August 4, 2015

Exemption No. 12301

Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-1179

Mr. Ryan Wallace

Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy

10960 North MacArthur Boulevard

Crescent, OK 73028

Dear Mr. Wallace:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our 

decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, 

including the date it ends.

By letter dated April 22, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy (hereinafter petitioner or operator) 

for an exemption. The petitioner requested to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to 

conduct aerial photography, videography, sensor data acquisition, and closed-set filming.

See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA describing the proposed operations and 

the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption.

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

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any 

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner.

Airworthiness Certification

The UAS proposed by the petitioner are the DJI Phantom 2, DJI Phantom 3, DJI Inspire 1, 

DJI S900, and DJI S1000.

The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products 

and parts, Subpart H—Airworthiness Certificates. 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 
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consideration of the size, weight, speed, and limited 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 the requested 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.

The Basis for Our Decision

You have requested to use a UAS for aerial data collection1and closed set motion picture and 

filming. The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material 

respects to those presented in your petition. In Grants of Exemption Nos. 11062 to Astraeus 

Aerial (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352), 11109 to Clayco, Inc. (see Docket No. 

FAA−2014−0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 

11213 to Aeryon Labs, Inc. (see Docket No. FAA−2014−0642), the FAA found that the 

enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned aircraft (UA) with the specifications described 

by the petitioner and carrying no passengers or crew, rather than a manned aircraft of 

significantly greater proportions, carrying crew in addition to flammable fuel, gives the FAA 

good cause to find that the UAS operation enabled by this exemption is in the public interest.

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that—

 They are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in Grant of 

Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213;

 The reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 

11213 also apply to the situation you present; and 

 A grant of exemption is in the public interest.

Our Decision

In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption is in the public interest. 

Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, 

delegated to me by the Administrator, Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy is 

granted an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 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), to the extent necessary to allow the petitioner to operate a UAS to 

perform aerial data collection and closed set motion picture and filming. This exemption is 

subject to the conditions and limitations listed below.

 

1 Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard the UA. 

Examples include imagery (photography, video, infrared, etc.), electronic measurement (precision surveying, RF 

analysis, etc.), chemical measurement (particulate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by 

instruments aboard the UA.
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Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy is hereafter 

referred to as the operator.

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 DJI Phantom 2, 

DJI Phantom 3, DJI Inspire 1, DJI S900, 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.

2. Operations for the purpose of closed-set motion picture and television filming are 

permitted. 

3. The UA may not be operated at a speed exceeding 87 knots (100 miles per hour). The 

exemption holder may use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to determine 

compliance with the 87 knot speed restriction. In no case will the UA be operated at 

airspeeds greater than the maximum UA operating airspeed recommended by the 

aircraft manufacturer.

4. The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground level 

(AGL). Altitude must be reported in feet AGL.

5. The UA must be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC at all times. 

This requires the PIC to be able to use human vision unaided by any device other than 

corrective lenses, as specified on the PIC’s FAA-issued airman medical certificate or 

U.S. driver’s license.

6. All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within 

the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. The VO may be used 

to satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maintains VLOS 

capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times; 

electronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC 

must be designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation for the 

duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties 

required of the VO.

7. This exemption and all documents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its 

operations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this grant of 

exemption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating documents. The operating 

documents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the 

Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and 
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limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents, 

the conditions and limitations herein take precedence and must be followed. 

Otherwise, the operator must follow the procedures as outlined in its operating 

documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. It is the 

operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised 

documents to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. The 

operator must also present updated and revised documents if it petitions for extension 

or amendment to this grant of exemption. If the operator determines that any update 

or revision would affect the basis upon which the FAA granted this exemption, then 

the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FAA’s 

UAS Integration Office (AFS−80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding 

updates or revisions to the operating documents.

8. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the UAS operation 

or flight characteristics, e.g., replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo 

a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under this exemption. 

Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and must remain at 

least 500 feet from other people. The functional test flight must be conducted in such 

a manner so as to not pose an undue hazard to persons and property.

9. The operator is responsible for maintaining and inspecting the UAS to ensure that it is 

in a condition for safe operation.

10. Prior to each flight, the PIC must conduct a pre-flight inspection and determine the 

UAS is in a condition for safe flight. The pre-flight inspection must account for all 

potential discrepancies, e.g., inoperable components, items, or equipment. If the 

inspection reveals a condition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the aircraft is 

prohibited from operating until the necessary maintenance has been performed and the 

UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight.

11. The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer’s maintenance, overhaul, 

replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and 

aircraft components.

12. Each UAS operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer 

safety bulletins.

13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, 

commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a 

current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a 

state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal 

government. The PIC must also meet the flight review requirements specified in 

14 CFR § 61.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.
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14. The operator may not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC demonstrates the 

ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be 

operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and 

maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC 

qualification flight hours and currency must be logged in a manner consistent with 

14 CFR § 61.51(b). Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs 

(training, proficiency, and experience-building) and determining the PIC’s ability to 

safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated 

under this exemption are permitted under the terms of this exemption. However, 

training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During 

training, proficiency, and experience-building flights, all persons not essential for 

flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC must operate the UA 

with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in accordance with 14 CFR § 91.119.

15. UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. All 

operations must be conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights 

under special visual flight rules (SVFR) are not authorized.

16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as 

denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not 

denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol as denoted on the current 

FAA-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s 

management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemption 

holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available 

to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

17. The UA may not be operated less than 500 feet below or less than 2,000 feet 

horizontally from a cloud or when visibility is less than 3 statute miles from the PIC.

18. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UA must return to a 

pre-determined location within the private or controlled-access property.

19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies.

20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast 

weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the 

intended operation and to operate after that for at least five minutes or with the reserve 

power recommended by the manufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). All 

operations shall be conducted in accordance with an ATO-issued COA. The 

exemption holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to conduct 

operations that cannot be conducted under the terms of the attached COA.
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22. All aircraft operated in accordance with this exemption must be identified by serial 

number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification 

(N−Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must 

be as large as practicable.

23. Documents used by the operator to ensure the safe operation and flight of the UAS and 

any documents required under 14 CFR §§ 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the 

PIC at the Ground Control Station of the UAS any time the aircraft is operating. 

These documents must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement 

official upon request.

24. The UA must remain clear and give way to all manned aviation operations and 

activities at all times. 

25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle. 

26. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating 

persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:

a. Barriers or structures are present that sufficiently protect nonparticipating persons 

from the UA and/or debris in the event of an accident. The operator must ensure 

that nonparticipating persons remain under such protection. If a situation arises 

where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of 

the UA, flight operations must cease immediately in a manner ensuring the safety 

of nonparticipating persons; and

b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission 

for operating closer to those objects and the PIC has made a safety assessment of 

the risk of operating closer to those objects and determined that it does not 

present an undue hazard.

The PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons are not considered 

nonparticipating persons under this exemption.

27. All operations shall be conducted over private or controlled-access property with 

permission from the property owner/controller or authorized representative. 

Permission from property owner/controller or authorized representative will be

obtained for each flight to be conducted.

28. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical 

boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported 

to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS−80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be 

reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions 

contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov.
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If this exemption permits operations for the purpose of closed-set motion picture and 

television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply.

29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM) 

as documented in this grant of exemption.

30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this 

exemption must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards 

District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction over the area of proposed filming. The 3-day 

notification may be waived with the concurrence of the FSDO. The plan of activities 

must include at least the following:

a. Dates and times for all flights;

b. Name and phone number of the operator for the UAS aerial filming conducted 

under this grant of exemption;

c. Name and phone number of the person responsible for the on-scene operation of 

the UAS;

d. Make, model, and serial or N−Number of UAS to be used;

e. Name and certificate number of UAS PICs involved in the aerial filming;

f. A statement that the operator has obtained permission from property owners 

and/or local officials to conduct the filming production event; the list of those 

who gave permission must be made available to the inspector upon request;

g. Signature of exemption holder or representative; and

h. A description of the flight activity, including maps or diagrams of any area, city, 

town, county, and/or state over which filming will be conducted and the altitudes 

essential to accomplish the operation.

31. Flight operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet from participating persons 

consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming production, as specified in the 

exemption holder’s MPTOM.

Unless otherwise specified in this grant of exemption, the UAS, the UAS PIC, and the UAS 

operations must comply with all applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to, 

parts 45, 47, 61, and 91.
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This exemption terminates on August 31, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures
Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC /dba REFlyBy

10960 N MacArthur Blvd

Crescent, Oklahoma 73028

(855) 733-5929

Email: reflyby@wallacemountain.com

DATE: April 22, 2015

U. S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave.,

SE Washington, DC 20590

RE: Exemption Request Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform Act) and

14 C.F.R. Part 11, Wallace Mountain Designs, dba REFlyBy, is a technology and media provider 

and an operator of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) equipped to conduct aerial 

photography and videography and sensor data acquisition. Wallace Mountain Designs, dba 

REFlyBy hereby applies for an exemption from the listed Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) 

to allow commercial operation of its UASs, so long as such operations are conducted within and 

under the conditions outlined herein or as may be established by the FAA as required by 

Section 333.1

As described more fully below, the requested exemption would permit the operation of small,

unmanned and relatively inexpensive sUAS under controlled conditions in airspace that is 1)

limited 2) predetermined 3) controlled and 4) would provide public safety enhancements to the 

already safe manned flights for Closed Set Motion Picture and Television Content Creation, 

Real Estate and Land Survey, Agriculture and Agribusiness Survey, Public Service and 

Emergency Services Operations (Including Fire Ground and Search and Rescue Operations), 

Data Acquisition and Inspection Services.

The proposed exemption, if granted, would allow Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy 

to conduct commercial operations of small unmanned aircraft systems meeting or exceeding all 

of the operational and safety requirements Congress has set forth in Section 333.

The named applicant is:

Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy

Attn: Ryan Wallace

10960 N MacArthur Blvd, Crescent, Oklahoma 73028

Ph: (855) REFLYBY / 855-733-5929

reflyby@wallacemountain.com

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 1 of 8 April 22, 2015
Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy is a Technology / Media company that seeks to 

exploit the capabilities of sUAS’s to offer services including:

• Real Estate and Land Photography, Videography and Surveying

• Environmental Impact Documentation

• Agriculture and Agribusiness Operations

• Closed Set Aerial Film and Television Content Creation

• Data Acquisition and Inspection Services

• Public Service and Law Enforcement Support Operations

• Emergency Service Operations (Including Fire Ground and Search and Rescue)

• Outdoor Events and Festivals

Statutory Authority Section 333, titled “Special Rules for Certain Unmanned Aircraft

Systems”, provides a mechanism for seeking expedited FAA authorization of safe civil

UAS operations in the NAS. Section 333(a) states that the FAA “shall determine if

certain unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely in the national airspace system

before completion of the (comprehensive) plan and rulemaking required by section

332(b)(1) of this Act or the guidance required by section 334 of this Act.” In Section

332(b)(1), Congress made it clear that Section 333 provides a mechanism for “expedited

operation authorization” if several factors are met. Petitioner meets all requirements to

permit FAA approval of commercial UAS operations.

The Petitioner Operates the following sUAS’s. Operation Manuals for each of the listed sUAS’s 

are included as an addendum to this application. Each of the following aircraft complies with 

general conditions set forth in regards to weight, speed and the equipment required to conduct 

safe operations in the event of Communication and Command link failure modes, including 

auto-hover, auto-land, return-to-home, geo-fencing to preclude operation within 8 miles of an 

airport, maximum altitude, insufficient navigation signal, insufficient battery power, and others.

DJI Phantom 2

DJI Phantom 3

DJI Inspire 1

DJI S900

DJI S1000

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 2 of 8 April 22, 2015
PETITIONER PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. All Flight Operations and Maintenance will be conducted within the Manufacturers 

Recommendations in the aircraft flight or maintenance manuals.

2. Minimum of 2 Crew members. PIC: FAA Licensed Pilot with a minimum of a Sport Pilots 

License, and VO: Dedicated Visual Observer responsible for maintaining VLOS of the sUAS

at all times. Additional crew members may include Gimbal Operators, Ground Crew, and 

Additional VO’s.

3. Pilot and VO will maintain voice communication at all times.

4. Pilot will operate from a stationary position.

5. UAS weight will not exceed 55 lbs.

6. Flights operated within VLOS.

7. Maximum flight time of 30 minutes or 25% reserve battery capacity.

8. Flights operated at a maximum altitude of 400 feet AGL.

9. A safety briefing will be conducted prior to each day’s operations.

10. Flight operations will not be conducted within 500 feet of non-participating individuals.

11. All crew members will be trained in emergency procedures.

12. Training flights will be conducted at least 1000’ from non participants and property.

13. Test flights are required after maintenance or modification, and will be conducted at least 

1000’ from non-participants and property.

14. Permission will be obtained from relevant property holders.

15. Permission or Permits will be obtained from regulatory agencies. (State, County, City, Law 

Enforcement, Fire or Other Government Agencies)

16. Only sUAS control systems with autonomous flight and landing capabilities will be used to 

mitigate the risk of fly away and communication command link failures.

17. PIC and VO will have individual authority to about a flight operation at any time, for any 

reason...no questions asked.

THE PETITIONER REQUESTS RELIEF FROM THE FOLLOWING REGULATIONS

14 C.F.R. Part 21

14 C.F.R. 45.23 (b)

14 C.F.R. 61.113(a) and (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.7 (a)

14 C.F.R. 91.9 (b) (2)

14 C.F.R. 91.109

14 C.F.R. 91.119

14 C.F.R. 91.121

14 C.F.R. 91.151(a)

14 C.F.R. 91.203 (a) & (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.205 (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.215

14 C.F.R. (91.401 - 91.417)

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 3 of 8 April 22, 2015
EXEMPTION REQUESTS AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY 

Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy requests an exemption from the following 

regulations as well as any additional regulations that may technically apply to the operation of 

the sUAS System: 

14 CFR Part 21, Airworthiness Certificates 

This part establishes the procedures for the issuance of an airworthiness certificate. While the 

FAA continues to work to develop airworthiness standards for Unmanned Aerial Systems, we 

request an experimental certificate be issued for each of the Petitioners sUAS’s under either or 

both of the following provisions: 

21.191 Experimental certificates.

Experimental certificates are issued for the following purposes: 

(a) Research and development. Testing new aircraft design concepts, new aircraft 

equipment, new aircraft installations, new aircraft operating techniques, or new uses for 

aircraft.

(b) Showing compliance with regulations. Conducting flight tests and other operations to 

show compliance with the airworthiness regulations including flights to show compliance 

for issuance of type and supplemental type certificates, flights to substantiate major design 

changes, and flights to show compliance with the function and reliability requirements of 

the regulations. Since the experimental certificate can be used for commercial purposes 

such as market surveys, sales demonstrations, and customer crew training, we would 

expect that an experimental certificate would permit our commercial purpose as well.

The aircraft will not carry persons or property, will not carry fuel, and will only fly under 

strict operational requirements. Combined with the UA's light weight, being constructed 

primarily of carbon fiber and plastic, we propose that the UA will be at least as safe, if not 

safer, than a conventionally certificated aircraft performing the same mission. If an 

experimental airworthiness certificate is not appropriate for this application, then we 

request an exemption of 14 CFR Part 21, Subpart H, and the requirement for an 

airworthiness certificate in general, citing the equivalent level of safety outlined in the 

previous paragraph. 

14 CFR 45.23 Display of marks; general and 45.29 Size of marks.

These regulations provide that each aircraft must display "N" and the aircraft's registration 

number in letters at least 3 inches high. Additionally, the aircraft must display the word 

"EXPERIMENTAL" in letters at least 2 inches high near the entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or 

pilot station. The sUAS does not have an entrance in which the word "EXPERIMENTAL" can be 

placed, and may not have a registration number assigned to it by the FAA. We propose to 

achieve an equivalent level of safety by including the word "EXPERIMENTAL" in the placard on 

the top of the aircraft where the PIC, VO and others in the vicinity of the aircraft while it is 

preparing for launch will be able to see the designation. Additionally, we feel that the permanent 

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 4 of 8 April 22, 2015
placard discussed in the previous paragraph will provide the aircraft's registration information at 

the ground station. Finally, we will display at the ground station a high contrast flag or banner 

that contains the words "Unmanned Aircraft Ground

Station" in letters 3 inches high or greater. Since the aircraft will operate within 3/4 NM of the 

ground station, the banner should be visible to anyone that observes the aircraft and chooses to 

investigate its point of origin. 

14 CFR 61.113 Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in Command and 61.133 

Commercial pilot privileges and limitations.

The regulation provides that no person that holds a Private Pilot certificate may act as pilot in 

Command of an aircraft for compensation or hire. Subparagraph (b) allows a private pilot to act 

as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if: (1) The 

flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and (2) The aircraft does not carry 

passengers or property for compensation or hire. Our proposed operations require that the PIC 

must hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate issued by the FAA and since the aircraft cannot 

carry passengers or property, we feel we meet the intent of 61.113 Subparagraph (b) even 

though the intent of this application is to conduct a business. 

14 CFR 91.7 

Prohibits the Operation of an aircraft without an airworthiness certificate.

As no such certificate will be applicable in the form contemplated by the FARs, this Regulation is 

inapplicable. 

14 CFR 91.9 Civil aircraft flight manual, marking, and placard requirements.

This regulation provides that no person may operate an aircraft unless a current, approved flight 

manual is in the aircraft. We assume that the intent of this requirement is to ensure that flight 

manual information is available to the aircrew while operating the aircraft. We request an 

exemption to this requirement since the aircraft is not only too small to carry documentation, the 

documentation would not be available to the crew during flight operations. To obtain an 

equivalent level of safety and meet the intent of 91.9, we propose that a current, approved 

sUAS Flight Manual must be available to the crew at the ground station anytime the aircraft is 

in, or preparing for, flight. 

14 CFR 91.109 Flight Instruction; Simulated instrument flight and certain flight tests.

The regulation states that "No person may operate a civil aircraft that is being used for flight 

instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls." The sUAS System groundbased control station consists of a small hand-held radio transmitter and while it does not offer a 

second set of "controls", both the student and instructor can, and will, operate the single set of 

controls simultaneously. With both student and instructor having "hands-on" the controls during 

flight, we feel that this technique meets the intent 91.109 and provides an equivalent level of 

safety. 

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 5 of 8 April 22, 2015
91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.

 The regulation states that over sparsely populated areas the aircraft cannot be operated closer 

than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. Since the typical mission of the sUAS 

would be photography or survey of persons, vessels, vehicles or structures it would be 

necessary to operate closer than 500 feet to the items listed. Operations will only be flown over 

property or persons where permission has been obtained and careful pre-planned has been 

performed. The aircraft will be operated at a low altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an 

emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. Therefore we 

maintain that due to the small size of the UAS, the hazard to persons, vehicles and structures is 

minimal compared to manned aircraft, which should be considered in granting the exemption. 

CFR 91.121 Altimeter settings.

 The regulation requires that aircraft shall maintain cruising altitudes by reference to an altimeter 

setting available within 100 NM of the aircraft. The sUAS will always fly below 400 feet AGL and 

will not need to maintain cruising altitudes in order to prevent conflict with other aircraft. An 

Above Ground Level altimeter measurement above the takeoff point is transmitted via radio 

from the sUAS on-board computer to the display screen held by the PIC, providing a constantly 

updated AGL readout. 

14 CFR 91.151 Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions. 

The regulation provides that no person may begin a flight in an airplane under day-vFR 

conditions unless there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after 

that for at least 30 minutes. We feel the intention of this paragraph is to provide an energy 

reserve as a safety buffer for delays to landing. The sUAS is battery operated and the maximum 

duration of flight from a single battery charge is 12 minutes with a 20% reserve. Since the 

aircraft will never fly more than 3f4 NM from the point of intended landing, a full battery charge 

at launch will ensure that we meet the reserve energy requirement of this paragraph. We 

request an exemption to the word "fuel" and ask for an equivalent interpretation with the word 

"energy". 

14 CFR 91.203(a) & (b) Civil aircraft: Certifications required. 

The regulation provides that an airworthiness certificate, with the registration number assigned 

to the aircraft and a registration certificate must be aboard the aircraft. Additionally, 

subparagraph (b) provides that the airworthiness certificate be "displayed at the cabin or cockpit 

entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew." At a maximum gross weight of 5.3 pounds, 

the sUAS is too small to carry documentation, does not have an entrance, and is not capable of 

carrying passengers or crew. To obtain an equivalent level of safety and meet the intent of 

91.203, we propose that documents deemed appropriate for this aircraft by the FAA will be colocated with the crew at the ground control station and available for inspection upon request. In 

order to identify the aircraft, we propose that the information found on airworthiness and 

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 6 of 8 April 22, 2015
registration certificates be permanently affixed to the aircraft via placard containing the following 

information plus the word "EXPERIMENTAL" to satisfy the requirement of 14 CFR 45.23. 

14 CFR Subpart E (91.401- 91.417)- Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Alterations

The regulation provides that the operator is primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in 

an airworthy condition, including compliance with part 39 and 43. Paragraphs 91.407 and 

91.409 require that the aircraft be "approved for return to service by a person authorized under 

43.7" after maintenance and inspection. It is our intention that the PIC perform maintenance and 

inspection of the aircraft and "be authorized to approve the aircraft for return to service." The 

PIC will ensure that the aircraft is in an airworthy condition prior to every flight and in addition 

conduct detailed inspections after every two hours of flight. Maintenance performed by the PIC 

is limited to repairing small cracks, replacing a propeller, checking electrical connections and 

updating software and firmware for the on-board computer. All other maintenance will be 

performed by the manufacturer or their designated repair facility. The PIC will document work 

performed in accordance with 91.417. We feel that due to the size, construction, and simplicity 

of the aircraft, the PIC can ensure an equivalent level of safety. 

SAFETY AND BENEFITS OF THE UAS

Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy, will be using the sUAS in a variety of applications 

that generally require expensive full-size manned aircraft to complete. Small, light, unmanned 

aerial vehicles offer myriad benefits over the use of full-sized manned aircraft for electric power 

line inspection, oil/gas pipeline inspection, advanced agriculture, film and still photography, 

emergency services operations, including firefighting reconnaissance and search and rescue 

operations . Replacing significantly larger manned aircraft carrying crew and flammable fuel with 

small UAS carrying no passengers or crew creates a much greater margin of safety for the 

pilots and crew, and for the Public At Large.

 By granting Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy the requested exemptions, the FAA 

will help drive development of safe and successful commercial UAS operations and will advance 

the public knowledge base for such operations. Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy is 

committed to promoting the UAS research efforts of policymakers including the FAA, NASA, 

DOD and DARPA by sharing data from its commercial UAS operations and serving as a 

resource for future UAS research operations. Thus, the FAA has good cause to grant this 

Petition.

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 7 of 8 April 22, 2015
CONCLUSION 

As pointed out in this application, all the UASs which our company would use, under 

authorization by the US DOT-FAA, are small, light-weight devices operated within the line of 

sight of the Pilot-in-Command (PIC), less than 400 feet above the ground and outside 5 miles 

from any airport, heliport, seaplane base, spaceport, or other location with aviation activities, 

unless the air traffic control authorities (ATC) have been notified and have authorized each flight 

within a radius of this distance. 

All of our SUAs have proven capability for controlled flight. They are devices offered for general 

sale on the market around the world and have often been sold as Model Aircraft in the USA. We 

are certain that the studies conducted by the FAA, in reference to Section 332, Public Law 

112-95, 2014, have already provided adequate assurances as to the airworthiness of the SUAs 

we seek exemption for. 

For the foregoing reasons, the exemptions requested herein should be granted and Wallace 

Mountain Designs, LLC dba REFlyBy should be permitted to conduct small UAS operations in 

accordance with its manuals and all other operating parameters deemed necessary and 

appropriate by the FAA. The submission of this application and its contents is the best 

demonstration that indeed it is possible to pursue the authorization process so that some UASs 

may be used for legitimate commercial activities and under reasonably safe conditions. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Ryan Wallace

Managing Partner

Wallace Mountain Designs, LLC /dba REFlyBy

WMD FAA Exemption Application Page 8 of 8 April 22, 2015