U
. S
. D e p artm e nt of T r an s porta t ion November 6, 2015

D o c k e t M an a g e m e nt S y s t e m 1200 N e w J e r s e y A v e . S E W a s hi n gton, D C 20590 E x e m ption R e qu e s t S e c ti o n 333 of the F A A R e f orm A c t
T o W hom It M a y Con ce rn, In acc ord an c e w i th S e c ti o n 333 of the F AA M od e rn i z a tion and R e f orm A c t of 2012 and 14 C. F .R. P art 11, I, Robert J. Jones Jr. , h e r e b y appl y f or e x e mptions f

rom the f ollo w ing F e d e r a l Av i a tion R e g ul a tions ( F A R s ) i n ord e r t o o p e r ate a S m a ll Unm ann e d A ir c r a f t S y s t e m ( sUAS ) f

or c omm e r c i a l app l i c ations in a ir s p a c e th a t is g o v e rn e d b y the F e d e r a l A v i a ti o n A dmini s tr a t ion ( F AA ). A l l f li ght op e r a t ions w i l l be c ond

u c t e d und e r th e c o nditions and boun d ar i e s outli n e d h e r e in or a s e s t ab li s h e d by the F A A in acc o rd an c e w i th S e c tion 3 33. T he e x e m ption s , a s r e qu e s t ed, w o u ld p e rm i t th e pro v i s ion of c o mm e r c i a l s e rv i c e s to c u s to m e rs th at ar e in n ee d of ae r ia l d a t a c aptur e f rom a UAS
. I re qu e s ts th e s e e x e mp t ions in ord e r to p e r f orm c o mm e r c i a l f

li ghts in th e f

ollo w i ng ar ea s :

 S urv e y

i n g  A gr ic ulture  A e r i a l In s p ec tion  R ea l E s t ate P h o to gr ap h y  G e n e r a l P hoto gr aphy  S p ec i a l E v e nts A ll f li ghts w ill be c ondu ct e d o v e r pr i v a te or c ont ro l l e d a cce s s pro p e rty w ith the c on s e nt and kno w l e d g e of the prop e rty o wn e r or c o ntro l ling p arty
. A ll f li ght op e r a tions w i l l m aint a in a 500 f oot buf f e r f rom a ll nonp art i c ip a ting p e r s on s , v e ss e l s , v e hi c l e s , and s tr u c tur e s un le s s s u f

f i c i e nt b arri e rs are in pl a c e to pr o t e c t no n p art i c i p a t i ng p e r s ons f

rom undue h ar

m. F li ght op e r a tions w ill a l s o only be op e r at e d n ear v e ss e l s , v e hi c l e s , and s tr u c tur e s wh e re the pro p e rty o wn e r /c ontr oll e r h a s gr ant e d p e rm i ss ion and a s a f

e ty as s e ss m e nt h a s b ee n m a d e . R e g ul a tions f rom wh i c h a

n e x e mpti o n is r e qu e s t e d : 14 C F R 61.113( a ) 14 C F R 91.7( a ) 14 C F R 91.119( c ) 14 C F R 91.121 14 C F R 91.151( a ) 14 C F R S ubp art E (91.4 0 1

– 91.417)

## BACKGROUND

I have been building and flying remote control airplanes and helicopters since 1985. I have been fl yi ng drone ty

pe aircraft since 2012. I have held a Commercial Pilot License since January 1980. Additionally , in 2012 I retired from the FAA. Having been a District Manager for the Santa Barbara District, which covered central California, and a Manager at Van Nuys Tower, Burbank Tower, and Los Angeles Tower. I dealt heavily with the use of remote control aircraft near airports. I am well versed in the req uirements and required coordination when flying near an airport or restricted air space.



## THE **U NMANNED**  **AIR C** 

**R A**  **F T**  **S Y**  **S T**  **E M**  **S** D ue to th e low c o s t of op e r a tion, in c r ea s e d s a f e ty to s urround i ng p e r s ons and p rop e rty , r e du ce d n o i s e and e nv ironm e nt a l imp ac t , and th e v e r s a t i lity of the UA S pl a t f orm , I b e l i e v e th at an UA S can b e a gr ea t s olut i on to c on s um er s who w ould, oth e rwi s e , h av e to hi r e a l ar g e r a i r c r a f t, s u c h a s a h e l i c op t e r, in ord e r to c aptur e th e d at a th at th e y n ee d. I am s ee k i ng this e x e m

ption in or d e r t o o pe r ate a 3DR Solo quadcopter and a D J I P h ant o m 3 Professional qu a d c o p t e r , both e quip p e d w ith a 3
- a xis g imb a l and 1080p c a m e r a and w e i ghing 4.0 pounds or less (b att e ry , camera, and prop e l l e rs in c lu d e d )
. The s a f e t y f a il s a f e f ea tur e s e qu ipp e d on both aircraft e n s u r i ng s a f e op e r a tions in c lu d e :  G e o - f e n c e c ap a bi l ity th a t w ill li m it th e h e i ght and hor i z ont a l di s t an c e th at the Solo / Ph antom can f

l y f rom the op e r a tor.  RTL mod e - In the ca s e of low b a tt e ry or lo s t c o mmun i c ation b e tw ee n the Solo/Phantom and the op e r a tor, the aircraft w ill r e turn t o the p o int of t ak e o f f and l and i t s e l f
. T his mo de can b e m anu a lly turn e d on by the op e r a tor at any po i nt in th e f li ght.  L and mod e - L o s s o f transmitter s i gn a l w ill e n g a g e auto - l and mod e . T he Solo/ P h antom w i l l return to it's departure point and l and auto m at i c ally
.  Te l e m e try r a dio c om m uni c atio n on the Solo/Phantom pro v id e s r e a l t im e f ee db a c k of f li ght d at a , in c luding c urr e nt a l t itu d e (AGL) , speed, l at i tud e , a ltitu d e c h an g e r a t e , and GP S c oo r din a t e s . The a f or e m e ntio n e d s a f

e ty f ea tur e s h av e un d e r g one r i g orous t e s ting pro c e dur e s by 3DR and D J I a s w e ll a s myself

. T h e s e s a f

e ty f ea tur e s c omb in e d with th e P I C’s kno w l e d g e obt a in e d d uring f l i ght tr a i n ing w ill s u c ce ss f

ully miti g a te o p e r a tion al s a f e ty r i s k s . 

## FLIGHT **OPER A**  **T I**  **O N**  **S** T he owner/ o p e r a tor , P I C , and Observer w ill g u ar ant e e th a t o p e r a tions a dh e re to s tri c t s t an d ards a s s e t b e lo w :

 T he P I C mu s t s how th a t th e y are able to s a f e ly o p e r a t e th e UA S in a s a f e m ann e r b e f ore pro c e e ding w ith o p e r a t io n s .  T he U A w i l l be o p e r a t e d at a ir s p ee ds b e low 29 knot s .  T he U A w i l l be o p e r a t e d b e low 400 f ee t abo v e ground le v e l (A G L) a t a ll t im e s .  T he U A w i l l be o p e r a t e d w ithin v i s u a l line of s i ght ( V L OS ) a t a ll t i m e s . A ll o p e r a tions w i ll ut i li z e a v i s u a l ob s e rv e r (V O ). T he UA w i l l b e o p e r a t e d within th e

v i s u a l line of s i ght (V L OS ) o f the P I C and V O a t a l l t im e s .  T he V O w i ll n o t p e r f orm an y oth e r dut i e s b e y ond a ss i s ting the P I C w ith s e eing and av oiding tr a ff

ic and oth e r ground b a s e d ob s t a c l e s .  P rop e r pr e f

li ght in s p e c t io ns w ill t ake p l a c e b e f ore e ac h f li ght.  T he U A m a y not op e r a t e w ithin 5 n aut i c al m i l e s of an a irp o rt r e f e r e n c e p oint unl e s s a l e tt e r of a gr ee m e nt w i th th a t a i r port ’s m an a g e m e nt is ob ta in e d.  T he U A m ay not be op e r a t e d l e s s th an 500 f ee t be low or l e s s th an 2,000 f ee t hor i z ont a lly f

rom a c loud o r when v i s i bil i ty is l e s s th an 3 s t a tu te mi l e s f rom the P I C.  T he P I C mu s t m a int ain a b a tt e ry r e s e rv e th a t a l l o w s the UA to r e turn to point of l anding a t norm a l c r

u i s e s p e e d and l and w ith 1 0% b att e ry po w e r.  T he U A mu s t r e m a in c l ear of and y i e ld to a ll o t

h e r a i r tr a ff

i c .  F li ght op e r a tions w ill r e m a in 500 f ee t f rom a ll nonp art i c i p at ing p e r s on s , v e hi c l e s , and s tru c tur e s unl e ss :
a. B arri e rs or s tru c tur e s are p r e s e nt th a t s u ff i c i e nt l y pro te c t nonp art i c ip a t i n g p e r s ons f rom d e br i s in the e v e nt of an a cc i d e nt. b

. A ll p ar

t i c ip ating p e r s ons w ill b e m a d e aw are of the d an g e rs of f l y i n g a UA and th e a f

e ty pr e c auti o ns and f

ea tur e s t h a t ar e in pl a ce . c. T he a ir c r a f

t is o p e r a te d n ear v e ss e l, v e h i c l e s , or s tru c tur e s wh e re the p r op e rt y o wn e r /c o ntro l l e r h a s gr ant e d p e r mi ss ion and th e P I C h a s m a d e a s a f e ty a ss e s s m e nt in r e g ard to the c lo s e op e ra t i on to th e s e ob j ec t s . d. O p e r a t i ons n ear the P I C or V O do not pr e s e nt an un d u e h a z ard to the P I C or V O p e r 91.119( a ).

 A ll op e r a tions w ill b e c o n du c t e d o v e r pr i v a te or c o n tro l l ed
- a c c e s s prop e rty w i th pr i or p e rm i ss ion f

rom the prop e rt y o wn e r

/c ontro l l e r or autho ri z e d r e p r e s e nt a ti v e . 

## E **X E**  **MP T**  **I O**  **N RE**  **QU E**  **S T**  **S AN**  **D E**  **Q U**  **I V**  **A L**  **E N**  **T LE**  **V E**  **L O** **F S**  **A F**  **ET Y** 
I r e qu e s t an e x e mp tion f

rom th e f ollo w i n g r e g

ul a tions a s w e l l a s an

y a ddition a l r e g

ul a tions f ound by the FA A to be n e ce ss ary f or s a fe an d e ff

i c i e nt UA S f

li ght op e r a tion s . **14 C**  **F R**  **61.113(a), P**  **r iv**  **at e**  **p ilot**  **p r**  **iv i** **l e**  **g e**  **s a**  **n d**  **li m**  **itat i**  **o ns**  **: P**  **i lot**  **i n**  **c o**  **mm a**  **n d**  T his r e g ul ation s t a t e s th at no p e r s on hol ding a pr i v a t e pil o t c e rt i f i ca t e m ay ac t a s pilot in c om m and of an a i r c r a f

t th a t is car

ry i n g p a ss e n g e rs or prop e rt y f or c omp e n s a t ion or h i r e ; n or m ay th a t p e r s on, f or c omp e n s a t ion or h i r e , a c t a s pilot in c omm and of an a ir c r a f t. I currently hold a Commercial Pilot License, but I b e li e v e th at a P I C w i t h a pr i v a t e pil o t l i c e n s e h a s s uf f i c i e nt s ki l l and kno w l e d g e to c omp l e t e op e r a tion s , e s p ec i a l ly a f t e r c o m p l e ting a UA S kno w l e d g e and tr a i n ing c our s e . I do not believe th a t a c o mm e r c i a l p ilot l i ce n s e w ill s i gni f i cant ly impro v e a P I C’s p e r f

orma n c e wh il e op e r ating a UAV
. T h e r e f or e , I a s k f

or an e x e mp tion f

rom 14 C F R 61.113( a ) i n ord e r to op e r a t e c omm e r c i ally w i th the m in i mum of a pr i v a t e pilot l i ce n s e . **14 C**  **F R**  **91.7(a) Civ i**  **l a ir**  **cr a**  **f t**  **a i**  **r w**  **o r**  **t h**  **i n**  **e s**  **s** A s a UA S w ill not r e q

uire an a i rworth i n e s s ce r

ti f i c at e , I b e l i e v e th a t this r e g ul a t ion is n o t appl i cab l e . T h e r e f

or e , I r e qu e s t e x e mp t ion f rom th is r e g

ul a ti o n.**14 C**  **F R**  **91.119( c**  **) M**  **i n**  **i m**  **u m**  **s a**  **f e**  **alt i**  **t ud**  **e s**  T his r e g ul ation s t a t e s th at no p e r s on m ay op e r a te an a ir c r a f t b e low 500 f

ee t ab o v e the s ur f

ac e a s w e ll a s w ithin 5 0 0 f

ee t of any p e r s on, v e ss e l, v e hi c l e , or s tru c tu r e . I b e li e v e th at, b e cau s e of the n a tur e of mo s t U A S op e r a tion s , an e x e mp tion is r e qui r e d in o rd e r to a llow o p e r a tion c lo s e r th a n 500 f ee t to v e ss e l s , v e h i c l e s , or s tr u c tu r e s a s long a s p e rm i ss ion is gr ant e d f rom the o wn in g

/ c ontro l l ing p art i e s and an a ss e ss m e nt is m a de to a ss ure th at p e o ple and prop e rt y are s a f

e f rom undue h ar

m. I a l s o r e qu e s t t

h at o p e r a t ions be a l lo w e d o v e r c on g e s t e d ar ea s a s long a s the o p e r ations s t a y w ithin the f ollo w ing s t and ard s :  F li ght op e r a tions w ill r e m a in 5 0 0 f ee t f rom a ll n o np art i c i p a ting p e r s on s , v e hi c l e s , an d s tr u c tur e s unl e ss:

a. B arr ie rs or s tr

u c tur e s are pr e s e nt t

h at s u ff i c i e nt l y pro tec t nonp art i c i p a t ing p e r s ons f rom d e br i s in the e v e nt of an a c c i d e nt. b. P art i c i p a ting p e r s ons are m a d e aw are of the d an g e rs of the UA S op e r a t ion and th e s a f e ty pr e c auti o ns th at h av e b e e n put int o pl a ce . c. T h e a ir c r a f

t is op e r a t e d n ear v e ss e l, v e h i c l e s , or s tru c tur e s only wh e re the prop e rt y o wn e r /c o ntro l l e r h a s gr ant e d p e r mi ss i on a nd th e P I C h a s m a d e a s a f e ty a ss e s s m e nt in r e g ard to th e c lo s e o p e r a tion to th e s e o b j e c t s . d. O p e r a t ions n e ar th e P I C or V O do not pr e s e nt an undue h a z ard to th e P I C or V O p e r 91.119( a )
. e. A l l o p e r ations w i ll b e c ondu c t e d o v e r p ri v a te or c ontr o ll e d
- a c ce s s pro p e rty w ith p rior p e r mi ss ion f rom the prop e rt y o wn e r

/c ontro l l e r or autho ri z e d r e p r e s e nt a ti v e . **14 C**  **F R**  **91.121 A**  **lt i**  **m e**  **t e**  **r s**  **e tt**  **i n**  **gs** A s my U A S aircraft do not uti liz e a s t an d ard b ar om e tr i c a lt i m e t e r, I r e qu e s t e x e m ption f rom 91.121 to the e xt e nt n e ce ss ary to c omply w ith appl i cab l e c o n d itions and l i m i t a tion s . T h e a l t i m e t e r r e a ding f or the U A S is ca l c ul at e d by GPS
. T he a c c ur a te and c o ntinuous r e a din g s r ec e i v ed f rom this GP S s y s t e m a llow o p e r a tion of the drone b e low s e t mi nimums at a l l t i m e s . **14 C**  **F R**  **91.151(a) F**  **u e**  **l r**  **e qu**  **i re**  **m e**  **n ts**  **f o**  **r f**  **l ig**  **h t**  **i n**  **VF R**  **c o**  **nd it**  **i o**  **n s**  T his r e g ul ation s t a t e s th at no p e r s on m ay b e g in a f li ght in an a i rp l ane un d e r d ay - V F R c onditions unl e s s th e re is e nou gh f

u e l to f l y to the f ir s t point of i nt e n d e d l anding and, a f t e r th a t, f ly f or an a ddi t ion a l 30 m inut e s . T h i s r e g ul a tion is int e nd e d to c r e ate a s a f e f l y ing e n v ironme nt by c r ea ting s uf

f i c i e nt f u e l r e s e rv e s . T h e r e f

or e , I do n ot r e qu e s t an e x e m ption f rom this r e g

ul a tion b ut, in s t e a d, r e qu e s t th a

t t h e t e r m “f u e l” be c h an g e d to “b at t e ry p o w e r.” I a l s o r e qu e s t th a t b a tt e ry po w e r r e s e rv e f

or U A S op e r a tions be 1 0 %. My U A S aircraft h ave cap ab il i ti e s th at a l low the P I C to m o ni tor b att e ry po w e r le v e ls a s w e ll a s a r e turn t o l and f

ea tu re t h at w ill e n g a g e wh e n b a tt e ry l e v e ls r eac h a c r i t i c a l l e v e l, th e r e f o r e r e tu rn i ng the UA S auto m at i c a lly to the poi nt of t ak e o ff
. **14 C**  **F R**  **Subp a**  **r t E (91.401** 

**– 91.417)**  I r e qu e s t an e x e mp t ion f

rom th e s tr i n g e nt m a int e n an c e r e g ul a t i ons th a t are d e s i gn e d to in c r e a s e t he s a f e ty o f the f

l ying e nv ironme nt by e n s ur i ng a d e qu ate in s p e c tions and s e r v i c ing of a ir c r a f

t. I am r e qu e s ting e x e m

ption f rom th e s e r e g

ul a t ions b e ca

u s e I b e li ev e th a t, d

u e to t he s impl i c i ty and the ea s e of r e p a i r, g e n e r a l and p r e v e nti v e m a int e n an c e can b e p e r f orme d by the P I C. T he P I C is r e qui r e d to m ake a t

horou gh pr e f

li ght in s p ec t ion b e f

ore e a c h op e r a tion. In the c a s e of a di s c o v e r y of f

aul t y e quipm e nt, mo s t r e p l ac e m e nt a nd r e p a ir c an s imp ly be done on s i t e a s long a s r e p a i rs are of an a irworthy m ann e r. All repairs w ill b e lo gg e d in t he UA S r ec o rd s .I b e li e v e th at my c omp r e h e n s i v e pr e f li ght in s p e c ti on, the s i mp l i c i ty o f the UA S it s e l f , the n a ture of the UAS ’s op e r a tion s , and the f a c t th at no p a ss e n g e rs are on bo ard the a i r c r a f t m ake my

op e r a tions e li g ible f or e xe mption f

rom C F R S ubp art E (91.401

– 91. 4 17). B y f ollo w ing the s tr i c t s a f

e ty s t and ards s e t by my self , the F AA , and the p h ys i ca l s a f e ty prop e rt i e s of the UAS , w ill a llow f or s a f e and e ff i c i e nt o p e r a t ion s . I, Robert J. Jones Jr. , h e r e by r e qu e s t e x e mpti o n und e r S ec t i o n 333 in or d e r t o pur s u e c omm e r c i a l UA V appl i c a

tions w i t h the int e nt to pro v ide c u s to m e rs w i t h the s a f e s t, hi gh e s t qu a l it

y pl a t f orm av a il ab l e . S in ce r e l y ,

Robert J Jones Jr 6195 9th Ave Circle NE Bradenton, FL 34212 (661) 252
- 3669