May 7, 2015

 Exemption No. 11238A

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0719

Mr. Dallas Cormier

San Diego Gas & Electric Company

8316 Century Park Court

San Diego, CA 92123

Dear Mr. Cormier:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to amend Exemption No. 

11238. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists any changes to the 

original conditions and limitations.

By letter dated March 26, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of San Diego Gas & Electric Company (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an 

amendment to Exemption No. 11238. That exemption from §§ 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) of Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) allows the petitioner to perform aerial data collection. You requested 

an amendment to add four new aircraft, the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen3, the Pulse Aerospace 

Vapor 35, Vapor 55, and the PrecisionHawk Lancaster Hawkeye.

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 petition would be detrimental to the petitioner. The 

unmanned aircraft(s) authorized in the original grant are comparable 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 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 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.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 11238 

remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the 

authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701, delegated to me by the 

Administrator, San Diego Gas & Electric Company is granted an amendment to its exemption 

that adds four new aircraft: InstantEye Mk-2 Gen 3, Pulse Aerospace Vapor 35, Vapor 55, 

and the PrecisionHawk Lancaster Hawkeye.

The operator shall add this amendment to the original Exemption No. 11238.

Conditions and Limitations

All conditions and limitations within Grant of Exemption No. 11238 remain in effect except 

as follows. Condition No. 1 has been updated to reflect the additional aircraft, and is

amended as follows. 

In this grant of exemption, San Diego Gas & Electric Company 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 InstantEye Mk-2

including the Gen 2 and Gen 3)

1

, Pulse Aerospace Vapor 35, Vapor 55, and the 

PrecisionHawk Lancaster Hawkeye 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.

 

1

Per Exemption No. 11238 issued on March 26, 2015, the FAA authorized the use of the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2.
3

This exemption terminates on March 31, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service
March 26, 2015

1

Amendment for Exemption No. 11238 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0719 

Registered Owner Name:

San Diego Gas & Electric Company

Registered Owner Address:

8316 Century Park Court

San Diego CA 92123

Attn: Dallas Cormier, CP52E

Aircraft Description:

Helicopter

Aircraft Serial Number:

100296-100123 Vapor 35

100110-0123 Vapor 55

Aircraft Builder:

Pulse Aerospace

Year Manufactured:

2015

Aircraft Model Designation:

Vapor 35 & 55

Engine Model:

Kontronik Pyro 850-31

Registered Owner Name:

San Diego Gas & Electric Company

Registered Owner Address:

8316 Century Park Court

San Diego CA 92123

Attn: Dallas Cormier, CP52E

Aircraft Description:

Single Electric Motor Fixed Wing

Aircraft Serial Number:

PCN 04E201513001

PCN 04E201513002

Aircraft Builder:

Precision Hawk Inc.

Year Manufactured:

2015

Aircraft Model Designation:

PrecisionHawk Lancaster HawkEye 

Engine Model:

E flight park 480

San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) received Exemption No. 11238 on March 26, 

2015 for the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2. 

SDG&E is requesting to amend that exemption to include three additional Unmanned Aircraft

models: the Pulse Aerospace Vapor 35, Vapor 55 and the PrecisionHawk Lancaster Hawkeye. 

All Unmanned Aircraft are less than 55 lbs including payload and proprietary manuals will be 

submitted along with this amendment. 

The Pulse Aerospace Vapor 35 has already received exemption No. 11241 with Phoenix Air 

Unmanned. The Vapor 55 is a scaled up version of the Vapor 35. The main difference between 

the Vapor 35 and Vapor 55 is the size, the maximum takeoff weight for the Vapor 35 is 30lbs and 

the max takeoff weight for the Vapor 55 is 55lbs. Performance is the same for both UAVs to 

include the same flight controls, safety features, autopilot, and avionics. 

Precision Hawk Lancaster Hawkeye has also already received and exemption, Exemption No. 

11274 with United Services Automobile Association on April 2, 2015. 

None of our operations would change; we are just requesting to add additional Unmanned 

Aircraft to our exemption for greater flexibility. 
March 26, 2015

1

Amendment for Exemption No. 11238 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0719 

Registered Owner Name:

San Diego Gas & Electric Company

Registered Owner Address:

8316 Century Park Court

San Diego CA 92123

Attn: Dallas Cormier, CP52E

Aircraft Description:

Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) 

sUAS

Aircraft Registration/Serial Number:

N55TD/0030200300632

N619FS/0030200300633

N619TD/0030200300634

N858JE/0030200300635

N858DC/0030200300636

N619CV/0030200300637

N554GE/0030200300638

N553GE/0030200300639

Aircraft Builder:

Physical Sciences Inc.

Year Manufactured:

2014

Aircraft Model Designation:

InstantEye Mk-2 Gen3

Engine Model:

Mk-2 Gen Brushless Motor

Propeller Model:

PSI 7 x 5 Pusher

San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) received Exemption No. 11238 on March 26, 

2015 for the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2. 

SDG&E is requesting to amended that exemption to include the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen3. Because 

it took over 6 months for our exemption request to get approved, the InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2 is 

now obsolete. 

The InstantEye Gen 3 is the same Unmanned Aircraft as the Gen 2 but it’s bigger in size and 

capabilities. The InstantEye is a vertical take off and landing (VTOL) quadrotor small unmanned 

aerial system (sUAS). The aircraft is in a “X” configuration with 4 rotors centered at the tips of 

its carbon fiber arms separated by 22.23 cm on a side for the Gen 3 vs. 20 cm on the Mk-2. The 

aircraft is all-electric with a brushless motor driving each rotor. There is a 4 Amp/Hour Lithium 

polymer rechargeable /replaceable battery at the bottom of the center of the aircraft on the Gen 3 

vs. a 2 Amp/hour on the Gen 2. Maximum gross takeoff weight for the Gen 3 is 725g and the Gen 

2 is 610g. Maximum endurance for the Gen 3 is 30 minutes and 20minutes for the Gen 3.