals. As knowledgeable local aviation professionals, part of their role is to inform aircraft of conditions, observed or relayed to them by pilots or other reliable sources, which may affect flight safety. This includes UAV operations. Their area of responsibility is usually within 5 NM of served aerodromes, from the surface up to 3000ft AGL. That said, the dimensions vary significantly throughout the region and the appropriate aviation publications must be consulted to confirm dimensions. Additionally, many FSS areas include responsibility for flight safety communication and coordination around Waterdromes, or ‘airports’ for aircraft on water. With a wide diversity of low-altitude flight operations in dynamic environments, FSS expect timely communication and coordination from UAV users in the vicinity of registered aerodromes. During UAV coordination, they will often request a copy of UAV user SFOC’s. When in doubt about the potential impact of your UAV operation, contact with the local FSS can assist to clarify and ensure safe, coordinated operations. As the primary point of contact for the Area Control Centre, the Edmonton, Winnipeg or Montreal Shift Manager (SM) is often coordinating or relaying pertinent operational information between air traffic control, and UAV users. Unless otherwise noted, the SM do not normally require or need coordination of operations for UAV missions in Class G airspace below 300’ AGL and outside of 5 NM from controlled facilities. As the central coordination point they are however, the most common point of initial contact for emergencies such as loss of control, safety threats, or incidents. UAV users are expected to be familiar with the phone numbers for emergency communication and coordination to the ACC Shift Managers. They following are the contact numbers for the appropriate Shift Managers within PNR. Nav Canada Area Control Centre Shift Manager (Edmonton 780-890-8397 Winnipeg 204-983-8338 or Montreal 514-633-3365 (if in the vicinity of Iqaluit)


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UAV operations in the far north often encompass areas with operational impact to flight safety. Control and communication agencies range from FSS, to local operators with or without mandatory traffic frequencies, Community Aerodrome Radio Station (CARS), to military installations. Understanding the area you are operating in and its limitations are your responsibility. When in doubt about the potential impact of your UAV operation, contact with the appropriate shift manager, or when able the local FSS, can assist to clarify and ensure safe, coordinated operations. NAV CANADA expects UAV users to know and understand their requirements to file NOTAM’s to inform other Aviation system users. NOTAM’s,are filed for distribution with the Flight Information Centre (FIC). The FIC expects NOTAM information, if required (this may be specified in an SFOC or required under CAR’s), to be filed as per the SFOC. Further guidance and coordination regarding operations at or near any registered aerodrome listed within the CFS may be found by contacting the FIC. UAV SFOC EXEMPTIONS have been published by Transport Canada. UAV operations in compliance with these exemptions are not expected or required to coordinate with NAV CANADA. Specifically, this is in reference to daytime UAV flights in good weather, at or below 300 feet AGL, in Class G Airspace, and at least 5 NM away the centre of any aerodrome. In the event of a loss of control resulting in the possible breach of exemption conditions, NAV CANADA would expect and encourage users to be familiar with, and apply, the section on Emergency Contacts.

PLANNING Communications between users and ATC units for the use and operations of UAV’s will normally be by telephone. In planning UAV air operations, NAVCANADA requests the following considerations; NOTAM’s should always be filed for any UAV Operation above 500’ AGL and/or within 5NM of any Aerodrome or within class C, D or E airspace. NOTAM’s will not normally be issued more than 48 hours in advance of operational start time, but should be out at least 24 hours in advance when able. For FIC contact concerning NOTAM preparation, the following information is pertinent to air navigation services and users; • Dimensions of UAV Operations area (within 1 NM is considered standard), with reference to the • Area of Operation, expressed as Lat/Long (Part 2.4), and • Planned Operational altitudes, in feet (Part 2.4) AGL, and • UAV Size, and • UAV Weight (in Lbs), and • UAV Colour, and • Date and time of Operation. User contact information will also be requested including, at a minimum, the UAV operators name and onsite point of contact, ie. Cell number. When operations are planned to occur within 5 NM of any controlled Aerodrome/Heliport, coordination with the applicable Tower and/or Flight Service Station (FSS) should be done prior to NOTAM being filed. To assure proper safety assessments, NAVCANADA requests at least 24hr prior notice to the affected unit. There are also many private strips, hospital aerodromes, and Waterdromes listed in the CFS that are not controlled by NAVCANADA but with which UAV users must coordinate with locally prior to operations. COORDINATION In keeping with the Air Traffic Control expectations, coordination between Air Navigation System Users, including UAV’s, and NAV CANADA is critical to maintaining the safety of the system. UAV technology is developing rapidly and capabilities of range, speed, and altitude have operational impacts with commercial aviation. The responsibility to assure coordination for UAV operations within or near the ATC system rests with the UAV user.


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NAV CANADA expects coordination from users to be affected in a timely manner, and will endeavour to process, coordinate, and respond to appropriate UAV user requests in a timely, professional manner. Please keep in mind the complexity of your operation especially airspace complexities when considering lead time for coordination. Please keep in mind the complexity of the airspace as well as the complexity of your operation when considering lead time for coordination. COMMUNICATIONS Effective, complete, and timely communication is critical to aviation safety. Communication is a critical issue in all aspects of human interaction, and has been reported to be the major contributing factor into aviation accidents. Communication is essential between all user groups within the Air Navigation System for organizational and managerial performance and success focused on safety. With 40,000 customers, NAV CANADA endeavors to provide a safety focused culture of effective communication, both internally and externally. For the UAV user group, effective communication is a two-way responsibility and can be accomplished in numerous ways. From planning, to operations and emergencies, the following are perspectives on effective and necessary communications within the Air Traffic Control system. Communication by email. Preliminary planning and coordination can often be facilitated properly by email. Written accounts of planned exercise help to minimize potential errors and miscommunications. In early stages of coordination, this is the preferred method Communication by phone. Tactical, or short term operations may also be communicated to NAV CANADA by telephone in the planning stages. In most operational instances this will be the primary contact method. Used for coordination, operations, and emergencies, the applicable contacts listed in the CFS, as should be utilized. Communication by other means, including VHF. While some UAV operators may have VHF capabilities, UAV’s in Canada do not have radio-telecommunications station permits or aviation registrations yet. As such, at this time, this is not a recommended method of communication between UAV users and NAV CANADA, unless otherwise coordinated. If users are so equipped and trained, maintaining a listening watch of air traffic on the appropriate frequency may increase situational awareness. Interference on Air Traffic Control frequencies is a safety issue, most especially in congested high density traffic areas and as such is not recommended. EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION There are several instances outside of normal UAV operations which are of concern to Aviation Safety, as managed by NAVCANADA. While every mission and emergency situation will be different, there are different primary contacts for coordination depending upon the nature of the event. From an Air Traffic Control perspective, different potential threats to aviation safety are identified as follows. Rogue UAV Lateral Fly Away: In a situation where a UAV is operating within 10 nautical miles of Class C, D or E airspace and a loss of control has occurred, or is apparent, and the UAV appears to be travelling horizontally but not climbing, ATC would suggest from an aviation safety perspective that the primary Emergency contact be the nearest Aerodrome, Flight Service Station, or Tower. The Secondary in this case should be the Flight Information Region (FIR) Area Control Center (ACC) Shift Manager. Prior to UAV operations, understanding the area and classification of airspace in and around your mission area will assist in the proper identification of potentially affected ATC units. Rogue UAV Vertical Fly Away: In a situation where a UAV is operating within 10 nautical miles of Class C, D or E airspace


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and a loss of control has occurred, or is apparent, and the UAV appears to be climbing with minimal or no horizontal travel, ATC would suggest from an aviation safety perspective that the primary Emergency contact be the appropriate FIR ACC Shift Manager. The Secondary in this case should be the nearest Aerodrome, Flight Service Station, or Tower. Prior to UAV operations, understanding the area and classification of airspace in and around your mission area will assist in the proper identification of potentially affected ATC units. In a situation where a UAV is operating within Glass G airspace only and a loss of control has occurred, or is apparent, ATC would suggest from an aviation safety perspective that the primary Emergency contact be the appropriate FIR ACC Shift Manager. The Secondary in this case should be the nearest Flight Information Center (FIC). Prior to UAV operations, understanding the area and classification of airspace in and around your mission area will assist in the proper identification of potentially affected ATC units In the event of a total loss of control, or otherwise dangerous operational situation, NAV CANADA and Transport Canada expect UAV users to use their best judgement to maintain flight safety. This includes communicating and taking immediate action to mitigate additional risks to the Air Navigation System, and other aviation system users. Follow-up communication and reporting to both NAV CANADA and Transport Canada is mandatory in any of the above instances. Occasionally, aviation system emergencies or events occur which may require the immediate contact from a NAV CANADA facility to the UAV user. Proper prior coordination including your operational or emergency contact information makes this possible. These instances may include operational limitations imposed on UAV operations, up to and including the immediate grounding of operations. NAV CANADA will expect compliance as fast as practical in these instances. AVIATION SAFETY RELEVANT DATA AND RESOURCES The safe operation of UAV’s as legitimate aviation users integrated into the Air Navigation System operated by NAVCANADA requires understanding and awareness on the part of the user. The following are the most commonly referenced documents and sources for current information. While not exhaustive, these resources will increase UAV user situational awareness, safe integration to Canada’s aviation system. In some cases it may be legally required to have these documents present during UAV operations. UAV best practices, from an ATC/ANS perspective, strongly recommend the familiarization, understanding, use, and possession of the following resources be the norm for all UAV operators. CFS The Canadian Flight Supplement is a joint civil-military publication containing information on all Canadian and North Atlantic aerodromes; used as a reference for planning and conducting air operations and updated every 56 days. This publication lists all contact numbers necessary for safe UAV operations and coordination. Available online at http://products.navcanada.ca/Products/Aeronautical-Publications VNC The VFR Navigation Chart (VNC) is used by VFR pilots on short to extended cross-country flights at low to medium altitudes and at low to medium airspeeds. The chart displays aeronautical information and sufficient topographic detail to facilitate air navigation through the use of a unique colour scheme, layer tinting, and shaded relief. Available online at http://products.navcanada.ca/Products/Aeronautical-Charts VTA The VFR Terminal Charts (VTA) provide detailed information in congested air traffic areas. These are similar in nature to the VNC, however these charts are at a more detailed scale of 1:250,000. Calgary and Edmonton are covered in these charts. Available online at


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http://products.navcanada.ca/Products/Aeronautical-Charts NOTAMS A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM or NoTAM) is a notice filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the safety of the flight. They can include such items as temporary restrictions, UAV operations, flight dangers, or publication changes. Canadian NOTAMs are issued and disseminated by NAVCANADA and are available online at https://flightplanning.navcanada.ca TRANSPORT CANADA Information regarding the Federal Governments Transportation Regulations, Canadian Aviation Regulations, Special Flight Operations Certificate process, Regulatory Exemptions, and general safety protocols regarding UAV Operations in Canada may be found at www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON NAVCANADA COORDINATION PROCEDURES WITH EDMONTON, WINNIPEG AND MONTREAL FIR(S) IN PRAIRIE AND NORTHERN REGION All SFOC UAV operations within PNR are required to coordinate with NavCanada for flights within the three Flight Information Regions, Edmonton FIR, Winnipeg FIR and Montreal FIR as applicable. Find below the specific NavCanada coordination procedures for each of the FIR’s. These procedures are mandatory for all operations within PNR. For applications covering a Standing area for a Standing Time period, the application must show HOW this coordination will be carried out. For site specific applications, the applicant must show For all UAV operations within the Winnipeg Flight Information Region (FIR):

The Winnipeg FIR coordinates and integrates UAV operations as follows:

All SFOC UAV operations, when required by Transport Canada, shall coordinate through a single office

manned by Unit Operations Specialists or UOS. The office is open Monday to Friday during regular

business hours, with coverage for humanitarian purposes during off-hours. The phone number is

204.983.0304, e-mail is [email protected] . Authorization to operate within controlled airspace

(Class A,B,C,D,E and some Class F) shall be provided through the UOS office. This office then reviews

the SFOC for locations (to measure proximity to airports, runways, approaches, VFR corridors, etc.),

airspace, restrictions and NOTAM requirements. This office also determines when a NOTAM is required.

The Winnipeg FIC will not determine if a NOTAM is or is not required.

For UAV ops in controlled airspace, the NAV CANADA operational units (control towers, flight service

stations, area control centre and flight information centre) do not want to talk to UAV operators until the

operator has contacted and coordinated their UAV operation through the UOS office. Once this process

has been completed, the unit will be advised that you are an authorized UAV operator, the specifics of

your operation, and the dates. At this time NAV CANADA will also provide authorization for you to

conduct your operation along with your communication protocol, restrictions and emergency procedures.

For UAV operations in Class G airspace, NAV CANADA has a Winnipeg FIR policy that states that they

require a NOTAM be filed at least 24 hours prior to any UAV operation that is conducted within 5 NM (or

close proximity to this: 5.1 – 5.3) of any airport found within the CFS or Water Supplement.

If a UAV operator is unsure of the proximity of their operation to an airport or controlled airspace, they are

strongly encouraged to contact the UOS office to confirm or verify this requirement. They can also help

with the required information or format for filing NOTAMs.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst



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Given the amount of active NOTAMs on a daily basis, Winnipeg FIR is careful about only publishing

precise and relevant NOTAMs. For example, all else being equal, they will not accept a NOTAM

advertising UAV operations for a seven-day period and the operator only needs to conduct a single 15-

minute flight. While we understand weather and technical limitations, putting out blanket NOTAMs like the

example will not lend itself to pilots and aircrew getting accurate safety data. It will actually cause the

reverse.

Given the nature of UAV operations, the UOS office can generally turn around requests fairly quickly.

That being said, the units are not staffed to process this information immediately. Workload and summer

staffing demands are variable and may impact on getting authorization in controlled airspace. Therefore,

it is strongly recommended to allow seven working days’ notice for UAV operations within the YWG FIR.

For all UAV operations within the Edmonton Flight Information Region (FIR):

The Edmonton FIR coordinates and integrates UAV operations as follows:

All SFOC UAV operations, when required by Transport Canada, shall initially coordinate through a single

office manned by Unit Procedures Specialists or UPS. Upon initial registration with this office, the UAV

user group shall be issued a current copy of the EDMONTON FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION UAV

BEST PRACTICES FOR AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES COORDINATION document. Acquisition of this UAV

Best Practices document is made via registration of the following information;

USER Corporate Name

USER Operator, or Point of Contact Name

USER Address

USER Telephone numbers, Administrative and/or UAV operations number

USER Email

USER SFOC Copy, as and when available.

This office is open Monday to Friday during regular business hours, with coverage for humanitarian

purposes during off-hours. The phone number is 780-890-4739, and e-mail is

[email protected]

Blanket authorization to operate within controlled airspace (Class A,B,C,D,E and some Class F) shall be

provided through the UPS office and site based coordination. Local sites shall then further review the

SFOC for locations (to measure proximity to airports, runways, approaches, VFR corridors, etc.),

airspace, restrictions and NOTAM requirements. Local sites shall coordinate NOTAM requirements with

the UAV operator.

For UAV ops in controlled airspace, the NAVCANADA operational units (control towers, flight service

stations, area control centre and flight information centre listed in the Best Practices document) do not

want to talk to UAV operators until the operator has furnished their SFOC and is able to comply with the

Best Practices document framework. Once this process has been completed, the unit will be advised that

you are an authorized UAV operator, the specifics of your operation, and the dates. At this time

NAVCANADA will also provide authorization for you to conduct your operation along with your

communication protocol, restrictions and emergency procedures.



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For UAV operations in Class G airspace, NAVCANADA has an Edmonton FIR policy that states a

requirement for NOTAM’s to be filed at least 24 hours prior to any UAV operation that is conducted within

5 NM of any airport found within the CFS or Water Supplement.

If a UAV operator is unsure of the proximity of their operation to an airport or controlled airspace, they are

strongly encouraged to contact the nearest site and/or the UPS office to confirm or verify this

requirement. They can also help with the required information or format for filing NOTAMs.

Given the amount of active NOTAMs on a daily basis, Edmonton FIR is careful about only publishing

precise and relevant NOTAMs. For example, all else being equal, they will not accept a NOTAM

advertising UAV operations for a seven-day period when the operator only needs to conduct a single 15-

minute flight. While we understand weather and technical limitations, putting out blanket NOTAMs will not

lend itself to pilots and aircrew getting accurate safety data. This may actually cause the reverse.

Given the nature of UAV operations, local NAVCANADA sites and the UPS office can generally turn

around requests fairly quickly but the more lead time for coordination the better. Workload and summer

staffing demands are variable and may impact on getting authorization in controlled airspace.

For all UAV operations within the Montreal Flight Information Region (FIR):

The Montreal FIR coordinates and integrates UAV operations as follows:

All SFOC UAV operations, when required by Transport Canada, shall initially coordinate through the

Iqualuit Flight Service Station manager at [email protected] .



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APPENDIX B

TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS – SPECIFICALLY LITHIUM BATTERIES

BACKGROUND Many UAV operators utilize equipment which uses Lithium batteries as a power source for the UAV, Control Station and other ancillary equipment required for operations. There have been several recent incidents of Lithium Batteries catching fire, overheating, exploding and releasing toxic substances into the atmosphere. It behooves all UAV operators to ensure that they are in compliance with all regulations concerning the transportation of these and other dangerous goods between job sites, whether by air, sea or surface, to ensure the safety of their crews and the general public. RESOURCES The following links provide guidance on the regulatory requirements for transportation of dangerous goods, including Lithium Batteries. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/lithium-batteries-are-dangerous-goods-1162.html http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part12-466.htm http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part11-120.htm https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/acts-1992c34.htm

APPENDIX C

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

QUESTION How do I contact Transport Canada for information on UAV’s

ANSWER Several methods of obtaining information are available. You may look for information on

the Transport Canada Website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-

recavi-uav-2265.htm if this site does not answer your questions; contact the Prairie

Northern Region UAV email at [email protected]

QUESTION What area is covered by PNR?

ANSWER Prairie Northern Region covers operations within Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta,

Nunavut, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Inquiries regarding operations in all

other regions should be directed to those regional offices directly.

QUESTION What is an SFOC and do I need one?

ANSWER An SFOC is a Special Flight Operations Certificate. All non-recreational UAV operations

require an SFOC or a valid exemption to operate. Do not confuse non-commercial with

recreational. Recreational use is use for the purpose of personal enjoyment or as a

hobby. If you derive any benefit other than personal enjoyment from the operation of a

UAV, you require an SFOC or an Exemption. Use of a UAV for training for a business

venture is not recreational. If you are a photographer by trade and you give free pictures

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/lithium-batteries-are-dangerous-goods-1162.html

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part12-466.htm

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/clear-part11-120.htm

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/acts-1992c34.htm

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-uav-2265.htm

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-uav-2265.htm



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away that you have taken from a UAV, there is potential benefit to your business in terms

of promotion and therefore it is non-recreation. These examples are not all inclusive.

QUESTION I want to start an aerial photography business using my UAV. What are the requirements

to obtain an SFOC?

ANSWER To operate safely you first need to educate yourself about UAV Operation. The Canadian

Air Regulations govern the operation of UAV’s in Canada. These regulations are

designed to ensure public safety and are complex. The first recommended step is to

educate yourself. Several companies throughout Canada offer UAV specific training. We

recommend you take one or more of the courses available. Unmanned Systems Canada

maintains a list of education providers within Canada on their website at

http://www.unmannedsystems.ca . Transport Canada does not endorse nor certify any of

the course providers listed, but we do believe that any education on this subject is better

than none at all. Your safety and that of the general public is paramount. The next step is

to apply for an SFOC or operate under one of the two exemptions published on the

Transport Canada website.

QUESTION How long does it take for my application to result in issuance of an SFOC?

ANSWER Transport Canada PNR region strives to issue an SFOC within 20 days of receipt of a

completed application. A completed application is one which provides all the information

that an inspector requires to deem your operation to be safe and in accordance with SI

623-001. Processing times are variable dependant on the number of applications in the

queue and the quality of information provided. Typically, once an inspector begins

reviewing your application (s)he will probably contact you for clarification or to request

more information. The speed with which your application progresses is dependent on the

information you provide and the speed with which this is done. Delays in submitting

requested information will result in delays in issuance of an SFOC.

QUESTION What is an EXEMPTION?

ANSWER An exemption is a document published by Transport Canada exempting UAV Operators

from the requirement to obtain an SFOC for non-recreational operations. There are

currently two exemptions available regarding UAV operations. These may be found at

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/ac-600-004-2136.html . Non-recreational

operators may operate under the applicable exemptions provided they are able to comply

with every condition contained without exception. All of the terms in the documents must

be understood and complied with.

QUESTION How do I report suspected illegal UAV activity?

ANSWER If you feel the activity is posing a threat to safety, call your local law enforcement agency

immediately. If the complaint is more of a general matter that needs to be investigated,

use the Civil Aviation Issues Reporting System (CAIRS) which can be found at

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/secretariat-cairs-menu-209.htm

QUESTION Can I use the UAV exemptions if I currently hold an SFOC?

http://www.unmannedsystems.ca/

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/ac-600-004-2136.html

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/secretariat-cairs-menu-209.htm


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ANSWER Yes. SFOC holders are welcome to use the exemptions where they apply. You are bound

by whichever of the documents you are using in the conduct of each particular operation.

QUESTION What is an AERODROME?

ANSWER "aerodrome" - means any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof+) or

other supporting surface used, designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in

whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes

any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith.

QUESTION What is considered to be a “BUILT-UP AREA”

ANSWER A built-up area is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “having many buildings in a small

area”. Transport Canada does not provide a definition of a built-up area within the CARs,

but in the exemption (http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/ac-600-004-

2136.html#s1_2 ) regarding UAV operations near built-up areas, the following guidance is

given: “Built-up areas are considered areas with groups of buildings or dwellings

including anything from small hamlets to major cities. Anything larger than a farmstead

should be considered a built up area.”

QUESTION What is Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)?

ANSWER Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) - means unaided (corrective lenses and/or sunglasses

exempted) visual contact with the UAV sufficient to be able to maintain operational

control of the aircraft, know its location, and be able to scan the airspace in which it is

operating to decisively see and avoid other air traffic or objects.

QUESTION If operating under an exemption, must I notify the Minister for every flight?

ANSWER You do not have to notify the Minister for every flight, as long as the geographical

location, which you have provided to the Minister (notified the Minister) that you are

operating in remains the same and the UAS remains the same.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/ac-600-004-2136.html#s1_2

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/opssvs/ac-600-004-2136.html#s1_2