BLAKERSURVEYING&MAPPING,PLLC10405BANKLICKRD.•WALTON,KY.41094PH(513)748.8192•www.blakersurveying.comFebruary22,2016U.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystem1200NewJerseyAve.,SEWashington,DC20590Re:ExemptionRequestSection333oftheFAAReformActDearSir/Madam,PursuanttotheSection333oftheFAAModernizationandReformActof2012(theReformAct),and14C.F.R.PartII,BlakerSurveying&Mapping,PLLC(BS&M),aKentuckybasedlimitedliabilitycompanyoperatingUnmannedAircraftSystems(UAS)equippedtoconductaerialphotography,inspections,training,demonstrations,andlandsurveyingforvariousindustries,herebyappliesforanexemptionfromtheFederalAviationRegulations(FARs)listedbelowtoallowoperationofourUAScommerciallyinairspaceregulatedbytheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)solongassuchoperationsareconductedwithandundertheconditionsoutlinedhereinorasmaybeestablishedbytheFAAasrequiredbytheSection333.TherequestedexemptionwouldpermitBS&Mtopursueitscommercialinterestsinprovidingservicestoconsumersinterestedintraining,research,andaerialdatacaptureusingUAStechnologyinthefollowingareas:•AerialPhotographyandVideographyforrealestate,construction,utilities,andlocal/stategovernmentorganizations•Inspecting/Surveyingforrealestate,construction,utilities,andlocal/stategovernmentorganizations•UASOperatorTrainingforbothexternalclientsandinternalemployees•ProductDemonstrations•ResearchandDevelopment•SearchandRescue•BridgeInspectionsAdditionally,allBS&MUAVpilotswillholdanairlinetransport,commercial,private,recreational,orsportpilotcertificateandalsoholdacurrentFAAairmanmedicalcertificateoravalidU.S.driver'slicenseissuedbyastate,theDistrictofColumbia,PuertoRico,aterritory,apossession,ortheFederalgovernment.Ifanobserverisnotaqualifiedpilot,theywillbetrainedbyBS&Mpilotstounderstandtheproperrolesofanobserver,communicationprocedures,propervisualscantechniques,operationsatnon-toweredairports,andappropriatesectionsoftheAeronauticalInformationManualFEB24,2016Page1ThePetitionerRequestsReliefFromthefollowingregulations:Regulationsfromwhichtheexemptionisrequested:14CPR§§61.23(a)and(c),61.1Ol(e)(4)and(5),61.113(a),61.315(a),91.7(a),91.109,91.119(c),91.121,91.15l(a)(l),91.215,91.405(a),91.407(a)(l),91.409(a)(l)and(2),and91.417(a)and(b),totheextentnecessarytoallowBS&MtooperateaUAStoperformtraining,research,demonstration,inspection,survey,searchandrescue,andaerialdatacollection.BS&MispetitioningforexemptionusingthefollowingUASplatformsthathavebeenpreviouslyapproved:•DJIPhantom2-Exemption11398•DJIPhantom2Vision-Exemption1 I 3 I0•DJIPhantom2Vision+-Exemption11398•Flamewheel550-Exemption11397•DJIPhantom3Professional-SimilartoExemption11310•DJIPhantom3Advanced-SimilartoExemption11398•DJIInspire-Exemption12418TheseUASweighlessthan55pounds,haveabuilt-incapabilitytolimittheheightflownabovetheground,tolimittheradiusofthedistanceitfliesfromtheoperatorandtoexcludeitfromClassB,CandDairspaceincludinga noflyzonefeature.Eachsystemalsohasthefailsafefunctionoftheautopilotsystem,whichmeanswhenthecommunicationbetweentheMainControllerandthetransmitterislost,thesystemwillautomaticallytriggerReturntoHomeProcedureandwilllandsafely.Thissubmissiondoesnotincludetheoperatingmanualsforeachmodelrequestedabove,astheyhavebeenreviewedbytheAdministratoringrantingpreviousexemptions.Copiesofalloperatingmanualsfortheindividualmodelslistedwillbesubmittedonrequest.Theabovespecificationsmeetstandardslistedbelow:•BS&MwillonlyoperateitsUAVsinlineofsightofapilotand/orobserverandwilloperateatsitesthatarea'sufficientdistance'frompopulatedareas.SuchoperationswillinsurethattheUAVswillnotcreateahazardtousersofthenationalairspacesystemorthepublic.•BS&MwillnotoperateUAVswithin5nauticalmilesofanairportreferencepoint(ARP)asdenotedinthecurrentFAAAirport/FacilityDirectory(AFD),unlessaletterofagreementwiththatairport'smanagementisobtainedorotherwisepermittedbyaCOAissuedtoBS&M.•Maximumflighttimeforeachoperationalflightwillbe60minutes.•Flightswillbeterminatedat25%batterypowerreserveshouldthatoccurpriortothe60minutelimit.•EachUAVwillbeprogrammedsothatitwillnotbeoperatedatanaltitudeofnomorethan400feetAGL.•MinimumcrewforeachoperationwillconsistofaUAVPilotandaVisualObserver.FEB24,2016Page2•TheUAVPIC's(PilotInCommand)willhaveanairlinetransport,commercial,private,recreational,orsportpilotcertificateandalsoholdacurrentFAAairmanmedicalcertificateoravalidU.S.driver'slicenseissuedbyastate,theDistrictofColombia,PuertoRico,aterritory,apossession,ortheFederalgovernment.•EachUAVlistedaboveoperatedbythepetitionerweighslessthan55pounds,includingthepayload(i.e.camera,lens,andgimbal).•EachUAVwilloperateatspeedsofnomorethan55knots.•GiventhesmallsizeoftheUAVandtherestrictedenvironmentwithinwhichtheywilloperate,ourUASoperationsadheretotheReformAct'ssafetyrequirements.Additionally,thefactthattheBS&MpilotsholdFAAPilotcertificatesdemonstratesthattheyhaveahighregardtosafeoperationswithanunderstandingofFARs,pre-flightinspections,maintenanceandrepair,operationswithinairspace,aswellasbeingtrainedtohighsafetystandards.Undertherequestedexemption,BS&Mwillensurethatalloperatorshavecompletedasmallunmannedaircraftsystems(UAS)educationandtrainingprogramincludingallapplicableregulationsandguidancedocuments;includingaeronauticalbackgroundinfonnationsuchascharts,NOTAMSandAircraftCirculars;RadioCommunicationsProcedures;HumanFactorsandCrewResourceManagement;BasicSmallUASAerodynamics;Weatherfactors;AinnanshipandDecision-makingandSafeOperatingProcedures.ExemptionRequestsandEquivalentLevelofSafety:BS&MrequestsanexemptionfromthefollowingregulationsaswellasanyadditionalregulationsthatmaytechnicallyapplytotheopemtionoftheUAVSystems:14CFR61.23MedicalCertificatesTheregulationprovidesthatapersonrequiresafirstorsecondclassmedicalcertificatetoactasaPilotInCommandofanaircraftforcompensationorhire.OurproposedoperationsrequirethatthePICmustholdacurrentFAAairmanmedicalcertificateoravalidU.S.driver'slicenseissuedbyastate,theDistrictofColumbia,PuertoRico,aterritory,apossession,ortheFedemlgovernment.Sincetheaircraftcannotcarrypassengersorproperty,wefeelwemeettheintentof61.23eventhoughtheintentofthisapplicationistoconductabusiness.14CFR61.101,14CFR61.113,and14CFR61.315PilotprivilegesandLimitationsTheregulationprovidesthatnopersonthatholdsaRecreationalPilot,SportPilot,orPrivatePilotcertificatemayactasaPilotInCommandofanaircmftforcompensationorhire.OurproposedoperationsrequirethatthePICmustholdatleastairlinetransport,commercial,private,recreational,orsportpilotcertificate.Sincetheaircraftcannotcarrypassengersorproperty,wefeelwemeettheintentof61.113Subparagmph(b)eventhoughtheintentofthisapplicationistoconductabusiness.14CFR91.109FlightInstruction;SimulatedinstrumentflightandcertainflighttestsTheregulationstatesthat"Nopersonmayoperateacivilaircmftthatisbeingusedforflightinstructionunlessthataircrafthasfullyfunctioningdualcontrols."WehavetheabilitytoprovidedualcontrolsutilizingFutabaT8Jtmnsmittersortransmitterssimilarand/orexceedingthespecificationsoftheFutabaT8Jwithawirelesslinkbetweenthetransmitters.Onetransmitterisdesignatedthemastertransmitterandtheothertransmitterisdesignatedasaslave.ThePICinstructor,utilizingthemastertmnsmitter,willbeatalltimesabletoassumecontroloftheUASduringflighttestingandtraining.FEB24,2016Page314 CFR

91.1

t

9 Minimum

safe altitudes:

General The regulation

sta

t es that over sparse

l y

p opulate

d area

s the aircraft

ca nnot

b

e operated

cl

o

s e

r than

500

f ee

t to

a n

y perso

n

, vesse

l

, ve

hi

c le,

or

s tru

ct ur

e

. Since

t h

e typical

mi

ss

i o

n of the UAS

wo uld

be

p

h otograp

h

y or survey

of persons,

vessels,

ve

hi

c le

s or structures

it would

be

n ecessary

to operate

clo

ser

th

a n 500

feet

to

th

e items

li

s

t e

d

. Operations

w ill only

b

e flown

over

prop

erty

or persons

where

p

e rm

iss ion

has been obtained

and careful pre-planned

ha

s be

e n performed.

The aircraft

w

ill be opera

t e

d

at

a

l ow altitude

allo wing,

if

a

p ower

unit

fails,

a n e me rge

nc

y landing

without

undue

hazard

to per

s o

n s o

r prop

e rty

on the surfac

e

. Therefore

we maintain

th

a

t du

e to the

s m

a ll

s

i ze

of the UAS,

the

ha zar

d

t o

p erso

n

s

, vehicles

an

d

s tructure

s

i

s minimal

comp

ared

to manned

a ircraft, which

s h

o uld

be

co nsidered

in granting

th

e exe

mp

tio

n

. 14 CFR 91.121 Altimeter

settings The

r eg

ul

a ti

o n r equires

that aircraft

s h

a

ll maintain

cru

i

s in g a

l t itud

es

b

y

r e

f ere nce

to

a n

a ltim

e

t e

r setti

n

g availab

le w ithin

I 00 NM

of the aircraft

. Th

e UAS

w

ill

a

l ways

fl

y below

400

feet AGL

and

wil

l n

ot need

to

m aintain crui

s ing

a lti

t u de

s in order

to pre

ve

nt conflict

w ith

ot

h

e

r

a ir craft.

An Above Ground

L

e v

e

l

a ltim

e te

r measurement a bove

t h

e takeoff

p oi nt

i s tran

s mitt

ed via radio

fro

m the UAS on-board

computer

to

th

e display

sc

r ee

n held

b

y the PI

C, providing

a co

n

s

t an

tl

y updated

AGL

rea

d

o ut. 14 CFR Subpart E(91.401-

91.417)- Maintenance,

Preventive Maintenance,

Alterations Th

e

r egu

l a

t io

n provides

that

the operat

or

i s prim

ari

l y res ponsible

for maintaining

the aircraft

in

a n airworthy cond

iti

o

n

, including compliance

w

i th

p

a rt 39 and

43

. Paragraphs

91.407

and 91.409

require

that

the

a ircr

aft

be "appro

ve

d for return

to service

by

a per

so

n authorized

under

43

.7" after maintenanc

e and

in

s pecti

on.

It

is our intention

th

a

t the

PTC perform maintenanc

e a

nd

in

s p ec tion

of

th

e aircraft

and

"b

e authorized

t o a pprove

the aircraft f or

r e turn

to service." The

PIC

will ensure

that

the aircraft

i

s in

a n

a irw

ort

h

y condition

prior

to every

flight

and

in

ad diti

o

n

, co nduct d

e

t a il

e

d inspections

after every

t wo hours

of flight. Maintenance

performed

b

y

th

e PIC

i s limit

e d to

re pairing

s m

a ll cracks

, rep

l ac ing

a propeller,

checking

e

l ec tric

a

l co

nn ectio

n

s and updating

so ftw

a re and firmware

f o

r th

e on-board computer

. All other maintenanc

e w

ill

be

p erfo nned

b

y

th

e m

a nuf

ac turer

or their

d es

i g nat

ed

re

p

a ir facility.

The

PI

C will

d oc um

e nt wo

rk perfonned

in

a cco rdan

ce with 91.417.

We

feel

that

due

to the

size

, construction

, a nd s im

p

l ic ity

of the aircraft,

the

PIC

can

en

s ur

e

a n

e qui

va

l e nt level

of

sa fet

y. FEB 24,2016

Page4RequestforBlanketCOAApproval:OnMarch24,2015,theFAAannouncedthatithasimplementedanewpolicyofgranting"blanket"COAstoapplicantsrequestingexemptionsfromtheFederalAviationRegulationsunderSection333ofthe FAAModernizationandReformActof2012.TheApplicantherebyrequestsa"blanket"COAthatconformstothetermssetforthinhttps://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsld=82245uponapprovalofBS&M'sexemptionrequest.Ifyoushouldhaveanyfurtherquestionsorconcern,pleasecontactmeSincerely,DavidBlakerPresident-OwnerBlakerSurveying&Mapping,PLLCPhone:513.748.8192Email:david.blaker@blakerexcavating.comFEB24,2016Page5