1

6 June 201 5 

## Jeremiah Terhark

Webspec Design, LLC

5907 Meredith Dr

Urbandale, IA 50322

jterhark @ g ma i l. c o m

( 515) 334

- 9544

Hon. M i c hael H u e rt a

Adm i n i s tr a to r

F ede r al A v i a t i o n Ad m i n i s tr a t i o n

U. S

. D epa rt me n t o f T r an s po r t a t i o n

D o c k et M anageme n t S y s t em

1200 New J e r s ey A v e., S E

Wa s h i ng to n, D C 20590

Re: Ex e m p t i o n Reque s t u n d er S ect i o n 333 of t he F A A R ef o r m A c t and P a r t 11 o f the

F ede r al A v i a t i o n Re gu lat i o ns f ro m c e rt a i n p a rt s o f the F A R s

.

D ear Adm i n i s tr a to r H u e rt a :

Pu r su ant t o S ect i o n 333 of the F AA Mo de r n i za t i o n a n d Refo r m A c t o f 20 1 2 (the Refo r m

Act) a n d 14 C. F .R. Part 11, Jeremiah Terhark , a p r o fe s s i o nal p h otogr ap h e r

, he r eby

app l i es for an ex e m p t i o n f ro m the l i s t ed F ede r al A v i a t i o n Re g u lat i o ns ( “ F A Rs”) t o allow

h i m to o pe r a t e a s ma l l Un m an n ed A i r c r a f t S y s t em ( “ s U AS ”) u n d er t he c o n d i t i o ns and

l i m i t a t i o ns s et f ort h i n t h i s P e t i t i o n.

T he r eque s t ed e x em p t ion w o u ld p e r m i t t he ope r a tio n of s ma l l, u n m an n ed and

r ela t i v ely i nexpen s i v e s U A S u n d er c o nt r o lled c o n d i t i o ns in a i r s pa c e t hat i s ( 1 ) l i m i t e d

,

( 2) p r ede t e r m i ned, and ( 3 ) w o u ld p rov i de s a f e t y enh a n c ements to t h e al r eady s a f e

photography g a t he r i ng o pe r a t i o ns p r ese n t ly u s i ng ma n ned hel ic o pt e r s and a i r pl a nes i n

Des Moines . App rov al o f th i s e x e m pt i o n w o u ld the r eby en h an c e s a fety and fu l f ill t he

F AA Adm i n i s tr a tor ’s r es po n s i b i l i t i es to “...e s t a b l i s h r equ i r ements for t h e s a f e o pe r a t i o n

of suc h a i r c r a f t s y s t ems in t he n a t i o nal a i r s pa c e s y s t em.” S ect i o n 333 ( c ) o f the Refo r m

A c t

.

T h e na m e and ad d r ess o f the app l i c a nt i s :2

Jeremiah Terhark

Webspec Design

, LLC

Te l ephone: ( 515 ) 334

- 9544

E m ail: jterhark @ g m a i l

. c o m

Add r es s : 59 07 Meredith Drive, Urbandale IA 50322

Re g u lat i o ns f ro m w h i c h the e x em p t i o n i s r e q u ested:

14 C F R Part 21

14 C. F .R. § 45.23 ( b)

14 C F R § 61.3

14 C. F .R. § 91.7 ( a)

14 C F R § 91.9 ( b) ( 2)

14 C. F .R. § 91.103

14 C. F .R. § 91.109

14 C. F . R. § 91.119

14 C. F .R. § 91.121

14 C F R § 91.151 ( a)

14 C F R § 91.203 ( a) & ( b )

14 C F R § 91.205 ( b)

14 C F R § 91.215

14 C F R § 91.405 ( a)

14 C F R § 407 ( a) ( 1)

14 C F R § 409 ( a) ( 2)

14 C F R § 417 ( a) & ( b )3

T h e A ppe n d i x de sc r i b es the F A R s f ro m w h i c h an e x em p t i o n i s r eq u ested and

su m m a r i zes t he j us t i f i c a t i o n f o r each r eque s t ed e x em p t i o n.

T he Pet i t i o n i s su bm i tt ed t o f u l f i l l C o ng r es s ’ go al u n d er S ect i o n 333 ( a) t hr o u g h (c ) of the

Refo r m A c t

, w h i c h d i r ects t he S ecr et a r y o f Tr an s po r t a t i o n t o c o n s i d er w hether c e rt a i n

u n m an n ed a i r c r a f t s yst ems m ay o pe r a t e s a f e l y i n the na t i o nal a i r s p a c e s y s t em ( NA S )

be f or e com p le t i o n of the r u le m a k i ng r eq u i r ed u n d er S ect i o n 332 of the Refo r m A c t . In

mak i ng t h i s de t e rm i n a t i o n, the Ad m i n i s tr a to r m us t de t e r m i ne w h i c h t y pes o f U AS s do

not c r ea t e a haz a r d to us e r s o f the NAS o r t h e pu b l i c o r pose a t hreat t o nat i o nal s ec u r i t y

i n l i g ht o f the f o llo w i n g:

• T h e UA S ’s s i ze, w e i g ht, s p eed, and ope r a t i o nal c apa b i l i ty ;

• O pe r a t i o n of the U A S i n c lose p rox i m i t y t o a i r po r t s and populated a r ea s ; and

• O pe r a t i o n of the U A S w i t h i n v i su a l l i ne of s i g ht o f the o pe r a t o r

.

Refo r m A c t § 333 ( a )

.

I f the Adm i n s tr a t o r d e t e r m i nes t hat s u c h v e h i c les “ m ay o pe r a t e s a f ely i n the na t i o nal

a i r s p a c e s y s t em, the S ecr et a r y s ha l l e s t a b l i s h r equ i r ements f o r t he s a f e o pe r a t i o n of suc h

a i r c r a f t i n the nat i o nal a i r s p a c e s y s t em.” Id. § 333( c ) ( e m p ha s is add e d )

.

T h e S ecr et a r y has dele g a t ed h i s a v i a t i o n a u t h or i t y t o t he Ad m i n i s tr a to r o f the F A A

.

T h e F ede r al A v i a t i o n A c t e x p r es s ly g r ants the F AA t h e auth o r i t y t o gr ant e x em p t i o ns

fr o m i t s r e g u lat or y r e q u i r ements for c i v i l a i rcr a f t

, a t e r m de f i ned u n der §40101 o f the

Act, w h i c h i n c l u d e s s U A S s . T h e Admi n i s tr a t o r m ay gr a n t an ex e m pt i o n f ro m a

r equ i r ement o f a re g u lat i o n p r es c r i b ed u n d er su b s e c t i o n (a) o r ( b) o f t h i s s ec t i o n or any

s ect i o n s 44702

- 44716 o f th e F ede r al A v i a t i o n Act i f Ad m i n i s tr a to r f i n d s t he e x em p t i o n

i n the p u b l i c i n t e r est. 49 U

. S .C. § 44701 ( f) S ee al s o 49 U S C § 44711 ( a ) ; 49 U S C § 44704; 14

C F R §91.203 (a) ( 1 )

.

T h e pe t i t i o ner is a p ro fe s s i o nal photographer

, w ho ea r ns h i s l i v i ng as a c o nt r a c t

p h oto g r ap h er fo r s e v e r al Iowa busine sses and organizations

. H is r e g u lar a ss ignme n t s

i n vo l v e h i s go i ng o u t photo and video equipment to perform photography and video

services for clients. He h a s t h u s b ecome f a m i l i ar w i t h bo t h g r o u nd

- b as ed a n d ae r i al

p h otogr a p h y ov e r t he c o u r s e o f s e v e r al y e a r s

.4

T h e w i de a v a i la b i l i t y o f s ma l l Un m a n n ed A i r c r a f t Sy s t em s , al s o k n o w n as

“ m i c ro d ro ne s ,” c apa b l e o f c a r ry i ng h i g h

- q u a l i t y v i deo c a m e r as and p r i c ed at af f or da b le

le v els i nt r i g u ed t he pe t i t i o ne r . H i s en t i r e p ro fe s s i o nal c a r eer has i nv o l v ed e x pl o r i ng

new t ec h nol og i es a n d adapt i ng t hem t o c apt u r e goo d i mage r y t o i n f or m the p u b l i c . In

J u ly 201 4 , he b o u g ht a D J I P ha n to m 2 V i s i o n, i n s t alled a th r ee a x i s g i m b a l and a G o P r o

c a m e r a and has f lo w n i t f o r tot al of 30 hou r s ov er r em o t e a r eas o f t h e Des Moines

met ro pol i t an are a and o v e r r em o t e l o c a t i o ns in rural Iowa f o r r ecr e a t i o nal p u r pose s

,

e x plo r i ng t he po t e nt i al and t he l i m i t a t i o ns o f i t s v i deo su b s y s t em.

He is plea s ed w i t h the qua l i t y o f the i mage r y c apt u r ed and h as e d i t ed i t i nto a n u m b er

o f p ho to g r ap h i c v i g net t es that m eet h i s h i g h st an d a r ds f o r t ec h n i c al q u a l i t y and a rt i s t ic

me r i t

.

N o w , a n u m b er o f p e o ple, s o me p ro fe s s i o nal c o lleagues and s o me s t r ange r s , have he a r d

a b o u t P e t i t i o ne r ’s a c t i v i t i es a n d have s een t he r es u lts and a r e p r es s i n g P e t i t i o ner to

u n d e rt a k e add i t i o nal m ic ro d ro ne p h o t o g r ap h y f o r c o m p en s a t i o n.

He is requesting s pe c i al pe rm i ss i o n f ro m the F A A

. M any co m pe t i tor s o f P e t i t i o ner a r e

act i v ely f ly i ng s U A S t o c o n duc t ae r i al p h oto g r ap h y f o r c o m me r c i al p u r pose s

,

no tw i t h s t an d i ng t he F A A ’s s t a t ed p r o h i b i t ion. He al s o no t es a n d has r ead t he

c o ng r es s ional ma n date i n s ect i o n s 332 and 333 o f t he F A A R e v i t al i za t i o n and Refo r m

A c t o f 20 1 2 t hat t he F A A mo v e qu i c k ly t o a cc o m m o date t he e c o nom i c a nd s oc i e t al

b ene f i t s t h a t c an res u lt f ro m w i de s p r ead deplo y me n t o f s U A S t ec h nol o gy

.

A cc or d i ngl y

, P e t i t i o n e r app l i es for autho r i za t i o n u n d er t h e F ede r al A v i a t i o n A c t

, and

t he F AR s r u les t o u n d e rt a k e t he foll o w i ng ac t i v i t i e s f o r c o m m e r c i a l p u r pose s

. Unle s s

t he P e t i t i o n is gr anted, P e t i t i o ner w i ll b e at a s i g n i f i c ant c o m p e t i t i v e ad v anta g e i f he,

as he prefe r s

, c o m p l i es w i t h F A A pol i c y

.

Vehi c le

T h e P e t i t i o ner w i ll f ly a D JI P ha n to m 2 V i s i o n eq u i pped w i t h a th r e e

- a x i s g i m b a l a n d

G o P r o c a m e r a.

T h i s v e h i c le h a s b u ilt in c apa b i l i t y t o l i m i t t h e he i g ht i t f l i es a b ov e t he g r o u n d

, t o l i m i t

t he r ad i u s o f t he d i s t a n c e i t f l i e s f ro m t he operat or , and t o e x c l u de i t fro m c la s s B, C,5

and D a i r s pa c e. T he v ehi c le al s o has t he bu i l t

- i n c apa b i l i t y t o r e t u r n t o t he la u n c h i ng

po i nt i f the w i r ele s s c o nt ro l l i nk is i nte rr u pt e d or i f t he ope r a t o r a t t e m p t s t o e x c eed any

o f the he i g ht, r ad i u s

, o r a i r s pa c e l i m i t a t i o ns p r o g r a m med i nto i t

.

T h e v ehi c le w e i g hs a bo u t f i v e poun d s em p t y and has a m a x i m u m g ro s s w e i g ht o f

appr ox i mately t w enty poun d s. It has a to p s peed o f a b o u t 30 k n ot s

. It has f o u r f i x ed

p i t c h r otor s, t hr us t f r o m w h i c h i s v a r i ed by c ha n g i ng R P M . It is powe r ed by a l i t h i u m

pol y mer b a tt e ry

.

Fl i g ht pr o fi l es

T h e pe t i t i o ner w i ll p rogr am t he P ha n to m s o t hat i t w i ll n o t f ly ab o v e 2 00 f eet a b ov e

gro u nd le v el, o r mo r e t han 1500 f eet a w ay f ro m h i m . He w ill c a r ef u l ly p r ef l i g ht t he

v eh i c le b e fo r e each m i s s i o n to a ssu r e t hat i t s c o m p a s s and GP S s y s t em are p ro p e r ly

c a l i bra t ed and that t he r e t u rn

- to

- home f ea t ur e , alt i t u de, and r a d i u s l i m i t a t i o ns w ork

.

He w i ll ope r a t e i t o n ae r i al p h otogr ap h y m i s s i o n s o n l y in t he ea r ly mo r n i ng h o u r s and

ot her t i mes w hen f ew pe o ple a r e o u t and a bou t . He w i ll o pe r a t e i t o n l y ov e r la rg e l y

u n p o p u lated a r eas w h e r e t he p o t ent i al o f u n co nt ro lled de sc ent t o c au s e i n j u r y o r

da m a g e i s low

He w i ll n o t o pe r a t e i t in c o nt ro lled a i r s pa c e

. I n the u n l i k ely e v ent t h at a m an n ed a i r c r a f t

f l i es b el o w 200 f eet A G L w he r e t he pet i t i o ne r s o pe r a t i ng his P h a nt o m, he w i ll keep b ot h

t he v eh i c le and m a n n e d a i r c r a f t i n s i g ht and a vo i d the ma n ned a i rcr a f t

.

Mor e p a rt i cu la r ly, t he P e t i t i o ner w ill f ly t he P ha n to m only o v er t he f o llow i ng t y pes o f

a r eas i n M e tro pol i t an Des Moines :

 Ov er Saylorville lake

, o u t w a r d of t he s ho r el i n e

 Ov er l i nes o f ra i l ro ad a n d r a i l c la s s i f i c a t i o n ya r ds

 Ov er e x p r es s w a y s

 Ov er n o nres i dent i al an d n o n c o m m e rc i al lar g e

- sc ale i n d us tr i a l a r eas

 Ov er p r i v a t e p r o pe r t y w hen he h as been c om m is s i o ned b y t he pe r s o n in le g al

pos s es s i o n of the pr o pe rt y t o do so6

T h e Pet i t i o ne r 's p ro p o s ed o pe r a t i o ns s a t i s fy t he c r i t e r i a p rov i ded i n S ect i o n 333 of the

Refo r m A c t r el a t i ng t o s i ze, w e i g ht, s p eed, o pe r a t i ng ca p a b i l i t i es, p r ox i mit y t o a i r po r t s

and populated a r eas and o pe r a t i o n w i t h in v i su al l i ne of s i g ht and n a t i o nal s e c u r i ty . T h e

P e t i t i o n j us t i f i es gr ant o f the r eque s t ed e x e m pt i o ns allow the P e t i t i o ner t o o bta i n ae r i al

p h oto g r ap h y w i t h h i s m ic ro d ro ne.

Re s pe c t f u lly s u b m i tt ed,

Jeremiah J T erhark

Webspec Design, LLC

## Append i x

F A R s e c t i o n Sub j e c t Ju s t i f i c a t ion

14 C F R § 45.23 ( b) Req u i r ement t o d i s p l a y

r e g i s tr a t i o n nu m b er o n

v eh i c le In su f f i c i ent s pa c e o n

V eh i c le

14 C F R Part 21 A i r c r a f t c e rt i f i c a t i o n

r equ i r ements a n d

p ro c ed u r es D e s i g ned f o r m an n ed

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

14 C F R § 61.3 Req u i r ement for p i lot

c e rt i f i c a t e P a r t 61 r equ i r ements

de s i g ned for m an n ed

a i r c r a f t , not s U AS ;

pe t i t i o n d e sc r i

bes

tr a i n i ng f o r s U A S

o pe r a t o r

14 C F R § 91.7 ( a) A i r w ort h i ne s s

r equ i r ement D e s i g ned f o r m an n ed

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

14 C F R § 91.9 ( b) ( 2) Req u i r ement for m an u al

t o be ava i la b le i n the

c o c k p i t No o ne a b o a r d t o r ead

ma nu al

14 C F R § 91.103 ( b) Req u i r ement for c r ew

me m bers t o be o n

b o a r d Un m an n ed v ehi c le

14 C F R § 91.109 Req u i r ement for d u al

c o nt ro ls d u r i ng f l i g ht

i n s tr uc t i o n No o ne a b o a r d t o

o pe r a t e co n tro ls

14 C F R § 91.119 M i n i m u m a l t i t u des f o r

s a f e f l i g ht S a f e t y r equ i r es

o pe r a t i o n b el o w t he s e

alt i t u des

14 C F R § 91.121 Al t i meter s e tt i ngs No o ne a b o a r d t o r ead

A lt i meter

14 C F R § 91.151 ( a) F u el r equ i r ements Veh ic le d o es n o t us e

F u el

14 C F R § 91.203 ( a) & ( b ) Req u i r ement for

r e g i s tr a t i o n a n d

a i r w ort h i n e s s

c e rt i f i c a t es to be

o n b o a r d No o ne a b o a r d t o r ead

C e rt i f i c a t es

14 C F R § 91.205 ( b) C o c k p i t i ns tr u me n t s No o ne a b o a r d t o r ead

7r equ i r ement i n s tr u me n t s

14 C F R § 91.215 Tran s ponder

r equ i r ement Veh ic le has i ns u f f i c i e n t

us ef u l load; w i ll b e

o pe r a t ed b el o w ATC

r adar c o v e r a g e

14 C F R § 91.405 ( a) In s pe c t i o n req u i r eme nt s D e s i g ned f o r m an n ed

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

14 C F R § 91.407 ( a) ( 1) In s pe c t i o n a p p rov al

r equ i r ements D e s i g ned f o r m an n ed

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

14 C F R § 91.409 ( a) ( 2) A i r w ort h i ne s s

i n s pe c t i o n D e s i g ned f o r ma n ned

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

14 C F R § 91.417 ( a) & ( b ) M a i ntena nc e r eco r ds

r equ i r ements D e s i g ned f o r m an n ed

a i r c r a f t ; not s u i t a b le f o r

o f f

- t he

- s helf s U A S

8