Donald Pillow

10738 Dana Dr.

Roscommon, MI 48653

drones@dp

- designs.biz

DP Designs, llc

W e b sit e : w w w .dp

- designs.biz

989

- 302

- 7322

Ex e m p ti o n Re qu e s t P u rs u a n t to S ect i o n 3 3 3 o f t h e F A A Re f o rm A ct a n d P art 1 1 o f t h e F e d eral A v i ati o n

R e gu lati o n s fr o m : 1 4 C F R 2 1 s ubp art H

1 4 C F R 4 5

. 2 3 ( b )

1 4 C F R 6 1

. 1 1 3 (a) a n d ( b )

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 7 (a)

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 9 ( b )( 2 )

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 1 03

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 1 09

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 1 1 9 (c)

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 1 21

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 1 5 1 (a)

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 2 0 3 (a) a n d ( b )

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 4 0 5 (a)

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 4 0 7 (a) ( 1)

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 4 0 9 (a) ( 1 ) a n d ( 2 )

1 4 C F R 9 1

. 4 1 7 (a) a n d ( b )

P u rs u a n t t o S e ct i o n 3 3 3 o f t h e FA A M o d e r n i z at i o n a n d R e f o r m A ct o f 2 0 1 2 (t h e “ R e f o r m A c t ” ) a n d 1 4

C F R P a r t 1 1

, Donald Pillow

, o p e r a t o r o f U n m a nn e d A ircraft S y s t e m s (UA S ), h e r e b y a pp lies f o r an

ex e m p t i o n fr o m t h e li s ted F e d eral A v i a ti o n Re gu lat i on s ( “ FA R s ” ) to all o w c o m m e rcial o p e ra t i o n o f

d e si gn at e d U AS

, p r ov i d e d s u ch o p e rat i o n s a r e c o ndu c t e d w it h in a n d und e r t h e c ond iti o n s o u tli n e d

h e r e in o r as m a y b e e sta b l i s h e d b y t h e FA A as r e qu ir e d b y S e c ti o n 3 3 3

.

C o m m e rcial o p e r a ti o n o f a n UA S

, as d e s c ri b e d h e r e i n

, w h ich are e qu i pp e d w i th c a me r a (s)

a n d s e n s o r s

, w o u ld p r o v i d e p r o f e s si o n al s e r v i c e s in t h e f o l l ow i n g a r e a s :

1

. A e rial p h o t o g ra ph y a nd/ o r v i d e o f o r pub lic a nd/ o r p ri v ate u s e i n cl ud i n g r e al e stat e

,

arc h it e ct u r e

, la n d s u r v e y i ng

, e ng i n ee ri n g a n d o t h e r r e lat e d p r o f e ss i o n al act i v it i e s

.

2

. A e rial v i d e o a nd/ o r p h o t o g ra ph y f o r pub lic a nd/ o r p ri v ate u s e i n cl ud i n g t e l ev i si o n

, pub lic

eve n t s, ci n e m a t o g ra ph y a n d n ew s g at h e ri ng.

3

. A e rial i n s p e ct i o n / pho t o g ra ph y o f r e si d e n tia l / c o m m e rcial str u c t u r e s und e r c o n tract w ith t h e

ow n e r s o r l o cal go ve r n me n t a u t h o r i t y

.

4

. A e rial i n s p e ct i o n / pho t o g ra ph y o f r e si d e n tia l / c o m m e rcial u tili t y i n frastr u ct u re i n cl ud i n g bu t

n o t l i m it e d to e l e ctrical po we r li n e s

, w i n d t u r b i n e s a n d c e ll t o w e rs.

5

. A e rial v i d e o/ p h o t o g ra ph y o r p r o v i d i n g li v e v i d e o f e e d to assist w ith s e a r ch a n d r e sc u e

o p e ra t i o n s in c as e s o f an e me r g e n cy o r n at u ral d isas t e r o n l y w h e n t h e l o cal a u t h o rities o r

g ov e r nm e n t h as r e qu e s t e d it b y c o n t r act o r d o n at i o n

.

6 . Trai n i n g t o p e r s o n s i nd i v i du ally o r b e l o ng i n g t o b o t h p ri v ate a nd/ o r pub lic o r g a n i z ati o n s t o

i n cr e ase a w ar e n e ss a n d i mp r o v e saf e ty f o r c u rr e n t a n d f u t u re UAS o p e ra t i o n s w i t h in t h e

NAS

. 7. Working with local Fire Departments in creating Arial video/photography of structural and wildland

fires

, a lso training sessions to help improve on scene safety and proficiency

.

A s d e scri b e d f u l l y b e l ow

, t h e r e qu e s t e d e x e m p t i o n w o u ld p e r m it t h e o p e rat i o n o f d e si gn a t e d

U A S as s e t f o rth in t h is d o c u me n t und e r c o n tr o l l e d c ond iti o n s in t h e NA S t h at w ou ld b e a)

li m it e d b ) c o n tr o l l e d c) p r e d e t e r m i n e d a n d d ) s afe.A p p r ov al o f t h is e x e m p ti o n w o u ld i n cr e a s e pub lic a w ar e n e s s o f UAS op e rati o n s a n d e nh a n ce

sa f e ty to aid in f u lfilli n g t h e S e cr e ta r y o f Tra n s p o r t a ti o n ’s (t h e FA A Ad m i n istra t o r’s)

r e s p o n si b ilities t o “

.... e sta b lish r e qu ir e m e n ts f o r t h e safe o p e ra t i o n o f s u ch aircraft s y s te m s in

t h e n ati o n al airs p a ce s y s t em

. ” The use of UAS in Firefighting would expand the knowledge and

aid in safety while train ing many firefighters.

I p lan to o p er a te a UA S

, t h e Tarot 680 PRO w h ich i s c om p ri s e d o f an un m a nn e d aircra f t and camera

gimbal connected to a t r a n s p o r t a b le g r o un d st a ti o n . T h e Tarot Pro is r e f e r r e d to as a hexa

- c o p ter

w ith a m ax i m u m g r o ss we i gh t o f a b o u t 11 p o und s. It is e qu i pp e d w ith six r o tors t h at are d r i ve n b y

e lectr i c mo t o rs po we r e d b y b at t e ri e s. T h e UA h as a m axi m u m airs p e e d o f 1 6 m / s . By design the six

rotors allow the UAS to safety land in case of a motor/propeller failure.

I also p lan to o p e r ate a U A S

, t h e D J I S1000 w h ich i s c o m p ris e d o f an u n m a nn e d aircraft and camera

gimbal connected to a tra n s p o r ta b le g r o u n d stati o n

. T h e S1000 is r e f e rr e d to as an octo

- c o p t e r w ith

a m a xi m u m g r o ss we i gh t o f a b o u t 15 p o und s. It is e qu i pp e d w ith eight r o t o r s t h at are d r i ve n b y

e l e ctric m o t o rs p o we r ed b y b a tter i es. T h e UA h as a m ax i m u m airs p ee d o f 12 m / s. By design the

eight rotors allow the UAS to safety land in case of a motor/propeller failure.

I am also in the process of designing/building a custom octo

- copter, heavy lift with a maximum

weight of 20 pounds. The UAS is equipped with redundant control and power in case of

e lectrical/component failure. The UAS can safety land with up to two motor failures. The design is of

low speed and long duration flights (6

- 7 m/s and 30 minute flight time). Multiple s ensors for

proximity limits are installed to facilitate safety. This UAS will be useful in close proximity building

inspection and post wildfire video/photography. This UAS is in design/testing stage and will be

submitted for COA in the near future.

A ls o

, g i ve n t h e s m all si z e o f t h e UA S ’s i nv o l v e d a n d t h e r e stri c t e d c o n t r o ll e d e n v i r o nm e n t w it h in

w h ich t h e y w ill o p e r at e

, t h e a pp lica n t fits w it h in t h at z o n e o f sa f e ty (an e qu i v al e n t le v e l o f sa f e t y )

in w h ich C o ng r e ss e n v is i o n e d t h at t h e FA A m u st, b y e x em p ti o n

, all o w c o m m e rc i al o p e r a ti o n s o f

U AS s to c o m m e n ce i m m e d iatel y

. A l s o du e t o t h e si z e o f t h e U AS s a n d t h e c o n t r o lled areas in

w h ich t h e r e l e v a n t UA S s w i ll o p e ra t e

, a pp r ov al o f t h e a pp licati o n p r e s e n ts n o n a t i o n al s e c u rity

iss u e. Gi v en t h e f o l l o wi ng

, t h e g ra n t o f t h e re qu e sted ex e m p t i o n s is c l e arly in t h e pub lic i n t e r e s t:

J a m es Be nd er p r o p o s es t h at t h e e x e m p t i o n r e qu est e d h erein a pp ly to ci v il airc r aft t h at h a v e t h e

c h aract e ri s tics a n d t h at o p e ra t e w ith t h e l i m itat i o n s l i st e d h e r e i n . T h e s e l i m itat i on s p r ov i d e f o r an

exce p t i o n al l e v el o f saf e ty t o o p erat i o n s. T h ese l i m it a t i o n s a n d c o nd iti o n s t o w h i c h J a m es Be nd er

a g r ee s t o b e b o un d w h e n c o ndu cti n g c o m me r cial o p e rati o n s und e r an FA A iss u e d e x e m p t i o n

i n cl ud i ng:

1 . T h e UAS w ill we i g h l e ss t h an 5 5 l b s.

2

. F li gh ts w ill b e o p e ra t e d w it h in li n e o f si gh t o f o p e r at o r.

3

. M a xi m u m t o tal fli gh t t i m e f o r e ach o p e r a ti o n al fli gh t w ill b e 3 0 m i nu t e s.

4

. F li gh ts w ill b e t e r m i n a t e d at 1 5 % b att e ry p o w e r r es e r ve

.

4

. F li gh ts w ill b e o p e ra t e d at an altit u d e o f n o m o re t h an 4 0 0 f e e t A G L

5 . U A S o p e ra t o r w ill b e tra i n e d a n d c e r t if i e d in t h e p r op e r safe t y a n d o p e r a ti o n s o f t h e UA S

.

6 . T h e UAS w ill o n ly o p e ra t e w it h in a c o n tr o l l e d ar e a a s d e fi n e d in t h e P r o c e du r e s

.

7 . T h e o p e r a t o r w ill p o st a d v is o r n o ti c e a r o un d t h e c on tr o lled a r e a.

8 . T h e o p er a t o r w ill h a v e b ee n trai n e d in o p e ra t i o n o f UAS g e n e ral l y a n d r e c e i v e d u p

- t o

d ate i n f o r m a ti o n o n t h e p ar t ic u l ar UAS t o b e o p e r a t e d as r e qu ir e d

.

9 . If t h e UAS l o s e s c om m u n icati o n s o r l o s e s its G P S si g n al, t h e UAS w ill h a v e ca p a b ility

t o r e t u rn t o a p r e

- d ete r m i n e d l o c a ti o n w it h in t h e S e c u ri t y P e r i me t e r a n d la nd

.

10

. T h e UAS w ill h a v e t h e c a p a b ility t o a b o rt a fli gh t in case o f unp r e d i c t e d o b st a cles o r emergencies.I have been flying RC planes, jets and helicopters for 40 years . I have studied, built and flown UAS’s for

the last 2

- 1/2 years. I am currently taking a training class for getting my FCC Private Pilots Practical Test

to help better understand the safety and r esponsibilities of the UAS operators. I have been firefighter

for the pas t 32 years . I work f u ll time for th e S tate of Michigan

, designing wildland firefighting

equipment. Michigan is currently looking into qualifying operators for the use of UAS ’ s in land and

wildlife surveys. I hope to be involved in the implementation of th is system.

A cc o r d i ng l y

, t h e a pp lica n t r es p ectf u l l y re qu e s ts t h a t t h e FA A g ra n t t h e re qu e sted ex e m p t i o n

a n d are p r e p ar e d to mo d ify o r a me n d a n y p art o f t h is r e q u e st t o s a tisfy t h e n ee d f o r an

e qu i v ale n t le ve l o f safe t y

. We l o o k f o r w ard t o w o r k i n g w ith yo u r o ffic e

. P le a se c o n t a ct u s at a n y

t i m e if a dd iti o n al i n f o r m at i o n o r c l arificati o n s are n ee d e d

.

S i n c e r e l y

,

Donald

Pillow