VOLKERT Volkert, Inc. 

3809 Moffett Road (36618) 

P.O. Box 7434 

Mobile, AL 36670-0434 

June 16, 2015 Office 251 .342.1070 

Fax 251.342.7962 

Federal Aviation Administration 

volkert@volkert.com 

800 Independence Avenue, SW www.volkert.Com 

Washington DC 20591 

Subject: Endorsement by Volkert, Inc. on behalf of Remote Axcess for Section 333 Exemption 

Dear Sir or Madam: 

As a firm engaged in bridge inspection we are entrusted with keeping the public and our crew's safe every 

day. We are always looking for ways to help promote safety and efficiency. It is evident to us that the use of 

camera equipped drones will be a major contribution toward this end. With the use of this technology in the 

trained hands of a commercial pilot, there are many advantages to the use of drones in bridge inspection. 

Many bridges require special equipment to access hard to reach key structural components. Currently one of 

the major means to access these remote structural components is by using an under bridge inspection vehicle 

(UBIV). Typically the use of a UBIV requires closing a lane of traffic on a bridge which restricts the traffic 

traveling across the bridge during this inspection. These inspections take a fair amount of time and expose 

our inspection crews to that same traveling public that we are there to protect. Often to reduce impact to the 

traveling public the UBIV use is restricted to nighttime. Nighttime inspections, even with spot lights, are never 

as effective as inspections during day light hours. Lane closures also cause delays to the citizens and to the 

commerce being transported. In many instances, using a drone to allow our inspector to view remote 

components of a bridge would eliminate or reduce the need for using UBIV and the affiliated reductions in the 

flow of traffic and promote the safety of the public and our crews. 

An additional benefit would be the savings, which would be passed directly on to the state or local government, 

of mobilizing an UBIV and establishing traffic control. Both of these items are rather costly in relation to a 

routine bridge inspection. 

Furthermore, using a professionally trained commercial pilot as Remote Axcess, LLC currently employs, 

provides another layer of safety. Our expertise is bridge and structures, not flying or the regulations attributed 

to it. Therefore, we would rely heavily on the pilot's knowledge of the current FAA regulations and restrictions. 

Captain Lehman maintains his piloting skills as a Cobra helicopter pilot in our United States Marine Corps 

Reserve, and he has demonstrated to us not only his expertise as a pilot, but the regulations and restrictions 

associated with commercial flight. 

I hope that Remote Axcess' request for exemption to Section 333 is considered in the overall interest of public 

safety, roadside worker safety, and the monetary benefits that could be realized by transportation departments 

across the country. 

Regards, 

~ 

Aaron Immel, PE, CFM, CBI Dan Teal, PE 

Volkert, Inc. Volkert, Inc. 

Gulf Region Bridge Inspection Program Manager Florida Region Bridge Inspection Program Manager 

3809 Moffett Road 1408 North Westshore Boulevard 

Mobile, Alabama 36618 Tampa, Florida 33607 

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