Developing UAV Operations Manuals will increase reliability, improve quality, help train employees and make your business more valuable.

1. Developing Operations Manuals for UAV Ops
NAB 2018
Tue. April 10 | 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM | S229

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AGENDA
 Introduction
 Contents
 Structure
 TIPS
 Intro to SGS
 Q&A

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INTRODUCTION
 Why do you need operations manuals
 Create, maintain and demonstrate a standard – to your
organization, to clients, to external stakeholders or a
regulator/agency
 Increase reliability
 Improves quality: established standard (measurable) =
expected performance of team (measured)
 Tool for training employees
 Reference for employees, improved efficiency leaving more
time for managers & owners for strategic functions
 Makes operation repeatable, scalable and sustainable
 Makes business more valuable – contains your intellectual
property, experiences and investment (can’t sell a business
process contained in someone’s head)

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CONTENTS
 Preface items
 General Introduction
 Operational Control
 Operations
 Emergency Response
 Training
 Security
 Maintenance
 Additional sections
 Quality Control
 Safety Management
 OH&S

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PREFACE ITEMS
 Preamble –
 Purpose of the Manual
 Compliance Statement
 Company Contact Information
 Table of Contents
 Amendment Procedures
 Distribution and Control
 Record of Amendments
 List of Effective Pages (LEP)
 Abbreviations, Acronyms and Definitions

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INTRODUCTION
 Company Description
 Certificates (if applicable)
 Organization Structure or Chart
 Define Roles, Responsibilities and Qualifications
 Management Personnel
• Accountable Executive or Manager
• Operations Manager
• Chief Pilot
• Maintenance Manager
 Operational Personnel
• Pilots
• Training Pilots
• Observers
• Dispatchers
Good place for policy statements:
• Safety
• Non-Punitive / Just Culture
• Privacy
• Drug & Alcohol
*Include Succession
Details for
Management

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OPERATIONAL CONTROL
 Flight Planning / Preparation
 Risk Analysis / Management
 Weather Minima
 Document Preparation / Checklists & Manuals / Post Flight
 Weight / Balance / Configuration
 Fuel / Battery Requirements
 Maintenance Discrepancy
 Crew Briefing
 Flight & Duty Time / Fatigue Management
 Accident / Incident Reporting

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OPERATIONAL CONTROL
 Minimum / Maximum Distances & Altitudes
 Task Feasibility
 Site / Location Survey / Assessment
 Communications
 Site Notifications / Permissions
 Cordon
Flight procedures to specific aircraft and/or flight operations should be a SOP –
Standard Operating Procedure
SOPs - Separate document that is available as a quick reference to flight crews

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SOPs
Normal Procedures
 Assembly
 Pre-flight tests
 Weight and balance control requirements
 Take-off/launch, flight and recovery
 Crew coordination such as standard
briefings, calls and handovers
 Balked landing procedures
 Refueling/battery charging or replacement
 Use of check lists
■ Required information, if contained in another publication that is available at the
control station during flight, need not be repeated in the SOP
■ The SOP may form part of the operations manual
■ The SOP should contain the following as applicable to the specific UAV type:
Abnormal & Emergency Procedures
 Emergency landing/recovery
 Equipment failure
 Command and control link
failure
 Loss of visual contact
 Pilot incapacitation
 Potential conflict with other
aircraft

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE & SECURITY
 Emergency Response
 Emergency Response Plan
 Accident / Incident / Hazard Reporting
 Emergency Equipment
 Security
 Physical and Technical Security Measures
 PPE
Consider keeping Emergency Response Plan (ERP) as a separate document:
quick reference, hard copy
ERP needs to be current, applicable to all operations, verified and exercised
regularly

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ERP
PROCEDURES FOR (AT A MINIMUM, AS APPLICABLE)
 Command and control link
 Flight termination system
 Loss of visual contact
 Preparation for emergency landing/ditching
 Control station failures
 Emergency control station evacuation

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TRAINING
 Training Standards
 Who needs to be trained –
based on role and experience
 What they will be trained
 Examinations
 Check Flights
 Training Records
 Content and retention
 Training Delivery
 In house, third party
 Training Personnel
 Who is qualified to deliver
training
 Initial & Recurrent
 Interval for each training
element
■ Training Programs
 Company Indoctrination
 Ground / Flight Training
 OH&S
 Maintenance
TIP:
Operations
Manual defines
training
policy/requirem
ents – move
the details,
course
descriptions
and syllabus,
to a separate
training manual

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MAINTENANCE
 Maintenance Standards
 Airworthiness Standard (if applicable) , OEM
 Replacement parts, components, software and firmware – OEM
 Modifications / Repairs
 Maintenance Personnel
 Who can perform maintenance (and what maintenance can they perform)
 Qualifications and Training
 Maintenance Control
 Tracked
 Records
 Maintenance Contractors
 Third Party
 Inspection Cycle / Schedules
 Defect Control

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OTHER SECTIONS
 Safety Management
 Safety personnel
 Safety meetings
 Safety planning, awareness and training
 Investigating incidents and accidents
 Maintaining reporting system
 Quality Assurance
 OH&S
 Requirements not specific to UAV operations
 Cover risks at each job site, operating base and during travel
 Include:
• Dangerous goods – lithium batteries
• Lifting
• Operating on elevated platforms, etc

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STRUCTURE – SINGLE OR MULTIPLE?
 Single manual with everything is ok for very small
company and simple operations
 Separate manuals are:
 Easier to amend
 Growth or changes are easier to incorporate
 Efficient – employees only need to reference applicable
manual

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TIPS
 Divide into sections
 Separate the what (policy) from the how (procedure)
 Keep forms separate in an appendix or separate manual,
don’t build forms in manual
 Forms and checklists – have date and revision status
 Establish document control
 All manuals same format
 Fit for purpose – KISS principle (Keep in Simple Stupid)

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COMPANY OVERVIEW
World’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company

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Fall, 2017 SGS was included in Forbes ‘Most Innovative’ Companies list.
For the fourth year in a row, SGS has been named an Industry Leader in the Dow
Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). This award is recognition of our long-standing
commitment to sustainability as an integral part of our business activities and our
company culture.
COMPANY OVERVIEW

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Today’s consumers want to
know where their food comes
from.
Our services provide confidence
throughout food supply chains,
as well as for those who buy the
end product.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
From your smartphone screens to
electric car batteries, the technology of
the future will increasingly rely on rare
earth elements (REE). SGS’ services for
REE help bring these products to
market.
DELIVERING THE FUTURE
Customers at petrol stations
don’t think about fuel quality or
pump calibration – until there is
a problem. Our services help
companies reduce risk.
KEEPING YOU ON THE ROAD
It's the quality of service that
keeps you coming back to your
favourite hotel. SGS helps
make sure you always get the
standards you are expecting.
A GOOD NIGHT’S
SLEEP GUARANTEED
Knowing that wooden products
have really come from lawful
timber is important to
consumers. Our Timber
Traceability and Legality
solution makes this possible.
BUILDING
SUSTAINABLE HOMES
When driving your car, you want
to be sure it is in good
condition. Our regulated vehicle
inspection ensures your car is
roadworthy.
SAFE HOME
Everyone wants to live and
work in ergonomically designed
buildings. With SGS’ Building
Information Modelling (BIM) this
is becoming ever more likely.
MODELLING YOUR BUILDING
Trusting that the life-saving medicines
you take are safe and effective is vital
for your health. You can feel secure in
the knowledge that SGS is using its
expertise and state-of-the-art
technology to help test the latest
treatments.
QUALITY OF MEDICINES
EMPOWERING DAILY-LIFE
SGS’ ballast water sampling
helps prevent damage to
marine eco-systems; preserving
them for future generations.
SAVING ECOSYSTEMS
You want clothes that are
comfortable, durable and
perform as expected (e.g.
waterproof etc.) SGS checks
that clothes on sale in stores
are fit for use.
PAYING FOR GOOD
QUALITY PRODUCTS

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WHO HAVE WE SERVED?
■ SGS has worked across industries to confirm processes and
content for some of the world’s most recognized products
■ Air Force One jet fuel quality testing
■ Testing pulleys, lines and trapeze before performances for
Cirque du Soleil
■ All gasoline sold in New York State
■ CA vehicle emission inspection database managing one
million cars monthly
■ Over 750,000 Automotive Vehicle Inspections and 120,000
dealership visits Annually for OEMS customers
■ Mars Food on their digital sustainability initiatives
■ Certified world record test drive for Bugatti Chiron with race
car driver Juan Pablo Montoya: 0-400-0 KM/H in 42 seconds

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CHEMICAL CONSUMER GOODS AND RETAIL
MINING
OIL AND GAS PUBLIC SECTOR
LIFE SCIENCES
TRANSPORTATION
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD ENERGY
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING
CONSTRUCTION

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TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Testing Services | Field Services | ITS Services | Regulatory Services |
Certification Services | Audit Services

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GLOBAL TRANSPORTATION FOOTPRINT

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CONTACT
ron.campbell@sgs.com
Ron Campbell, CIP
Transportation - SGS Aviation Compliance
North America RPAS Advisor
Aviation Advisor

26. WWW.SGS.COM
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