The first priority of anyone involved with unmanned aircraft is:
Safety!
Accidents can – and do – happen! It is the duty of everyone associated with unmanned aircraft to be mindful of the risks to persons, property and the aircraft, and to take all necessary actions to minimise those risks. Unmanned aircraft contain hazardous components, charged batteries, and spinning propellers, all of which represent a risk, not only to the pilot, but also to people in near proximity!
Symbology
Throughout this document the following symbols have been used:
This symbol identifies a point of note. The information presented is considered important and something that the reader should be aware of.
This symbol identifies a warning. Take note of the information presented as if it is n not observed and the procedure or action is not carried out as directed there is a real possibility of possible harm or damage to persons and/or property. This symbol usually accompanies a description on how to do something.
This symbol identifies a hazard or critical factor. This symbol is used when there is a real and possible risk to persons and/or property.
Pay particular attention to the warnings contained in this manual. These warnings relate to real and present hazards, and include suggestions on ways to mitigate these hazards to an acceptable level.
Safety Warnings When Handling Powered Aircraft
The following must be observed in order to maintain the safety of personnel, equipment and property:
When powered, always assume that the aircraft is ARMED.
Consider safety of personnel and surrounding environment when dealing with a powered aircraft.
- Disconnect the ESC(s) from motor(s) and power cable(s) when working/maintaining aircraft for extended periods. This is to avoid damage to equipment and mitigate harm to personnel.
- Avoid soft rebooting of the autopilot while the flight battery is attached. In some situations, the timer outputs can become corrupted, causing the motors to unexpectedly start.
- Avoid connecting the Autopilot’s USB interface while the aircraft is powered.
NEURON GCS incorporates an ARM and SAFE mode. When the aircraft is connected to NEURON, these modes can be set using the ARM and DISARM buttons located at the top right-side of the software’s MFD-style interface. These buttons are illustrated below.
ARM | Enables/Arms throttle control on UAV. Will be greyed out if: UAV is NOT connected; orUAV is already ARMED | |
DISARM | Disarms throttle control on UAV. Will be greyed out if: UAV is NOT connected; orUAV is already DISARMED |
The [DISARM] button prevents the aircraft motor from starting. This allows procedures such as pre and post flight checks to be carried out without the risk of a spinning propeller.
As noted in the table illustrated above, both buttons will be greyed-out if the aircraft is not connected to Neuron GCS:
- When connected, the [DISARM] button will remain grey-out if the aircraft is already disarmed; at this state, the [ARM] button will be coloured, and ready to arm motor(s).
- Else, the [ARM] button will remain grey-out if the aircraft is already armed; in this state, the [DISARM] button will be coloured, and ready to disarm motor(s).
WHEN ARMED IN SEMI-AUTONOMOUS (NAV) CONTROL, THE MOTOR MAY START AT ANY TIME.
WHEN ARMED, THE MOTOR MAY ALSO START, SHOULD THE THROTTLE CONTROL ON THE RC TRANSMITTER BE MOVED – EITHER ON PURPOSE OR ACCIDENTALLY!
Never pick up the aircraft and the radio controller at the same time. It is very easy to bump the throttle and inadvertently cause the motor to start spinning.
Never fly with a battery that has a low state of charge. This may lead to a crash.
WHEN THE WORD ‘ARMED’ APPEARS IN THE PFD; OR IF THERE IS NO WORD IS DISPLAYED – THE AIRCRAFT MOTOR(S) IS/ARE IN ARMED STATE.
‘SAFE’ will be displayed in the PFD to indicate that the aircraft is in a disarmed state, and safe to handle without risk of motor spin-up.