2024-25_ARC-Safety-and-FAA-Compliance-Guide_RevA.pdf

2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Aerospace Robotics Competition Revision A 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 1 Table of Contents Table of Figures .............................................................................................................................. 3 1. Document Overview ................................................................................................................... 4 2. Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 5 3. FAA Requirements/Compliance ................................................................................................. 6 4. Flight Vehicle Integrity ............................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Airworthiness ........................................................................................................................ 7 4.1.1 Mechanical ..................................................................................................................... 7 4.1.2 Software ......................................................................................................................... 8 4.1.3 Integration ...................................................................................................................... 8 4.2 Fail Safes ............................................................................................................................... 9 5. Non-Competition Flying ........................................................................................................... 10 5.1 Practice Site ........................................................................................................................ 10 5.2 Weather ............................................................................................................................... 11 5.3 Field Layout ........................................................................................................................ 11 5.3.1 Participant Safety Zones .............................................................................................. 13 5.3.2 Drone Tether System ................................................................................................... 13 5.3.3 Field Safety .................................................................................................................. 14 6. Competition Flying ................................................................................................................... 15 6.1 Competition Site ................................................................................................................. 15 6.2 Weather ............................................................................................................................... 16 6.3 Field Layout ........................................................................................................................ 16 6.3.1 Participant Safety Zones .............................................................................................. 17 6.3.2 Drone Tether System ................................................................................................... 18 6.4 Personnel ............................................................................................................................. 19 6.4.1 Field Volunteers Concept of Operations (CONOPS) .................................................. 19 7. Flight Procedures and Safety .................................................................................................... 20 7.1 Preflight Checklist .............................................................................................................. 20 7.2 In-Flight Safety ................................................................................................................... 20 7.3 Safety Gear.......................................................................................................................... 21 7.4 Post-Flight Inspection ......................................................................................................... 21 7.5 Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) Battery Safety ............................................................................. 21 Appendix A: Technical Inspection Rubric ................................................................................... 22 Appendix B: Pre-Flight Checklist................................................................................................. 24 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 2 Appendix C: Post-Flight Checklist ............................................................................................... 25 Appendix D: FAA Waiver ............................................................................................................ 26 Revision History ........................................................................................................................... 28 Table of Figures Figure 5.1 Basic Field Layout ....................................................................................................... 12 Figure 5.2 Drone Tether Setup...................................................................................................... 13 Figure 6.1 Basic Field Layout ....................................................................................................... 17 Figure 5.2 Drone Tether Setup...................................................................................................... 18 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 3 1. Document Overview This Safety and FAA Compliance Guide provides a comprehensive safety strategy for teams to follow as they test and fly. Teams are strongly encouraged to follow the procedures outlined in this document when testing and flying their quadcopters. The principles and procedures dictated in this document will form the basis for competition procedures, rules, and logistics. Reference the ARC Rulebook for all other details, including scoring, rules, and resources. Please see https://www.stemed.org/arc to find the Rulebook and other official documents. Many products are suggested throughout this guide, but alternate brands and suppliers may be used. STEM-ED, INC. is not affiliated with any brands or products listed in this document. Teams are always welcome to contact Support@stemed.org for assistance with any questions. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 4 2. Executive Summary STEM-ED runs the Aerospace Robotics Competition (ARC), a high school drone competition in which teams design, build, code, and fly quadcopters (approximately 3.5 pounds each). The competition is an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and innovations by completing a series of engineering challenges. STEM-ED's safety strategy consists of multiple layers of procedures and equipment to ensure safety among all participants and spectators. This also ensures all operations comply with FAA requirements such as airspace authorization, and recreational flyer requirements. The summary of the safety guidelines is the following: • FAA Compliance: STEM-ED will have a Part 107 certified pilot at each event and practice site to ensure proper procedures are being followed. Once recognized as a CommunityBased Organization (CBO), STEM-ED will establish all competition sites and practice fields as FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs). As a note, Remote ID is not required for ARC participants, regardless of use in practice or competition. All students flying drones will be flying under the recreational rule and be required to complete the TRUST exam. Students will be encouraged but not required to pursue a Part 107 certification. • Flight Vehicle Integrity: Before any flight with a student/team-built vehicle occurs, the vehicle must pass a technical inspection to ensure it is flight-worthy and secure. Attributes such as security of flight components, the enabling of safety features, and pilot understanding and comfort with the vehicle will be verified. Appendix A provides the technical inspection checklist. • Field/Site Preparation: The configuration and selection of the site ensure that both participants and non-participants will be safe in case of any unexpected events during flights. The field preparation includes the use of a tether system as the primary safety device to ensure the drone stays within the confines of the designated flying area. All flying that occurs in the Aerospace Robotics Competition will require a tether be attached to the drone. • Flight Procedures and Personnel Equipment: Teams that fly will be required to follow pre-flight and flight procedures to ensure the safety of all participants involved. In addition, all team members and volunteers involved in the flying will be asked to have proper safety equipment, including safety glasses. This will also include the appropriate LiPo battery safety equipment, such as equipment needed to extinguish LiPo fires. With these safety measures, STEM-ED aims to avoid any injury and preventable incidents with all flying activities that occur through the participation in ARC. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 5 3. FAA Requirements/Compliance Two rules are being implemented this year to fulfill legal requirements for drone operation. Teams must comply with the following in order to fly at the competition. First, the FAA legally requires that pilots complete the short course and successfully pass the FAA TRUST Exam. Any students who will be piloting a drone must complete this task before flying. Any students who will be piloting a drone at the competition venue must print their FAA TRUST Exam certificate and carry it on their person while at the event. Students who do not have proof of completion of the FAA TRUST Exam will not be allowed to pilot their drone at the competition. Additionally, any drone that weighs greater than 0.55 lbs (including ARC drones) are required to be registered with the FAA. See the FAA website for details on how to register your drone. All drones in the competition must be registered, with a visible label on the aircraft with the registration number. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 6 4. Flight Vehicle Integrity Before beginning any flight of any vehicle, teams must ensure that the aircraft is safe to fly. Once the vehicle is in the air, there are limited if any options available for the pilot and/team to attempt to recover the vehicle without any damage to the vehicle, the surrounding environment, or worse the humans involved and nearby. Therefore, it is paramount that the pilot and the team supporting the pilot ensure that all checks and precautionary measures have been implemented. The checks and common mindset can be split into multiple categories: • Airworthiness: is the vehicle itself safe to fly? • Fail safe options: are there features set properly in case something happens? • Operator Plan: does everyone involved including the pilot and supporting team understand what the flight plan is? Is the pilot comfortable with operating the vehicle? These three are some of the critical questions to answer and ensure that everyone involved is comfortable with the answers before the pilot begins flying the vehicle. In this section, we’ll walk through the airworthiness portion as well as the failsafe options that are required for drones before they fly. 4.1 Airworthiness An airworthy vehicle is, by definition, one that is “safe to fly.” Within ARC, a vehicle is defined as safe to fly when the following conditions are met: 1. (Mechanical) All components are secure and attached properly on the vehicle. 2. (Software) The software/computer is working properly on the vehicle. 3. (Integration) The vehicle responds as expected to pilot commands. The following sections will review each portion and provide the intent for each condition. 4.1.1 Mechanical • • • The drone must not break/disassemble during flight. Drone components are typically sturdy enough when new, but they can begin to show signs of wear as flight hours increase. The legs and arms should be routinely inspected for damage and stress. Interfaces of components (i.e. locations of fasteners and adhesives) must also be inspected before flight. Screws may loosen through the vibration caused by the motors, so teams should routinely ensure the vehicle arms are secure and all screws are tightly locked in place. In addition, because most quadcopters have propellers which are screwed in, teams must always ensure before flight that the propellers are secured and will not detach when spun. Wires that are loose (i.e. dangling or not tied down) are not allowed. If a wire or antenna is blown by a gust of wind into the direction of the propellers, the wires may be cut unintentionally, causing power loss or even loss of control due to an antenna being cut. Restraining the wires/antennas through zip ties or tape is generally recommended. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 7 • • • • • Similarly, electronic speed controllers (ESCs), which are traditionally found to be hanging underneath quadcopter arms, should be secured underneath the vehicle. Sensors such as GPS units should be mounted securely onto the vehicle. This is important because the sensor inputs are used by the flight computer to provide feedback and ensure vehicle stability, and the flight computer can only provide effective commands if the data it is receiving from the sensors is accurate. LiPo batteries are the primary source of power for the quadcopter, so it is important that the LiPo battery is secure on the vehicle. Just as critical is the connection to the LiPo battery and the power distribution system; ensuring that the connector/wire is secure on the drone will prevent the vehicle from losing power mid-flight due to unstable power connections. For any additional attachments to the drone, such as mechanisms or camera mounts, the general recommendation for teams is to attach these secondary structures to primary structures, such as the quadcopter base and legs. Although the arms are also considered a primary structure, adding additional weight on the arms is generally not recommended because the arms support the motors which are the only source of lift. Avoiding any substantial modification to the arms (mounting ESCs are generally considered the maximum amount of modification) is highly recommended. Tether connection points should be securely attached to the base plate or legs. The tether must secure to the drone below the drone base plate and must not impede any moving components, including propellers and mechanism servos. When attaching any extra components to the vehicle, it is recommended that the components are placed in the center of the vehicle and not to the side. This allows the vehicle center of gravity to be near the center of the vehicle which improves the stability of the vehicle in flight. 4.1.2 Software • Generally, ARC software checks are carried out by the flight computer, so the primary check required by the pilot and the team is that the flight computer is not showing errors. Typical errors that will prevent the flight computer from allowing the drone to arm are: o Sensor calibration errors: These are typically resolved by recalibrating the sensors, as well as ensuring they are plugged in correctly and properly oriented/located. o Battery levels: If the battery is too low, the flight computer may not work properly. 4.1.3 Integration • • Integration means the software and the hardware are aligned in such a way that the drone is operational and responds in a predictable manner. Proper integration examples include: o Motors are connected properly and in the correct sequence. o Flight computer is oriented correctly such that the flight computer’s calculations are in the correct orientation. o Motors are spinning the right way. If the ESCs are not connected correctly, the drone will flip due to flight software assuming that the motors are spinning in the correct direction. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 8 • • o Propellers are oriented in the correct direction. Similar to the motors, the propellers need to be oriented and placed on the vehicle in an orientation that the flight software is expecting. o Transmitter commands result in the drone flying in the expected direction. o The drone is properly trimmed in such a way that the drone does not need constant adjustment to maintain safe flight. It should be assumed that the software’s assumptions are valid in the mechanical set-up, and thus any errors are typically produced during assembly. Teams should ensure that the assembly instructions were followed to the utmost detail. Before any flight, teams should test out all the above potential integration mismatches to ensure that the drone is configured and integrated correctly before attempting any operation or flight. 4.2 Fail Safes • • • Teams MUST have an operational kill switch to compete in STEM-ED events. See https://www.youtube.com/@aerospaceroboticscomp501c3 for a tutorial. Most drones require an arming procedure be completed before the drone can begin operation. If the kill switch does not function properly, pilots should plan to disarm the drone if an unplanned issue occurs. In addition, drones flying under STEM-ED must always have a tether connected to the drone. More details can be found in Section 5.3.2. All teams should use Appendix A: Technical Inspection Rubric and Appendix B: Pre-Flight Checklist as guidelines for checklists to confirm vehicle integrity before flight. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 9 5. Non-Competition Flying 5.1 Practice Site Selection and evaluation of site for drone flights and practice for the purpose of ARC shall be the responsibility of the student team and drone operators. The drone (assuming it weighs greater than 0.55 lb) must be registered with the FAA. Remote ID is not required for ARC participants. An FAA waiver is in place for ARC drone flying, listing all limitations and allowances, and can be found in Appendix D. A large, flat open field is ideal (such as a football field). There should be no obstructions on the ground (such as tall grass) that would prevent a team member from retrieving the drone wherever it should land. Teams are also recommended to avoid hard surfaces (such as concrete), as drones are more likely to be damaged upon crashes and hard landings. This site should be a public area or an area where the drone operator has the permission of the property owner. For students flying on school grounds, consult your advising teacher to request permission to fly there. Additionally, the airspace should be away from other properties, power lines, roads, and local airport traffic. See Figure 5.1 for examples. Unacceptable Ideal Figure 5.1 Field Selection The local airspace should be preferably uncontrolled, known as “Class G” airspace, as well as with no other airspace restrictions. To check this, the FAA offers a service known as B4UFly. B4UFly will allow you to specify a specific point on a map (including by address) and notify the user of any airspace restrictions as well as provide the option to request airspace authorization if necessary. There are multiple apps approved by the FAA utilizing this B4UFly service, which can be accessed by computer or phone via an app store (and should be at no cost): • • • • Airspace Link AutoPylot Avision UASidekick 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 10 The app will notify the user what type of airspace they are operating in, any Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), any other potential hazards, and if authorization is required to fly in that airspace; this can be done through the app via a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) request. Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) should be checked for the nearby airport as well as via a website such as SkyVector to avoid conflicting with other ongoing flight operations not related to the ARC competition. Additionally, a UAS Operating Area NOTAM must be filed no less than 24 hours prior to a drone flight. The NOTAM must include location, altitude, day, and time of the unmanned aircraft operations. The procedure is as follows: 1. Get Lat-Lon coordinates of the flying field. 2. Call the phone number listed here and ask to file a Drone NOTAM (1-877-487-6867). 3. Provide them the following information: a. Date and location b. Flying field Lat-Lon coordinates c. Description: Flying a drone d. Max altitude: 50 ft e. Range: 50 ft f. Any additional questions they have 4. The FAA operator will provide a reference ID number. Save this number and provide the NOTAM info to STEM-ED. 5.2 Weather Drone operators are required to maintain Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) throughout a drone flight. As a result, drones shall not be flown in rain, fog, clouds, and other weather conditions that could impact VLOS. For best performance and safety, drones should not be flown during high winds. Standard commercial drones are typically rated to operate up to 19 – 24 mph. For flights in a particularly windy region, flying early in the day can be beneficial to avoid the high winds. Avoid flying in extreme temperatures as excessive heat could damage the batteries on the drones, either degrading its performance or even creating a potential fire hazard. Keep batteries covered and stored to avoid exposing them to the elements. 5.3 Field Layout The basic field layout for all missions will include a drone tether system, landing pads, and safety zones. See Figure 5.2 for details. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 11 Figure 5.2 Basic Field Layout See Table 5.1 for dimensions. Table 5.1 Field Layout Dimensions Symbol Meaning Approx. Value L Length of tether line 50’ S Safety Region (between tether reach and students) 5’ C Crew Region 5’ 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 12 5.3.1 Participant Safety Zones Participant safety zones are necessary for ensuring students are safe during the flight. All participants must abide by marked zones and volunteer instructions. There is one main safety zone – see Figure 1 above. The Crew Region, nearest the flying field, is used for the student pilot and copilot as well as the safety observer. All other members of the team and spectators must remain outside of this zone. 5.3.2 Drone Tether System Before testing or competing (including at non-competition sites), all drones must be tethered to the field. This protects surrounding people from injury, nearby objects from damage, and the drone itself from being lost. Figure 5.3 demonstrates the tether setup, while Table 2 provides the materials used to create a competition tether system. The Tether Control Weight is optional (use as needed). Figure 5.3 Drone Tether Setup See Table 5.2 for supplies required to create this tether setup. Table 5.2 Drone Tether Supplies Component Link* Meaning Quantity Price Per* Price Total Twine Tether Line 1 [500’ Spool] $14.99 $14.99 Cinder Block Tether Base 2 $2.11 $4.22 Landing Pad Takeoff/Landing Location 2 $8.99 $17.98 Total $37.19 *Prices and availability are subject to change. ARC may interchange supplies for comparable products if necessary. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 13 5.3.3 Field Safety Any time the drone has propellers attached and is powered on, all students and adults on the field are required to wear safety glasses. While the field is active, only the following personnel shall be permitted on the field: • Pilots and Co-pilots • Safety Observer All others, including spectators and parents, are permitted to observe from the sidelines and off the field. Pilots and co-pilots shall complete the FAA TRUST Exam before taking the controls of a drone and have their proof of completion with them while flying. In addition to the pilots/co-pilots, one adult (coach, mentor, teacher, etc.) is required to be designated as the “safety observer”. The role of the safety observer is to watch for any potential safety concerns that could risk harm to anyone on or near the field or nearby property. This observer should be watching for potential hazards such as loose propellors, unstable drone motion, nearby powerlines, unaware people passing by, etc. If any person sees a safety of flight issue, that person should call out to the team, “KILL IT, KILL IT, KILL IT”. Upon hearing this call, the pilot shall immediately land their drone by using the kill switch. If unable to use the kill switch, they should disconnect the drone allowing it to fall to the ground. Any discussion about the reason for the call or if it was justified is to happen after the drone is safely on the ground and shut down. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 14 6. Competition Flying 6.1 Competition Site Selection and evaluation of site for drone flights and practice for ARC Regional and National competitions shall be the responsibility of Regional/National organizers and a designated Lead Field Manager. At least one Part 107 certified Remote sUAS pilot (on behalf of STEM-ED) shall be present at each competition and observe the field while drones are actively flying. If the drones will not be flown in a FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA), the drones (assuming they weigh greater than 0.55 lb) must be registered with the FAA. For ARC participants, Remote ID is not required. An FAA waiver is in place for ARC drone flying, listing all limitations and allowances and can be found in Appendix D. A large, flat open field is ideal (such as a football field). There should be no obstructions on the ground (like tall grass) that would prevent a student team member or STEM-ED volunteer from retrieving the drone, wherever it should land. The competition may not take place on any hard surfaces, such as pavement or gravel. This site should be a public area or an area where the ARC organizers have the permission of the property owner. Additionally, the airspace should be away from other property, power lines, busy roads, and local airport traffic. The local airspace should be preferably uncontrolled, known as “Class G” airspace, as well as with no other airspace restrictions. To check this, the FAA offers a service known as B4UFly. B4UFly will allow you to specify a specific point on a map (including by address) and notify the user of any airspace restrictions as well as provide the option to request airspace authorization if necessary. There are multiple apps approved by the FAA utilizing this B4UFly service, which can be accessed by computer or phone via an app store (and should be at no cost): • • • • Airspace Link AutoPylot Avision UASidekick The app will notify the user what type of airspace they are operating in, any Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), any other potential hazards, and if authorization is required to fly in that airspace; this can be done through the app via a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) request. Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) should be checked for the nearby airport as well as via a website such as SkyVector to avoid conflicting with other ongoing flight operations not related to the ARC competition. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 15 Additionally, a UAS Operating Area NOTAM must be filed no less than 24 hours prior to a drone flight. The NOTAM must include location, altitude, day, and time of the unmanned aircraft operations. The procedure is as follows: 5. Get Lat-Lon coordinates of the flying field. 6. Call the phone number listed here and ask to file a Drone NOTAM (1-877-487-6867). 7. Provide them the following information: a. Date and location b. Flying field Lat-Lon coordinates c. Description: Flying a drone d. Max altitude: 50 ft e. Range: 50 ft f. Any additional questions they have 8. The FAA operator will provide a reference ID number. Save this number and provide the NOTAM info to STEM-ED. 6.2 Weather Drone operators are required to maintain Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) throughout a drone flight. As a result, drones shall not be flown in rain, fog, clouds, and other weather conditions that could impact VLOS. For best performance and safety, drones should not be flown during high winds. Standard commercial drones are typically rated up to a Wind Resistance Level of 5, meaning that they can withstand and operate in winds up to 19 – 24 mph. For flights in a particularly windy region, flying early in the day can be beneficial to avoid the high winds. Avoid flying in extreme temperatures as excessive heat could damage the batteries on the drones, either degrading its performance or even creating a potential fire hazard. Keep batteries covered and properly stored to avoid exposing them to the elements. 6.3 Field Layout The basic field layout for all missions will include a drone tether system, landing pads, and safety zones. See Figure 6.1 for details. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 16 Figure 6.1 Basic Field Layout See Table 6.1 for dimensions. Table 6.1 Field Layout Dimensions Symbol Meaning Approx. Value L Length of tether line 50’ S Safety Region (between tether reach and students) 5’ C Crew Region 5’ T Team Support Zone NA 6.3.1 Participant Safety Zones Participant safety zones are necessary for ensuring students are safe during the competition. All participants must abide by marked zones and volunteer instructions. Failure to comply may result in delays, penalties, or disqualifications, as determined by the Lead Field Manager. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 17 There are two main safety zones – see Figure 1 above. The Crew Region, nearest the flying field, is used for the student pilot and copilot competing in the current round and the Field Managers. All other members of the team, members of other teams, and spectators must remain outside of this zone. The Team Support Zone, outside of the Crew Region, may be occupied by other team members competing in the current round, including the coach and judges. Members of other teams and spectators must remain outside of this zone. 6.3.2 Drone Tether System Before testing or competing (including at non-competition sites), all drones must be tethered to the field. This protects surrounding people from injury, nearby objects from damage, and the drone itself from being lost. Figure 6.2 demonstrates the tether setup, while Table 2 provides the materials used to create a competition tether system. Figure 6.2 Drone Tether Setup See Table 6.2 for supplies required to create this tether setup. Table 6.2 Drone Tether Supplies Component Link* Meaning Quantity Price Per* Price Total Twine Tether Line 1 [500’ Spool] $14.99 $14.99 Cinder Block Tether Base 2 $2.11 $4.22 Landing Pad Takeoff/Landing Location 2 $8.99 $17.98 Total $37.19 *Prices and availability are subject to change. ARC may interchange supplies for comparable products if necessary. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 18 6.4 Personnel While the field is active, only the following personnel shall be permitted on the field, in the Crew Region: STEM-ED/ARC Volunteers • Lead Field Manager • Field Managers • Judges Student Teams • Pilots and co-pilots (2 students maximum) All others, including spectators, parents, and coaches, will be permitted to observe from the Team Support Zone and off the field. 6.4.1 Field Volunteers Concept of Operations (CONOPS) At least 1 judge and 1 field manager shall be assigned per active drone in flight. Additionally, 1 Lead Field Manager shall be assigned per active field. All active field staff shall have walkietalkies and positive radio communication with each other. Positive radio communication will ensure improved coordination across the field and faster safety calls when staff are on opposite sides of the field. In the event of an immediate safety of flight issue, a call should be made on the radio: “KILL IT, KILL IT, KILL IT”. Once this call is made, field managers shall relay the call verbally to the student pilots. Pilots shall immediately use their kill switch upon hearing this call. If their kill switch fails for any reason, they should disconnect the drone allowing it to fall to the ground. Any students that fail to comply may be penalized or disqualified. This communication flow shall be briefed to pilots and co-pilots at the start of the competition day. Judges, field managers, and lead field managers shall wear brightly-colored volunteer T-shirts to help signal to students their roles (and this information should be briefed to the students before they fly). The judges’ responsibility will be to score the team’s drone and its ability to complete the competition tasks. However, if a judge sees a flight safety issue, they should immediately relay that information over the radio. A “KILL” call (“KILL IT, KILL IT, KILL IT”) on the radio should be made for a serious safety concern (fire, blades are coming off, pieces of the drone are falling off, etc.). The Field Manager’s responsibility is to supervise field operations, ensure field safety, and make judgement calls on rules. If multiple drones are active on the field, each field manager should be assigned to supervise a specific drone (while maintaining situational awareness of other drones/obstructions on the field). If a field manager sees a flight safety issue or hears a KILL call 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 19 on the radio, field managers have the responsibility of verbally relaying to the students KILL calls and ensuring that students comply with the command. The Lead Field Manager shall hold a valid and current Remote Pilot – sUAS certificate permitting them to operate under 14 CFR Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The Lead Field Manager will have proof of this certificate (either their Remote Pilot license or temporary certificate) on the day of the event. The Lead Field Manager shall be the safety Point-of-Contact (POC) for a competition, as related to drone safety, flight safety, and FAA compliance. However, field managers and technical inspectors will primarily be responsible for making judgement calls about safety. The Lead Field Manager’s role is advise their decisions, serve as an additional safety observer on the field, and be the focal point for safety and FAA compliance. This includes ensuring that the competition complies with the FAA regulations, along with submitting any waivers, requesting any prior airspace authorizations, and/or creating NOTAMs. Any questions or concerns regarding safety should be brought to the Lead Field Manager. 7. Flight Procedures and Safety 7.1 Preflight Checklist All teams must perform a pre-flight inspection of their drone before every flight, whether for competition or in practice. See Appendix B: Pre-Flight Checklist for a preflight checklist that is available to print out. 7.2 In-Flight Safety In alignment with official FAA regulations as well as ARC guidelines, all ARC student drone operators (pilots/co-pilots) must abide by the following (whether flying at competition or individually): 1. Immediately and accurately follow all instructions from STEM-ED/ARC officials. 2. All drones flown for ARC shall be tethered (whether in competition or in practice). 3. Do not exceed a maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL). a. Students will likely never approach this limit due to the drone always being tethered. 4. The aircraft shall be within the line of sight of the operator and/or visual observer. 5. The aircraft shall only be flown between sunrise and sunset. 6. A maximum of one drone per operator at all times. 7. The operator shall ground the aircraft immediately if flight conditions do not meet safety standards or there is an active warning/alert issued by local weather reporting. 8. The operator shall remain clear of and not interfere with manned aircraft operations. 9. The operator shall not conduct flight if any physical or mental impairment would interfere with safe operation. 10. The operator shall not fly over people. 11. The operator shall not fly over sporting events, reunions, or other assemblies. 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 20 12. The operator shall not fly in a careless or reckless manner. 13. No flights or data-gathering operations where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy are permitted. 14. The operator shall not fly over non-participating vessels, vehicles, or structures and will maintain a 50-foot distance from above-ground utility lines. 15. The operator shall not endanger the property of others. 16. The operator shall not fly near emergency response activity. The pilot should immediately ground the drone if they are in violation or about to violate one of these rules. If the drone is not able to land (such as due to loss of stability), the kill switch should immediately be activated. Violation of these rules may result in a penalty or disqualification from ARC. In severe cases, legal action may also be taken by the FAA and local law enforcement. During any drone flying at competition, instructions will be provided to students by STEM-ED field managers. If a field manager instructs a student pilot to “KILL IT” during the flying events, the student pilot shall immediately activate the drone’s kill switch. If the kill switch fails for any reason, the transmitter must be powered off, allowing the drone to disconnect and fall to the ground (so long as no one is standing underneath). 7.3 Safety Gear Safety glasses are required while a drone is powered on for all people in the inner zone (Figure 1), including pilots/co-pilots and field managers. Safety helmets and gloves are optional. 7.4 Post-Flight Inspection All teams must perform a post-flight inspection of their drone after every flight, whether for competition or in practice. See Appendix C for a post-flight checklist that is available to print out. 7.5 Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) Battery Safety As seen in the 2024-25 ARC Regional Competition Rulebook: • • • • • • • • Teams must use a lithium polymer (LiPo) battery to power the Pixhawk flight controller. The battery cannot have more than 4 cells (unless using a DEXI PX-4 Development Kit). Teams must use commercially available batteries. Homemade batteries are not allowed. Teams must use proper battery usage/storage techniques. Teams must not leave the batteries unattended during charging. Teams must not charge the batteries while hot (including immediately after a flight). Teams must not use any batteries displaying signs of damage, including dents, cracks, swelling, and smoking. Recommended battery: CNHL 2200mAh 3S LiPo Battery 30C 11.1V LiPo Battery with XT60 (Link). 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 21 Appendix A: Technical Inspection Rubric 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 22 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 23 Appendix B: Pre-Flight Checklist Task Compl. WEATHER Check to ensure there is no rain, winds are <20 mph, and conditions are sufficient to maintain visual line of sight with the drone (no fog).  NO FLY ZONE Ensure your flight area is outside of airport zones and in permitted airspace (check one of the apps utilizing FAA’s B4UFly service).  INTERFERENCE Check your surrounding area for mobile/radio towers, electrical wires and metallic objects.  OBSTACLES Ensure your take-off and flight path is free from any obstacles (power lines, buildings, vehicles, trees).  PEOPLE Ensure there are no people within your flight area. FIRE SAFETY Have a non-expired, unused fire extinguisher available.   TEMPERATURE Double check the temperature is within the drone's limits.  PROPELLERS Double check all the propellers are clear and installed correctly, fasteners are tightened, and mechanism (if applicable) is secure.  ANTENNAS AND WIRES Ensure antenna and wires are secure and won’t interfere with propellors, mechanism or any other moving parts.  TETHER Confirm that the tether is attached to the drone, secure and undamaged.  BATTERY Insert and use a fully charged battery. Ensure there is no damage/good condition as well as that it is secure.  PERSONNEL SAFETY All people involved near the field must wear safety glasses.  TAKE OFF PAD Set down your drone on the take-off pad, ensuring the surface is level and clear of obstruction.  PEOPLE Perform one final check to ensure there are no people within your flight area.  ARMING SEQUENCE Arm the drone.  FLY After everything is checked off, go out and fly!  2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 24 Appendix C: Post-Flight Checklist Task Compl. LANDING Ensure it is safe to land the drone, check for obstacles and for people.  TURNING OFF DRONE Power down the drone first.  DISARM Disarm the drone.  REMOVE BATTERY Remove the battery from the drone.  TURN OFF THE CONTROLLER Power down the controller.  VISUAL INSPECTION Inspect the drone to ensure no damage was made.  CLEAN Clean the propellors, sensors, mechanism, etc. from any dust, sand or debris.  DRY If there is any residue, please wipe it dry. STORAGE Place the drone back into the storage bag or safety case 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A   Page 25 Appendix D: FAA Waiver 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 26 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 27 Revision History Revision Release Date Notes A 03/09/2025 Initial Release 2024-25 Safety and FAA Compliance Guide Rev A Page 28