### September 24, 2015

Exemption No. 12972 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

− 20 15

− 2807

Mr. River B. Lucas Owner ExplorAir Drones P.O. Box 307 Iliamna, AK 99606

Dear Mr. Lucas :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends.

By letter dated June 24, 2015 , you petitio ned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of ExplorAir Drones (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an exemption . The petitioner requested to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to conduct aerial video and photography for real estate, construction, utility infrastructure , public events, marketing, and training 1



### . See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA des cribing the proposed operations and the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption

. The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner.

1 The petitioner requested authority to conduct UAS training. At this time, the FAA is unable to authorize UAS operations for training until a further assessment is completed. When the FAA completes its review, we will proceed accordingly and no further ac tion will be required by the petitioner. However, the petitioner is permitted to train its own pilot in commands and visual observers in accordance with condition no. 14 and the other conditions and limitations in this exemption.

### 2

Airworthiness Certification

The UAS s proposed by the petitioner are the DJI Phantom 2 Vision, DJI Phantom 3 Pro fessional
, and DJI Spreading Wings S1000

. The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates

. In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of Public Law 112

− 95 in reference to 49 U

. S

. C

. § 44704, and in consideration of the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated w ith the aircraft and its operation, the Secretary of Transportation has determined that this aircraft meets the conditions of Section 333. Therefore, the FAA finds that the requested relief from 14 CFR part 21
, Certification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates , and any associated noise certification and testing requirements of part 36, is
not necessary.

The Basis for Our Decision

You have requested to use a UAS for aerial data collection 2



### . The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition. In Grants of Exemption No s

. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352), 11109 to Clayco, Inc. (see Docket No. FAA

− 2014

−0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 11213 to Aeryon Lab s , Inc. (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0642), the FAA found that the enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned aircraft (UA) with the specifications described by the petitioner and carrying no p assengers or crew, rather than a manned aircraft of significantly greater proportions, carrying crew in addition to flammable fuel, gives the FAA good cause to find that the UAS operation enabled by this exemption is in the public interest.

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that

—

 They are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in Grant of Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 ;

 The reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 also apply to the situation you present; and

 A grant of exemption is in the public interest.

2 Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard the UA. Examples include imagery (photography, video, infrared, etc.), electronic measurement (precision surveying, RF analysis, etc.), chemical measurement (particulate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by instruments aboard the UA.

### 3

Our Decision

In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption is in the public interest. Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, ExplorAir Drones is granted an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 61.23(a) and ( c ), 61.101(e)(4 ) and (5), 61.113(a), 61.315(a) , 91.7(a), 91.119(c), 91.121, 91.151(a)(1), 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(1) and (2), and 91.417(a) and (b), to the extent necessary to allow the petitioner to operate a UAS to perform aerial data collection

. This exemption i s subject to the conditions and limitations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, ExplorAir Drones is hereafter referred to as the operator.
Failure to comply with any of the conditions and limitations of this grant of exemption will be grounds for the immediate suspension or rescission of this exemption.

1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the DJI Phantom 2 Vision, DJI Phantom 3 Pro fessional
, and the DJI Spreading Wings S1000 when weighing l ess than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a petition to amend this exemption

.

2. Operations for the purpose of closed

- set motion picture and television filming are
not permitted.

3. The UA may not be operated at a speed exceeding 87 knots (100 miles per hour). The exemption holder may use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to determine compliance with the 87 knot speed restriction. In no case will the UA be operated at airspeeds gre ater than the maximum UA operating airspeed recommended by the aircraft manufacturer.

4. The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). Altitude must be reported in feet AGL.

5. The UA must be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC at all times. This requires the PIC to be able to use human vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses, as specified on the PIC’s FAA

- issued airman medical certificate or U.S. driver’s license.

6. All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. The VO may be used to satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maint ains VLOS capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times ;

electronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC

### 4

must be designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation fo r the duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties required of the VO.

7. This exemption and all documents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its operations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in thi s grant of exemption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating documents. The operating documents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents, the conditions and limitations herein take precedence and must be followed. Otherwise, the operator must follow the procedures as outlined in its operating documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. It is the operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised documents to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. The operator must also present up dated and revised documents if it petitions for extension or amendment to this grant of exemption. If the operator determines that any update or revision would affect the basis upon which the FAA granted this exemption, then the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FAA’s UAS Integration Office (AFS− 80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the operating documents.

8. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the UAS op eration or flight characteristics, e.g.
, replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under this exemption. Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and mu st remain at least 500 feet from other people. The functional test flight must be conducted in such a manner so as to not pose an undue hazard to persons and property.

9. The operator is responsible for maintaining and inspecting the UAS to ensure that it i s in a condition for safe operation.

10. Prior to each flight, the PIC must conduct a pre

- flight inspection and determine the UAS is in a condition for safe flight. The pre

- flight inspection must account for all potential discrepancies, e.g.
, inoperable comp onents, items, or equipment. If the inspection reveals a condition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the aircraft is prohibited from operating until the necessary maintenance has been performed and the UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight.

11. The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer’s maintenance, overhaul, replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and aircraft components.

### 5

12. Each UAS operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer safety bulletins.

13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a current FAA airman 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 must also meet the flight revi ew requirements specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

14. The operator may not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC demonstrates the ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC qualification flight hours and currency must be logged in a manner consistent with 14 CFR § 61.51(b). Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs (trai ni ng, proficiency, and experience

- building) and determining the PIC’s ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption are permitted under the terms of this exemption. However, training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During traini ng, proficiency, and experience

- building flights, all persons not essential for flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC must operate the UA with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in accordance with 14 CFR § 91.119.

15. UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. All operations must be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights under special visual f

light rules (SVFR) are not authorized.

16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbo l as denoted on the current FAA

-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

17. The UA 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.

18. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS sign al, the UA must return to a pre

- determined location within the private or controlled

- access property.

19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies.

### 6

20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the intended operation and to operate after that for at least five minutes or with the reserve power recommended by the manufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). All operations shall be conducted in accordance with an ATO

- issued COA. The exemption holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to con duct operations that cannot be conducted under the terms of the attached COA

.

22. All aircraft operated in accordance with this exemption must be identified by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification (N−Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable.

23. Documents used by the operator to ensure the safe operation and flight of the UAS and any documents required under 14 CFR §§ 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the PIC at the Ground Control Station of the UAS any time the aircraft is operating. These documents must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

24. The UA must remain clear and give way to all manned aviation operations and activities at all times.

25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle.

26. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:

a. Barriers or structures 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 nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of the UA, flight operations must cease immediately in a manner ensuring the safety of nonparticipating persons ; and b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission for operating closer to those objects 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

. The PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons are not considered nonparticipating persons under this exemption.

27. All operations shall be conducted over private or control led

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

### 7

Permission from property owner/controller or authorized representative will be obtained for each flight to be conducted.

28. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS− 80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov

. If this exemption permits operations for the purpose of closed

- set motion picture and television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply.

29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM) as documented in this grant of exemption.

30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this exemption must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction over the area of proposed filming. The 3

- day notification may be waived with the concurrence of the FSDO. The plan of activities must include at least the following:

a. Dates and times for all flights; b. Name and phone number of the operator for the UAS aerial filming conducted under this grant of exemption;

c. Name and phone number of the person responsible for the on

- scene operation of the UAS; d. Make, model, and serial or N−Number of UAS to be used;

e. Name and certificate number of UAS PICs involved in the aerial filming; f. A statement that the operator has obtained permission from property owners and/or local officials to conduct the filming production event; the list of those who gave permission must be made available to the inspector upon request; g. Signature of exemption holder or representative; and h. A description of the flight activity, including maps or diagrams of any area, city, town, county, and/or state over which filming will be conducted and the altitudes essential to accomplish the operation.

31. Flight operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet from participating persons consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming production, as specified in the exemption holder’s MPTOM.

Unless otherwise specified in this grant of exemption, the UAS, the UAS PIC, and the UAS operations must comply with all applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to, parts 45, 47, 61, and 91.

### 8

This exemption terminates on October 31, 2017 , unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely, /s/ John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures

# ExplorAir Drones

PO. Box 307 Ilimnna AK, 99606• Phone: (406)544.4509 .E.-Mail: explorairdrones@gmail.com

Date:June, 24, 2015

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

Dear Sir or Madan1: -.·· \.. j

····-··-

Re: Exception Request Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Refonn Act Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations from: 14 CFR 21 subpar H; 14 CFR 45.23(b); 14 CFR 61.113 (a) and (b) 14 CFR 91.7(a); 14 CFR 91.9(b)(2); 14 CFR 91.103; 14 CFR91.109; 14 CFR 91.119(c); 14 CFR 91.121; 14 CFR 91.151(a); 14 CFR 91.203(a) and (b); 14 CFR 91.405(a); 14 CFR 91.407(a)(l); 14 CFR 91.409 (a)(2); 14 CFR 91.417(a) and (b)

In accordance with the FAA's Guidelines for Submitting a Petition for Exemption under section 333 of d1e FAA Modernization and Reform act of2012, ExplorAir Drones request exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (F ARs) listed so that ExplorAir Drones may operate UASs commercially in airspace regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration; as long as such operations are conducted within and under the conditions outlined herein or as may be established by the FAA as required by section 333.

Commercial operations on an UAS, as described herein, which are equipped with cameras and sensors would operate under the following manner:

• Aerial video and/ or photography for public and/ or private use including but not limited to real estate, architecture, property surveying, construction and other related professional activities.

• Aerial inspection/ photography of residential/ commercial structures under contract with the owners or local government authority.

• Aerial inspection of private/ commercial utility infrastructure including but not limited to electrical power lines, wind turbines and cell towers.

• Aerial video/ photography for private/ commercial use including television, public events, cinematography and promotional videos.

• The ability to offer training to persons individually or belonging to both private and/ or public organizations that have interests in the use and application of a UAS for the purpose of the safe operation of a UAS to enhance the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) as well as for the protection of the persons and property.·As described fully below the requested exemption would permit the operation of lightweight (less than 55 pounds total take off gross weight) UASs under controlled conditions for commercial use by certified pilots thereby enhancing the already safe operations in the industry presently using traditional aircraft and fulfill the Secretary of Transportation's responsibilities to"

.... establish requirements for the safe operations of such aircraft systems in the national airspace system." Section 333© of the reform act.
ExplorAir Drones respectfully requests the grant of an exemption to the following sections of the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations allowing it to operate lightweight UAS's for commercial use.

14 CFR 21 subpar H; 14 CFR 45.23(b); 14 CFR 14 CFR 91.7(a); 14 CFR 91.9(b)(2); 14 CFR 91.103; 14 CFR91.109; 14 CFR 91.119(c); 14 CFR 91.121; 14 CFR 91.151(a); 14 CFR 91.203(a) and (b); 14 CFR 91.405(a); 14 CFR 91.407(a)(l); 14 CFR 91.409 (a)(2); 14 CFR 91.417(a) and (b)
ExplorAir Drones submits this application in accordance ith the Reform Act 112 P .L. 95 331**~334,** seeking relief from any current FAR's operating to inhibit ExplorAir Drones future commercial use of UASs in the National Airspace System as described hereafter. The Reform Act Section 332 provides for such integration of civil UASs as it is in the publics interest to do so. ExplorAir Drones UASs meet the defmition of "small unmanned aircraft" as defmed in section 331. Therefore integrating the commercial use of ExplorAir Drone's UASs are expressly contemplated by the Reform Act. ExplorAir Drones would like to operate its UASs prior
to the time period by which the Reform Act requires the FAA to promulgate rules governing U ASs.
ExplorAir Drones will operate three different UASs, the DJI Phantom 2 Vision, DJI Phantom 3 Pro and the DJI Spreading Wings S1000. All three of the aircraft listed above are rotorcrafts with the ability to hover as well as fly along a vertical and horizontal plane simultaneously. The Phantom 2 Vision is a rotorcraft in the quadcopter configuration and has a total advertised weight of 1160g (2.55lbs). It has an advertised maximum ascending speed is 6m/s (13.4mph) and its advertised maximum flight speed is 15m/s (33.5mph). The Phantom 3 Pro is also a rotorcraft in the quadcopter configuration and has an advertised total maximum weight of 1280g (2.82lbs). It has an advertised maximum ascending speed is 5m/s (11.18mph) and its advertised maximum flight speed is16m/s (35.79mph). The DJI S1000 is a rotorcraft in the octocopter configuration and has an advertised total weight of 4.2kg (9.25lbs) and has no advertised top speed. Given the small size of the above UASs and the controlled environment provided the proposed operators will adhere to the reform acts safety requirements the approval of this application presents no national security issues. Regarding the level of safety surrounding the proposed operations, the public benefit and reduction in environmental impact, the grant of the request exemption is in the public interest. Respectfully, the applicant requests that the FAA grant the request exemption with minimum delay.

The Following limitations and conditions are of which ExplorAir Drones agrees to adhere to when conducting the operation of UASs for commercial purposes:



### •


### •
•
•
•


### • Flights will be operated in the**line~of-sight** by a ground based pilot Flights will only occur in the daytime and clear of clouds The UASs will weigh less than 55lbs at take off and during flight Flights will be terminated with 25% of battery life remaining Flights will be operated at an altitude at or below 400' AGL Pilots, camera operators and observers will be trained lAW the applicable portion of the UAS's manual as well as the SOPs.• Minimum UAS crew 

### will be one certificated Private pilot or higher rating with a current drivers license. 

### A

camera operator and or observer may be added as required to further reduce the possibility of task saturation by the pilot depending on the mission requirements.

• Pilot, observer and camera operator will maintain real time communication capability throughout flight operations.

• The U AS Pilot will conduct a full site survey to determine the Area of Responsibility (A

### 0 R). This A 

### 0 R is the actual area for UAS operations for a particular day. Each survey 

### will include the assessment of potential hazards to include but not limited to airspace classification, NOTAMS, temporary flight restrictions, closest airport proximity, natural and man- made obstacles, and unnecessary persons which
may pose a risk to operations or safety. If deemed necessary, the crew will employ additional personal as safety observers.

• A thorough briefing will be conducted, prior to the first flight of the day in an AOR, utilizing the briefing guide in the SOPs. All persons who 

### will be in the AOR while UAS flights are conducted 

### will be present for this briefing.

• ExplorAir Drones will obtain consent (verbal or written) for any persons who need to be within 100 feet ofUAS flight operations.

• Written and or verbal permission from the relevant property owners will be obtained prior to flight.

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

• If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UAS will have the capability to return to a pre-detemuned location within the AOR and land autonomously.

• The UAS will have the ability to abort a flight in case of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies.

14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 C.F.R. §91.203 (a) (1)

Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the issuance of airworthiness certificates as required by FAR §91.203 (a) (1). Given the size and limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized by the Applicant, an exemption from Part 21 Subpart H meets the requirements of

an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act (49 U.S.C.§44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the particular UAS. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the UAS operated without an airworthiness certificate, in the restricted environment and under the conditions proposed will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed.

The UAS to be operated hereunder is less than 55 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates exclusively within a secured and designated area. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by both the operator and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety requirements. These safety enhancements provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than conventional operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H.Lasdy, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national security posed by the UAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of operation, lack of explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a substantial external load.

14 C.F.R. § 45.23 (b). Marking of the Aircraft

The regulation requires: 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 operator 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 applicable. Even though the UAS will have no airworthiness certificate, an exemption may be needed as the UAS will have no entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilot station on which the word "Experimental" can be placed. Given the size of the UAS, two-inch lettering will be impossible. The word "Experimental" will be placed on the fuselage in compliance with §45.29 (f). The equivalent level of safety will be provided by having the UAS marked on its fuselage as required by §45.29 (f) where the pilot, observer and others working with the UAS will see the identification of the UAS as "Experimental."

14 C.F.R. § 61.113 (a) and (b): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations: Pilot in Command.

Pursuant to 14 CPR 61.113 (a) & (b), no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire ExplorAir Drones LLC.
may achieve an equivalent level of safety as achieved by current Regulations because the applicant's UAS do not carry any pilots or passengers nor property. The risks attendant to the operation of UAS is far less than the risk levels inherent in the commercial activities oudined in 14 CPR 61. The PIC of the U AS will have a Private Pilot's License along with a current drivers license exceeding the current safety levels iri relation to 14 CPR 61.113 (a) & (b). I feel the operation and limitations set forth in the FOM will equate to the safe operation of the UAS.

14 C.P.R. §91. 7 (a): Civil Aircraft Airworthiness.

The regulation requires that no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. As there will be no airworthiness certificate issued for the aircraft, should this exemption be granted, no FAA regulatory standard will exist for determining airworthiness. Given the size of the aircraft for maintenance and use of safety check lists prior to each flight an equivalent level of safety will be provided.

14 C.P.R.§ 91.9 (b) (2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft.

Section 91.9 (b) (2) provides: No person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft

... (2) For which an Airplane

or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by §21.5 of this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved manual material, markings, and placards, or any combination thereof. The UAS, given its size and configuration has no ability or place to carry such a flight manual on the aircraft, not only because there is no pilot on board, but because there is no room or capacity to carry such an item on the aircraft. The equivalent level of safety will be maintained by keeping the flight manual at the ground control point where the pilot flying the UAS will have immediate access to it.14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight Action.

This regulation requires each pilot in command to take certain actions before flight to insure the safety of flight. As FAA approved rotorcraft flight manuals will not be provided for the aircraft an exemption will be needed. The PIC will take all actions as stated in the FOM in Section 4 under Normal Procedures including but not limited to reviewing weather, flight battery requirements, landing and takeoff distances and aircraft performance data before initiation of flight.

14 C.F.R. §91.109: Flight Instruction.

Section 91.103 provides that no 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. UAS and remotely piloted aircraft, by their design do not have fully functional dual controls. Flight control is accomplished through the use of a control box that communicates with the aircraft via radio communications. The FAA has approved exemptions for flight training without fully functional dual controls for a number of aircraft and for flight instruction in experimental aircraft. The equivalent level of safety provided by the fact that neither a pilot nor passengers will be carried in the aircraft and by the size and speed of the aircraft.

14 C.F.R. §91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes.

Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Section 91.119 (d) allows helicopters to be operated at less than the minimums prescribed, provided the person operating the helicopter complies with any route or altitudes prescribed for helicopters by the FAA. As this exemption is for a UAS that is a helicopter and the exemption requests authority to operate at altitudes up to 400 AGL, or not more than 200 above an elevated platform from which filming is planned, an exemption may be needed to allow such operations. As set forth herein, the UAS will never operate at higher than 400 AGL with the exception that in circumstances where the UAS is used to survey or photograph a structure whose height exceeds 400 feet AGL, the UAS will not be operated more than 200 feet above the highest point on the structure. It will however be operated in a restricted

area with security perimeter, where buildings and people will not be exposed to operations without their preobtained consent. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weight, speed of the UAS as well as the location where it is operated. No flight will be taken without the permission of the property owner or local officials. Because of the advance notice to the property owner and participants in the filming activity, all affected individuals will be aware of the planned flight operations. Compared to flight operations with aircraft or rotorcraft weighting far more than the maximum 55lbs. proposed herein and the lack of flammable fuel, any risk associated with these operations is far less than those presently presented with conventional aircraft operating at or below 500 AGL. In addition, the low-altitude operations of the UAS will ensure separation between these UAS operations and the operations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119.

14 C.F.R. §91.121 Altimeter Settings.

This regulation requires each person operating an aircraft to maintain cruising altitude by reference to an altimeter that is set"

... to the elevation of the departure airport or an appropriate altimeter setting available before departure." As the UAS may not have a barometric altimeter, but instead a GPS altitude read out, an exemption
may be needed. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by the operator, pursuant to the safety check list andlive flight data monitoring, confirming the altitude of the launch site shown on the GPS altitude indicator before flight.

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

Section 91.151 (a) prohibits an individual from beginning "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

- (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night,
to fly after that for at least 

### 45 minutes."

The battery powering the UAS provides approximately 30 minutes of powered flight. To meet the 30 minute

reserve requirement in 14 CFR §91.151, UAS flights would be limited to approximately 10 minutes in length. Given the limitations on the UAS's proposed flight area and the location of its proposed operations within a predetermined area, a longer time frame for flight in daylight or twilight VFR conditions is reasonable. Applicant believes that an exemption from 14 CFR §91.151 (a) falls within the scope of prior exemptions. Operating the UAS, in a tightly controlled area where only people and property owners or official representatives who have signed waivers will be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve fuel, does not engender the type of risks that Section 91.15l(a) was intended to alleviate given the size and speed of the small UAS. Additionally, limiting UAS flights to 10 minutes would greatly reduce the utility for which the exemption will be granted. Applicant believes that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 30 minutes or 

### 25% of battery powerwhichever happens first. This restriction would be more than adequate to return the UAS to its planned landing zone from anywhere in its limited operating area.

14 C.F.R. §91.203 (a) and (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and Registration

The regulation provides in pertinent part: (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 current 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 entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew. The UAS fully loaded weighs no more than 55lbs. and is operated without an onboard pilot. As such, there is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to display them on the UAS. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the ground control point where the pilot flying the UAS will have immediate access to them, to the extent they are applicable to the UAS.

14 C.F.R. §91.405 (a); 407 (a) (1); 409 (a) (2); 417(a) & (b): Maintenance Inspections.

These regulations require that an aircraft operator or owner "shall have that aircraft inspected as prescribed in subpart E of tlris part and shall between required inspections, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this chapter

... ," and others shall inspect or maintain the aircraft in compliance with Part 43. Given that these section and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these sections will not apply to the applicant. Maintenance will be accomplished by the operator pursuant to the flight manual and operating handbook. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the UAS is very limited in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in restricted areas for a limited period of time. If mechanical issues arise the UAS can land immediately and will be operating from nohigher than 400 feet AGL. The operator 

### will ensure that the UAS is in working order prior to initiating flight, perfonn required maintenance, and keep a log of any maintenance performed. Moreover, the operator is the
person most familiar with the aircraft and best suited to maintain the aircraft in an airworthy condition to provide the equivalent level of safety. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because maintenance and inspections will be performed in accordance with the UAS Manufacturer's User Manual. As provided in the FOM, the operator will ensure that the UAS is in working order prior to initiating flight and perform required maintenance needed.

In Closing, approval of the above exemptions allowing commercial operations of small UASs in the service of aerial photography, cinematography, videography, inspection and other flight operations will greatly enhance safety by reducing the overall risk associated with traditional aircraft. Traditional aerial operations require large aircraft weighing thousands of pounds and carrying hundreds of pound of fuel presenting a significant risk to life and property. With ExplorAir Drones use of small UASs weighing less than 55lbs, powered by batteries and operating at or below 400 AGL they virtually eliminate all of the risk associated with traditional flight operations. The UASs will carry no people thereby eliminating the exposure to the risks associated with flying while accomplishing the same task in a much safer manner. Granting ExplorAir Drones the above exemptions will allow for the expansion of UAS systems into the future, in a professional, safety conscious culture steep in the tradition of Aviation.

River B. Lucas ExplorAir Drones, LLC

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