June 17, 2015

Exemption No. 11842

Regulatory Docket No. FAA–2015–1148

Mr. Daniel J. Austin

Chief Executive Officer

ProFly Drones

6609 Brook Court

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Dear Mr. Austin:

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 7, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of ProFly Drones (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an exemption. The petitioner

requested to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to conduct aerial photography, 

videography, mapping, surveying and search and rescue operations.

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 is a Q500 Typhoon.

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 collection1. 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, ProFly Drones 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.

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, ProFly Drones 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 Q500 Typhoon

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 

not 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 

limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents, 

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

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 
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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.

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 
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(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.

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.
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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 June 30, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures
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Project Officer: _______________

MR DANIEL J AUSTIN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PROFLY DRONES

6609 BROOK CT

FAIR OAKS CA 95628
April 7, 2015  

   

U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590

Re: Exemption Request under Section 333 

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, ProFly Drones (Unmanned Aerial Video), the operator of the

Q500 Typhoon Unmanned Aircraft System (“UAS”), seeks an exemption from the Federal 

Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) listed below.

The requested exemption would permit ProFly Drones to operate their Q500, which weighs 

under 3.5 lbs and produced by Yuneec, for commercial precision aerial surveys:

 Farm land with Terra 3D mapping

 Thermal mapping to aid in water conservation and use

 Agricultural mapping aiding in fertilizer growth patterns

 Search and Rescue

 Real estate

With the landowner’s permission, the Q500 uses an onboard camera to capture high quality 

digital images of the surveyed area. Use of the Q500 for aerial surveys reduces the need to 

operate conventional aircraft for the same purpose and provides very high quality imagery at a 

fraction of the cost. These savings result in enhanced efficiency and productivity for the affected 

activities, as well as environmental benefits.

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 exemption would authorize commercial operations 

of aerial surveys using the Q500, which at 3.5 lbs, is small in size. The Q500 will be operated 

under controlled conditions: 

 Operated by an individual who possess a current Commercial Pilot License 

 Low altitude of less than 400 AGL in airspace that is limited in scope 

 It will have automated control features, as described below 

 ProFly Drones will be offering their surveys as a service

 The airspace in which the UAS will operate will be logged for FAA inspection
ProFly Drones respectfully submits that because this small, unmanned aerial vehicle will be 

used in lieu of comparatively hazardous operations now conducted with fixed wing and rotary 

conventional aircraft, the FAA can have confidence that the operations will achieve at least an 

equivalent level or greater level of safety. Approval of this exemption would thereby enhance 

safety and fulfill the Secretary of Transportation’s (the FAA Administrator’s) responsibilities 

under Section 333(c) of the Reform Act to “establish requirements for the safe operation of such 

aircraft systems in the national airspace system.”

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. 91.7(b);

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

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, and are in

the public interest.

THE APPLICABLE LEGAL STANDARD UNDER SECTION 333

ProFly Drones submits that grant of this exemption application for use of the Q500 in precision 

aerial surveys will advance the Congressional mandate in Section 333 of the Reform Act to 

accelerate the introduction of UAS’s into the national airspace system (“NAS”) if it can be 

accomplished safely. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation to consider whether 

certain UASs 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 UASs 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 UAS’s size, weight, speed, and operational capability;

 Operation of the UAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas;

 Operation of the UAS within visual line of sight of the operator.

Reform Act § 333(a)(1). If the Secretary determines that such vehicles “may operate safely in 

the national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe operation 

of such aircraft in the national airspace system.” Id. §333(c). 

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 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 safety and cost savings associated with 

transitioning to UAS’s for aerial survey photography. Accordingly, the applicant respectfully 

requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without delay as these are services 

desperately needed in the California area due to drought issues.

Grant of the exemption to ProFly Drones will be subject to the following mandatory conditions, 

which are based upon operating conditions set forth for operation of UAS by public entities 

pursuant to Certificates 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 controlled-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)

o VLOS guaranteed with a cylinder of operation around operator of 1⁄2 nautical 

miles (NM)

o Cylinder walls may be expanded by additional observer’s 

 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

 All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county or city 

jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire, or other appropriate governmental 

agencies

Operator Requirements

ProFly Drones respectfully proposes that operator requirements should take into account the 

characteristics of the particular UAS. Certain UASs, such as the ProFly Drones Q500, are 

characterized by a high degree of pre-programmed control and various built-in technical 

capabilities that limit the potential for operation outside of the operating conditions set forth 

above.

The Q500 has a semi-autonomous navigation and control system comprised of a Ground 

Control Station (GCS), GPS stabilization and auto-pilot system. In the case of unplanned 

events, the operator can allow the aircraft to follow the pre-programmed evasive maneuvers 

from the control unit or enable assisted steering for direct control. Pre-programmed maneuvers 

include initiation of holding at present position; suspension of mission; fly back to launch point; 
fly to point and hold; abort mission and land; and emergency power cut off and land (Flight 

Termination System).

Additional automated safety functions and safety enhancing features of the Q500 include the 

following:

 Detection of lost GPS for 2 seconds will initiate a right hand orbit, allowing the operator 

time to enter “Altitude” control mode. After 20 seconds, if the operator elects to do 

nothing, the aircraft will begin an auto land.

 If the auto-pilot detects a lost-link to the GCS for longer than 5 seconds, the aircraft will 

orbit return to the designated “HOME” point, land and shut down. 

 Low power on the aircraft triggers an alarm on GCS at 12% (15 minutes left)

 On-board failsafe limits aircraft descent speed to a maximum of approximately 5 m/s

 The aircraft, weighing less than 3.5 lbs, fully loaded, is constructed of high impact 

plastic or similar material which is intended to absorb impact energy.

 The motor is driven by a pulse width modulated signal, not an analog signal.

In summary, applicant seeks an exemption from the FARs set forth above and in Appendix A 

to allow commercial operations of a small unmanned vehicle conducting precision aerial 

surveys.

Approval of the exemption allowing commercial operations of the Q500 for precision survey 

work will enhance safety by reducing risk. Conventional aerial survey operations, using jet or 

piston-powered aircraft present risks associated with vehicles that weigh in the neighborhood 

of 5,000 to 7,000 lbs, carry large quantities of fuel, passengers, and, in some cases, cargo. 

Such aircraft must fly to and from the survey location. In contrast, a Q500 weighing less than 

3.5 lbs and powered by batteries eliminates a portion of that risk given the reduced mass and 

lack of combustible fuel carried on board. The Q500 is carried to the survey location, not flown 

there. The Q500 will carry no passengers or crew and, therefore, will not expose any 

individuals to the risks associated with manned aircraft flights.

The operation of the Q500, weighing less than 3.5 lbs, for precision surveys in accordance with 

the strict conditions outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the 

grant of the exemptions requested herein, including exempting ProFly Drones from the 

requirements of Part 21.

The Q500’s satisfaction of the criteria set forth in Section 333 of the Reform Act—size, weight, 

speed, operating capabilities, lack of proximity to airports and populated areas, operation 

within visual line of sight, and national security—and its showing of an equivalent level of 

safety as it may relate to the requirement for a pilot’s license, provide more than adequate 

justification for the grant of the requested exemptions allowing commercial operation of the 

Q500 in the commercial precision video business.

Very truly yours, Pilots

Daniel J. Austin Timothy Nelson CFI # 3189381

Chief Executive Officer at ProFly Drones Daniel J. Austin CFI # 27223122
6609 Brook Ct. 

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

916-705-9897