Section 5. Flight Environment and Operations

5.1 - Airspace

UAS Flights will primarily occur in Class G airspace. No operations will be conducted in Class A airspace. Operations in Class B, Class C and Class D airspace will only occur with prior approval of the FAA through a Jurisdictional COA, 14 CFR Part 107.41 Airspace Wavier, or Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC).

See Appendix A Post Disaster Airspace Management and Coordination for more information regarding UAS operations during or after an emergency or disaster.

5.2 - Line of Sight

All UAS will be flown within the visual line of sight of the Pilot in Command and Visual Observer. Visual line of sight must be unaided through optical or electronic means (outside of standard prescription contact lenses or glasses).

5.3 - Weather and Time of Day

All UAS flights will operate at least 500 feet below or 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds. All UAS flights will be conducted when visibility is at least 3 statute miles from the Pilot in Command and Visual Observer. These standards are in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107.

UAS flights occurring outside of daylight hours will require a lighted anti-collision light visible for at least 3 SM. Approval from the FAA must be obtained prior to nighttime operations in the form of a 14 CFR Part 107.29 Daylight Operations Waiver or an FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA).

5.4 - Risk Management

Crew will conduct a thorough risk assessment prior to each UAS sortie. Factors considered will include weather, location, mission parameters, crew capacity and operational tempo.

For further information, see Section 8 Safety and Risk Management.

5.5 - Preflight Briefing

Prior to all UAS flights, sorties, or missions, a thorough preflight brief will be conducted for all crewmembers, observers and other participants. This briefing will include, at a minimum:

Crewmember assignments
Aircraft and payload summary
Mission or purpose of flight
Description of the mission or flight area
Duration
Weather
Identification of coordinating/controlling agencies, entities, etc.
Communications plan, including crew and outside communications
Hazards to the aircraft and crew
Description of primary launch and recovery area (LRA) and any alternate LRA's

5.6 - Launch and Recovery Areas

Launch and Recovery Areas (LRAs) will be selected based on the requirements of the aircraft and the mission. LRAs must be located on property the UAS crew has a legal right/permission to access, and must provide a safe area to operate for the crew, observers, and aircraft.

5.7 - Operations Over People and Property

The UAS will not be operated directly over any person at an altitude that is hazardous to the persons below in the event of a failure of the UAS or associated systems. In life safety situations, as declared by the PIC, and when operating as a public aircraft under a COA, flights over people may be permitted per the stipulations of the COA document.

UAS flights will be conducted in accordance with Florida Statute 934.50 pertaining to property and privacy rights.

5.8 - Yield to Manned Aviation

All UAS operations must remain clear of and immediately yield to manned aircraft operations. This includes ultra-light aircraft, parachutists, balloonists, parasailing activity, hang gliders, etc.

5.9 - Battery/Fuel Reserve

All UAS will land with a 20% reserve battery power. This reserve may be used at the discretion of the pilot-in-command only to ensure safety of flight as well as people/material on the ground.

In no circumstance should a UAS be operated without a battery reserve sufficient to land safely in an appropriate location. The RPIC may increase the battery reserve requirement on a per flight basis to increase or maintain safety.

5.10 - Privacy

UAS will not capture or retain imagery of private property or persons where doing so would violate a reasonable expectation of privacy.

For operations in the State of Florida, all flights will be conducted in compliance with Florida Statute 934.50.

5.11 - Sterile Cockpit

During critical flight operations, such as launch and recovery, the UAS crew will ensure that a 'sterile cockpit' is enforced around the ground control station. Sterile cockpit means that no extraneous conversation or non-essential activities will occur.

5.12 - Crew Coordination and Communication

Crew coordination and communication is critical to safe and effective operations. CDRP crewmembers will utilize a variety of technologies to maintain communication and situational awareness during flight operations. These include but are not limited to: VHF aviation band radios, UHF/VHF radios, digital situational awareness tools, ADS-B receivers, and voice or text IP applications.

5.12.1 -Monitoring VHF Aviation Frequencies

When operating within 3 statute miles of an active airport, heliport, etc. flight crews will monitor the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) for that airport to maintain situational awareness.

When operating in a disaster environment, flight crews will check and understand and Airspace Coordination Areas (ACAs) published by the FAA and follow recommended situational awareness guidance.

When operating under an active Disaster Airspace Management Plan (AMP), crews will utilize assigned frequencies to maintain situational awareness.