April 16, 2015

Exemption No. 11341 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

− 20 15

− 0037

Mr. Bob Sokoler The Sokoler Medley Team RE/MAX Properties East

10525 Timberwood Circle

Louisville

, KY 40223

Dear Mr. Sokoler :

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.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated January 8, 2015 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on

behalf of The Sokoler Medley Team ( hereinafter petitioner or operator ) for an exemption

. The exemption would all ow the petitioner to operate an unmanned ai rcraft system (UAS) to

conduct aerial imaging and video of Louisville Landmarks and homes the team list s for sale

.

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

the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption

.

The FAA has determined that g ood 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 DJI Phantom 2 Vision +

.2

The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, C ertification procedures for products and parts, Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates . In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of P ublic Law 112

− 95 in reference to 49 U

. S

. C

. § 44704, and in 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, C ertification 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 collection . The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition. In Grants of Exemption No. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352), 11109 to Clayco, Inc. ( see Docket No. FAA

− 20 14

− 0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 11213 to Aeryon Lab s , 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 peti tioner 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 i nterest.

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.

Ther efore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, The Sokoler Medley Team 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 limi tations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, The Sokoler Medley Team is hereafter referred to as the operator.3

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

Vision + when weighing less than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed operations of any other aircraft will requir e 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 holde r 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 U A 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 v ision 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 sigh t (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 ;

e lectronic 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

document s 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 lim itations 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 revised4

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 func tional 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 m anner 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, a nd 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, privat e, 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 Col u mbia , Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal

government. The PIC must also meet the flight revi ew 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 op erate 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 with5

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 mann er 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

- buil ding 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 nig ht, 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 poin t (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

ma nagement 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 l ess 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 pri vate 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 accorda nce 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.6

23. Documents used b y 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 m ade 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 vehicl e.

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 t he 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 immedia tely 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 Transp ortation 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 fo llowing 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.7

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

mu st 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 pro duction 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 p roduction, 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, a nd 91.

This exemption terminates on April, 30, 2017 , unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards ServiceSokoler Petition Page 1 Bob Sokoler The Sokoler Medley Team RE/MAX Properties East
10525 Timberwood Circle Louisville KY,, 40223 (Office) 502

- 992

- 4137 (Fax) 502

- 992

- 4137

January 8, 2015

U. S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE Washington, DC 20590

Subject: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations from 14 C.F.R. Part 21, 45.27(a), 45.29 (3) (c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h), 61.113 (a) & (b), 91.103, 91.119, 91.121, 91.203, 91.151

Following the format of FAA Exemption No. 11138

- Regulatory Docket No. FAA

– 2014

– 0481 I have included: 1) Supplemental Response for Petition 2) PHANTOM Flying F low Chart V1.0 (Simplified Version), PHANTOM Quick Start Manual v1.7, PHANTOM Advanced Manual v. 1.4 3) PHANTOM 2 Vision+ User Manual 4) Personal protocols and controls

- Safety/Flight concerns

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, I, Bob Sokoler, a licensed Realtor for 10 years, preparing this exe mption request myself, would like to apply for an exemption from the following Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R) to be allowed commercial operation of lightweight Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for aerial imaging and video of Louisville Landmarks and

h omes I list for sale.

I have experience in flying hobby quads for recreational purposes during the past 3 years without incident. I have added a hobby grade DJI Phantom 2 quad

- copter (maximum gross weight 3 pounds, equipped with four rotors that are drive n by electric motors powered by batteries, the UAS has a maximum airspeed of 30 knots ) to my inventory equipped with a GoPro 4 Black camera with intent for aerial videography/cinematography to enhance academic community awareness and augment

real estate li sting videos ; following an exemption and approval by the FAA.

My exemption request would permit operation of ultra

- light weight, unmanned (piloted by remote control) in predetermined areas away from general public, airports, heliports and vehicular traffic, under 300 ft. and after carefully reviewing, inspecting an dSokoler Petition Page 2 examining the area of aerial observation. This would allow for community videos and within property boundaries for individual homeowner real estate listing videos/photos. I will abide all FAA requirements to ensure this exemption will provide a level of safety at least equal to existing rules and will only operate in a safe environment that is strictly controlled, are away from power lines, elevated lights, airports and actively populated areas; and I will conduct extensive preflight inspections and proto cols, during which safety carries primary importance.

14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR § 91.203

Given the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized, I am asking exemption f rom 14CFRpart21,Subpart H(Airworthiness Certificates)and§91.203 (a) and (b) (Certifications required),subject to certain conditions and limitations, is warranted and meets the requirements for an equivalent level of safety under14CFRpart 11 and Section 333 of P.L. 112

- 95 (Section 333).

14 C.F.R. 45.27(a): Location of marks; non fixed

- wing aircraft. 14 C.F.R. 45.29 (3) (c)(d)(e)(f)(h): Size of Marks

Furthermore I request an exemption from §45.23 Marking of the aircraft because my
UAS will not have a cabin , cockpit or pilot station on which to mark certain words or phrases. Additionally two

- inch lettering is difficult to place on such a small aircraft with dimensions smaller than the minimal lettering requirement. I understand the need for markings and wil l mark my UAS in the largest possible lettering by placing the word “Experimental” or assigned number or name (based on a request or ruling by the FAA ) on its fuselage as required by §45.29(f) so that anyone assisting him as a spotter will see the marking s.

I also ask for an exemption from §§91.405(a),91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(2) and 91.417(a) and(b) Maintenance inspections may be required and should be granted since they only apply to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate. But, as a safety precaution I will perform a preflight inspection of my UAS before each flight as outlined in his operating

documents.

14 CFR 61.113 (a) & (b): Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command.

Under §61.113 (a) and(b) private pilots are limited to non

- com mercial operations, however I can achieve an equivalent level of safety as achieved by current regulations because my UAS does not carry any pilots or passengers. While helpful, a pilots’ license will not ensure remote control piloting skills. The risks of operating a UAS are far
less than the risk levels inherent in the commercial activities outlined in 14 CFR part61,et seq., I requests an exemption from §61.113 Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations. A side note, I have already explored getting my pilot ’s license, at the direction of the FAA, I would gladly begin education and eventual licensing.Sokoler Petition Page 3 Regarding UAS operational training, as stated previously I have three years’ experience flying numerous practice flights in remote areas as a hobbyist simulat ing flights for future commercial use to gain familiarization with the characteristics of his UAS’ performance under different temperature and weather conditions. I also own and practices on a computerized simulated flights software to maintain adequate sk ills and response reflex time. I’m also aware of a three

- day drone training course in Las Vegas Nevada and would gladly attend if required by the FAA.

14 C.F.R. 91.103 (b)(1), (b)(2): Preflight Action If granted an exemption I agree to additional safety procedures including, but not limited

to: 1) Keeping my USA within a radius distance of 1000 feet from the controller to both aid in direct line of sight visual observation. 2) Operate the UAS for 3

- 7 minutes per flight; land my UAS according to the

manufacturer ’s recommended minimum level of battery power. 3) Operate my UAS only within visual line of sight (VLOS). 4) Use the UAS’ global positioning system(GPS) flight safety feature; it hovers and then slowly lands if communication with the remote control. 5) Conduct all operations under my own personal and flight safety protocols (including posting a warning sign reading: “Attention Aerial Photography in Progress

– Remain Back 150 feet”). 6) I will operate and will actively analyze flight data and other sources of information to constantly update and enhance my safety protocols. 7) Contact respective airports if operations will be within 5 miles to advise them of his estimated flight time, flight duration, elevation of flight and other pertinent
information. 8) Always obt ain all necessary permissions prior to operation. 9) Have procedures in place to abort flights in the event of safety breaches or potential danger.

Aerial videography for geographical awareness of real estate marketing has been around for a long time through manned fixed winged aircraft and helicopters, but for small business owners, its expense has been cost

- prohibitive. Granting this exemption would allow me to provide this service at a much lower cost. Further, my small UAS, when used properly, will pose no threat to the public given its small size and lack of combustible fuel when compared to larger manned aircraft. The operation of his UAS will minimize ecological damage and promote economic growth by providing information to companies looking to relocat e or build in the Louisville Kentucky area.

One final comment, the use of a UAS has already proven to increase the marketability of a home. For example please review the article published January 7, 2015 in the San Diego source entitled “drone use in real estate may increase”

, ( also added as an attachment)

. The article cites the FAA’s exemption given to Douglas Trudeau, bu t also describes a record high price for an area home that used a drone for aerial photography. “ When broker Kurt Wannebo added an aerial video to the listing for aSokoler Petition Page 4 Carmel Valley house, located on a large corner lot overlooking canyons on two sides,

he saw Web traffic noticeably increase.” I understand this may be outside the scope of this request but as a real estate agent I think it’s important to point out that the use of any tool that increases value to a home or community (by adding visibility to more potential buyers) is in the best interest of homeowners nationwide. Selling a home faster and for more money because of the use of new technology (being safely used and approved by the FAA) will go a long way to ensure our economy continues to grow.