AWR_Range Pro X8_223644_signed.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

U.S. ARMY COMBAT CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMAND

AVIATION AND MISSILE CENTER

5400 FOWLER ROAD

REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA 35898

FCDD-AMR 17 February 2021

MEMORANDUM FOR U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Aviation Program Office, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20315-1000

SUBJECT: AWR for Operation of the Range Pro X8P UAS (AWR 223644)

1. Scope: This memorandum constitutes an Airworthiness Release (AWR) Qualification Level 3 authorizing operation of the Range Pro X8P Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

2. Validity: This AWR is new and terminates 17 Feb 23 or upon change in configuration of the subject equipment, or upon issuance of a later AWR whichever occurs first. This AWR only applies to Range Pro X8P systems that are owned and/or operated by/for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This AWR authorizes flight operations in Active Restricted Airspace (ARA) and Class G airspace covered under the DoD/FAA Memorandum of Understanding.

3. Appendices: This memorandum and its appendices shall be briefed to flight crew prior to flight operations, carried in the log books and available to the Operator.

Appendix A: Restrictions and Operating Information Appendix B: Configuration and Installation Detail Appendix C: Inspections, Maintenance, and Logbook Instructions Appendix D: Reference List

4. The point of contact (POC) is Mr. Jeremy Rimmer, commercial, (256) 955-9040, jeremy.a.rimmer.civ@mail.mil.

KEITH R. DARROW

Director for Airworthiness Systems Readiness Directorate

For

FCDD-AMR 17 Feb 21 SUBJECT: AWR for Operation of the Range Pro X8P UAS (AWR 223644)

Appendix A. Restrictions and Operating Information:

1. The aircraft operating instructions, procedures, and limitations shall be in accordance with the Manuals (see D.1), System Safety Management Plan (SSMP) (see D.2), Small UAS Policies and Procedures (see D.3), Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration for Unmanned

Aircraft System Operations in the National Airspace System (see D.4), and this AWR. In the event of conflict between these documents, the information in this AWR shall prevail.

CAUTION

The UAS has not been tested for the effects of lightning. A lightning strike could result in damage to or loss of the aircraft. Flight operations less than 25 nautical miles from lightning activity should be avoided.

The UAS has not been qualified for the effects of precipitation. Flight operations shall be restricted from flight into or during measureable precipitation activity within the operational area. In the event of inadvertent flight into precipitation activity the aircraft shall make every attempt to exit the activity or land in a suitable location.

The UAS has not been qualified to MIL-STD-810G environmental temperature extremes to demonstrate the equipment function satisfactorily/safely. Therefore, the system may not operate or may cease operation when exposed to extreme temperatures, low pressure environments, and other non-standard climatic conditions. If conditions are entered that are outside of past experience, proceed with caution.

2. Flight of the UAS is restricted to Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC).

3. The lost link waypoint, return to launch point or alternate rally point shall be over a suitable point such that the aircraft will not exit the appropriate airspace during lost link flight.

CAUTION

The UAS has not been qualified to MIL-STD-810G environmental temperature extremes. The aircraft shall not operate at altitudes or temperature conditions beyond which the batteries can safely provide power to the aircraft. The battery system shall be capable of providing adequate power to descend and land at an alternate ditching location.

4. Batteries self-discharge over time. Prior to every flight all batteries (e.g. aircraft battery, Control Station (CS) battery etc.) shall be verified to contain adequate charge to ensure that aircraft can be operated safely in the event of an emergency.

5. Rotors/Propellers/Turbines could cause injury to the human eye or skin. Use eye protection and keep face, fingers and clothing clear from rotors/propellers/turbines.

WARNING

The UAS does not have a sense and avoid system. Mid-air collision is a risk. All flight operations shall be conducted to ensure that minimum separation standards are maintained from any other aircraft.

6. Ground observers shall maintain positive contact with the aircraft at all times outside of ARA or Combat Zones.

7. In the event of loss of communications between the aircraft operator and ground observers, operations shall cease immediately and not resume until communications anomalies are corrected.

WARNING

The UAS has not completed full airworthiness qualification. Operation in and around flight crew personnel has potential to cause injury, however, the potential to cause serious injury is low. Operations should maintain the Safety Standoff Distance (SSD) from flight crew personnel where practicable.

8. A flight crew SSD exclusion zone should be maintained during flights. This distance shall be determined by a preflight survey of the operational area used for the risk determination developed from the risk assessment.

9. The aircraft shall not be flown across or adjacent to any operational roadways open to non-participating personnel at a horizontal distance less than the predetermined

SSD.

10. The UAS shall not be flown over non-flight crew personnel. An SSD shall be maintained at all times from non-flight crew personnel.

11. Flight over non-participating personnel is prohibited.

WARNING

The UAS CS has not undergone a formal Human-Machine Interface (HMI) evaluation. The CS has a demonstrated reliability but the performance, accuracy and efficiency have not undergone a formal analysis. The system should be used with caution.

12. Datalink frequencies shall be de-conflicted through local frequency manager or coordinator prior to any operations.

13. The operator in command must monitor the CS at all times during all flight modes.

In the event that the operator receives an indication of erroneous information or unintended behavior, the operator shall abort the mission and Return to Base (RTB).

14. Verified loss of any aircraft flight critical subsystem or control station flight critical sub-system shall require RTB.

15. Any unexplained anomaly shall initiate a RTB and operations shall not resume until the anomaly is resolved and reported to the POCs listed in paragraph 4 of this AWR.

16. Any procedural deficiencies or flight anomalies detected during operations shall be corrected, annotated, and reported to the POCs listed in paragraph 4 of this AWR.

WARNING

The UAS has not undergone Explosive Atmosphere testing. A serious fire or explosion may result if the aircraft is powered while flammable vapors are present during ground or flight operations. Do not operate the system in the presence of flammable vapors.

WARNING

Low altitude missions introduce land-based flight obstacles not encountered during typical UAS and manned aircraft flights. These obstacles include buildings, power lines, balloon tethers, and trees. Failure to identify and avoid land-based obstacles could result in aircraft damage or personnel injury.

17. Flight planning shall identify and avoid land-based obstacles.

18. Flight crew shall verify that the propellers are securely mounted and rotating smoothly prior to flight.

WARNING

The UAS arms may be positioned and secured in a way that would cause the propellers to come in contact with each other. Failure to properly position the UAS Arms could result in aircraft damage or personnel injury.

19. Flight crew shall verify that the frame arms are properly positioned and secured prior to flight. The UAS should have 1.5 inches of clearance between propeller tips.

20. Commander's Corner:

The UAS has been issued an Airworthiness Qualification Level (AQL) 3 AWR IAW AR 70-62 and has not met full airworthiness qualification or reliability demonstration requirements. AQL 3 is not based on traditional airworthiness substantiation from test data or analyses, and is issued for expendable UAS that are intended to regularly operate in Restricted Airspace and small UAS that intend to operate in combat zones.

These UAS are not designed to accepted engineering standards and/or do not possess adequate engineering data to determine their compliance with acceptance standards.

The data requirements for AQL 3 directly correlate to the proposed operational restrictions, area of operation, and allowed usage of the UAS. These systems have undergone a system level safety assessment that identifies the hazards for the intended operations. The AQL 3 AWR applies restrictions to mitigate the hazards identified in the system safety documentation. If the hazards cannot be mitigated through restrictions, the associated risk must be accepted at the appropriate level before the AWR is issued.

The content of this AWR is based on information provided to the Systems Readiness

Directorate, site visit, and technical interchange with the aircraft operator and physical inspection of the UAS.

Electromagnetic Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMC) testing has not been performed on this aircraft. Flights in areas where EMI density is high pose a significant threat to safe operations. EMI interference may affect the behavior of the entire system and the operator is advised to be vigilant to recognize anomalies that were not present in prior operational areas of low density EMI. Operators should make every effort to identify and mitigate sources of potential EMI prior to operations and plan flight paths accordingly.

Appendix B. Configuration and Installation Detail:

The configuration authorized under this AWR is identified in the Manual (see D.1).

Appendix C. Inspections, Maintenance, and Logbook Instructions:

1. In the event any operating limit or limits established by this release are exceeded, it is recommended that in addition to the normal entry in flight log all limits that were exceeded shall be entered/noted and appropriate inspections shall be performed prior to next flight.

2. A copy of this AWR shall be inserted in the logbook and the following entry shall be noted: “Operate within limitations and restrictions specified in the enclosed Airworthiness Release dated 17 Feb 21.”

Appendix D. Reference List:

1. Manuals:

a. Range Pro X8 Safety Manual, Revision B, 29 Oct 20.

b. Range Pro X8 User Manual, Revision A, 5 Nov 20.

2. SSMP, USACE Aviation and Remote Systems Program, dated 11 Jul 19.

3. USACE Aviation SUAS Policies and Procedures, Aviation Policy Memo 19-08, dated 1 Aug 19.

4. Memorandum, 9 May 19, subject: Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration for Unmanned Aircraft

System Operations in the National Airspace System.