Preflight/Postflight Procedures

Preflight/ Postflight Procedures For Agras Products

Preflight: The process of inspecting the legal and physical airworthiness and safety of flight requirements before flight.

Use the following as a guideline for preflight inspections of Agras Products

Pre-flight/Application

Drone Body

• Frame
  • Check for visible damage to frame
  • Ensure frame is square and not bent
  • All screws are tight and secure
• Landing Gear
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure landing gear y-tee parts are tight and screws are secure
• Arms
  • Visually inspect carbon fiber arms for crack, frays, or damage.
    • If any cracking is suspected replace arm before flight
• Locking Handles
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure handles latch firmly (should make a pop/snap sound) 
• Aircraft Covers
  • Check for visible damage
  • All screws tight and secure
• Radar
  • Check for visible damage to radar
  • Check signal cable for damage
• Binocular Vision Sensor
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure sensors are clean and free from debris and fingerprints

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Spray System

• Liquid Tank
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure tank fittings are tight and secure
• Hose Fittings
  • Ensure hose connections are tight and secure
    • No leaks

• Spray Rod/Spray Lance
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure tight connection to drone (fixing nut or fully seated in bracket)
• Clear Trapped Air
  • Remove trapped air from spray system

Propulsion System

• Propellers
  • Check for visible damage, replace if necessary
    • DJI recommend replacing if any damage, minor chips are normal, however, if there are any large chips or cracks props need replaced
• Motors
  • Check for visible damage
  • Check for rubbing when rotating motor
• Motor Fixing Base
  • Firmly hold the motor around the motor cover and try to rotate motor(s) around the arm, they should not move.
    • Movement indicates issue with fixing base and need fixed immediately
• ESC
  • Check for visible damage
  • Ensure securely mounted to esc bracket

Remote Controller

• Power Level
  • Recommended to start operations with fully charged internal and external battery
• Link
  • Ensure RC is linked to desired drone
• GPS/RTK
  • Verify drone has good GPS signal
  • Verify RTK status and strength if being used
• Video 
  • Ensure FPV video is functioning
• Settings
  • Ensure all settings are set for operation
    • Note; some areas may require adjustments to settings
  • Verify Settings
    • Spraying Complete function (set as desired)
    • Mission Complete function (set as desired)
    • Lost link (set as desired)
    • Radar Settings (recommended to have all radars on at all times)

• Low Battery Action (recommended settings, 30%, 10%, warning)

Select Landing Area

• Select desired landing area for operation area
  • If operating from ground
    • Ensure area is free from debris
    • Enough propeller clearance for drone being used
    • As flat as possible
    • Provides space for operators to stand away from drones during takeoff and landing.
      • It is not recommended to be close to a drone while in operation as it poses high risk for injury: FLY WITH CAUTION 

Perform Empty Tank Hover Check

• With empty tank
  • Arm drone
    • Ensure drone spins up properly
  • With left stick climb drone up to 10ft
  • Ensure drone responds to flight control inputs correctly 
    • Right stick checks
      • With small inputs push stick forward, left, right, rear to ensure drone responds correctly to inputs
    • Left Stick Checks
      • With small inputs push stick left, right, up, down to ensure drone responds correctly to inputs
  • Land drone and disarm
    • Ensure drone lands and disarms properly

Test Spray System With Water

• With small amount of water, ensure drone spray system functions correctly

Proper PPE and Load Product

• Ensure proper PPE is used when handling chemicals
• Ensure function of ground equipment for refilling drone
• Fill drone with product to begin operations

During Flight 

Manual Override

• While drone is flying to start point or after mission begins
  • Push right stick left, right, or rear to stop autonomous flight and ensure override function responds correctly

Monitor Systems

• During autonomous flight the pilot should always be continuously monitoring the flight
  • Verify drone is operating as intended
  • Ensure safety of flight
    • Avoid airspace conflictions
    • Proactive prevention of potential flight into obstacles
  • Verify desired flow rate is being achieved
  • Ensure desired RTH action when RTH action is reached

Keep Line Of Site

• Maintain line of sight is maintained through the entire flight
  • Set up operations on high ground if able
  • Operate from platform
  • Line of site will allow for better RC to drone signal strength allowing pilot to monitor systems at all times
  • IT IS ILLEGAL TO OPERATE BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SITE WITHOUT AN EXEMPTION

Post Application

Rinse Out Spray System

• Immediately after mission completion
  • Fill tank full and use a manual flight to spray tank over field
  • Fill tank full and spray out spray system on ground (Repeat 3 times)
  • Use a cleaning agent to remove chemical if switching products
    • Follow instructions for product being used

Clean Drone and Blow Out Motors

• After spraying spray off drone with water (if needed use a cleaning product like simple green to scrub grime and chemical off drone)
  • Do not use a pressure washer to clean drone
  • The better the drone is kept the long and better it will run
• With compressed air, blow out the motors to clean out dust and dirt
  • This will help motors run more efficiently and prevent damage

Charge Batteries for Next Operation

• It is recommended to charge batteries the day before operations
  • If able batteries should be charged with 120 volts as this is a slower charge and will allow batteries to properly balance charge after being charged with 240 volts
    • It is recommended to charge batteries on 120 volts any time you are able

Storing Batteries: Follow Guidelines 

• If batteries are to be stored for an extended period of time (3 months or greater) you must follow DJIs storage guidelines for all Intelligent Flight Batteries found in the battery manual provided in the box with each battery
  • Store batteries in a safe environment and in temperatures between -4° to 104°F
  • DO NOT store batteries for extended periods after fully discharging
    • This may cause irreparable damage to battery cells
  • If stored with low power, battery will enter hibernation mode
    • Charge battery to wake up
  • DO NOT store battery in drone
• Fully charge and discharge battery at least once every 3 months to ensure the performance of the battery!
  • Failure to do so can result in loss of warranty on battery
  • Simply charge battery, hover with tank full of product to deplete battery, then charge up on 120 volts and allow battery to self discharge to storage voltage