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JULY%19,%2015

U.S.$Department$of$Transportation

Docket$Management$System

1200%New%Jersey%Avenue,%SE%Washington,%DC%20590

RE:%Request%for%Exemption%Per%PL%112G95%§333%from%14%CFR%Part%21,%14%CFR%45.23%(b),%14%CFR%61.113(a)%

and%(b),%14%CFR%91.103,%14%CFR%91.109,%14%CFR%91.119,%14%CFR%91.121,%14%CFR%91.151(a),%14%CFR%203%(a)%&%

(b),%14%CFR%91.405(a),%14%CFR%91.407(a)(1),%14%CFR%91.409(a)(2),%14%CFR%91.417(a)%and%(b)

To%whom%it%may%Concern,

This%letter%will%serve%as%a%request%for%an%exemption%of%the%above%sections%of%title%14%CFR%for%

Cornerstone%Technology%Services,%LLC%,%henceforth%referred%to%as%the%petitioner,%for%the%purpose%of%

conducting%commercial%“aerial%photography,%videography,%search%and%rescue,%home%inspections,%and%survey%

operations”%using%a%small%Unmanned%Aircraft%System%(sUAS)%in%FAA%controlled%airspace.%As%described%

herein,%the%petitioner%has%staff%who%are%experienced%in%the%operation%of%UAS,%including%but%not%limited%to%

sUAS of%multiGrotor sUAS,%flying%multicopters%of%varying%sizes%under%55%pounds%using%both%Visual%Line%Of%

Sight%(VLOS)%and%on%board%camera%controls.%The%following%petition%provides%all%necessary%information%to%

justify%an%exemption%from%the%above%listed%Federal%Aviation%Regulations.

The$Unmanned$Aircraft$System

The%petitioner%will%be%operating%a%DJI%Phantom%3 (manual%attached).%%The%Petitioner%made%add%

additional%airframes%to%their inventory%as%require%from%the%DJI%or%other%lines.%%The%petitioner%will%operate%

the%airframe%within%its%design%parameters.

The%sUAS%has%built%in%functionality%that%can%limit%the%height%it%flies%above%the%ground,%limit%the%

distance%between%the%aircraft%and%PIC,%and%restrict%the%sUAS%from%flying%in%class%B,%C,%and%D%airspace.%The%

aircraft%also%comes%preinstalled%with%the%ability%to%automatically%return%to%the%PIC%and%land%if%any%of%the%

previous%restrictions%are%violated,%or%if%the%connection%to%the%wireless%controller%is%lost.%

Cornerstone Technology Services, LLC

5558 Main Street, Mount Jackson, Virginia, 22842

Tel 540G477G2180 Fax 540G477G2276

david.moore@cornerstonetech.net

www.cornerstonetech.net
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The%sUAS%weighs%2935%grams%(just%under%6%pounds)%while%carrying%all%necessary%batteries%and%

cameras.%It%also%has%a%max%speed%of%22%meters%per%second%(just%under%43%knots)%that%can%be%limited%prior%to%

takeoff.

The$Unmanned$Aircraft$PIC

The%company%senior operator%and%initial%PIC David C. Moore is%an%experienced%operator.%%%Mr.%Moore%

has%over%6,000 hours of%UAV%operations%from%the%U.S.%Navy%and%over%10,000 hours%of%operation%mission%

planning.%%Mr.%Moore%has%worked%in%the%development%of%ground%control%stations,%flight%testing%and%

operations,%and%vehicle%development%of%UAV/sUAV%as%both%a%contractor%and%Department%of%Defense%

employee.%%Additional%PIC%may%be%trained%to%provide%services.%%Cornerstone%will%keep%logged%hours%of%

training%events%and%duration%of%flight operations.%%New%PIC’s%will%have%a%minimum%of%5%(15 flights) actual%

flight%hours%before%being%allowed%to%operate%sUAV’s.

sUAS$Operation$Overview

The%sUAS%will%be%operated%to%provide%aerial%photography,%videography,%and%survey%services to%the%

public%sector,%particularly%for%the%purposes%of%real%estate,%weddings,%events,%and%property%surveys.

Prior%to%the%operation,%flight%restrictions%will%be%programmed%into%to%sUAS%to%prevent%it%from%flying%

400%feet%above%ground%level.%Before%takeoff,%the%operator%and%observer%will%review%the%preGflight%checklist%

and%survey%the%area%to%determine%if%weather/cloud%conditions%are%suitable%for%flight%and%what%the%

emergency%landing%sites%would%be.%Once%the%operation%is%complete,%the%sUAS%will%be%inspected%to%determine%

if%any%maintenance%will%be%needed%before%the%next%operation.

Compared%to%traditional%flights%using%manned%aircraft,%flights%using%sUAS%are%much%less%dangerous%

and%therefor%would%not%adversely%affect%safety:

• The%nature%of%these%flights%will%restrict%the%use%of%the%sUAS%to%a%small%area%where%all%nearby%

persons%can%be%aware%of%the%ongoing%flight.

• The%sUAS%carries%no%explosive%materials%or%combustible%liquid%fuel.

• The%light%weight%of%the%sUAS%would%cause%minimal%damage%in%the%event%of%an%airborne%

failure,%especially%when%compared%to%traditional%manned%aircraft%with%airworthiness%

certificates.

• The%small%size%of%the%sUAS%would%allow%for%all%operations%to%be%conducted%within%a%clearly%

defined%area,%including%takeoffs%and%landings.

All%flights%by%the%PIC%will%begin%and%remain%outside%of%a%5%mile%radius%of%any%airport.%The%sUAS%has%a%

mandatory,%builtGin%functionality%to%restrict%the%aircraft%from%flying%within%this%radius%and%will%automatically%

land%if%it%inadvertently%violates%this%restriction.%Any%and%all%precautions%will%be%taken%by%the%PIC%and%the%

accompanying%Observer%to%prevent%midair%collisions%with%objects%and%other%aircraft,%even%outside%the%5km%

radius%of%airports.
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All%planned%operations%utilizing%the%sUAS%will%be%completed%safely.%With%the%combination%of%the%

preflight%safety%risk%assessments%previously%discussed%and%the%inherently%reduced%risk%of%flying%a%sUAS%

compared%to%a%traditional%manned%aircraft,%the%PIC%will%be%able%to%provide%a%level%of%safety%greater%than%the%

traditional%method%of%performing%aerial%based%photography,%videography,%and%survey%operations.

Benefit$to$Public$Interest$

The%services%provided%by%the%petitioner%would%be%a%great%benefit%to%the%public%as%a%whole.%Granting%

this%exemption%would%reduce%the%need%for%traditional%forms%of%aerial%photography,%videography,%and%surveys%

which,%as%previously%discussed,%are%much%more%dangerous%than%operations%performed%by%sUAS.%The%cost%of%

sUAS%operations%is%also%significantly%lower%than%traditional%aerial%photography%flights,%making%these%

services%available%to%smaller%businesses%or%individuals%that%otherwise%may%not%be%able%to%afford%them.%This%

in%turn%allows%businesses%to%better%serve%their%clients,%increasing%the%public%benefit%as%a%whole.

Conclusion$

All%commercial%sUAS%flights%by%the%petitioner%shall%satisfy%the%criteria%provided%in%Section%333%of%the%

Reform%Act%of%2012,%including:%size,%weight,%speed,%flight%within%VLOS,%distance%from%PIC,%distance%from%

airports,%operation%capabilities,%maintaining%safety,%and%the%benefit%to%the%public.%%These%qualifications%more%

than%justify%granting%the%petitioner,%Cornerstone%Technology%Services,%LLC,%with%an%exemption%to%the%stated%

sections%of%title%14%CFR.%

The%requests%of%this%petition%are%similar%to%those%of%Marcus%D.%Melhus,%Ralph%J.%Apel,%and%Saratoga%

Aerial%and%Video,%all%of%whom%have%received%Section%333%exemptions%for%use%of%comparable%aircraft%for%

similar operations.%

Thank%you%for%your%time%and%consideration.%

Sincerely,%

David%C.%Moore

President

Cornerstone%Technology%Services,%LLC