U.S.$Department$of$Transportation

Docket$Operations

1200$New$Jersey$Ave,$SE

Washington,$DC$20590

Request$for$Section$333$Exemption,$Revision$Provided$14$July$2015

This$is$an$exemption$request$pursuant$to$Section$333$of$the$FAA$Reform$Act$of$2012

for$Precision$Approach$Aerial$Photography$LLC.$$Precision$Approach$Aerial$

Photography$LLC$requests$to$perform$aerial$photography$through$the$use$of$its$

small$unmanned$aircraft$commercially$in$airspace regulated$by$the$FAA.$$The$owner

and$pilot is$a$Certified$Flight$Instructor$with$a$Bachelor$of$Science$in$Aeronautics.$$$

Having$firsthand$knowledge$of$the$National$Airspace$System$gives$Precision$

Approach$Aerial$Photography$an$advantage$in$safely$operating$small$UAS within$our$

airspace.

Description+of+Petitioner

Christina$Martinez$is$the$owner$of$Precision$Approach$Aerial$Photography$LLC.$$

Christina$is$a$Certified$Flight$Instructor$and$has$vast$experience$operating$in$the$

National$Airspace$System.$$She$has$experience$flying$RC$planes,$blimps$in$indoor$

college hockey$arenas,$and$small$quad$copters$for$pleasure.

Contact$information:

Christina$Martinez

15909$Elmwood$Way

Apple$Valley,$MN$55124

paaerialphotography@gmail.com

952Z412Z3656

Commercial+Operations:

Exemption$is$requested$for$commercial operations$for$ aerial$photography$and/or$

video$for$commercial$use$including$real$estate,$land$surveying,$architecture,$and$

other$related$activities.$$Aerial$photography$and/or$video$for$commercial$use$

including$public$events.$$Aerial$photography$and/or$video$for$inspection$of$

commercial$property$including$cell$towers$and$commercial$construction.$$And,$the$

ability$to$offer$flight$training$to$others.

Exemptions

Regulations$from$which$the$exemption$is$requested:

14$CFR$Part$21

14$C.F.R.$45.23(b)

14$CFR$61.113$(a)$&$(b)

14$C.F.R.$91.7$(a)

14$CFR$91.9$(b)$(2)

14$C.F.R.$91.109
14$C.F.$R.$91.119 (c)

14$C.F.R.$91.121

14$CFR$91.151$(a)

14$CFR$91.203$(a)$&$(b)

14$CFR$91.405$(a)

14$CFR$91.407$(a)$(1)

14$CFR$91.409$(a)$(2)

14$CFR$91.417$(a)$&$(b)

Description+of+UAS and+Equivalent+Level+of+Safety

The$primary$UAS$system$that$will$be$used$is$the$DJI$Phantom$3.$$The$UAS$will$be$

safely$operated$in$the$NAS$by$maintaining$line$of$sight$visual$contact,$flown$only$

during$daylight,$and$less$than$400ft$above$the$ground.$$Flights$will$be$operated$at$a$

lateral$distance$of$no$less$than$100 feet$from$any$persons$or$property$not$associated$

with$the$operation.$$All$flights$will$be$preplanned$and$owner$approval$will$be$

obtained$for$flights$over$personal$property.$$Additional$safety$features$on$the$DJI$

Phantom$3$include$return$to$home functionality$when$GPS$is$available$and$failsafe$

technology$that$return$the$aircraft$to$the$takeoff$point$if$batteries$run$low.$$

The$specifications$for$the$UAS$are$as$follows:

Weight:$1280$g

Diagonal$Size:$590$mm

Max$Ascent$Speed:$5$m/s

Max$Descent$Speed:$5$m/s

Max$Speed:$16$m/s

Additionally,$the$max$flight$time$for$the$UAS$will$be$limited$to$maintain$a$reserve$of$

25%$battery$power.$$At$all$times,$the$UAS$will$be$operated$in$accordance$with$the$

safety$and$operational$requirements$of$the$manual.

UAS+Operations

Preflight$would$include$checking$the$operation$of$the$UAS$to$include$the$battery$in$

both$the$transmitter$and$the$UAS,$the$condition$of$the$body of$the$UAS$and$it’s$

propellers.$$Updates$to$the$firmware$will$be done$as$they$become$available and$

maintenance$will$be$performed$pursuant$to$the$manufacturer’s$recommendations.$$

The$area$in$which$the$drone$will$be$flown$will$be$checked$for$powerlines,$antennas,$

and$other$obstructions.$$The$weather$conditions$will$be$monitored$throughout$the$

flight.$$Wind$conditions$will$be$reviewed and$the$UAS$will$only$be$flown$in$daylight

during$visual$flight$rules$meteorological$conditions.$

Regulations+from+which+an+exemption+is+requested:

14+CFR+Part+21 subpart+H

An$exemption$is$requested$from$applying$for$an$airworthiness$certificate.$$Given$the$

size$and$limited$operating$area$of$the$aircraft$to$be$used,$an$exemption$meets$the$

requirements$of$an$equivalent$level$of$safety.$$The$UAS$will$be$operating$in$an$area$
and under$conditions$that$would$be$at$least$as$safe$as$a$conventional$aircraft$

operating$with$an$airworthiness$certificate.

14+C.F.R.+45.23(b) – Display+of+Marks

An$exemption$is$requested$from$displaying$the$aircraft$“N”$number on$the$aircraft$

and$from$displaying$the$words$“limited”,$“restricted”,$“lightZsport”,$“experimental”,$

or$“provisional”$as$applicable.$$There$is$no$entrance$into$a$UAS$and$the$aircraft$is$not$

large$enough$to$display$letters$2$inches$tall.$$The$equivalent$level$of$safety$will$be$

provided$by$marking$“Experimental”$on$the$UAS$casing$where$the$pilot$or$other$

observers will$see$the$identification.$

14+CFR+61.113+(a)+&+(b) – Private+Pilot

An$exemption$is$requested$from$holding$a$private$pilot$certificate$and$the

requirements$for$compensation$or$hire.$$An$equivalent$level$of$safety$is$met$because$

UAS$do$not$carry$passengers,$property$or$pilots.$$The$risk$is$far$less$than$that$of$

commercial$activities$of$a$private$or$commercial$pilot.

14+C.F.R.+91.7+(a) – Civil+Aircraft+Airworthiness

An$exemption$is$requested$due$to$the$fact$that$an$airworthiness$certificate$will$not$

be$issued.$$

14+CFR+91.9+(b)+(2) – Civil+Aircraft+Flight+Manual,+Marking+and+Placard+

Requirements

An$exemption$is$requested$from$carrying$a$current$and$approved$Flight$Manual,$

markings$and$placards.$$The$UAS$is$not$large$enough$to$carry$any$of$these$items.$$An$

equivalent$level$of$safety$will$be$maintained$by$keeping$the$flight$manual$at$the$

launch$site$where$the$pilot$will$have$access$to$it.$$

14+C.F.R.+91.109 – Flight+Instruction

An$exemption$is$requested$from$operating$a$civil$aircraft$for$flight$instruction$unless$

that$aircraft$has$dual$controls.$$The$UAS$is$remotely$piloted$and$control$is$

established$through$the$transmitter.$$Because$there$is$no$one$aboard$the$aircraft$and$

the$instructor$is$able$to$handle$the$controls$at$the$same$time$as$the$pilot,$an$

equivalent$level$of$safety$is$achieved.$$

14+C.F.+R.+91.119 – Minimum+Safe+Altitude

An$exemption$is$requested$from$operating$over$sparsely$populated$areas$closer$

than$500$feet.$$An$exemption$is$requested$to$operate$up$to$400ft$AGL.$$Given$the$size$

weight,$and$controllability$of$the$UAS,$an$equivalent$level$of$safety$will$be$met.$$No$

flight$will$operate$over$property$without$the$permission$of$the$owner.$$All$UAS$

activities$will$be$preplanned.$

14+C.F.R.+91.121 – Altimeter+Setting

An$exemption$is$requested$from$operating$by$reference$to$an$altimeter$set$to$the$

departure$elevation.$$An$equivalent$level$of$safety$is$met$by$using$an$Above$Ground$

Level$measurement$that$is$displayed$on$the$aircraft$transmitter$held$by$the$pilot.$$
14+CFR+91.151+(a) – Fuel+Requirements+for+VFR+Conditions

An$exemption$from$the$requirement$to$operate$an$aircraft$with$30$minutes$of$fuel$

reserve$is$requested.$$The$battery power$of the$UAS$is$approximately$25$minutes$in$

length.$$An$equivalent$level$of$safety$is$met$by$the$transmitter$display.$$A$digital$

readout$of$the$batter$percentage$is$available.$$Additionally$the$aircraft$LED$lights$

flash$red$and$an$audible$alarm is$sounded$when the$aircraft$is$low$battery.$$If$the$

aircraft$is$not$landed,$the$return$to$home$safety$feature$is$engaged.$$The$max$flight$

time$for$the$UAS$will$be$limited$to$maintain$a$reserve$of$25%$battery$power.$$

14+CFR+91.203+(a)+&+(b) – Civil+Aircraft:+Certifications

An$exemption$is$requested$from$carrying$an$airworthiness$certificate$that$is$

displayed$and$legible.$$The$UAS$is$not$large$enough$to$carry$additional$items.$$An$

equivalent$level$of$safety$will$be$met$by$storing$any$registration$documents$at$the$

aircraft$launch$point with$the$pilot.$$Additional,$the$UAS$will$be$marked$

“Experimental”.

14+CFR+91.405+(a),+91.407+(a)+(1),+91.409+(a)+(2),+91.417+(a)+&+(b) –

Maintenance+Inspections

An$exemption$is$requested$from$having$the$UAS$inspected$as$prescribed$in$Subpart$

E.$$These$inspections$only$apply$to$aircraft$carrying$an$airworthiness$certificate.$$

Maintenance$will$be$done$according$to$the$UAS$manual,$manufacturer$

recommendations and$firmware$upgrades$will$be$performed$as$they$are$made$

available.$$In$order$to$ensure$an$equivalent$level$of$safety,$the$pilot$will$inspect$the$

aircraft$before$each$flight.

Public+Interest

Precision$Approach$Aerial$Photography$will$be$using$UAS$in$applications$that$either$

required$fullZsize$aircraft,$or$were$unable$to$be$completed$in$the$past.$$Reducing$the$

risks$of$flying$full$sized$aircraft$at$low$altitude$and$providing$safe$operations$is$in$

the$public’s$interest.$$By$granting$an$Exemption,$Precision$Approach$Aerial$

Photography$will$provide$safe$and$compliant$operations$while$safely$promoting$the$

UAS$business$model.$$

Conclusion

Precision$Approach$Aerial$Photography,$a$small$womanZowned$business, would$like$

to$safely$operate$a$UAS$aerial$photography$business.$$Having$a$Section$333$

Exemption$and$entering$into$the$NAS$legally$would$give$the business$a$competitive$

advantage.$$The$safe and$compliant$operations$would$discourage$illegal$and$unsafe$

operations$and$improve$the$industry.

Thank$you$for$your$consideration.

Sincerely,

Christina$Martinez
Owner/Pilot

Precision$Approach$Aerial$Photography$LLC