UAS operator procedures.
Operational template for Dron3 / AgroDrone: normal operations, emergency actions, records and agricultural-drone specifics. It must be adapted to the actual category, scenario, aircraft, authorization and local airspace requirements before use.
Training version
The same operator topics are now available as short lessons, flashcards and media placeholders for field photos and videos.
Scope and legal note
This page is a working operator manual outline, not legal approval. The accountable operator and remote pilot must verify current EASA, ULC, PANSA/DroneTower, insurance, local authority and plant-protection requirements for each mission.
Required operator file
- UAS operator registration and operator number where required.
- Remote pilot competencies, training records and medical/fitness self-check policy.
- Insurance, aircraft list, maintenance records, battery logs and firmware/configuration records.
- Operational authorization/declaration, risk assessment or standard scenario documentation as applicable.
- Mission logs, occurrence logs, customer consent, landholder consent and data/privacy records.
Roles
- Operator: accountable for procedures, aircraft airworthiness, insurance, records and compliance.
- Remote pilot: final go/no-go decision, safe conduct of the flight and emergency actions.
- Visual observer / ground crew: observation, people control, communication and emergency support when assigned.
- Customer/landholder: confirms task, area, hazards, access and permissions under their control.
Pre-mission procedure
- Define task, payload, aircraft, category/scenario and acceptance criteria.
- Check airspace, geozones, NOTAM/DroneTower/PANSA requirements, local restrictions and required notifications.
- Assess ground risk: uninvolved people, roads, buildings, animals, obstacles, power lines, emergency landing areas and controlled ground area.
- Check weather, wind, visibility, precipitation, temperature, GNSS/Kp warnings and daylight/night limits.
- Brief crew: mission objective, boundaries, lost-link behavior, emergency landing zones, abort words and communication channels.
- Inspect aircraft, payload, propellers, arms, batteries, controller, RTK/GNSS, compass, firmware and failsafe settings.
- Make a go/no-go decision and record it in the mission log.
Normal flight procedure
- Secure takeoff/landing area and confirm controlled ground area is clear.
- Announce arming, takeoff, mission start, mission pause/resume and landing to crew.
- Maintain required separation, VLOS/observer coverage and continuous situational awareness.
- Abort or pause when people, vehicles, aircraft, animals, weather or equipment behavior exceed limits.
- After landing: disarm, secure payload, inspect aircraft, record battery/flight data and preserve logs.
Emergency and contingency procedures
- Manned aircraft conflict: descend or land immediately when safe, give way, announce conflict to crew and stop mission until risk is cleared.
- Lost C2 link: do not chase the aircraft blindly; follow pre-briefed failsafe/RTH/hover/land behavior, keep observers watching, clear landing area and record event.
- Flyaway or navigation error: switch to safe/manual mode if trained, climb/descend only if it reduces risk, use emergency stop only when it is safer than continued flight.
- Low battery/forced landing: stop mission, announce forced landing, choose the safest available landing zone away from people and hazards.
- Person or vehicle enters the area: pause/suspend, climb or hold only if safe, move away or land, restart only after the area is clear.
- Observer/crew communication failure: suspend the task, return/land or reduce to a mode where legal separation and awareness are maintained.
- Crash, injury or fire: make the scene safe, call 112 if needed, give first aid, keep people away from batteries/chemicals, preserve logs and notify required authorities/insurer/customer.
- Weather deterioration: abort before limits are exceeded; land early for gusts, precipitation, visibility loss, lightning risk or dust drift.
Agricultural / DJI Agras T100 specifics
- Confirm landholder consent, crop/field identity, boundaries, obstacles, bystanders, animals, watercourses, roads and neighboring property.
- For spraying/spreading: verify product label, legal use, dose, PPE, buffer zones, wind/drift limits, tank handling, spill plan and treatment documentation.
- Keep people outside the treatment area and downwind risk area; stop immediately if drift or exposure risk appears.
- After mission: clean/decontaminate equipment as required, record product batch/dose/area/weather/operator and store evidence package.
Occurrence reporting
- Stabilize the situation first: people, fire, battery, chemical and traffic risks.
- Record time, place, aircraft, pilot, witnesses, photos, logs, weather and immediate actions.
- Decide whether ULC/ECCAIRS/PANSA/Police/fire service/insurer/customer reporting is required and do it without delay.
- Run a corrective action review before the next similar mission.
Quick mission log fields
- Date/time, location, customer, aircraft, pilot, observers, category/scenario.
- Airspace/DroneTower status, weather, batteries, payload, risk notes.
- Go/no-go decision, emergency landing zones, incidents, post-flight condition and deliverables.
Emergency contacts placeholder
Fill this before operational use: 112, local police/fire/medical, landholder, customer, operator accountable manager, insurer, nearby airport/ATS contact when relevant, ULC/PANSA reporting channels.