July 29 , 2015

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Exemption Request Under Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

Dear Sir or Madam: Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Reform Act”) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, Barker Aerial Imaging (“BAI ”), purchaser and operator of the 2015 AgEagl e small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“sUAS”) seeks an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) listed below and discussed in Appendix A. Details of AgEagle and the 2015 AgEagle sUAS are described in Appendix B. [ Attached as Appendix C is a summary of this request. ] The requeste d exemption would permit BAI commercial operation of AgEagle’s 2015 AgEagle (see details in Appendix B), in the Precision Agriculture market space. The Air Vehicle weighs 7.5 lbs. with imaging payload, to perform market research, aerial surveys, mapping, and inspections that consist of still photographs, video, and other data taken by onboard sensors. The 2015 AgEagle uses DroneDeploy software which produces high quality imagery and d ata that can be used independen tly - or in the case of surveying and thermal modelling, can be combined to produce precision charts, contour maps and determine the health of a crop. Applications for th is sUAS include inspection of; mapping and surveying tasks in precision agriculture, crop scouting, crop insurance, hazard mitigation and in support of Federal Crop Management programs as well as search and rescue, fire spotting/monitoring, and law enforcement support operations

. Use of the 2015 AgEagle for these inspections and surveying applications reduces the need to operate conventional aircraft, providing data more quickly, accurately, economically, safely, and with reduced environmental impact. Operations under the exemption will be subject to strict operating requirements and conditions to ensure at least an equivalent level of safety to currently authorized operations using manned aircraft and under conditions as may be modified by the FAA as required by Section 333. As described more fully below, the requested exemptio n would authorize BAI to perform market research and commercial operations of aerial inspections and surveys using the 2015 AgEagle 1 , which at 7.5 lbs . is small in size and powered electrically by a Li

- Po battery. The 2015 AgEagle will be operated under controlled condi tions at low altitude (<400’ AGL ) in Class G airspace that is limited in scope, as described more fully herein. It will have automated control features, as described below. The 2015 AgEagle is d esigned to be operated by a single pers on but flight operations will involve two people , an operator and an observer. The operator is responsible for flying the sUAS, monitoring its statu s and flight dynamics while maintaining visual

- line

- of

- sight (VLOS) , and keeping the flight within the sp ecified factory limits (in terms of wind, flight range, battery life, etc

. ) to ensure safe operatio n of the sUAS itself. The observer is responsible fo r monitoring the airspace forother aircraft and hazards and instructing the operator before and during flight as necessary to ensure

safe launching and de-confliction with ANY aircraft or identified hazards. The operator also will be an individual who has passed the FAA approved or military equivalent ground training exam and authorized AgEagle training program for the 2015 AgEagle. Finally, the airspace in which the 2015 AgEagle will operate will be disclosed to and approved, as needed, by the FAA in advance.
BAI respectfully submits that because this small, unmanned aerial system

– the 2015 AgEagle

– will be used in lieu of comparatively hazardous operations now conducted with fixed and rotary wing conventional aircraft, the FAA can have confidence that the op erations will achieve at least an equivalent

- level or greater , of safety. Approval of this exemption would thereby enhance safety and f ulfill the Secretary of Transportation’s (the FAA Administrator’s) responsibilities under Section 333(c) of the Reform A ct to “establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft systems in the national airspace system.” The name and address of the applicant are: Barker Aerial Imaging 20025 Voltera Place Bend, OR +1 ( 530) 520

- 9194 The primary contact for th is application is: halflifeconsortium@gmail.com , +1 ( 530) 520

- 9194 The regulations from which the exemption is requested are as follows: 14 C.F.R. Part 21 ; 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b) ; 14 C.F.R. xx 1.113(a) & (b) ; 14 C.F.R. xx 1.133(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.7(a ) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.9(b)(2) & (c) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.103 ; 14 C.F.R. 91.109(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.119 ; 14 C.F.R. 91.151(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.203(a) & (b) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.405(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.407(a)(1) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.409(a)(2) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.417(a)

. Appendix A discusses each rule listed above and explains why exemptions pursuant to the proposal set forth in this letter are appropriate, provide an equivalent level of safety, a nd are in the public interest.
**THE APPLICABLE LEGAL STANDARD UNDER SECTION 333**
BAI submits that grant of this exemption application for use of the 2015 AgEagle in precision a griculture, market re search, surveying, mapping, inspection , fire, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations will advance the Congressio nal mandate in Section 333 of the Reform Act to accelerate the introduction of sUASs into the national airspace system (“NAS”) if it can beaccomplished safely. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation to consider whether certain

sUASs may operate safely in the NAS before completion of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of the Reform Act. In making this determination, the Secretary is required to determine which types of sUASs do not create a hazard to users of the NAS or the public or pose a threat to national security in light of the following:

 The sUAS’s size, weight, speed, and operational capability ;  Operation of the sUAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas ; and
 Operation of the sUAS within visual line of sight of the operato r. Reform Act § 333(a)(1). If the Secretary determines that such vehicles “may operate safely in the national airspace system, the Secretary shall establi sh requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft in the national airspace system.” Id. §333(c) (emphasis added). 2 The Federal Aviation Act expressly grants the FAA the authority to issue exemptions. This statutory authority, by its terms, includes exempting civil aircraft, as the term is defined under §40101 of the Act, from the requirement that all civil aircraft must have a current airworthiness certificate and those regulations requiring commercial pilots to operate aircraft in commercial service: The Administrator may grant an exemption from a requirement of a regulation prescribed under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any of sections 44702-4471 xx of this title if the Administ rator finds the exemption is in the public interest. 49 U.S.C. §44701(f). See also 49 USC §44711(a) ; 49 USC §44704; 14 CFR §91.203(a)(1). The grant of the requested exemption is in the public interest based on the clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act; the additional authority in the Federal Aviation Act, as amended ; the strong equivalent level of safety surrounding the proposed operations ; and the significant public benefit, including enhanced safe ty and cost savings associated with transitioning to sUASs for aerial surveying, mapping and inspection applications. Accordingly, the applicant respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without delay. **Airworthiness of the 2015**  **AgEagle** A critical element of the exemption application involves evidence of the airworthiness of AgEagle sUAS including the 2015 AgEagle. AgEagle believes that it has shown compliance through a history of fligh t oper ations totaling in excess of 19,00 0 operational hours. The criteria set forth in the o rder specify the substantive showings of the device’s safety and fitness for operation to ensure that the FAA has sufficient basis to evaluate the aircraft’s safety

. The 2015 AgEagle also has a significant set of automated features provided by DroneDeploy to ensure safe takeoff, flight and landing in many conditions, further details of operation can be found in Appendix B. Mandatory Operating ConditionsGrant of the exempti on to BAI will be subject to the following mandatory conditions, which are

based upon operating conditions set forth for operation of sUAS by public entities pursuant to Ce rtificates of Authorization, with additional restrictions:

 All operations to occur in Class G airspace.
 Operations to avoid congested or populated areas, which are depicted in yellow on VFR charts.
 Operations to be conducted over private or control led-access property.
 Permission from land owner/controller required before commencing any flight.
 Operations to occur during Visual Flight Rules Meteorological Conditions (VMC).
 Aircraft to remain within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS).
 VLOS guaranteed with a cylinder of operation around operator of 1⁄2 nautical miles (NM).
 Cylinder walls may be expanded by observer with ability to control aircraft.
 Operations to occur during daylight hours.
 Above Ground Level (AGL) altitude to be restricted to 400 feet.
 All operations conducted in vicinity of airport to remain more than 2.5 NM from centerline azimuth of runway centerline measured from runway thresholds.
 Operator will file a NOTAM for each flight.
 All required permi ssions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county or city jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire, or other appropriate governmental agencies.
 All operations will include one pilot for flight control and one observer for VLOS enhancement of sur rounding area near the aircraft. **Operator Requirements**
BAI respectfully proposes that operator requirements should take into account the characteristics o f the particular sUAS. Certain sUASs, such as the 2015 AgEagle, are characterized by a high degree of pre-programmed control and various built

- in technical capabilities that limit the potential for o peration outside of the operating conditions set forth above. The 2015 AgEagle sUAS also provides many built

- in functional and safety features to assist the operator in safe and reliable operation powered by DroneDeploy risk

- mitigation software

. The 2015 AgEagle provides two semi-autonomous flight modes using a point-and-cli ck map and video interface. The user clicks on a map to direct the 2015 AgEagle to fly to the point on the map where the operator is pointing, or programmed flight plans may be entered for a series of waypoints or grid based area. Additional navigation aids including landing zones a nd flight areas may be designated to ensure the 2015 AgEagle operates only within user-specified flight p arameters. All flight operations are GPS controlled making the system easy to navigate, and the flight control system also employs a v ariety of sensors including sonar, barometric pressure, temperature, wind speed and others to ensure the high stability and reliability in challenging weather conditions. At all times during flight operations, the operator can intervene a progra mmed flight and take immediate control. Using DroneDeploy’s software package, a dditional automated safety functions and safety enhancing features of the 2015 AgEagle include the following: ● Automated pre-flight system performance checks● User pre-flight checklist

● “ Hit the deck” mode can be activated by simply pushing a button on the controller which causes the aircraft to drop from its cruising altitude to 50 above the ground and circle there to avoid a collision with another aircraft. ● Automated condion or fault detecon, warnings, and pre-defined responses to a number of flight and system conditions.

◦ High winds with system and user define d safety thresholds

◦ Low battery with system and user defined safety thresholds

◦ High temperature or other system safety thresholds

◦ Lost-link communication ● Pre-defined responses include behavior such as a empng to re-establish radio communication, return to home position and hover, return to home position and land, or land in current position ● In the case of lost GPS, a manual user flight mode is enabled which allows the operator to provide manual navigation inputs to assist in landing the vehicle. Given the se safety features, BAI propo ses that operators of the 2015 AgEagle should not be required to hold a commercial or private pilot certification. Instead, operators s hould be required to: ● have successfully completed, at a minimum, FAA private pilot ground instrucon and passed the FAA Private Pilot written examination or FAA-recognized equivalents including commercial or private license and ground school issued from an ICAO recognized country ; ● have completed AgEagle’s authorized training program for operaon and maintenance of the sUAS.
BAI notes that the FAA has found that safety factors permitted operation of sUASs by operators with these qualifications in the case of operations pursuant to public COAs when the mandatory operating conditions specified abo ve were present. See Federal Aviation Administration, Notice N-8900.227, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operational Approval, at 20-21 (July 30, 2013). The FAA has the statutory authority to grant exemptions to the requirement s for and privileges associated with the grant of airmen’s certificates. 49 USC §44701 (f). In summary, applicant seeks an exemption from the FARs set forth above and in Appendix C to allow market research and commercial operations of a small unmanned vehicl e in surveying, mapping, inspection , agriculture, fire, law enforcement, search and rescue operations

. Approval of the exemption allowing commercial operations of the 2015 AgEag le for surveying, mapping, inspection , agriculture, fire, law enforcement, search and rescue operations will enhance safety by reducing risk. Conventional aerial survey and inspection operations using manned aircraft involve very heavy aerial vehicles carrying significant quantities of combustible fuels, and a multi-person crew in piloting and observation roles. These operations require transit to and from the location of the activity, and often take place in congested environments and includ e close proximity to physical obstacles an d/or presence of the general public. By contrast, the 2015 AgEagle weighs 7.5 lbs including payloads and uses a battery for power, is transported or carried to/from the area of activity, removes the need for airborne pilots/observers, and poses less risk to people and infrastructure on the ground.Additionally, no national security issue is raised by the grant of the requested exemptions. Given the

size, load carrying capacity, speed at which it operates, and the f act that it carries no explosives or other dangerous materials, the 2015 AgEagle poses no threat to national security. The operation of the 2015 AgEagle for market research, surveying, mapping and inspection operations in accordance with the strict con ditions outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the grant of the exemption s requested herein, including exempting AgEagle from the requirements of Part 21. The 2015 AgE agle’s satisfaction of the criteria set forth in Secti on 333 of the Reform Act (i.e. s ize, weight, speed, operating capabilities, operation within VLOS and lack of proximity to airports, populated or areas national security ) and demonstrated equivalent level of safety as it relate s to the requirement for FAA pilot certification, provide more than adequate justification for the grant of the requested exemptions allowing AgEagle commercial operation of the 2015 AgEagle in agricultural market research, surv eying, mapping, inspection, fire support, law enforceme nt, and search and rescue operations. In conclusion, the safe operation of the 2015 AgEagle is of utmost concern and safety remains paramount. BAI intends to operate within the spirit of all applicable FAA regulations and will adhere to any further refine ments. The op eration of precision sUAS’s in remote areas across the country are literally of little safety concern, provided the operators and observers maintain integrity of the flight, pose no risk to airborne platforms, and/or mitigate all risk to groun d personnel and property.
Respecfully , Barker, William R. Barker Aerial Imaging (BAI)
**APPENDIX A EXEMPTION REQUEST AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY SHOWINGS UNDER**  **APPLICABLE RULES SUBJECT TO EXEMPTION** 
BAI requests an exemption from the following regulations as well as any additional regulations that may technically apply to the operation of the 2015 AgEagle: **14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR § 91.203(a)(1)**  Section 91.203(a)(1) requires all civil aircraft to have a certificate of airworthiness. Part 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requir ements for the issuance of a irworthiness certificates as required by FAR § 91.203(a)(1). Given the size of the aircraft ( 7.5 lbs.) and the limited operating area associated with its utilization, it is unnecessary to go through the certificate of airworthiness process under Part 21 Subpart H to achieve or exceed current safety lev els. Such an exemption meet s the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act and Section 333 of the Reform Act both authorize theFAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement fo r an airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the

size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the sUAS involved. In this case, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the 2015 AgEagle operated without an airworthiness certificate, under the condition s proposed herein, will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) with an airworthiness certificate. The 2015 AgEagle weighs 7.5 lbs. fu lly loaded . It will not carry a pilot or passenger, will not carry flammable fuel, and will operate exclusively within an area pre-disclosed and in compliance with conditions set forth herein. Operations under this exemption will be tightly con trolled and monitored by both the o perator, pursuant to the conditions set forth above, and by local public safety requirements. The FAA will have advance notice o f all operations through the filing of NOTAMs. Receipt of the prior permission of the land o wner, the size of the aircraft, the lack of flammable fuel, and the fact that the aircraft is carried to the location and not flown there all establish the equivalent level of safety. The 2015 AgEagle provides at least an equivalent, and most likely e xceeds, level of safety to that of such operations being conducted with conventional manned aircraft that would be significantly larger and would be carrying additional personnel, cargo, and flammable fuel. The automated safety features including redundant sensor systems as described in Appendix B and throughout this document highlight the design intentions towards safety and reliability on the 2015 AgEagle. **14 C.F.R. § 45.23 & 91.9(c): Marking of the Aircraft** Regulation 45.23 provides: (a) Each operator of an aircraft must display on that aircraft marks consisting of the Roman capital letter “N” (denoting United States registration) followed by the registration n umber of the aircraft. Each suffix letter used in the marks displayed must also be a Roman capital letter. (b) When marks include only the Roman capital letter “N” and the registration number is displayed on limited, restricted or light-sport cate gory aircraft or experimental or provisionally certificated aircraft, the operator must also display on that aircraft near each entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station, in letters not less t han 2 inches nor more than xx inches high, the words “limited,” “restricted,” “light-sport,” “experimental,” or “provisional,” as applicable. Regulation 91.9(c) provides: No person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft unless that aircraft is identified in accordance with part 45 of this chapter. The 2015 AgEagle has no entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station on which the markings can be placed. Given th e size of the sUAS, two inch lettering will be impossible. Official marking systems for small UAS have not yet been established for operations inside the NAS. The 2015 AgEagle is currently marked with a fixed label containing AgEagle Labs 2015 AgEagle measuring 1.5” x 0.5” as well as a serial number located under the remo vable camera payload. BAI is prepared to mark the inspection system with the our name and location or origin and ful fill any other request by the FAA to this topic in accordance to § 45.29(f) where the pilot, observer, and others working with the sUAS will see the identification of the sUAS.The FAA has issued the following exemptions to this regulation, see Exemption Nos. 8738,

101 xx 7, 101 xx 7A and 10700. **14 C.F.R. § xx**  **1.113(a) & (b) ;**  **xx 1.133(a): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations**  **; Pilot in Command**  **; Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations.**
Section xx 1.113(a) & (b) limit private pilots to non-commercial operations. Unlike a conventional aircraft that carries a pilot, passengers, and cargo, the 2015 AgEagle in this case is remotely controlled with no passengers or property of others on board. Section xx 1.133(a) requires an individual with a commercial pilot’s license to be pilot in command of an aircraft for compensation or hire. AgEagle respectfully proposes that operator requirements should take into account the charac teristics of th e particular sUAS. AgEagle’s 2015 AgEagle has a high degree of pre-programmed control and various built-in technical capabilities through DroneDeploy’s software that strictly limit the potential for operation outside of the operating con ditions set forth in the exemption application. The 2015 AgEagle has an all-digital software platform powered by DroneDeploy with advanced features previously restricted to full size unmanned aircraft. Automated features and advanced fly-safe controls enable safe, reliable operation, as well as advanced networking capabilities and system extensibility. ● Plan your flight or fly ad-hoc: The system can autonomously fly a programmed flight path or fly in manual mode ● Smart ba eries and charger: Flight time and battery minutes are d isplayed at all times. The system will return home and land automatically if user-configurable limits are reached. Flight safety is a priority, no matter the operating e nvironment or project. The 2015 AgEagle offers superior safety over manned aircraft by removing the need for people to be onboard in potentially dangerous situations. With multiple built-in safety features, the AgEagle platform leads other sUAS with respect to safety. ● Intelligent fault handling: The system automatically detects potential issues - with configurable automated response behavior such as a return-home-and-land routine ● Automac pre-flight checks: The system self-calibrates all of its sensors and performs self-tests prior to takeoff to check for errors ● No-fly zones: The system has the ability to set up visual no-fly zones ● Self-monitoring: Monitoring ba ery levels, in-flight wind speeds, and othe r sy stem and E nvironmental conditions are automatically handled by the system ● Ba ery communicaon: Ba ery minutes and flight me are displayed at all mes. The system will return home and land automatically if user-configura ble limits are reached. Additional automated safety functions and safety enhancing features of the 2015 AgEagle include the following: ● Auto detecon of lost GPS warns the pilot and iniates an immediate landing. ● Low ba ttery on the 2015 AgEa gle triggers a Non

- Fatal Warning alarm to return home, land and replace the battery ● Very low ba ery on the 2015 AgEagle triggers an Fatal Error alar m and initiates an emergency high speed descent l anding. ● If the 2015 AgEagle detects a lost-link to the base station the vehicle will perform its pre-defined Non-Fatal Condition Response.Given t hese safety features, BAI proposes that operators of the 2015 AgEagle should not be

required to hold a commercial or private pilot certification. Instead, operators should be required to: ● have successfully completed, at a minimum, FAA private pilot ground instrucon and passed the FAA Private Pilot written examination or FAA-recognized equivalents including ICAO issued commercial, private license and ground school ; ● have completed AgEagle’s training program for operaon of the sUAS.
BAI notes that the FAA has found that safety factors permitted operation of sUASs by operators with these qualifications in the case of operations pursuant to public COAs where the mandatory operating conditions specified above are present. See Federal Aviation Administration, Notice N-8900.227 , Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operational Approval, at 20-21 (July 30, 2013). The FAA has the statutory authority, granted at 49 U.S.C.§44701(f) to waive the pilot requirements for commerci al operations. Given these conditions and restrictions, an equivalent level of safety will be provided by allowing operation of the 2015 AgEagle without a private pilot’s certificate or a commercial pilot’s certificate, under the conditions set forth herein. The risks associated with the operation of the 2015 AgEagle (given its size, speed, operational capabilities, and lack of combustible fuel) are so diminished from the level of risk associated with private pilot operations or commercial operations contemplated by Part xx 1 with conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft), that allowing operations of the sUAS as set forth above meets or exceeds the present level of safety provided under 14 C.F.R. § xx 1.113(a) & (b) and does not rise to the level of requiring a commercial pilot to operate the airc raft under § xx 1.133(a). **14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a): Civil aircraft airworthiness.** This regulation requires t hat no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. Should the exemption be granted allowing commercial operation of the 2015 AgEagle without an airworthiness certificate, no standard will exist for airworthiness of the 2015 AgEagle. Given the size of the aircraft and the previous COAs issued for AgEagle’s 2015 AgEagle and 2015 AgEagle, an equivalent level of safety will be achieved by ensuring compliance with the AgEagle manuals prior to each flight. **14 C.F.R. § 91.9(b)(2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft.** The regulation provides: No pers on may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft ... (2) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by §21.5 of this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved manual material, markings, and placards, or any combination thereof. Given the size and configuration of the 2015 AgEagle, it has no ability or place to carry such a flight manual on the aircraft, not only because there is no pilot on board, but because there is no room or capacity to carry such an item on the aircraft.The equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping the flight manual (see, e.g., User

Guide, Exhi bit 1) at the ground control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to it. The FAA has issued to others the following exemptions to this regulation: Exemption Nos. 8 xx 07, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A, 95 xx 5, 95 xx 5B, 1 01 xx 7, 101 xx 7A, 10 xx 02, 32827, and 10700. **14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight action** This regulation requires each pilot in command to take certain actions before flight to insure the safety of flight. As FAA approved rotorcraft flight manuals will not be provided for the aircraft an exemption will be needed. An equivalent level of safety will be provided as set forth in the 2015 AgE agle User Manual under the ‘Getting Ready to Fly’ section. The PIC will take all a ctions including reviewing weather, flight battery requirements, landing and takeoff distances and aircraft performance data before initiation of flight. **14 C.F.R. § 91.109(a) & 91.319(a)(1): Flight Instruction** These regulations pro vide that no person may operate a civil aircraft (except a manned free balloon) that is being used for flight instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls. The 2015 AgEagle is a remotely piloted aircraft and by desi gn, does not have fully functional dual controls. Flight control is accomplished through the use of a control box that communicates with the aircraft via radio communications. The flight plan is either manually controlled through point-and-click touchscreen navigation or pre-programmed as way points or an AutoGrid into the auto pilot before or during flight and only in unusual circumstances will the pilot input control functions to alter the pre-programmed flight. If instruction is accomplished through a training program provided by AgEagle , an equivalent level of safety will be assured. The FAA has approved exemptions for flight training without fully functional dual controls for a number of aircraft and for flight instruction in experimental aircraft. See Exemption Nos. 5778K & 98 xx 2A. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved by the manufacturer providing the training and through the use of experienced a nd qualified pilots familiar with the 2015 AgEagle. **14 CFR § 91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes** Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Specifically, 91.119(c) limits aircraft flying over areas other than conge sted areas to an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
As set forth herein, the 2015 AgEagle will never operate at higher than 400 feet AGL. It will, however, be operated to avoid congested or populated areas that are depicted in yellow on VFR sectional charts. Because aerial survey, mapping and inspection work must be accomplished at relatively low altitudes and at altitudes less than 500 feet AGL, an exemption from Section 91.119(c) is needed. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weig ht, speed, and material with which the 2015 AgEagle is built. Also, no flight will be taken without the permission of the landowner or those who control the land. Because of the advance notice to the landowner, all

a ffected individuals will be aware of the flights. Compared to aerial survey operations conducted with aircraft or rotorcraft weighing far more than 7.5 lbs. and carrying flammable fuel, any risk associated with these operations will be far less than those currently allowed with conventional aircraft operating at or below 500 feet AGL. Indeed, the low-altitude operations of the sUAS will maintain separation between these sUAS operations and the ope rations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119. **14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions** This regulation prohibits an individual from beginning “a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assu ming normal cruising speed

– (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes ; or (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes.” The 2015 AgEagle ba tteries provide approximately 40 minutes of powered flight. Without an e xemption from § 14 CFR 91.151, the sUAS’s flights would be limited to approximately 20 minutes in length. Given the limitations on its proposed operations and the location of those proposed operations, a longer time frame for flight in daylight VFR conditi ons is reasonable. AgEagle believes that an exemption from 14 CFR § 91.151(a) is safe and within the scope of a prior exemption. See Exemption 10 xx 73 (allowing Lockheed Martin Cor poration to operate without compliance with 91.151(a)). Operating the sUAS, without 30 minutes of reserve fuel does not engender the type of risks that Section 91.151(a) was meant to prevent given the size and speed at which the sUAS operates. The fact that it carries no pilot, passenger, or cargo also enhances its safety. Additionally, limiting 2015 AgEagle flights to 20 minutes would greatly reduce their utility. In the unlikely event that the 2015 AgEagle should run out of fuel (battery power) , it would simply land. Given its weight and construction material, the risks are less than contemplated by the current regulation. AgEagle believes that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved by maintaining 10 minutes of reserve fuel, which, allo wing 3 0 minutes of flight time, would be more than adequate to return the sUAS to its p lanned landing zone from anywhere in its operating area. The FAA has granted similar exemptions to others, including Exemptions 2 xx 89 F, 5745, 10 xx 73 and 10808. **14 C.F.R. § 91.203 (a) & (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and Registration** This regulation provides as follows: (a) ... no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it ha s ... an appropriate and curr ent airworthiness certificate. (b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorizati on issued under §91.715 is displayed at the cabin or co ckpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew.The 2015 AgEagle fully loaded weighs approximately 7.5 lbs . As such, there is no ability or place to

carry certification and registration documents or to display them on the sUAS. In addition, there is no pilot on board the aircraft. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the ground control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to th em. The FAA has issued numerous exemptions to this regulation. A representative sample of other exceptions includes Exemption Nos. 95 xx 5, 9 xxxx 5, 9789, 9789A, 9797, 9797A, 981 xx A, and 10700. **14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a) ; 407(a)(1); 409(a)(2); 417(a): Mainte**  **nance Inspections** Section 91.405(a) requires that an aircraft operator or owner “shall have that aircraft inspected as prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except as provided in paragraph (c) of this s ection, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part 43 of this chapter ...” Section 91.407 similarly makes reference to requirements in Part 43 ; Section 91.409(a)(2) requires an annual inspection for the issuance of an air worth iness certificate. Section 91.417(a) requires the owner or operator to keep records showing certain maintenance work that has been accomplished by certificated mechanics, under Part 43, or licensed pilots and records of approval o f the aircraft for return to service. The 2015 AgEagle is nearly maintenance free, DroneDeploy’s software performs automatic pre- flight checks and the failure of any check will prevent take-off. Checks which cannot be done by the system will be performed by a quali fied person prior to each flight and at predefined intervals as part of the Maintenance Schedule in the User Manual (see Exhibit 1).
Pre- flight checklist includes: 1. Visual inspection of the airframe 2. Visual inspections of rotor integrity 3. Check charge of all batteries (aerial vehicle, command station, radio repeater station) An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the sUAS is small in size, will carry no external payload, will operate only in restricted predetermined areas and is not a complex mechanical devise. As in the User Guide (System Maintenance section), the operator of 2015 AgEagle will ensure that the sUAS is in working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance, and keep a log of any maintenance that is performed. Moreover, the operator is the person most familiar with the aircraft and is best sui ted to maintain the aircraft in an airworthy condition and to ensure an equivalent level of safety. The 2015 AgEagle’s Maintenance guidelines ensure an equivalent level of safety to the maintenance requirements in Part 91. In a ddition, any component failure detectable by the system will be reported to the control station and will cause the UAV to perform a Fatal Condition Response (FCR) or Non-Fatal Conditioned Response (NFCR), depending on the type of failure.**APPENDIX B SMALL UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION** 

AgEagle Corporate Overview: AgEagle is a United States company located in Neodeshsa, KS

. AgEagle is focused on providing micro unmanned aerial system and is globally recognized as the market and technology leader in this space. Key customers range from individual farmers to agronomists doing research as well as others outside of the USA. AgEagle systems have a demonstrated safety track record. The AgEagle sUAS platforms were the first to officially fly a total of 19,080 operational hours.
2015 AgEagle Overview: AgEagle unmanned systems have been used to map approximately 1,272,000 acres. The 2015 AgEagle can carry payloads up to 2.5 pounds . The 2015 AgEagle flies at a maximum wind threshold of 43 M.P.H. for sustained winds and wind gusts up to 55 M.P.H.. What is unique about the AgEagle 2015 AgEagle is the system aut omatically compensates for wind versus relying on the operator’s ‘sense of feel’ for what the impact of the wind is at the altitude the system is flying. The end result is a system capable of gathering high quality aerial intelligence at much hig her wind thresholds. A trait that is imperative for many aerial inspection operations. The 2015 AgEagle has an operational range of up to 20 Statue miles ( 17.38 Nautical Miles )

. All flight operations are GPS controlled making the system extremely easy to navigate. At any point if the operator is not explicitly commanding the system to move, the system automatically holds its GPS position (i.e. GPS hold for reliable location hover). Camera positioning is also GPS controlle d allowing for the most sophisticated camera targeting available. The flight control system employs not only GPS positioning but a variety of sensors including sonar, barometric pressure, temperature, wind speed and others to ensure the most stabili ty of any system in its class

- regardless of the wind. Powered by DroneDeploy, t he 2015 AgEagle can be operated in both semi and fully autonomous flight modes. Creating preplanned flight paths to fly in autonomous mode is as simple as clicking on the map to create a preplanned flight path. In semi-autonomous mode , the operator clicks on the map and the AgEagle 2015 AgEagle automatically flies to the point on the map where the operator is pointing. Pre-mission waypoints, Landing zone points and flight area dimensions can all be entered dur ing preflight ensuring the 2015 AgEagle operates only within specified parameters. The 2015 AgEagle includes many advanced safety features that makes the 2015 AgEagle the safest choice for both urban and non-urban environments. Built-in intelligent f ault handling allows the 2015 AgEagle to detect a system fault while in the air, and to automatically fly back to its take-off location and land. Faults that can be detected include: loss of communication ; pre-set wind thresholds exceeded ; and low battery levels. In addition, the operator can create no fly zones or maximum flight ranges and altitudes so the system cannot enter areas deemed unsafe or unnecessary to fly over. And before every take-off automated flight checks ensure the system is flight ready before it takes off.The 2015 AgEagle can be operated entirely by a touch-screen, map based interface. This means The

operator only needs to command the system where to go, and the system does al l the flying for the operator. Maps can be saved and flight plans can be made or recalled.
**2015 AgEagle Operating Manual**  - System user manual available upon request.
**Physical Characteristics :**  Measurements
– 56” wingspan X 6.5” long Weight (without payload but with batteries )

– 7 pounds Weight with payload (T/O weight)

– 7.5 pounds Fuel

- Batteries Landing style/type

– belly landing Propulsion System ● Engines
– The 2015 AgEagle is powered by 1 electric br ushless DC motor

. ● Ba eries
– Lithium polymer batteries are self-contained high duration systems with SMART intelligence on-board. This includes cycle charge times, locations, GPS antenna, chemical management, and real-time data feed s to ensure maximum flight duration and sub-system safety processes. Charging is done in the included AgEagle Battery charger and can be charged via standard wall outlet, or via a vehicle. Performance Characteristics ● Maxi mum Altitude

– 400 AGL ● Maximum Endurance

– 40 minutes ● Maximum Range
– VLOS (Visual Line Of Sight) ● Weather Minimums - NA ● Winds Maximum

– 40 MPH ● Minimum ceiling:

- VLOS (Visual Line Of Sight) ● Minimum visibility:

- VLOS (Vi sual Line Of Sight) ● Icing condions

– no icing conditions ● Precipitaon
– no visible moisture
Maintenance
– The UAS is nearly maintenance free, it performs automati c pre-flight checks and the failure of any check will pre vent take-off. Checks which cannot be d one by the system will be performed by a qualified person prior to each flight. Pre-flight checklist includes: ● Visual inspecon of the airframe ● Visual inspecons of rotor integrity ● Check charge of all ba eries (aerial vehicle, command staon, radio repeater staon) Reliability

– The system is designed for maximum reliability and to maintain performance over its life. The only components experience routine wear are rotor s, batteries, motors, and legs. Battery and motor conditions are monitored by the system with deviations reported to the operator. Contact with other objects during flight may cause other components, particularly rotors, and motor arms, t o become damaged. Damaged components are likely to be detected during thefull visual inspection of the airframe performed before each flight. Structural damage affecting

flight characteristics will be detected by on-board sensors

. The UAV system detects numerous conditions which may make flying unsafe, such as reduced GPS accuracy, magnetic anomalies, low battery charge, battery cell imbalances, temperature fluctuations. Automatic pre-flight checks preve nt the UAV from taking off if such conditions are present ; or, if the condition is detected during flight, the system will trigger a Fatal Conditioned Response. Fault Tolerance - The key feature of the UAV fault tolerance is its mechanical simplicity. It uses four fixed pitched rotors, each mounted on a separate motor. No control surfaces or other actuators are required for the UAS to fly. Any component failure detectable by the system will be reported to the contr ol station and will cause the UAV to perform a Fatal Condition Response (FCR) or Non-Fatal Conditioned Response (NFCR), depending on the type of failure. Command and Control Systems The 2015 AgEagle Ground Control station allows the oper ator simultaneous control over aircraft and payloads. The touch screen control allows for quick navigation and data entry while the display screen provides all essential flight data to the operator. Telemetry data is tran smitted to the command station at l east once per second. Displayed on GCS: ● UAS Posion ● Navigaon Route ● UAS Tail Number ● UAS Posion ● UAS Altude ● UAS Heading ● North Seeking Arrow ● Range to Target ● Calculated target pos ition ● Date/me ● Sensor heading and orientaon relave to UAS On-board Flight Instruments

– The UAV is equipped with an Inertial Navigation System (3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis magnetometer, GPS receiver, and static pressure sensor) and a sonar sensor for precision AGL altitude measurement.
On
– board computer systems

– The UAS is equipped on-board computer systems to monitor (sensors, battery, etc.), control (speeds, altitude, position, etc.), and co mmunicate (control, telemetry, etc.). On-board guidance and navigation equipment

– The UAS can operate autonomously ; it does not require any input from ground-based eq uipment, or from the pilot to hover in place. Frequency Allocations

– 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 1,700
– 2,100 Mhz, customFlight termination link

– to prevent a “fly away” or other potentially da ngerous situation a flight

termination link is available to the operator at the GCS. Takeoff and Landing

– The 2015 AgEagle has vertical lift autonomous launch and recovery. A Landing Zone “LZ” is designated by the operators and identified in the GCS softw are. For launch proc edures the aircraft will takeoff and hover 3 meters directly above the LZ and hold until further operator instruction is given. The aircraft will automatically adjust for wind during this period. Navigation System
– Specific maps can be downloaded to the display screen (such as air sectional and geographic maps) which are overlaid with GPS positional data. Wa ypoints can be created before and during flight operation creating specific locations and sequences for the aircra ft. Redundant Systems

– The UAS combines the input from a multitude of sensors. Even though the data from all sensors is required for optimal system performance, a singl e sensor malfunction is likely to result in degraded performance rather than leading to a catastrophic failure.
**Emergency Procedures and System Failures** Failure Handling

– The UAS has extensive failure detection and handling capabilities. All failures are deeded to be either fatal or non-fatal. Failure s classified as fatal result in a Fatal Condition Response (FCR) ; and failures classified as non-fatal result in a Non-Fatal Condition Response (NFCR). Sensor Failure

– Failure of on-board flight instruments/sensors will degrade the UAS performance and will result in either a FCR or a NFCR, depending on their severity. If the UAS becomes unstable due to sensor failure, it will stop all four motors and free fall to avoid a fly away condition. Motor Failure

– The UAS flight performance will degrade significantly if one or more motors fail

. Airframe Failure

– If airframe is damaged in ways that impacts flight characteristics, the UAS will behave similar to if an on-board flight instrument failed. Navigation System Failure

– In a navigation system failure, degr aded GPS will result in FCR or NFCR ‘s depending on failures. Power Failure

– A complete battery failure which results in power loss to the UAS will result i n degraded flight performance. Low Battery Cond ition
– Operator will be alerted of a low battery condition and will land the aircraft as soon as able. Low Battery Condition

– Operator will be alerted of a low battery condition and will land the aircraft as soon as able. Line-of-Sight Loss

– All f light operations will be conducted with the UAS within visual sight of the pilot.If the pilot’s view becomes obstructed and line-of-sight is lost, the pilot ma y instruct the UAS to hover in

place until line-of-sight is reestablished, to return to the tak e-off posit ion, or to land at the current position. **Security** The system and communication links are encrypted by the manufacturer’s proprietary software.**APPENDIX C SUMMARY OF BAI**  **SECTION 333 EXEMPTION REQUEST**

BAI hereby provides pursuant to Part 11 , a summary of its exemption application to allow commercial operation of the 2015 AgEagle small unmanned system in : agricultural market research, data collection, scouting, precision aerial survey work, mapp ing, inspect ions , fire, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations . An exemption is requested from the following regulations:
14 C.F.R. Part 21 ; 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b) ; 14 C.F.R. xx 1.113(a) & (b) ; 14 C.F.R. xx 1.133(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.7(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91. 9(b)(2) & (c) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.103 ; 14 C.F.R. 91.109(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.119 ; 14 C.F.R. 91.151(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.203(a) & (b) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.405(a) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.407(a)(1) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.409(a)(2) ; 14 C.F.R. 91.417(a)