RCAPA™/RAPA™ Flight Guidelines *

© 2004 www.RCAPA.org
 

1. All aircraft shall be flight worthy and have passed six successful flight tests while carrying camera equipment before being placed in commercial operation.
    
2. All aircraft must be as manufactured by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
    
3. All aircraft must be assembled per the OEM documentation.
    
4. No one but the flight personnel shall be allowed in the landing and takeoff zone.
    
5. The landing zone shall be clearly marked for public safety.
    
6. An emergency landing zone must be secured and all flight operations must take into account the ability to reach the emergency landing zone.
    
7. Aircraft shall not be flown directly over pedestrians, active roads, traffic, or any other persons or objects that may endanger human life.
    
8. The aircraft shall not use any flight path that may disrupt or endanger human life. There shall be no flying over people or automotive traffic.
    
9. All aircraft operations are limited to a maximum altitude of 400 feet above average ground level.
    
10. No autonomous flight is allowed. The pilot must be in full radio control of the aircraft at all times.
     
11. The pilot must be in direct un-aided** line of site of the aircraft at all times. The aircraft must be within 1,000 horizontal feet of the pilot which must be located on the ground.
     
12. A Fail-Safe system must be employed which will command an engine to go to idle or to shut down should the radio control functions be lost.

* These flight guidelines are still under review and have not been authorized yet.
** Prescription vision correction lenses and/or 'sunglasses' are allowed.