### Taylor D. Marchetta

471 Grant St. Apt 101

Akron, Ohio 443 11

330 958 4006

taylor@marchetta.me

Dear Sir or Madam:

This petition is being submitted without legal counsel or consulting services.

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernizatio n and Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform Act),

and 14 C.F.R. Part 11,I hereby apply for an exemptio n from the Federal Aviation Regulations

(FARs) lis ted below to allow operation of my small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)

commercially. The Aircraft that I will operate under the exemption is a DJI Phantom 3.

I am an experienced pilot with the DJI Phantom 3 and have flown the aircraft over 50 times in

different locatio ns and conditions. I alw ays follow local and federal laws. I also will adhere to all

weather and envir onmental restrictions or limitatio ns in reference to the operations of sUAS.

The requested exemption would permit me to pursue commercia l interests in providing services

to clients using my DJI Phantom 3, including aerial photography, videograp hy, aerial

inspections, etc.

If this exemptio n is granted it would benefit the public as a whole in many ways. It allows safe,

efficient, and economical aerial video and photography for clients, whose other optio n would be

larger, manned aircraft. Use of the DJI Phantom 3 would reduce pollution as it is a very small

and efficient battery powered air craft that consumes much less energy than a la rger manned

air craft. Another benefit is the reduction in the amount of manned aircraft in the airspace,

lowering congestion and noise around air ports caused by arriving and departing air craft. The

DJI Phantom 3 does not requir e an air port to takeoff or land. A reductio n of manned air craft

conducting aeria l video and photography missions would result in fewer aircraft that must be

handle d by air traffic control during the ground, takeoff, and landing of flight operations.

Lastly, the DJI Phantom 3 is much safer to operate than la rger manned aircrafts as it does not

carry any passengers, contains no combustible fuel, and weighs in at under 3 pounds. Use of

sUAS also reduces noise and blowing produced by full size aircraft and is much safer in the

event of a failure both in the air and on the ground.

# s e c t i o n s f r o m w h i c h I s e e k e x e m p t i o n :

1 )

​ 9 1

. 7 ( a )

​ C i v i l a i r c r a f t a i r w o r t h i n e s s

.

( a ) N o p e r s o n m a y o p e r a t e a c i v i l a i r c r a f t u n l e s s i t i s i n a n a i r w o r t h y c o n d i t i o n

.



### ● T h e e q u i v a l e n t l e v e l o f s a f e t y e s t a b l i s h e d b y S e c t i o n 9 1

. 7 ( a ) w i l l b e m a i n t a i n e d b e c a u s e

p r i o r t o e v e r y f l i g h t

, I w i l l e n s u r e t h a t m y D J I P h a n t o m 3 i s i n a i r w o r t h y c o n d i t i o n b y

i n s p e c t i n g i t a n d c o m p l y i n g w i t h t h e D J I o w n e r ' s m a n u a l

.



## 2 )

6 1

. 1 0 1 ( e ) ( 4 ) a n d ( 5 )

( e )

​ E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n p a r a g r a p h s ( d ) a n d ( i ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n

, a r e c r e a t i o n a l p i l o t m a y n o t a c t a s p i l o t i n

c o m m a n d o f a n a i r c r a f t

—

4 ) F o r c o m p e n s a t i o n o r h i r e

( 5 ) I n f u r t h e r a n c e o f a b u s i n e s s ;

● A n e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s s e c t i o n w o u l d n o t p u t t h e s a f e t y o f a n y o n e o r a n y t h i n g a t r i s k b e c a u s e I w i l l

f o l l o w a l l l o c a l a n d n a t i o n a l l a w s

. I a m a n s a f e

, r e s p o n s i b l e

, a n d e x p e r i e n c e d p i l o t o f t h e D J I

P h a n t o m 3

. A n e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s s e c t i o n w i l l g r e a t l y b e n e f i t t h e p u b l i c a s s t a t e d a b o v e

.



## 3 )

​ 6 1

. 1 1 3 ( a )

​ ​ P r i v a t e p i l o t p r i v i l e g e s a n d l i m i t a t i o n s : P i l o t i n c o m m a n d

.

( a ) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n p a r a g r a p h s ( b ) t h r o u g h ( h ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n

, n o p e r s o n w h o h o l d s a p r i v a t e p i l o t

c e r t i f i c a t e m a y a c t a s p i l o t i n c o m m a n d o f a n a i r c r a f t t h a t i s c a r r y i n g p a s s e n g e r s o r p r o p e r t y f o r

c o m p e n s a t i o n o r h i r e ; n o r m a y t h a t p e r s o n

, f o r c o m p e n s a t i o n o r h i r e

, a c t a s p i l o t i n c o m m a n d o f a n a i r c r a f t

.

● I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s b e c a u s e i t w i l l b e n e f i t t h e p u b l i c w i t h o u t p u t t i n g a n y o n e a t r i s k

. A l s o

, t h e

a i r c r a f t d o e s n o t c a r r y p a s s e n g e r s o r p r o p e r t y f o r c o m p e n s a t i o n o r h i r e

.



## 4 )

## 9 1

. 1 1 9 ( c )

​ M i n i m u m s a f e a l t i t u d e s : G e n e r a l

.

( c ) 

### O v e r o t h e r t h a n c o n g e s t e d a r e a s

. A n a l t i t u d e o f 5 0 0 f e e t a b o v e t h e s u r f a c e

, e x c e p t o v e r o p e n w a t e r o r

s p a r s e l y p o p u l a t e d a r e a s

. I n t h o s e c a s e s

, t h e a i r c r a f t m a y n o t b e o p e r a t e d c l o s e r t h a n 5 0 0 f e e t t o a n y

p e r s o n

, v e s s e l

, v e h i c l e

, o r s t r u c t u r e

.

● I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s s e c t i o n b e c a u s e I f e e l t h a t I c a n o p e r a t e m y D J I P h a n t o m 3 c l o s e r t h a n

5 0 0 f e e t t o a n y p e r s o n

, v e s s e l

, v e h i c l e

, o r s t r u c t u r e i n a s a f e m a n n e r b e c a u s e o f t h e s i z e a n d

w e i g h t o f t h e a i r c r a f t

. H o w e v e r

, I w i l l a s k p e r m i s s i o n f r o m a n y o n e w h o m I w i l l b e o p e r a t i n g m y

a i r c r a f t w i t h i n 5 0 0 f e e t f r o m

. A l s o

, b y I k e e p i n g m y a i r c r a f t i n v i s u a l e y e s i g h t I c a n s e e w h e r e i t i s

a n d w h a t i s g o i n g o n a t a l l t i m e s

.



## 5 )

​ 9 1

. 1 2 1

​ A l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g s

.

( a ) E a c h p e r s o n o p e r a t i n g a n a i r c r a f t s h a l l m a i n t a i n t h e c r u i s i n g a l t i t u d e o r f l i g h t l e v e l o f t h a t a i r c r a f t

, a s

t h e c a s e m a y b e

, b y r e f e r e n c e t o a n a l t i m e t e r t h a t i s s e t

, w h e n o p e r a t i n g

— ( 1 ) B e l o w 1 8

, 0 0 0 f e e t M S L

, t o

— ( i ) T h e c u r r e n t r e p o r t e d a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g o f a s t a t i o n a l o n g t h e r o u t e a n d w i t h i n 1 0 0 n a u t i c a l m i l e s o f t h e

a i r c r a f t ;

( i i ) I f t h e r e i s n o s t a t i o n w i t h i n t h e a r e a p r e s c r i b e d i n p a r a g r a p h ( a ) ( 1 ) ( i ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n

, t h e c u r r e n t

r e p o r t e d a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g o f a n a p p r o p r i a t e a v a i l a b l e s t a t i o n ; o r

( i i i ) I n t h e c a s e o f a n a i r c r a f t n o t e q u i p p e d w i t h a r a d i o

, t h e e l e v a t i o n o f t h e d e p a r t u r e a i r p o r t o r a n

a p p r o p r i a t e a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g a v a i l a b l e b e f o r e d e p a r t u r e ; o r

( 2 ) A t o r a b o v e 1 8

, 0 0 0 f e e t M S L

, t o 2 9

. 9 2 ′′ H g

. ( b ) T h e l o w e s t u s a b l e f l i g h t l e v e l i s d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e a t m o s p h e r i c p r e s s u r e i n t h e a r e a o f o p e r a t i o n a s

s h o w n i n t h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e :

C u r r e n t a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g L o w e s t u s a b l e f l i g h t l e v e l

2 9

. 9 2 ( o r h i g h e r ) 1 8 0

2 9

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 9

. 4 2 1 8 5

2 9

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 8

. 9 2 1 9 0

2 8

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 8

. 4 2 1 9 5

2 8

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 7

. 9 2 2 0 0

2 7

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 7

. 4 2 2 0 5

2 7

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 6

. 9 2 2 1 0

( c ) T o c o n v e r t m i n i m u m a l t i t u d e p r e s c r i b e d u n d e r § § 9 1

. 1 1 9 a n d 9 1

. 1 7 7 t o t h e m i n i m u m f l i g h t l e v e l

, t h e

p i l o t s h a l l t a k e t h e f l i g h t l e v e l e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e m i n i m u m a l t i t u d e i n f e e t a n d a d d t h e a p p r o p r i a t e n u m b e r o f

f e e t s p e c i f i e d b e l o w

, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c u r r e n t r e p o r t e d a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g :

C u r r e n t a l t i m e t e r s e t t i n g A d j u s t m e n t f a c t o r2 9

. 9 2 ( o r h i g h e r ) N o n e

2 9

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 9

. 4 2 5 0 0

2 9

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 8

. 9 2 1

, 0 0 0

2 8

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 8

. 4 2 1

, 5 0 0

2 8

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 7

. 9 2 2

, 0 0 0

2 7

. 9 1 t h r o u g h 2 7

. 4 2 2

, 5 0 0

2 7

. 4 1 t h r o u g h 2 6

. 9 2 3

, 0 0 0



### ● I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s s e c t i o n b e c a u s e i t d o e s n o t a p p l y t o a D J I P h a n t o m 3

.



## 6 )

​ 9 1

. 1 5 1 ( a ) ( 1 )

​ § 9 1

. 1 5 1 F u e l r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r f l i g h t i n V F R c o n d i t i o n s

. ( a ) N o p e r s o n m a y b e g i n a f l i g h t i n a n a i r p l a n e u n d e r V F R c o n d i t i o n s u n l e s s ( c o n s i d e r i n g w i n d a n d

f o r e c a s t w e a t h e r c o n d i t i o n s ) t h e r e i s e n o u g h f u e l t o f l y t o t h e f i r s t p o i n t o f i n t e n d e d l a n d i n g a n d

, a s s u m i n g

n o r m a l c r u i s i n g s p e e d

—

( 1 ) D u r i n g t h e d a y

, t o f l y a f t e r t h a t f o r a t l e a s t 3 0 m i n u t e s ; o r

( 2 ) A t n i g h t

, t o f l y a f t e r t h a t f o r a t l e a s t 4 5 m i n u t e s

.

● I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h i s s e c t i o n b e c a u s e t h e D J I P h a n t o m 3 r u n s o n a b a t t e r y

, n o t f u e l

, a n d h a s a

t o t a l f l i g h t t i m e o f a r o u n d 2 2 m i n u t e s

. H o w e v e r

, t o m a i n t a i n s a f e t y

, t h e a i r c r a f t w i l l a u t o m a t i c a l l y

r e t u r n t o t h e p o i n t f r o m w h e r e i t t o o k o f f f r o m a s s o o n a s i t r e a c h e s 1 5 % b a t t e r y

. A l s o

, t h e o p e r a t i n g

s o f t w a r e o p e r a t o r m o n i t o r s e x a c t l y w h a t p e r c e n t o f t h e f u l l c h a r g e r e m a i n s a s w e l l a s a n e s t i m a t i o n

o f h o w m u c h f l i g h t t i m e r e m a i n s

.



## 7 )

9 1

. 4 0 5 ( a )

, 9 1

. 4 0 7 ( a ) ( 1 )

, 9 1

. 4 0 9 ( a ) ( 1 ) & ( a ) ( 2 )

, A n d 9 1

. 4 1 7 ( a ) & ( b )

● I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m t h e s e s e c t i o n s b e c a u s e t h e s e o n l y a p p l y t o a i r c r a f t w i t h a n a i r w o r t h i n e s s

c e r t i f i c a t e a n d t h e D J I P h a n t o m 3 d o e s n o t r e q u i r e t h e s e c e r t i f i c a t e s

. T h e D J I P h a n t o m 3 U A S

m e e t s t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f F M R A S e c t i o n 3 3 3 f o r o p e r a t i o n w i t h o u t a n a i r w o r t h i n e s s c e r t i f i c a t e

. I n

o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n m a x i m u m s a f e t y

, I p e r f o r m a n y m a i n t e n a n c e o n t h e a i r c r a f t w i t h e x t r e m e c a u t i o n

a n d c o m p l y w i t h t h e D J I o w n e r ‘ s m a n u a l

. A f t e r w a r d

, I w i l l t a k e t h e a i r c r a f t t o a l o c a t i o n t h a t i s f a re n o u g h f r o m a n y s t r u c t u r e s

, v e h i c l e s

, a n d p e o p l e t o t e s t t h e D J I P h a n t o m 3 a f t e r m a i n t e n a n c e t o

m a k e s u r e t h e a i r c r a f t i s i n a s a f e s t a t e o f o p e r a t i o n

. L a s t l y

, I w i l l d o c u m e n t a n y m a i n t e n a n c e

p e r f o r m e d o n t h e a i r c r a f t

.



# D J I P h a n t o m 3 M a n u a l

h t t p : // d o w n l o a d

. d j i

­ i n n o v a t i o n s

. c o m / d o w n l o a d s / p h a n t o m

_ 3 / e n / P h a n t o m

_ 3

_ P r o f e s s i o n a l

_ U s e r

_ M a n u a l

_ v 1

. 2

_ e n

. p d f



# s u m m a r y

I s e e k e x e m p t i o n f r o m a n u m b e r o f c o d e 1 4 C

. F

. R

. r e g u l a t i o n s t h a t w o u l d a l l o w m e t o u s e m y

D J I P h a n t o m 3 t o p r o v i d e a e r i a l p h o t o g r a p h y

, v i d e o g r a p h y

, a e r i a l i n s p e c t i o n s

, a n d r e a l e s t a t e

s e r v i c e s c o m m e r c i a l l y

. P l e a s e l e t m e k n o w i f t h e r e a r e a n y o t h e r s e c t i o n s t h a t s h o u l d h a v e

b e e n i n c l u d e d i n t h i s a p p l i c a t i o n

.