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UK Operations Manual and 3rd Party Apps

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Sep 1, 2015
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Just wonder whether anyone could help/advise with the following.

I'd like to be able to have both Autoflight's control app and DronePan available for commercial work, but couldn't get a clear answer from the tutors at my ground school as to whether it's ok to do so - as they'd simply never heard of it.

Is anyone in the UK using these apps within the scope of their PFAW and if so how should I go about describing the apps?

Is it enough to state that we have a number of support/control applications and the choice of any give app is based on the brief for any particular job - ie if a client wants a panoramic image, then Drone Pan might be the correct app and if I need to fly a repeatable path then using Zipline with a camera target in AutoflightLogic's app might be more appropriate?

It would seem to make sense that this kind of functionality should be allowed, given that people doing crop work are significantly more hands-off with an automated waypoint flightpaths…

I'm looking to complete my OM in the next few days so any help/advise is much appreciated.
 
My wording takes me up to engaging the flight. Until landing procedures it's all pilot-in-commnd control...whatever I want to do. 3rd party apps are not even mentioned. When my Ops manual was approved there were no 3rd party apps, however I will not be changing any wording at renewal. I will be adding battery temperature monitoring to my preflight checklist though :)

Dronepan has nothing to do with flight anyway.
 
Just wonder whether anyone could help/advise with the following.

I'd like to be able to have both Autoflight's control app and DronePan available for commercial work, but couldn't get a clear answer from the tutors at my ground school as to whether it's ok to do so - as they'd simply never heard of it.

Is anyone in the UK using these apps within the scope of their PFAW and if so how should I go about describing the apps?

Is it enough to state that we have a number of support/control applications and the choice of any give app is based on the brief for any particular job - ie if a client wants a panoramic image, then Drone Pan might be the correct app and if I need to fly a repeatable path then using Zipline with a camera target in AutoflightLogic's app might be more appropriate?

It would seem to make sense that this kind of functionality should be allowed, given that people doing crop work are significantly more hands-off with an automated waypoint flightpaths…

I'm looking to complete my OM in the next few days so any help/advise is much appreciated.
Yes you can include these but...... You will have to amend (or rewrite) both your checklists as well as boldface/emergency procedures to accommodate the extra steps involved in engaging and checking the software, prior, during and post flight as well as what your procedures will be in the event of a malfunction or software crash etc.
Personally, AI do not use them and never will since I prefer to have full control of the aircraft 100% of the time (well as much as you can going through an onboard flight controller!).
Remember, YOU are responsible for the flight 100% of the time, you must therefore have contingency plans in place no matter what mode/method you are using to pliot the aircraft.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I've one other related question.
What's effect does an app crash - be it DJI Go or other 3rd party app - have on the Inspire in flight?

I've not experienced this ever happening and don't really want to intentionally quit the app to see?

My assumption would be that if i'm in GPS or Atti mode nothing should happen - though a swift RTH would be in order, but what about when operating in F mode? Switch to Atti and RTH?
 
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Thanks for the reply.

I've one other related question.
What's effect does an app crash - be it DJI Go or other 3rd party app - have on the Inspire in flight?

I've not experienced this ever happening and don't really want to intentionally quit the app to see?

My assumption would be that if i'm in GPS or Atti mode nothing should happen - though a swift RTH would be in order, but what about when operating in F mode? Switch to Atti and RTH?
In theory nothing 'should' happen, however practice is slightly different.
If the app crashes/hangs, it appears that the aircraft maybe erratic or non-responsive to commands for a few seconds while the remote polls the app for data and waits. This can be circumvented by immediately unplugging the USB from the remote where it will release command back again.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I've one other related question.
What's effect does an app crash - be it DJI Go or other 3rd party app - have on the Inspire in flight?

I've not experienced this ever happening and don't really want to intentionally quit the app to see?

My assumption would be that if i'm in GPS or Atti mode nothing should happen - though a swift RTH would be in order, but what about when operating in F mode? Switch to Atti and RTH?
Go from F mode to P mode at any time to relinquish control. Works, tried it many times.
 
@Droider, too much 'noise' on the other forums nowadays, much more specific on here which is what i like.

Been doing some reading/viewing-up on loss of RC during a waypoint mission and it appears that Autoflight's App will revert to RTH when RC is lost as it's not an LCMC (lost connection mission continuation) system. So mitigation for this kind of thing would be to use Autoflight Logic for waypoint related operations. Their waypoint functionality doesn't have to be totally hands-off/autonomous either - you can set it up to be in semi-control of the aircraft as it transits between the waypoints.
 
@Plingboot Roger that. Just had I1 signed off by EuroUSC so now it has to pay for itself! The DJI GoApp is a little disappointing in its features and features that don't work or have problems with them. I wanted to just use the GoApp but thats not going to happen unless they make things work and give us Pros more options to override things like the LCMC. I have looked as a few others but it seems Autoflight is the one to start testing on. Totally agree about the other forums BTW. I tend to keep me sen to me sen these days and just crack on. There are so many at it these days IP that we have built up over the years needs to be conserved!
All the best buddy and if you are ever up north PM me or drop me an email via the AV website.

Dave
 
My wording takes me up to engaging the flight. Until landing procedures it's all pilot-in-commnd control...whatever I want to do. 3rd party apps are not even mentioned. When my Ops manual was approved there were no 3rd party apps, however I will not be changing any wording at renewal. I will be adding battery temperature monitoring to my preflight checklist though :)

Dronepan has nothing to do with flight anyway.
It does, you have to close down your go app?
 
My Ops manual is designed deliberately not to depend on the GO app running all the time. Just the way I worded it and the CAA accepted it.

I haven't used Dronepan for while and I would have to check back in the flight logs, but if I remember right, the GO app was in the background anyway and not closed down. I'm using Dronepan and MapPilot tomorrow so I will check and report back. MapPilot does require GO to be shut down as it's flight control. I think it is because Dronepan just controls the camera. Having said that it now gives the option to yaw the camera or the AC. I have only ever used the camera yaw mode...so we'll see. Others may have already tested this however.
 

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