August 18, 2015

 Exemption No. 11432A

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-0179

Mr. Hayden Howard

Vice President

Compass Data, Inc.

12353 East Easter Avenue

Centennial, CO 80112

Dear Mr. Howard:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition for an amendment. It explains 

the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists any changes to the original conditions 

and limitations.

By letter dated May 23, 2015 you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of Compass Data, Inc. (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an amendment to your 

current exemption. That exemption from §§ 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) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows the 

petitioner to operate a UAS to perform aerial data collection. You requested an amendment 

to add the Swift Radioplane Lynx M, DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, DJI Phantom 3, DJI Inspire 1, 

and DJI S1000 aircraft to your exemption.

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons 

relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition 

in the Federal Register because the requested amendment to the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner. The 

unmanned aircraft authorized in the original grant are comparable in type, size, weight, speed 

and operating capabilities to those in this petition.

Airworthiness Certification

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 
2

operating area associated with 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 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.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 11432 

remains valid and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the authority contained 

in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, the operator is 

granted an amendment to add new aircraft to its UAS operations.

The operator shall add this amendment to its original exemption.

 

Conditions and Limitations

All conditions and limitations within Grant of Exemption No.11432 remain in effect except as 

follows. Condition No. 1 has been updated to reflect the additional aircraft. 

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 Trimble UX5, 

Swift Radioplane Lynx M, DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, DJI Phantom 3, DJI Inspire 1, and 

DJI S1000 when weighing less than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed 

operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a petition to amend this 

exemption.

This exemption terminates on April 30, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service
May 23,2015 

Addendum 

U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Docket Operations 

West Building Ground Floor, Room w12-140 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590 

Exemption No. 11432 

Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-Q179 

Submitted Electronically via the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) 

Re: Addendum to add additional Unmanned Aerial Systems to current Exemption No. 111432 

Dear Sir or Madam: 

I Hayden Howard, Vice President of Compass Data, Inc., have prepared the following addendum to our 

Current Exemption No. 11432 approved on April 22"d 2015. 

This Addendum allows for the inclusion of one additional Fixed Wing system and four additional Vertical 

Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Multi-Rotor UA's as follows: 

• A SwiftRadio Planes LYNX M Fixed Wing, Under 9lb Single Motor UA 

• A DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, Under 31b (4 Motor) Multi-Rotor UA 

• A DJI Phantom 3, Under 31b (4 Motor) Multi-Rotor UA 

• A DJIInspire 1, Under 71b (4 Motor) Multi-Rotor UA 

• A DJI S1000, Under 101b (8 Motor) Multi-Rotor UA 

THE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT (UA): 

Fixed Wing components: 

• The Swift-Radio Planes Lynx M is a lightweight (under 551b gross weight), battery operated Fixed 

Wing UA 

• The Lynx is hand launched, and can land in small areas due to its deep stall landing capabilities 

• The Lynx is comprised of foam and Carbon Fiber with a wingspan of 7.5' 

• The Lynx can carry various camera payloads which are interchangeable in the field 

• The Lynx utilizes the Pixhawk autopilot complete with GPS, magnetometer, IMU, airspeed 

sensor, and telemetry radios 

VTOL Multi-Rotor's components: 

• The DJI Models: Phantom 2 Vision+, Phantom 3, Inspire 1, and S1000 are lightweight (under 

551b gross weight), battery operated Multi-Rotor VTOL aircraft 

• Each uses an on-board flight computer with GPS navigation and location ability that receives 

signals for flight controls from a ground-based transmitter/controller 

• The Phantom 2 Vision+, Phantom 3 and Inspire 1 have an on-board camera attached to the UA 

via a three axis gimbal, capable of capturing full color, high definition imagery 

o The S1000 can be configured to include a gimbal mount and supports various camera options 

Compass Data, Inc. -ADDENDUM ADDING ADDITIONAL UA's Page 1 of 2 
• The DJI models all have an on-board telemetry system that delivers flight data from the onboard flight computer to the on-board radio transmitter including; altitude (AGL), horizontal and 

vertical speed, compass direction of flight, and direction back to its launch site 

THE GROUND STATION-BASED PART OF THESE SYSTEMS: 

• A Pilot in Command (PIC} in operational control of a flight operation from beginning to end and 

who controls the UA while in the air 

• A radio transmitter/controller operated by the (PIC} to control the UA while in flight 

• A Ground Station (Laptop, Tablet or Smart Phone based App) which receives and displays real 

time system telemetry and imagery from the UA 

• A Visual Observer (VO) is a person who provides a second pair of eyes to visually track the UA 

while in flight. 

INTENDED USE: 

The requested exemption would allow us to use the UA for aerial image acquisition to support various 

mapping and surveying applications as well as video documentation for the public good. Typical 

applications would include, but are not limited to: 

• Aerial Photography 

• Aerial Surveys 

• Volumetric Surveys 

• Architectural Surveys 

• Bridge Inspections 

• Utility Corridor Vegetation Management 

• Building Inspection Surveys 

• Disaster Response 

This Addendum makes no other changes to the original request including exemptions sought, reasons 

for exemption request, and/or operating parameters. Compass Data will operate these additional UA's 

under the same conditions and limitations provided in Exemption No. 11432 

The name and contact information of the applicant remains the same: 

Sincerely, 

Hayden Howard 

Vice President 

Compass Data, Inc. 

Phone: 303.627.408 

Email: compassdatainc.com 

Appendix A- User's Manual (Swift-Radio Planes Lynx M) 

Appendix B- Users Manuals (Phantom 2 Vision+, Phantom 3, Inspire 1, and S1000) 

Compass Data, Inc. -ADDENDUM ADDING ADDITIONAL UA's Page 2 of 2 
APPENDIX A- USERS MANUALS (Swift-Radio Planes Lynx M) 

This addendum incorporates by reference confidential manuals and materials filed by Swift Radioplanes, LLC 

("Swift Radioplanes") in connection with our petition for exemption under Section 333 of the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 ("FMRA") to allow commercial operations of unmanned aircraft for 

precision aerial survey. Swift Radioplanes has requested confidential treatment of those materials under the 

trade secrets and proprietary business information exemption of the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"). 

(See 5 U.S. C. § 552(b)(4}.) 

Attached separately 

APPENDIX A- USERS MANUALS 
APPENDIX 8- USERS MANUALS (DJI PHANTOM 3. INSPIRE 1. and SlQQQ) 

Users Manuals for each of these systems can be downloaded here 

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-2-vision-plus/download 

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/download 

http://www .d ji.com/prod uct/inspire-1/download 

http://www.dji.com/product/spreading-wings-s1000/download 

APPENDIX B- USERS MANUALS