UAS & OPA Experimental Operating Limitations

The (model designation) unmanned aircraft (UA), control station(s), and communication equipment [include if applicable] comprise the UAS.

No person may operate this UAS for other than the purpose of research and development (R&D), showing compliance with regulations, crew training, exhibition, market survey, and/or production flight testing new production aircraft [select appropriate purpose(s)] as specified on the front of the FAA Form 8130-7, Special Airworthiness Certificate. These operating limitations do not provide any relief from any applicable law or regulation. This aircraft must be operated in accordance with the applicable regulations and the additional limitations prescribed herein. These operating limitations are a part of the FAA Form 8130-7 and are to be available to the pilot in command (PIC) of the aircraft.

The airworthiness certificate, aircraft registration certificate, aircraft manuals, and FAA Form 7711-1, Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA), must be located at the control station.

Market surveys, sales demonstrations, and customer crew training cannot be performed until the flight hour requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (§21.195(d)(2) have been accomplished. An entry in the aircraft records is required as evidence of compliance.

When changing between operating purposes, the operator must determine that the UAS is in a condition for safe operation and appropriate for the operational purpose intended. A record entry will be made in the maintenance records to document the operational purpose change and that the UAS is in a condition for safe operation.

This UAS must be operated in accordance with the applicable air traffic and general operating rules of part 91, and all additional limitations herein prescribed.

No person may operate this UAS to carry persons or property for compensation or hire.

Each UA must be controlled by only one control station at a time. A control station may not be used to operate multiple UA.

UA flight operations must be conducted in visual meteorological conditions (VMC), day only.

UA flight operations must be conducted in VMC, day and/or night.

UA flight operations must be conducted within visual line of sight of the PIC or visual observer.

Flight over a densely populated area or in a congested airway is prohibited.

All flight operations must remain within the lateral and vertical boundaries of the designated flight area as provided in the FAA Form 7711-1.

UA exhibition operations require an aviation event/airshow waiver.

UA operations in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM)-designated airspace may be allowed pursuant to §91.180(b) for aircraft certification and development purposes.

UA operation in RVSM-designated airspace may be allowed pursuant to §91.180(b) for climbing/descending through RVSM flight levels without intermediate level-off to or from flight levels above RVSM airspace.

UA flight in RVSM-designated airspace is prohibited.

Following satisfactory completion of initial flight testing, the operations manager or chief pilot must certify in the aircraft records that the UA has been shown to comply with §91.319(b) with the following, or a similarly worded, statement: I certify that the prescribed flight test has been completed and the aircraft is controllable throughout its normal range of speeds and throughout all maneuvers to be executed, has no hazardous operating characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation. The following aircraft operating data has been demonstrated during the flight testing: speeds Vx ______, and Vy ______, and the weight ______ and CG location ______ at which they were obtained.

The UA is prohibited from aerobatic flight, that is, an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in the UA’s attitude, an abnormal acceleration, or other flight action not necessary for normal flight.

The UA is prohibited from formation flight as a wingman, that is, flight by reference to another aircraft.

This UA must not be used for towing, including, but not limited to, gliders, banners, targets, or electronic receivers or transmitters.

UA flight operations may not involve carrying hazardous material, as defined in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR 171.8, or the dropping of any objects or external stores.

No weapons may be added to the UA.

This UA is prohibited from flight with any externally mounted equipment that is not properly mounted and secured in a manner that will prevent in-flight detachment. The aircraft must be configured as documented in the aircraft’s flight test records or as allowed in the original manufacturer’s aircraft data. If relying on the manufacturer’s data, the aircraft must conform to the manufacturer’s design and be maintained with existing manufacturer’s maintenance and inspection instructions.

This UA is prohibited from flight with any externally mounted equipment unless the equipment is mounted in a manner that will prevent in-flight jettison or detachment. Installation of external stores (pylon and equipment) or external fuel tanks not approved by the manufacturer or the original military operator is prohibited. No change in external loading for the aircraft (for example, a change in pylon, rack, or external store) from configurations approved by the manufacturer or original military operator is allowed, except to prevent jettison or detachment.

Any incident or accident, or any flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical boundaries of a flight test area, restricted airspace, or other operational boundary, must be reported to the UAS Safety and Integration Division (AUS-400) within 24 hours, and to the Emerging Technologies Team (AJV-115). AUS-400 can be reached by phone at (202) 267-8272 or by fax at (202) 267-8249. AJV-115 can be notified via email at 9-AJV-115- [email protected]. If this is an emergency, contact the local law enforcement, an FAA Regional Operations Center (ROC), or the Washington Operations Center (WOC). Accidents and incidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the NTSB web site. Further flight operations must not be conducted until the incident or accident is reviewed by AUS-420 and AFS-830. AFS-830 will provide the authorization to resume operations.

Visual observers (VO) must assist the PIC in not allowing the UA to operate beyond the visual line of sight limit. VOs must be able to see the aircraft and the surrounding airspace sufficiently to assist the PIC with determining the UA’s proximity to all aviation activities and other hazards, and prevent the UA from creating a collision hazard. The VO must assist the PIC with exercising effective control of the UA and with complying with §§91.111 and 91.113. The VO must also inform the PIC before losing sufficient visual contact with the UA or a previously sighted collision hazard.

All crew positions must maintain two-way communications with each other during all operations. If unable to maintain two-way communication, the PIC will expeditiously return the UA to its base of operations while remaining within the flight area and conclude the flight operation.

In the event of a transponder failure on the UA, the UA must conclude all flight operations and expeditiously return to its base of operations. If a chase aircraft is used and equipped with an operable transponder, the mission may continue with proper coordination with air traffic control (ATC).

When filing a flight plan, the experimental nature of this UA must be listed in the remarks section. The pilot will notify the control tower of the experimental nature of the UA when operating the UA into or out of airports with operating control towers.

This UA must be marked with its U.S. nationality and registration marks pursuant to part 45.

This UA must be marked with its unique identifier as described in part 48.

This UA must display the word EXPERIMENTAL pursuant to §45.23 or an alternative marking approval issued pursuant to §45.22(d) by the FAA’s Policy and Innovation Division (AIR-600).

The UAS must not be operated unless it is inspected and maintained in accordance with the (title) maintenance and inspection program (rev #) (date) or later revision. Maintenance and inspection records must be established and maintained. Maintenance record entries must include a description of the work performed, the date of completion for the work, the UAS’s total time-in-service, and the name and signature of the person performing the work. Inspection entries must contain the following, or a similarly worded, statement: I certify that this UAS was inspected on (date), in accordance with the scope and detail of the maintenance and inspection program, and was determined to be in a condition for safe operation.

No person may operate this UAS unless it has had a condition inspection performed within the preceding 12 calendar months in accordance with the current maintenance and inspection program. This inspection will be recorded in the UAS maintenance records.

The UAS manufacturer and their representatives may perform the maintenance and inspections required by these operating limitations. Representatives of a manufacturer must have written authorization from the manufacturer. The use of FAA certificated maintenance providers is encouraged, which may include repair stations, holders of mechanic and repairman certificates, and other persons working under the supervision of these mechanics and repairman. An FAA certificated maintenance provider performing maintenance and/or inspection on UAS that are not applicable to part 43 requirements, §43.1(b)(1), does not constitute at this time the exercising of certificate holder privileges.

If any aircraft, engine, or propeller operating limits are exceeded during ground or inflight operations, the exceeded operating limit will be addressed to ensure the aircraft is in a continued condition for safe operation. An appropriate maintenance entry will be made in the aircraft records describing the maintenance and/or inspection actions taken to address the exceeded operating limit and that the aircraft is determined to be in a condition for safe operation, prior to further flight.

The aircraft may not be operated unless the owner complies with the replacement of life-limited articles specified in the applicable maintenance and inspection program and/or technical publications.

Minor configuration changes to the UAS are those that have no appreciable effect on the weight, balance, structural strength, reliability, operational characteristics, or other characteristics affecting the condition for safe operation of the UAS. Changes that do not meet the definition of a minor change are classified as “major changes.” For UAS Risk Index Group I UAS, the owner or operator must provide major configuration change documentation to the geographically responsible Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). For UAS Risk Index Group II and III UAS, major configuration changes require the owner or operator to update the safety checklist and provide it to the geographically responsible FSDO. A written response must be received from the FSDO indicating FAA concurrence before flying this aircraft after incorporation of a major configuration change, whether the aircraft is operating under a special airworthiness certificate, public aircraft COA, or other authorization.

Crew training, market survey, sales demonstrations, customer crew training, or exhibition (select, as applicable) operations cannot be performed immediately following software and major configuration changes. The aircraft must first be flight tested. Following the flight test, the operations manager, chief pilot, or other person acceptable to the Administrator must make the following, or a similarly worded, statement in the aircraft records: I certify the prescribed flight test has been completed and the aircraft is controllable throughout its normal range of speeds and throughout all maneuvers to be executed, has no hazardous operating characteristics or design features, and is safe for operation.

Application to amend these operating limitations must be made to the geographically responsible FSDO or Manufacturing Inspection District Office (MIDO).

When an aircraft’s home base is changed or there is a transfer of ownership, the owner will submit a new program letter to the geographically responsible FSDO within 30 days.

The owner must submit an annual program letter to the geographically responsible FSDO where the aircraft is based.

This special airworthiness certificate is not in effect during public aircraft operations (PAO). Concurrent public/civil operations are not permitted. The FAA makes the distinction between the authorized flights for the purposes described in the program letter and PAO. Before operating this aircraft under this special airworthiness certificate following a PAO, the aircraft must be returned, via an approved method, to the condition and configuration appropriate for civil operations. The aircraft records and entries must clearly differentiate between a civil flight, pursuant to this certificate, and any other flights. When PAO are concluded, an entry will be made in the aircraft records to document that the aircraft has been returned to the civil aircraft configuration and is in a condition for safe operation.

This special airworthiness certificate is not in effect during operations conducted under part 107 and model aircraft operations conducted under part 101. Before operating this aircraft under this special airworthiness certificate following a part 107 operation or a part 101 model aircraft operation, the aircraft must be returned, via an approved method, to the condition and configuration appropriate for operations under the special airworthiness certificate. The aircraft records and record entries must clearly differentiate between any flights for which this certificate was required and any other flights. When part 107 operations or part 101 model aircraft operations are concluded, an entry will be made in the aircraft records to document that the aircraft has been returned to the aircraft configuration appropriate for operations in accordance with this special airworthiness certificate and is in a condition for safe operation.

§47.45 requires that the FAA Aircraft Registry be notified within 30 days of any change in the aircraft registrant’s address. Such notification is to be made by submitting Aeronautical Center Form 8050-1, Aircraft Registration Application, to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch (AFS-750) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

§48.105 requires that the web-based small unmanned aircraft registration system be updated within 14 days of any change in the aircraft registrant’s physical address, mailing address, or email address, and any change to the aircraft manufacturer, model, or serial number.

Immediately after the certificate is issued, the applicant must forward a copy of the program letter, special airworthiness certificate, operating limitations, and FAA Form 7711-1 to the attention of: FAA Headquarters, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Tactical Operation Section, at the email address [email protected], or via fax at (202) 267-8249.

When the aircraft is flown in an OPA configuration, the pilot in command (PIC) is always onboard and must have the ability, using normal control input forces, to immediately override any installed system that can be operated remotely or by automation.

Flights with the OPA system engaged must not be conducted outside the authorized geographical area(s).

The OPA system may only be engaged or used while the aircraft is at or above (altitude) feet above ground level (AGL). The system must be turned off or otherwise rendered inoperative below (altitude) feet AGL.

The OPA system may be engaged to permit remote pilot operations during daylight hours in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with minimum flight visibility no less than 3 statute miles (SM) below 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and 5 SM at or above 10,000 feet MSL. The OPA system is not authorized for use under special visual flight rules (SVFR).

The OPA system may be engaged to permit remote pilot operations during daylight hours or at night in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with minimum flight visibility no less than 3 statute miles (SM) below 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and 5 SM at or above 10,000 feet MSL. The OPA system is not authorized for use under special visual flight rules (SVFR).

The OPA system may be engaged to permit remote pilot operations during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

All software changes and major modifications, as defined by §21.93, performed under this certificate, public aircraft certificate of waiver or authorization (COA), or other authorizations that could potentially affect the safe operation of the OPA must be documented and provided to the geographic Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) before operating under this certificate. All software changes and major modifications must be flight tested in accordance with a flight test plan before conducting crew training, market surveys, sales demonstrations, customer crew training, and exhibition flights. The successful completion of the flight tests must be recorded in the aircraft records. All requested information must be provided to the geographic FSDO prior to any flights after major modifications or software changes.

When converting the aircraft between OPA and UAS configurations, the person making the conversion must make a maintenance record entry. After each conversion, the aircraft must be inspected to determine it is in a condition for safe operation. This condition for safe operation determination must also be documented in the aircraft maintenance records.

The aircraft manufacturer and its representatives may perform the maintenance and inspections required by these operating limitations. Representatives of a manufacturer must have written authorization from the manufacturer. For continued airworthiness of OPA or OPA/UAS not requiring part 43 compliance, the use of FAA certificated maintenance providers is encouraged, which may include repair stations, holders of mechanic and repairman certificates, and other persons working under the supervision of these mechanics and repairman. An FAA certificated maintenance provider performing maintenance and/or inspection on aircraft that are not subject to part 43 requirements, per §43.1(b)(1), is not considered to be exercising certificate holder privileges.

The aircraft must be operated by only one remote control station at a time. A control station may not be used to operate multiple OPA.