September 2 4

, 2015

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590

Re: Petition of Drone Fly f or an Exemption Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012

Directo r: Flight Standards Service:

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 ("Reform Act") and
14 C.F.R. Part 11, DroneFly hereby applies for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations ("FARs") identified below to allow co mmercial operation of small specialized

unmanned aerial platforms ( i.e., "small unmanned aircraft" or "UAS") for a erial flight , testing

and demonstration of drone platforms to be sold to perspective drone purchasers. DroneFly also provides maintenance and repair services of the various platform model s to its customer base.

This petition for exemption is made based on information outlined in this Petition for Exemption, as well as the accompanying DroneFly documents;

1. PIC Flight Operations Manual and;

2. Operations Manuals ( Collectively 2 and 3 are referred to as Documents & Manuals")

3. User Guide and;

4. Flight Manual 1 (Collectively referred to as "Manufacturer's Manual")

DroneFly submits these supporting materials as confidential documen ts pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 11.35(b), as the materials contain confidential commercial and/or proprietary information that DroneFly has not and will not share with other requesting parties. Additionally, these d ocuments contain operating conditions and proc edures that are not generally available to the public and are protected from release under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 et. seq.

For your convenience, this Petition is organized as follows:

I. Description of Petitioner

1 . The term "Manufacturer's Manual" also includes all relevant manufacturer publi cations, including, but not limited to: operations and flight manuals, user guides, component maintenance manuals, pilot training manuals, service
information letters and, safety/service bulletins

.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 2

II. Description of Propo sed Operations

A. Aerial Flight, Testing and Demonstration of Drone Platforms for Perspectives Sales and Marketing

III. Relevant Statutory Authority

IV. DroneFly ’s Proposed UAS Operations Meet the Requirements of Section 333

of the Reform Act

A. Approval is Warran ted Based on the UAS's Size, Weight, Speed, and Operational Capability

B. Approval is Warranted Based on the Operational Restrictions Set Forth in the Operations Manuals

V. Regulations From Which Exemption is Requested

A. 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H

– Airworthin ess Certificates and 14 C.F.R. § 91.203(a)(1)

B. 14 C.F.R. Part 27 Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Rotorcraft

C. 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.9(c), 45.23(b) and 45.27(a): Aircraft Marking and Identification Requirements

D. 14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a) (1) and (2); 91.417(a) and (b): Maintenance Inspections

E. 14 C.F.R. Part 61, 14 C.F.R. § 61.3, 14 C.F.R. § 61.113: Private Pilot Privileges and

Limitations

F. 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a): Civil Aircraft Airworthiness

G. 14 C.F.R. § 91.9(b)(2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft and 14 C.F.R. § 91.203(a) and (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and Registration

H. 14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight Action

I. 14 C.F.R. § 91.109(a): Flight Instruction

J. 14 C.F.R. § 91.119(c): Minimum Safe Altitudes

K. 14 C.F.R. § 91.121: Alti meter Settings

L. 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions

V1. Drug and Alcohol Program

VII. Public Interest

VIII. Privacy

IX. Federal Register Summary

X. Conclusion

I. DESCRIPTION OF PETITIONER

DroneFly

, based in We stlake, CA , a suburb of Los Angeles, provides commercial operation and

manufacture of small specialized unmanned aerial platforms ( i.e., "small unmanned aircraft" or "UAS") for aerial flight, testing and demonstration of drone platforms to be sold to persp ective drone purchasers. DroneFly also provides maintenance and repair services of the various platform models to its customer base. The Company’s Principal and Chief Pilot Taylor Chien hasU.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 3

been flying UAV Quadcopters as a hobby and professionally for mor e than 2 years without incident, spen d ing thousands of hours flying

.

Upon the grant of the 333 Exemption the Company’s business will specialize aerial flight, testing and demonstration of drone platforms for their client base

.

DroneFly ’s staff are we ll trained and experienced in providing support as visual observers (“VO”) for the pilot in command (“PIC”) in addition to any other needed on site assistance

.
All of the equipment owned by DroneFly is of the highest quality gear and ha s been able to provi de these services safely and without any claims or incident

. DroneFly ’s goal is to advise the perspective client that DroneFly is following all the applicable state and federal rules to ensure the safety of the public while providing the client with a com petitive and cost effective product.

DroneFly seeks an exemption to allow for photography, videography and other related media products.

The contact information for Petitioner is as follows:

Taylor Chien Dronefly, Inc. 2630 Townsgate Road Suite I

Westl ake Village , CA 91361

Phone: (805) 480

- 4033

Email: taylor@dronefly.com

II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED OPERATION

DroneFly seeks an exemption pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act to operate multiple drone platforms such as DJI Phantom 1

- 3 and Inspire (generically referred to as DF

- UAS ) (under 55lbs) for the proposed operations discussed herein below. All UAS operations will occur under tightly controlled conditions on private property where DroneFly has received verifiable permission to operate from the landowner, controller or authorized representative. The proposed UAS operations will be conducted in accordance with the conditions and limitations of this Petition for Exemption and DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals. As detailed in DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, all UAS operations will be limited to daytime VFR conditions, within

visual line

- of

- sight ("VLOS") of the operator, in uncontrolled airspace, and will occur at least 5 mm away from an airport reference point

. Moreover, DroneFly ’s Operations Manual s incorporate redundant safeguards to assure the aircraft does not travel outside the controlled area of UAS operations, including GPS "geo

- fencing" technologies.

A. Aerial Flight, Testing and Demonstration of Drone Platforms for Perspective

Sales

DroneFly seeks to use small DF

- UAS for the purpose of conducting aerial flight, testing and demonstration of drone platforms for perspective sales and marketing for their client base

. DroneFly has purposefully tailored its operations to meet the requirements estab lished by theU.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 4

FAA in prior grants of exem p tion authorizing commercial use of UAS in the real estate indu s try, including :

 AirGon, LLC (Exemption No. 1 2604 )

 Alert Enterprises (Exemption No. 1 2648 )

 Mark Reid (Exemption No. 1 2767 )

 UA Tacsolutions (Exemptions N o. 12068)

All UAS aerial testing and demonstration including photography and videography operations will occur on private property in a controlled area away from spectators and persons not involved

in the recording process . In addition, the filming will be conducted between dawn and dusk to ensure maximum safety for the public and those involved in the manipulation and operation of

the UAS ; VFR conditions, at altitudes below 400' above ground level (“AGL”).

III. RELEVANT STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This Petit ion for Exemption is submitted pursuant to Section 333(a) through (c) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 ("Reform Act"). Congress has directed the FAA "to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national a irspace system." Pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act, the FAA Administrator is to permit

u nmanned aircraft systems to operate in the National Air s pace Systems ("NAS") where it is safe

to do so b ased on the following considerations:

● The UAS's size, weight, speed and operational capability; ● Operation of the UAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas; and ● Operation of the UAS within the visual line of sight of the operator.

Additionally, the FAA Administrator has gene ral authority to grant exemptions from the agency's safety regulations and minimum standards when the Administrator decides a requested exemption is in the public interest. See 49 U.S.C. § 106(f) (defining the authority of the Administrator); 49 U.S.C. § 4 4701(f) (permitting exemptions from §§ 44701(a), (b) and §§ 44702

– 44716, et seq.). A party requesting an exemption must explain the reasons why the exemption: (1) would benefit the public as a whole, and (2) would not adversely affect safety (or

how it w ould provide a level of safety at least equal to the existing rules). See 14 C.F.R. § 11.81 (petitions for exemption).

IV. DRONEFLY ’S PROPOSED DF

- UAS OPERATIONS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 333 OF THE REFORM ACT

The small DF

- UAS operations proposed b y DroneFly as noted above in this Petition for Exemption qualify for expedited approval pursuant to Section 333 of the Reform Act as each of the statutory criteria and relevant factors are satisfied.

A. Approval is Warranted Based on the UAS's Size, Weight, Speed, and Operational Capability

A Grant of Exemption is appropriate for operations conducted using the UAS s due to their size weight, speed, and operational capability.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 5

 The UAS utilize d by DroneFly ha ve been approv ed for use in prior Section 333

Grants of Exemption from the FAA. 2

 The UAS weigh s less th an 55 pounds, including payload

 The UAS will not be flown at a ground speed in excess of 50 knots.

 Altitude information will be generated by equipment onboard the UA S as specified using GPS triangulatio n, digitally encoded barometric altimeter, radio altimeter, or any combination thereof. This information will be transmitted to the pilot

via telemetric data feed.

 The UAS will have system redundancies and independent functionality to ensure

the overall s afety and predictability of the system. If connection to the remote control or ground control station is lost, failsafe systems will permit the UAS s to return to a predetermined location and safely land without injury or damage.

 The radio frequencies used for operations and control of the DF

- UAS comply with the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") and other appropriate government oversight agency requirements. T he operating frequency for the DF

- UAS is 2.4 GHz frequency bands. If the same operations we re conducted using a helicopter, the aircraft's take

- off weight would likely exceed 6,000 pounds depending on payload . The difference in weight between the DF

UAS and a helicopter significantly reduces the potential harm to the participating and non

parti cipating individuals and/ or surrounding property in the event of an unintended accident or incident. In addition, the risk to the onboard pilot and camera operator is eliminated.

B. Approval is Warranted Based on the Operational Restrictions Set Forth in

D roneFly ’s Operations Manuals

Operations Manuals and the Manufacturer's Manual for the selected DF

- UAS will contain all the procedures and limitations necessary to safely and successfully perform the operations specified in this Petition for Exemption. To assist the FAA in making a safety assessment of DroneFly ’s proposed operations, below is a summary of operational limitations and conditions that DroneFly will adhere to, and which will ensure an equivalent or higher level of safety to operations

conducted under current regulatory guidelines:

1. The DF

- UAS weighs less than 55 pounds, with payload

.

2. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled

- access property with verifiable permission from the land owner/controller or authorized representative

.

2 See e.g., Grant of Exemption to AirGon, LLC (Exemption N o. 12604) ; Grant of Exemption to Alert Enterprises (Exemption No. 12648) ; Grant of Exemption to Mark Reid (Exemption No. 12767); Grant of Exemption to UA Tacsolutions (Exemptions No. 12068)U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 6

Permission from land owner/controller or authorized representative will be obtained

for each scheduled flight prior to operation

.

3. All UASs operated under the Grant of Exemption will be identified by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR pa rt 47, and have identification (N

- Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings will be as large as practicable.

4. Minimum crew for each flight operation will consist of a pilot, who will be Pilot

- in Command ("PIC") of the DF

- UAS

, and one or more Visual Observers ("Observer") as necessary to safely conduct the mission.

5. PICs shall possess either a private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC

must also hold a current Class III medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’ s license issued by a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal government. The PIC will also meet the flight review requirements specified in 14 C.F.R 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or h er pilot

certificate

.

6. The DF

- UAS shall be operated within VLOS of the PIC and Observer at all times. The PIC must use human vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, as specified on the PIC's FAA

- issued medical certificate.

7. The PIC and Observer designated for any operation will be able to communicate verbally at all times.

8. Electronic messaging or texting will not be permitted during flight operations.

9. The additional requirements identified in the Grant of Exemption shall be added to

t he DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals. The Operations Manuals will be maintained and made available to the Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and limitations in the Grant of Exemption and DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, t he conditions and limitations in the Grant of Exemption shall take precedence and must be followed. Otherwise, DroneFly shall follow the procedures outlined in their Operations Manuals.

10. DroneFly may update or revise its Operations Manuals. Revisions will be tracked and a revised copy of the Manual will be provided to the Administrator upon request. DroneFly will also present an updated and revised Operations Manuals if it petitions for extension or amendment to its Grant of Exemption. If an update or revi sion would

a f fect the basis upon which the FAA grants the exemption, DroneFly will seek an amendment to its Grant of Exemption. DroneFly will contact the FAA’s UAS Integr a tion Office (AFS

- 80) if questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the

ope r ati ng documents.

11. DroneFly Operations Manuals and its Grant of Exemption will be available to the PIC at the ground control station anytime the DF

- UAS is operating.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 7

12. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a DF

- UAS flight unless (considering wind and

forecast we ather conditions) there is enough power to fly to the first intended point of landing, and assuming normal cruising speed, to fly after that for at least 10 minutes.

13. Maximum total flight time for each operational flight using the DF

- UAS will be

limited t o 40 minutes or the amount of time the UAS can be flown and still maintain a reserve battery power of no less than 25%, whichever occurs first.

14. Flights will be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet AGL and will never enter navigable controlled airspace without timely prior written authorization and approval from the FAA. In the event the structure being inspected exceeds 400 feet AGL, the UAS will not be operated more than 100 feet above the highest point on the structure, and no more than 50 fe et horizontally from the structure.

15. Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons. (persons other than the PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons), vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:

a. Barriers or s tructures are present that sufficiently protect nonparticipating persons from the UA and/or debris in the event of an accident. The operator must ensure that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection. If a situation arises where nonparticipatin g persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately and/or;

b. The aircraft is operated near vessels, vehicles or structures where the owner/controller of such vessels, vehicles or structures has grante d permission and the PIC has made a safety assessment of the risk of operating closer to those objects and determined that it does not present an undue hazard, and;

c. Operations nearer to the PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons do not

present an undue hazard to those persons per § 91.119(a).

16. The DF

- UAS may not be operated less than 500 feet below or less than 2,000 feet horizontally from a cloud or when visibility is less than 3 statute miles from the PIC.

17. The DF

- UAS may not operate within 5 nm of an airport reference point as denoted on

a current FAA

- published aeronautical chart unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained, and the operation is conducted in accordance with a NOTAM as required by the DroneFly COA. The letter of agreement with the airport management will be made available to the Administrator upon request.

18. Prior to each flight the PIC shall inspect the DF

- UAS s to confirm that it is in a condition safe for flight. The pre

- flight inspection will account f or all discrepancies, e.g. inoperable components, items, or equipment, not already covered in the relevant sections of the operating documents as well as equipment updates . The PIC shall not

operate any DF

- UAS s if the inspection reveals a condition that af fects the safe operation of the DF

- UAS until the necessary maintenance has been performed and the

DF

- UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight. The ground control station shall be included in the preflight inspection. All maintenance and alternatio ns must beU.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 8

properly documented in the UAS ’s records as required by DroneFly ’s Operations

Manuals.

19. DroneFly will timely carry out its maintenance, inspections, and record keeping requirements in accordance with the Operations Manuals. Maintenance, inspect ion,

and alterations will be fully noted in the DF

- UAS records, including total time in service, description of work accomplished, date completed and the signature of the authorized person returning the DF

- UAS to service.

20. Any DF

- UAS that has undergone mai ntenance or alterations that affect the UAS operation or flight characteristics (e.g., replacement of a flight critical component)

must timely undergo a functional test flight in accordance with DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals. The PIC who conducts the funct ional test flight must make an entry in the UAS aircraft records of the flight. The requirements and procedures for a functional test flight and DF

- UAS record entry shall be included in the DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals.

21. The DF

- UAS will be operated and ma intained according to the Manufacturer's Manuals and any required manufacturer Safety/Service Bulletins and product updates

.

22. Prior to the operation, a Mission Packet will be created in accordance with the requirements on DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals.

23. D roneFly will obtain an Air Traffic Organization ("ATO") issued Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, otherwise known as a COA, prior to conducting any operations under this Grant of Exemption. A NOTAM will be issued as required by the COA. All operations will be conducted in accordance with airspace requirements in the ATO issued COA including class of airspace, altitude level and potential transponder requirements.

24. All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county or city jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire or other appropriate governmental agencies.

25. If the DF

- UAS loses communication with the PIC , it will have the capability to safely

return to a pre

- determined location within the operational area and land safely.

26. Contingency plans will be in place to safely terminate flight if there is a loss of

communication between the PIC and the Observer.

27. The DF

- UAS will have the capability to safely abort flight in the case of unpredicted obstacles or emergenci es.

28. PICs and Observers will have at least a curren t Class III Medical Certificate or a valid

and current state driver’s license issued within the United States

.

29. Prior to conducting operations for filming, the PIC will have accumulated and logged,

in a manner consistent with 14 CFR § 61.51(b), a minimum of 200 flight cycles andU.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 9

25 hours total time as a UAS rotorcraft pilot and at least 10 hours logged as a UAS

p i lot with a similar DF

- UAS type platform

. This requirement can be achieved by flights conducte d and logged as a hobbyist

.

30. Prior to conducting operations for filming, the PIC will have accumulated and logged,

in a manner consistent with 14 CFR § 61.51(b) , a minimum of hours pursuant to 54 CFR § 61.51(b) as UAS pilot operating the make and model of DF

- UAS to be utilized for operations under the exemption and three take

- offs and three landing in the preceding 90 days

.

31. Operations shall occur during daytime VFR Meteorological Conditions; flights under special visual flight rules ("SVFR") shall not be c onducted.

32. The DF

- UAS shall remain clear and yield the right of way to all other manned operations and activities at all times (including, but not limited to, ultralight vehicles, parachute activities, parasailing activities, hang gliders, etc.).

33. DF

- UAS O perations under Instrument Flight Rules, at night, or beyond VLOS are prohibited.

34. The DF

- UAS will not be operated from an elevated platform or moving

device/vehicle.

35. Before conducting operations, the radio frequency spectrum used for operation and

contro l of the DF

- UAS will comply with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or other appropriate government oversight agency requirements.

V

. REGULATIONS FROM WHICH EXEMPTION IS REQ UESTED

The Federal Aviation Act expressly grants the FAA the authority to issue exemptions. This statutory authority, by its terms, includes exempting civil aircraft, as the term is defined under § 40101 of the Act, including UASs, from its safety regulations and minimum standards when the Administrator decides a requested ex emption is in the public interest. 3

DroneFly seeks an exemption from several interrelated provisions of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations ("14 C.F.R") Parts 21, 45, 61 and 91 for purposes of conducting the requested operations using DF

- UAS platf orms noted above . Listed below are: (1) the specific sections of 14 C.F.R for which exemption is sought, and (2) the operating procedures and safeguards that Petitioner has established which will ensure a level of safety better than or equal

to the rules f

rom which exemption is sought. 4

3 49 U.S.C. § 44701(f) (authorizing the grant of exemptions from requirements of regulations prescribed pursuant to Sections 44701(a) and (b) and Sections 44702

- 44716).

4 14 C.F.R § 11.81(e), which requires a petition for exemption to include: The reasons why granting the exemption would not adversely affect safety, or how the exemption would provide a level of safety at least equal to that provi d ed by the rule from which you seek exemption.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 10

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM

A. 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H

– Airworthiness Certificates and 14 C.F.R. §91.203(a)(1)

The FAA has stated that no exemption is needed from this section if a finding is made under the

Reform Act tha t the UAS selected provides an equivalent level of safety when compared to aircraft normally used for the same application. These criteria are met and in point of fact

exceeded

, and therefore no exemption is needed. 5 If, however, the FAA determines that there are some characteristics of the chosen UAS that fail to meet the requirements of the Reform Act, an exemption is requested.

Equivalent Level of Safety

DroneFly ’s use of the DF

- UAS is safe when taking into account its size, weight, speed, and

operat ional capability. As set forth in the description of proposed operations in Section IV (A),

the DF

- UAS weigh s less than 55 poun ds , including payload and will not be flown at a ground speed in excess of 50 knots. The DF

- UAS is also equipped with safety fea tures which will allow Petitioner to operate the DF

- UAS safely after experienc ing certain in

- flight contingencies or

failures as noted below

. 6 7 Additionally, the DF

- UAS carr ies neither pilots nor passengers,

carr ies no explosive materials or flammable li quid fuels, or other elements identified by Homeland Security as being prohibitive and operate exclusively within the parameters stated in DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals

.

5 See Grant of Exemption No. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial (FAA

- 2014

- 0352 at pgs. 13

- 14, 22).

6 See e.g., Grant of Exemption No. 1118 4 to Low Country RC, Corp. (FAA

- 2014

- 0803 at pg. 3): "The [DJI S1000] has the capability to operate safely after experiencing certain in

- flight contingencies or failures and uses an auto

pilot system to maintain UAS stability and control. The UAS is also a ble to respond to a loss of global positioning system (GPS) or a lost

- link event with a pre

- coordinated, predictable, automated flight maneuver, and manual flight control functionality as a backup. These safety features provide an equivalent level of safet y compared to a manned aircraft performing a similar operation."

7 See e.g., Grant of Exemption No. 11184 to VDOS Global, LLC. (FAA

- 2014

- 0382 at pgs. 4

- 5): "The DF

- UAS can be operated entirely by a touch

- screen, map

- based interface. This means the operator only needs to command the system where to go, and the system does all the flying for the operator. The DF

- UAS can be operated in both semi and fully autonomous flight modes, with the operator simply clicking on a map to create a pre

- planned flight path

fo r a flight. In addition, the operator can create no fly zones or maximum flight ranges and altitudes so the system cannot enter areas deemed unsafe or unnecessary to fly over. The petitioner states further that the UAS has built

- in intelligent fault handli ng which allows the DF

- UAS to detect a system fault while in the air and automatically fly back to its takeoff location and land. Faults that can be detected include: loss of communication; exceeding pre

- set wind thresholds; and low battery levels.

All fl ight operations are global positioning system (GPS) controlled, making the system easy to navigate. At any point if the operator is not explicitly commanding the system to move, the system automatically holds its GPS position. The flight control system emp loys not only GPS positioning but a variety of sensors including sonar, barometric pressure, temperature, wind speed and others to ensure stability so long as wind thresholds are not exceeded. Also a flight termination link

– to prevent a 'fly away' or oth er potentially dangerous situation

– is available to the operator."U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 11

Operations conducted under this exemption will be closely controlled and monitored by the PIC operator and will be conducted in compliance with local public safety requirements, to provide security for the area of operation. DroneFly will also provide the FAA with advance notice of all operations via NOTAMs as required by the applicable CO A. In all cases, operation of the DF

UAS under the proposed conditions will be at least as safe as, or safer than, conventional rotorcraft operating with an airworthiness certificate

. Lastly, the DF

- UAS s do not need a means

to communicate with other aircra ft or ATC, because those capabilities will be solely possessed by the PIC and Observer, who are not onboard the DF

- UAS

. 8 In addition, no sense

- and

- avoid technology is necessary for the DF

- UAS s because they will be operated at all times in VFR

conditions a nd within VLOS of the PIC and Operator

. 9

B. 14 C.F.R. Part 27 Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Rotorcraft

Title 14 C.F.R. Part 27 sets forth the procedural requirements for airworthiness certification of normal category rotorcraft. To the extent tha t DroneFly ’s small DF

- UAS s would otherwise require certification under Part 27, Petitioner seeks an exemption from Part 27's airworthiness standards for the same reasons identified in the request for exemption from 14 C.F.R. R. Part 21, Subpart H, supra

.

C. 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.9(c), 45.23(b) and 45.27(a): Aircraft Marking and Identification Requirements

DroneFly seeks an exemption from the aircraft marking and identification requirements contained in 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.9(c), 45.23(b) and 45.27(a).

● 14 C.F.R. § 91.9(c), Civil Aircraft Flight Manual, Marking and Placard requirements, provides that:

No person may operate a U.S.

- registered civil aircraft unless that aircraft is identified in accordance with Part 45 of this chapter.

● 14 C.F.R. § 45. 23(b), Markings of the Aircraft, states:

When marks include only the Roman capital letter "N" and the registration number is displayed on limited, restricted or light

- sport category aircraft or experimental or provisionally certificated aircraft, the oper ator must also display on that aircraft near each entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station, in letters not less than 2 inches nor more than 6 inches high, the words "limited," "restricted," "light

- sport, "experimental," or "provisional," as applica ble.

● 14 C.F.R. § 45.27(a), Rotorcraft, states:

8 See Grant of Exemption No. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial (FAA

- 2014

- 0352 at pg. 13).

9 . IdU.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 12

Each operator of a rotorcraft must display on that rotorcraft horizontally

on both surfaces of the cabin, fuselage, boom, or tail the marks required by § 45.23.

In a previous Grant of Exemption, the FAA de termined that exemption from these requirements was warranted provided that the aircraft "have identification (N

- Number) markings in accordance with 14 C.F.R Part 45, Subpart C if the markings are as large as practicable." 10

Equivalent Level of Safety

All DF

- UAS s flown by DroneFly will bear N

- number markings that are as large as practicable in accordance with 14 C.F.R. Part 45, Subpart C. 11

D. 14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(1) and (2); 91.417(a) and (b): Maintenance Inspections

DroneFly seeks an exemption from the maintenance inspection requirements contained in 14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a), 91.407(a) (1), 91.409(a)(2); 91.417(a) and (b). These regulations specify maintenance and inspection standards in reference to 14 C.F.R. Part 43. See, e.g., 14 C .F.R. § 91.405(a) (stating that each owner or operator of an aircraft "[s]hall have the aircraft inspected as prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections ...have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this chapter" ). An exemption from these regulations is needed because Part 43 and these sections only apply to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, which

the UAS platforms to be operated under this grant of exemption will not have

. (Emphasis added)

Equivalent Level of Safety

An equivalent level of safety will be achieved or exceeded because maintenance and inspections

will be timely performed in accordance with the Manufacturer's Manual and any required manufacturer Safety or Service Bulletins. Further, as req uired by DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, the PIC will conduct a pre

- flight inspection of the DF

- UAS s and all associated equipment to account for all discrepancies and/or inoperable components. Maintenance will be performed and verified to address any condit ions potentially affecting safe operation of the DF

UAS s and no flights will occur unless, and until, all flight critical components of the DF

- UAS s have been found to be airworthy and in a condition safe for operation. A functional test flight will

be cond ucted following the replacement of any flight

- critical components. As required by DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, the PIC who conducts the functional test flight will make an entry in the DF

- UAS aircraft records of the flight.

DroneFly ’s Operations Manual also includes requirements to follow the manufacturer’s UAS aircraft/component, maintenance, overhaul, replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the following applicable components: powertrain system (powerplant), propellers, avionics

and co ntrol surfaces (including ailerons/elevons), structures & airframe, camera system, electrical systems (including batteries), ground control station, hazard accessories, and spare

10

. FAA Docket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352.

11 See, e.g., FAA D ocket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352, at 14.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 13

parts. Further, DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals also include procedures to docu ment and

maintain a record of the DF

- UAS ’s maintenance, preventative maintenance, alterations, status of replacement /overhaul component parts, and the total time in service of the DF

- UAS s used under this Grant of Exemption. As a whole, the maintenance and inspection procedures required in DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals ensure that an equivalent or higher level of safety will be

achieved.

PILOT

- IN

- COMMAND OF THE UAS

E. 14 C.F.R. § 61.113: Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations

DroneFly seeks exemption from 14 CFR § 61.113, which restricts private pilot certificate holders from flying aircraft for compensation or hire, and would also require a second class medical certificate. The purpose of Part 61 is to ensure that the skill and competency of any PIC match es the airspace in which the PIC will be operating, as well as requiring certifications if the private pilot is carrying passengers or cargo for hire. In this case, while the DF

- UAS s will be operated as part of a commercial oper ation, they carr y neither pa ssengers nor cargo. In the Grant of Exemption to Astraeus Aerial, the FAA determined that the unique characteristics of UAS operation outside of controlled airspace did not warrant the addition al cost and restrictions attendant with requiring the PIC to h ave a Commercial Pilot Certificate and Class II I Medical

Certificate. 12 The fulfillment of the additional requirements for a private pilot to become qualified as a commercial pilot would not lead to any additional safety benefits when UAS operations are inv olved.

Equivalent Level of Safety

The restrictions DroneFly has placed on its DF

- UAS operations meet or exceed the restrictions similarly imposed on Astraeus Aerial. DroneFly will operate on private property away from persons and property not involved in the operation. DroneFly will also obtain an ATO issued COA prior to conducting any operations under this Grant of Exemption. All operations will be conducted in accordance with airspace requirements in the ATO issued COA including class of airspace, al titude level and potential transponder requirements. A NOTAM will also be issued as required by the applicable COA.

In addition to these flight restrictions, DroneFly will further ensure safe operation by requiring that any PIC be thoroughly versed not on ly in airspace and communication issues pertaining to all aircraft operators but also in the unique aspects of DF

- UAS flight. As set forth in the Operations Manuals, pilots will have experience not only in DF

- UAS operations generally but have logged fligh t time in the specific make and model used for the operations before they are permitted to participate in commercial flights on behalf of DroneFly . The pilot qualification, training, and currency requirements in the Operations Manuals ensure that DroneFly pilots are competent and proficient in the DF

- UAS s they are operating. DroneFly ’s training and qualification requirements are consistent with those contained in prior FAA Section 333 Grants of Exemption, and will provide a higher level of competency and pr oficiency for its pilots and will ensure at least an equivalent level of safety to the public

.

12 Exemption No. 1 1062 (FAA Docket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0352).U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 14

OPERATING PARAMETERS OF THE UAS

F. 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a): Civil Aircraft Airworthiness

I nasmuch as there will be no airworthiness certificate issued for the UASs, D roneFly seeks an exemption from 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a), which requires that a civil aircraft be in airworthy condition to be operated. The FAA has stated that no exemption is required for 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a) to the extent that the requirements of Part 21 are waived or found inapplicable. 13 Accordingly, Petitioner requests that the requirements for § 91.7(a) be treated in accordance with

Section V( A), supra.

G. 14 C.F.R. § 91.9(b)(2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft and 14 C.F.R. § 91.203(a) and (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and Registration

Title 14 C.F.R. § 91.9(b)(2) and § 91.203(a) and (b) require the operator to carry airworthiness documents and other aircraft manuals onboard the aircraft. Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 91.9(b) (2):

(b) N o person may operate a U.S.

- registered civil aircraft

–

... (2) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is required by § 21.5 of this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approv ed manual material, markings, and placards, or any combination

thereof. Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 91.203(a) and (b):

(a) Except as provided in § 91.715, no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it has within it the following:

(1) An appropriate and c urrent airworthiness certificate...

(b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under § 91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entran ce so that it is legible to passengers or crew.

Given the small size and configuration of the DF

- UAS , it would be impossible to keep

airworthiness documents and other aircraft manuals on board the DF

- UAS because there is simply no room and the DF

- UAS has no cabin or cockpit. As a way to comply with the code DroneFly will maintain the documents with the PIC and make them available for inspection.

Equivalent Level of Safety

In an FAA Office of Chief Counsel's Opinion dated August 8, 2014, and prepared by Dean E. Griffith, Attorney, AGC

- 220, it was acknowledged that the intent of 14 C.F.R. 91.9(b) and 91.203(a) and (b) is met if the pilot of the unmanned aircraft has access to the UAS flight manual, registration certificate, and other required documents fro m the ground control station

13 See Id. at 13

- 14, 22.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 15

from which he or she is operating the aircraft. 14 As this FAA Office of Chief Counsel Opinion clarifies, the intent of the rule is to ensure the pilot has access to these key documents during flight. Therefore, an equivalent l evel of safety will be achieved by ensuring that the pilot has access to the documents at the ground control station from which he or she is piloting the UAS.

H. 14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight Action

DroneFly seeks an exemption from 14 C.F.R. § 91.103, wh ich requires a PIC to become familiar with specific information before each flight, including information contained in the FAA

approved Flight Manual on board the aircraft. While the PIC will be familiar with all information necessary to safely conduct the flight, an exemption is requested to the extent that an FAA

approved Flight Manual is required.

Equivalent Level of Safety

An equivalent level of safety will be provided by following the DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals

and the Manufacturer's Manual. The P IC will perform a series of checklists designed to identify any defects or inoperable components in accordance with the DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, including checklists covering Pre

- Flight, Launch, Landing, and Post

- Flight procedures. The PIC

will also be required to review weather, flight requirements, battery charge, landing and takeoff distance, UA performance data, and contingency landing areas

— before initiation of flight. DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals and the Manufacturer's Manual will be kept at th e ground control station and will be accessible to the PIC at all times while operating the UAS.

I. 14 C.F.R. § 91.109(a): Flight Instruction

DroneFly seeks an exemption from 14 C.F.R. § 91.109(a), which provides in pertinent part that "[n]o person may operate a civil aircraft (except a manned free balloon) that is being used for flight instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls." UASs and remotely piloted aircraft, by their design, do not have functional dual controls. Instead, flight control is accomplished through the use of a device that communicates with the aircraft via radio communications. Accordingly, an exemption will be required for the flight instruction requirements of 14 C.F.R. § 91.109(a).

Equivalent Level of Safe ty

Given the size and speed of the UASs that DroneFly intends to use, an equivalent level of safe training can still be performed without dual controls because no pilot or passengers are aboard the UAS, and as required by the DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals , all persons will be a safe distance away in the event that the UAS experiences any difficulties during flight instruction. Moreover, as required by the DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, all flight training will be

conducted in controlled and sterile environ ment. As a whole, the safety procedures provided for

14 Memorandum from Mark Bury, FAA Assistant Chief Counsel for International Law, Legislation and Regulation, to John Duncan, FAA Flight Standards Service (Aug. 8, 2014); see also Docket No. FAA

- 2 014

- 0352 at 16

- 18.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 16

in DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals ensure that the proposed UAS operations provide an equivalent or higher level of safety than that provided by the flight instruction regulations.

J. 14 C.F.R. § 91.119( c): Minimum Safe Altitudes

DroneFly requests an exemption from the minimum safe altitude requirements of 14 C.F.R. § 91.119(c). 15 Section 91. 119 prescribes the minimum safe altitudes under which aircraft may not operate, including 500 feet above the surf ace and away from any person, vessel, vehicle, or

structure in non

- congested areas. See 14 C.F.R. § 91.119(c). Section 91.119(d) allows for a helicopter to operate at less than those minimum altitudes when it can be operated "without hazard to persons or p roperty on the surface," provided that "each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA."

An exemption is required because the proposed DF

- UAS operation will normally need to o c cur below 400 feet AGL. In circumstances where the DF

- UAS is used to inspect a structure whose height exceeds 400 feet AGL, the DF

- UAS will not be operated more than 100 feet above the highest point on the structure, and within 50 feet horizontally of the structure. Add i tionally, due the nature of the proposed operations, the Pilot and/or Observers(s) may need to be less than 500 feet away from the DF

- UAS

.

Equivalent Level of Safety

Compared to flight operations with rotorcraft weighing far more than the maximum weights

pr o posed herein, and given the lack of flammable fuel with the above noted UASs, any risk

assoc i ated with these operations is far less than those which presently exist with conventional

ai r craft. An equivalent level of safety will be achiev ed given the size, weight, and speed of the

DF

- UAS s, as well as the controlled location where the operations will occur. In order to avoid any risk to manned aircraft, flight operations will be restricted to 400 feet AGL or below, or when inspec t ing a U.S. structure whose height exceeds 400 feet AGL, within 100 feet above the highest point on that structure and 50 feet horizontally of the structure.

As set forth in the Operations Manuals, the DF

- UAS s will be operated in a restricted area, and all flights w ill be operated at a lateral distance of at least 500 feet from any nonparticipating persons, unless that person is in a position where he or she is shielded from the DF

- UAS and any possible debris resulting from its failure. As required by the Operations Manuals, flights will be terminated if a nonparticipating person within 500 feet of the DF

- UAS leaves a shielded position. Further, its operations will occur at least 500 feet away from vehicles or structures unless the property owner/controller timely ha s granted permission and the PIC has made a safety assessment of the risk of operating closer to those objects and, operations near the PIC or Observer will not present an undue hazard per § 91.119(a). Adherence to these restrictions in

15 Relief from § 91.119(a) will not be necessary because Petitioner will be able to perform an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the ground in the event of a failure. Petitioner's proposed UAS operations wil l not occur over congested areas, and therefore an exemption from § 91.119(b) will not be necessary. See e.g., Grant of Exemption No. 11157 to Slugwear, Inc., dba Like on a tree Aerial (FAA

- 2014

- 0534 at 15).U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 17

DroneFly ’s Operati ons Manuals will ensure operations can be conducted without compromising public safety. 16

K. 14 C.F.R. § 91.121: Altimeter Settings

DroneFly seeks an exemption from 14 C.F.R. § 91.121, which requires a person operating an aircraft to maintain cruising alti tude or flight level by reference to an altimeter that is set to the elevation of the departure airport or barometric pressure. An exemption is required to the extent that the UASs do not have a barometric altimeter, but rather a GPS altitude read out.

Eq uivalent Level of Safety

The FAA has stated that an equivalent level of safety to the requirements of 14 C.F.R. §91.121 can be achieved in circumstances where: (1) the UASs will be operated below 400 feet AGL or

below 17 , (2) within VLOS, (3) where GPS base d altitude information is relayed in real time to the operator at a ground

- based on

- screen display and, (4) where prior to each flight, a zero altitude initiation point is established for the PIC to confirm accuracy of the onboard GPS. 18

The DF

- UAS s that D roneFly intends to use for the proposed operations will meet all these operational characteristics. Moreover, as required by DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, the PIC will be required to calibrate the aircraft's GPS compass prior to each flight operation. Lik e prior FAA Section 333 Grants of Exemption, the DF

- UAS s DroneFly intends to use, and the safety mitigation procedures contained in the Operations Manuals, both ensure that an equivalent level of safety or greater level will be achieved, and a Grant of Exe mption to the requirements of § 191.121 is therefore appropriate

.

L. 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions

DroneFly requests an exemption from 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a)'s fuel requirements for flight in

VFR conditions. Section 9 1.151 states:

(a) No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed

–

16 See e.g., Grant of Exemption No. 11138 to Dou glas Trudeau (FAA

- 2014

- 0481 at 19): "If ba r riers or structures are present that can sufficiently protect nonparticipating persons from the UA or debris in the event of an accident, then the UA may operate closer than 500 feet to persons afforded such prote ction. The operator must also ensure that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection. If a situation arises where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately. When co nside r ing how to immediately cease operations, the primary concern is the safety of those nonparticipating persons. In add i tion, the FAA finds that operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet to vessels, vehicles and structures when the

ow n er/controll er of any such vessels, vehicles or structures grants permission for the operation and the PIC makes a

saf e ty assessment of the risk of operating closer to those objects and determines that it does not present an undue

ha z ard."

17 If the height of the struc ture being inspected exceeds 400 feet AGL, the UAS will not be ope r ated more than 100 feet above the highest point on the structure.

18 See Grant of Exemption No. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial (FAA

- 2014

- 0352 at 21).U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 18

(1) Duri ng the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or

(2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes.

Here, the technological limitations on UAS battery power means that no meaningful flight operations can be conducted while still maintainin g a 30

- minute battery reserve. An exemption from the fuel requirements of 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a) is therefore required. Moreover, it is not DroneFly ’s intention to fly the DF

- UAS s at night.

Equivalent Level of Safety

In the Grant of Exemption to VDOS (Ex emption No. 11112), the FAA determined that an equivalent level of safety to the fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions could be achieved by prohibiting the PIC from beginning a DF

- UAS flight unless (considering wind and forecast

weather conditions ) there was enough power to fly to the first intended point of landing and, assuming normal cruising speed, to fly after that for at least 10 minutes. In reaching this conclusion, the FAA considered that the UAS batteries for the DF

- UAS provide approximate ly 50 minutes of powered flight (with payload) and provided battery level and battery time remaining in minutes and seconds to the PIC. 19 The FAA also considered the fact the DF

- UAS operating manual states: “start every flight with a fully charged battery i n the aerial vehicle”, and

that in the event that the DF

- UAS should run low on power, the PIC will be alerted and can safely land the

- DF

- UAS as soon as possible. Like the VDOS Grant of Exemption, DroneFly ’s

use of the DF

- UAS , combined with the requirement s of Petitioner's Operations Manuals, ensure that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved and in fact exceeded

.

Similarly, in the Grant of Exemption to Alan Purwin (Exemption No. 11161), the FAA determined that an equivalent level of safety to the f uel requirements for flight in VFR conditions could be achieved by prohibiting the PIC from beginning a flight with the UA unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions), there was enough power to safely fly at normal cruising speed to the inten ded landing point and land the UA with 25% battery power remaining. DroneFly will adhere to this limitation for its DF

- UAS flights.

The DF

- UAS includes a low battery warning system and the amount of battery reserve power remaining is continuously transmi tted to the PIC via telemetric data feed, which downlinks from

the DF

- UAS to a ground

- based

- on

- screen display. 20 As required by DroneFly ’s Operations Manuals, the PIC will promptly fly the DF

- UAS back to the home launch location or pre

det ermined abort loc ation where it may safely land, while still maintaining a minimum of 25% reserve battery power. DroneFly submits that the procedures requiring flights to be safely terminated once the batteries fall below 25% capacity, combined with the requirement that fl ights only be conducted within a secure, isolated area, using a UAS weighing less than 5 5 pounds, and within VLOS of the PIC and Observer(s), ensure that the proposed operation will provide an

19

. Grant of Exemption No. 11112 to VDOS Globa l, LLC (FAA

- 2014

- 0382 at 10).

20 . T he DF

- UAS ground control station displays, the UASs position, navigation route, tail number, altitude,

hea d ing, north seeking arrow, range to targets, calculated target position, date/time, and sensor heading and

orie n tat ion relative to the UAS.U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 19

equivalent or higher level of safety to the public to that prov ided by the regulations from which exemption is sought

.

VI. DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM

DroneFly will have policies in place to ensure that no person may participate in DF

- UAS s flight operations if they are under the influence of alcohol or any drug.

VII. PUBLIC INTEREST

The public interest will be served by granting DroneFly ’s Petition for Exemption. Congress has established a national policy that favors early integration of UAS into the NAS in controlled, safe working environments such as those propose d in this Petition. Granting this Petition for Exemption helps fulfill Congress' goal in passing Section 333(a) through (c) of the Reform

Act

— the FAA Administrator's assessment of whether certain UAS may operate safely in the NAS before completion of the s tatutorily required rulemaking.

The proposed DF

- UAS operations in this Petition for Exemption significantly improve s the safety and reduce s risk of harm, physical injury and property damage to the public at large, the property owners from whom permission was granted for use by Petitioner and abutting properties, staff of Petitioner, unsuspecti n g passersby, inspecting engineers from relevant organizations and all those who may be in the local vicinity . Traditional methods of providing surveillance and mappi ng services location personnel to climb towers

, trees, venture onto precarious roofs and other dangerous scenarios

, perform elevated work for which the individual

is neither trained n or equipped to perform , which exposes them to unnecessary risk of seriou s physical injury from dangerous falls or other physical mishaps

. Moreover, inspectors/surv eyors are often unnecessarily exposed to hazardous conditions, unsafe environments, culturally tense

situations and other hazards associated with identifying specifi c locations for potential recording

sites to be used in the end product

. The use of small UASs can eliminate these hazards and ultimately creat e a much safer method of performing these types of inspections creating a safer environment for the public as we ll as DroneFly employees.

The use of small UASs also enhances safety and reduces risk to the surrounding public because, unlike manned aircraft weighing thousands of pounds, carrying crew in addition to flammable

fue l, the UASs carry no passengers, crew o r explosive fuel . Further more , in the unlikely event of an accident, DroneFly ’s small battery powered DF

- UAS s presents significantly less danger to persons on the ground when compared to operations by conventional manned aircraft. 21 As

P etitioner's DF

- UAS s are battery powered, the public will also benefit from a reduction in

harmful petroleum based emissions associated with conventional aircraft performing in the same

21 See Grant of Exemption No. 11158 to Team 5, LLC (FAA

- 2014

- 0783 at 12): "Manned hel i copters conducting aerial filming can weigh 6,000 pounds or more and are operated by an onboard pilot, in addition to other onboard crewmembers, a s necessary. The petitioner’s UAs will weigh less than 55 pounds with no onboard pilot or crew. The pilot and crew will be r e motely located from the aircraft. The limited weight significantly reduces the potential for harm to participating and nonparticipating individuals or property in the event of an incident or acc i dent.

R isk to an onboard pilot and crew during an incident o r accident is eliminated with the use of a UA for the aerial filming operation."U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 20

functions proposed herein. Air quality will naturally be improved with the reduction of fu el powered vehicles.

Lastly, as recognized by the FAA in prior Section 333 Grants of Exemption to filmmakers, UASs provide an additional economic tool for the aerial filming notwithstanding the industry, adding a greater degree of flexibility, which sup plements the current capabilities offered by manned

aircraft. 22 The quality of the finished product is enhanced and provides a greater finished product demand which will aid the current UAS industry and provide additional jobs as the cost of providing the needed product is greatly reduced while reducing the difficulty with which the finished product is created . The demand for the current industrial product is increasing and will continue to increase given the enhanced flexibility of production ; therefore, given the lower cost, owner/operators and others in the relevant industry will be more inclined to utilize the services of

commercial UAS along with a n appropriate licensed PIC’s

.

VIII. PRIVACY

All DF

- UAS operations will be conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled

- access property with permission from the land owner/controller or authorized representative. Permission

from land owner/controller or authorized representative will be obtained for each flight to be

conducted.

IX. FEDERAL REGISTER SUMMARY

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 11, the following summary is provided for publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER, should it be determined that publication is needed: Petitioner seeks an exemption from the following rules in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

Part 21, Subpart H; Part 27; 45.23(b); 45.27(a); 61.113; 91.7(a); 91.9(b)(2); 91.9(c); 91.103; 91.109(a); 91.119(c); 91.121; 91.151(a); 91.20 3 (a) & (b); 91.405(a); 91.407(a)(1); 91.409(a)(1) & (2); 91.417 (a) & (b).

The exemption will enhance safety by reducing risk to the aircraft crew, production crew, general public, property owners and city structures from the substantial hazards associat ed with performing equivalent film work and aerial video production with conventional fixed

- wing aircraft, rotorcraft, or other methods.

X. CONCLUSION

DroneFly ’s Petition for Exemption satisfies the criteria articulated in Section 333 of the Reform

Act of 2012 which includ es weight ; speed ; operating capabilities ; proximity to airports and populated areas ; operation within VLOS and national security. The proposed DF

- UAS operations will benefit the public as a whole by improving safety and reducing risk by alleviating human exposure to danger while lowering the attendant related costs thereby increasing the demand for

22 See e.g., Grant of Exemption No. 11178 to Picture Factory, Inc. (FAA

- 2014

- 0794 at 18).U.S Department of Transportation

September 2 4 , 2015 Page 21

the finished product. In consideration of the foregoing, this Petition for Exemption provides the FAA with more than adequate justification f or granting the requested exemptions allowing DroneFly to use small DF

- UAS s in the recorded production of its product.

We thank you for your prompt consideration of our requested exemptions.

Respectfully Submitted,

Taylor Chien Dronefly, Inc.

263 0 Townsgate Road Suite I Westlake Village , CA 91361

Phone: (805) 480

- 4033 Email: taylor@dronefly.com

(The following attached items contain proprietary and commercial information exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 522 et seq., and should be held in a separate file pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 11.35(b)).

Attachments: 1. General Operations Manual 2. PIC Operating Manual

3. Company Protocols

4. Location Protocols 5. Flight Communications Protocols 6. Departing Location Protoc ols

7. Transmitter Protocols 8. Preflight Checklist 9. Post Flight Checklist 10. Equipment Checklist

11. UAS Manufacturer’s Manuals

a. User Manuals

b. UAS Maintenance Manuals