April 29, 2015

Exemption No. 11112B Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0382

Mr. Seth Johnson

Chief Pilot VDOS Global, LLC

230 SW 6th Street Corvallis, OR 97333

Dear Johnson:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to amend Exemption No. 11112, as amended. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the

revised conditions and limitations.

By letter dated March 19, 2015, you petitioned th e Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of VDOS Global (hereina fter petitioner or operator) for an amendment to Exemption No. 11112, as amended. That exemption from §§ 91.9 (c); 91.119(c), 91.151, 91.405(a) and (b); 91.407(a)(1); 91.409(a)(1); and 91.417(a) of Title 14, Code of Fe deral Regulations (14 CFR) allows the petitioner to conduct flare stack inspections on 14 Shell Oil Gulf of Mexico platforms that are beyond 12 nautical miles (n m) beyond the coast of the United States with certain conditions. You request ed an amendment to expand op erations to conduct aerial inspection, training, and f light demonstration.

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register because the requested amendment to the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petitio n would be detrimental to the petitioner. The unmanned aircraft(s) authorized in the original grant is (are) co mparable in type, size, weight, speed and operating capabilities to those in this petition.2

Airworthiness Certification

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 consider ation of the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated with the aircraft a nd its operation, the Secret ary of Transportation

has determined that this airc raft meets the conditions of Section 333. Therefore, the FAA finds that 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

The FAA has updated the conditions and limitations since the pe titioner’s initial grant ofexemption to those found in Exemption No. 11213 to Aeryon Labs, Inc. (Docket No. FAA2014-0642). Also 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), the FAA found that the enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned aircraft ( UA) with the specifications described by the petitioner and carrying no passenge rs or crew, rather than a ma nned 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 amendment to an exemption, I find that—

 They are similar in all material respects to relief previously re quested 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 situ ation you present; and

 A grant of an amendment is in the public interest.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justificati on for the issuance of Exemption No. 11112, as amended, remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the author ity contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the Administrator, VDOS Global is granted an amendment to its 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) an d (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.3

Conditions and Limitations

The conditions and limitations within Grant of Exemption No. 11112, as amended, have been superseded, and are amended as follows.

In this grant of exemption, VDOS Global is hereafter referred to as the operator.

Failure to comply with any of the conditions an d limitations of this grant of exemption will be grounds for the immediate suspension or rescission of this exemption.

1. Operations authorized by this gran t of exemption are limited to the Aeryon Labs SkyRanger (SkyRanger or UAV) 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 restricti on. 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 th e 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 PI C 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 pe rmitted during flight operations. The PIC must be designated before the flight and ca nnot transfer his or her designation for the duration of the flight. The PIC must en sure 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 the4

Administrator upon request. If a discre pancy exists between the conditions and limitations in this exemption and the pro cedures outlined in the operating documents,

the conditions and limitations herein ta ke precedence and must be followed. Otherwise, the operator must follow the pr ocedures as outlined in its operating documents. The operator may update or revi se its operating documents. It is the operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and pr esent updated and revised documents to the Administrator or any la w enforcement official upon request. The operator must also present updated and revise d 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 wh ich the FAA granted this exemption, then the operator must petition for an amendmen t 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 aff ect the UAS operation or flight characteristics, e .g. replacement of a flight cr itical component, must undergo a functional test flight prio r to conducting further opera tions 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 functi onal 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. Th e 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 manu facturer’s maintenance, overhaul, replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and aircraft components.

12. Each UAS operated under this exempti on must comply with all manufacturer safety bulletins.

13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC mu st hold either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pi lot 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 PI C is rated on his or her pilot certificate.5

14. The operator may not permit any PIC to ope rate unless the PIC demonstrates the ability to safely operate the UAS in a ma nner consistent with how the UAS will be operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and maintaining appropriate distan ces from persons, vessels, vehi cles 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 e xperience-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 dur ing dedicated training sessions. During training, proficiency, and expe rience-building flights, al l persons not essential for flight operations are considered nonpartic ipants, and the PIC must operate the UA with appropriate distance from nonparti cipants 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 conditi ons (VMC). Flights under special visual flight rule s (SVFR) are not authorized.

16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical mile s of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facil ity 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 ai rport 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 pr ivate or controlled-access property.

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

20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a f light 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 fo r at least five minutes or with the reserve power recommended by the manufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Author ization (COA). All operations shall be conducted in accorda nce 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 th e terms of the attached COA. All operations conducted outside the U.S. nautical mile limit must be conducted within the6

airspace managed by the U.S. and within the U.S. Flight Information Region (FIR) boundary.

22. All aircraft operated in accord ance with this exemption must be identified by serial number, registered in accordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification (N

− Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must be as large as practicable.

23. Documents used by the operator to ensure th e 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 th e Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

24. The UA must remain clear and give wa y 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 pr otect 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 struct ures 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 object s and determined that it does not present

an undue hazard.

The PIC, VO, operator trainees or es sential persons are not considered nonparticipating persons under this exemption.

27. All operations shall be conducted over priv ate or controlled-access property with permission from the property owner/cont roller 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 Sa fety Board (NTSB) per instructions

contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov

.7

If this exemption permits operations for th e purpose of closed-set motion picture and television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply.

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

as documented in this grant of exemption.

30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this exemption must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction ove r the area of proposed filming. The 3-day notification may be waived w ith 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 res ponsible for the on-s cene operation of the UAS;

d. Make, model, and serial or N

− Number of UAS to be used;

e. Name and certificate number of UAS PI Cs 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 produc tion event; the list of those who gave permission must be made availabl e to the inspect or upon request;

g. Signature of exemption holde r or representative; and

h. A description of the flight activity, includi ng maps or diagrams of any area, city, town, county, and/or state over which film ing will be conducted and the altitudes essential to accomplish the operation.

31. Flight operations may be conducted closer th an 500 feet from pa rticipating 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 al l applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to, parts 45, 47, 61, and 91.

This exemption terminates on December 31, 2016, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service223 SW 6 th Street Corvallis, OR 97333 T: 800

- 656

- 4721 www.VDOSGlobal.us REQUEST F OR AMENDMENT TO FAA EXEMPTION NO . 11112

March 19 , 2015 U.S. Department of Transportation
Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590

Re: Amendment to VDOS Global Exemption No. 11112

Dear Sir or Madam,

VDOS Global requests amendment to our FAA Exemption No. 11112, Docket No. FAA

- 2014

- 0382 for the
purpose of conducting UAS operations within the National Airspa ce System . We req uest the following
change to our exemption to allow the conduct of aerial inspection of additional infrastructure and areas
of interest and benefit to the public good , and to conduct flight training and demonstration i n support of these flights with the Aeryon SkyRanger UAS.

In the “The FAA’s Decision” section, on pa ge 12 , we request the change of text:

“...t o the extent necessary to allow VDOS to operate unmanned aircraft systems for the purpose of flare
stack inspections on 14 Shell Oil Gulf of Mexico Production platforms with all platforms beyond 12 nm of

the coas t of the United States.”

T o the following text:

“...to the extent necessary to allow VDOS to operate unmanned aircraft systems for the purpose of aerial
inspection, tra ining, and flight demonstration.”

Please contact the under signed if you should have any questions:

Sincerely,

Seth Johnson

Chief Pilot

VDOS Global

Cc:

Robert Pappas

John Duncan

Jake Troutman
John Barbagallo223 SW 6 th Street Corvallis, OR 97333 T: 800

- 656

- 4721 www.VDOSGlobal.us