Gonzalez
- Strength & Associates, Inc.

2176 Parkway Lake Drive Hoover, AL 35244 December 17, 2015 U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey

Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Exemption Request under Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations Dear Madam, Sir, Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Reform Act”) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, Gonzalez
- Strength & Associates, Inc. (“GSA”), an operator of the eBee Unmanned Aircraft System (“eBee”) seeks an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) listed below:

 14 C.F.R. 21  14 C.F.R. 61.133(a) (b)  14 C.F.R. 91.7(b)  14 C.F.R. 91.119  14 C.F.R. 91.151(a)  14 CFR Subpart E (91.401
- 91.417) The requested exemption would authorize commercial operations using the eBee for mapping and survey a pplications. These operations will be subject to strict operating requirements defined in the eBee user manual GSA requests the FAA treat the eBee training program as proprietary under 14 C.F.R. 11.35(b) and does not include this document in the public docket) and conditions defined in the paragraph 3
. **1. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT** The eBee is a small (37.8 inches wingspan) and ultra
-light (maximum take
- off weight of 1.7 pounds) platform made of flexible foam that performs pre-programmed precision aerial mapping missions thanks to the on-board GPS and the related flight management software (eMotion) that allows the operator to plan safely and efficiently

a mission in 3D, and then monitor it in real
-time. Thanks to the embedded camera, protected by a f oam envelope, the eBee takes a collection of high
-definition still images that are used later to generate maps and contour lines of the surveyed area. The four main characteristics of the eBee are: a. Very light weight The eBee is so light that the operator can launch it by hand and let it land on almost any surface without requiring a parachute or landing net (belly land). Its low impact energy (38 J in case of a controlled emergency

landing) also significantly reduces the risk of hazardous situations. Finally, the wings of the eBee are detachable and made of flexible foam with no sharp or hard edges andalmost no internal strengthening structure.

b. Electric
-powered The eBee is electric powered. A brushless engine technology makes it silent and reliable. The propeller is attached with a rubber band to the body o f the plane so that it can easily flex away in case of contact with any

object. c. Semi
- automatic flight The artificial intelligence incorporated within the eBee autopilot system continuously analy zes data from the Inertial Measurement Unit and from the onboard GPS and takes care of all the aspects of the flight under the supervision of the operator. d. Option for Manual control Additionally, the eBee provides an override capability that allows the operator to take manual actions during the flight (Go to Home, Go Land, Hold and Resume the mission) and also suspend automated operations and take manual control of the aircraft should it become necessary to respond emergent circumstances, thanks to the remote controller provided with the system. **2. APPLICATIONS** GSA is a civil engineering, land survey, and traffic transportation company. UAV technology offers a much more cost effective collection method compared to the general land surveying, mapping, mining, construction and agricultural industries. Utilizing the SenseFly eBee will allow GSA to provide its clients a service and UAV platform that will increase workflow efficiencies in addition to improved overall job site safety
. The unmanned aspect of the eBee UAV system decreases risk in hazardous job conditions such as along quarry walls, walking on top of stock piles, mapping within high voltage power lines, and in roadway survey and design. **3. APPLICABLE LEGAL**  **STANDARD UNDER**  **SECTION 333**  a. Airworthiness assessment of the eBee GSA notes that the airworthiness of the eBee has already been demonstrated for different projects in the United States, involving state/federal agencies or universities (among others the New Mexico State University: https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/10208/nmsu
-uas - flight
-testcenter- conducts
- ebee
- airworthiness
- assessment, and the USACE New Orleans, who coordinated with the Department of Army and the FAA to obtain all authorizations required in order to operate the eBee UAS). Moreover the eBee already received 15 Exemptions from the FAA
. SenseFly also obtained flight approvals for the eBee (delivered by national civil aviation authorities) in many

countries, among others:

 Switzerland (flight approval for VLOS operations)  Canada (flight approval for VLOS operations)  Australia (flight approval for VLOS operations)  France (flight approval for Extended
-VLOS operations)  Germany

(flight approval for VLOS operations)  United Kingdom (flight approval for VLOS operations)  Norway

(flight approval for VLOS operations) Sweden (flight approval for VLOS operations)

 Denmark (flight approval for VLOS operations) b. Operating requirements Grant of the exemption to GSA for the eBee will be subject to the following operating conditions :
 1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the SenseFly eBee 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. Inno 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. Otherwise, the operator must follow the proced

ures as outlined in its operating documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. Iti s 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 u pdate 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 questionsarise 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 b e 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 Colombia, 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 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 t he 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 b e 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) asdenoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory

(AFD) or for airports not denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport sy mbol 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

a pply f or 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 s erial 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 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 o f 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 B oard (NTSB) per instructions contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov
. **3. CONCLUSION** GSA is Cement Company. We own quarries and our survey employees have to perform high wall surveys, mapping and stockpile inventories. The high wall survey surveys are dangerous for the employees, the edge of the wall could fail or falling rock proposes a great hazard for the crew. The stockpiles are a hazard to walk on for the same reason. The material from the stockpiles is also taken from the pile from below and this proposes an engulfment hazard. The Sensefly eBee would help greatly

with lessening the risk of these hazards to our employees. The areas that we survey are on our own property and very f ew people are in Pit area and all wear protective gear and are inside equipment as they travel the quarry
. Yours sincerely, Aaron Kerkly

wich Mining Engineer**ANNEX A:**  **EXEMPTION REQUEST AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY**

**SHOWINGS UNDER APPLICABLE RULES SUBJECT TO EXEMPTION** GSA requests an exemption from the following regulations as well as any additional regulations that may technically

apply to the operation of the eBee: **14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR § 91.203(a)(1)**  Section 91.203 requires all civil aircraft to have a certificate of airworthiness. Part 21, Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the issuance of airworthiness certificates as required by FAR § 91.203(a). Given the size of the eBee, its very light weight (the maximum take
- off weight is 1.7 pounds) and the limited operating area associated with its utilization, it is unnecessary to go through the certificate of airworthiness process under Part 21 Subpart H in order to achieve or exceed current safety levels. Such an exemption meets the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act and Section 333 of the Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the UAS involved. An analysis of these different criteria demonstrates that the eBee op erated without an airworthiness certificate, under the conditions proposed in that exemption, will be at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft with an airworthiness certificate. A proprietary risk assessment for operations with the eBee, which demonstrates that assertion, is also being submitted to the FAA as part of this application. GSA requests the FAA treat the eBee risk assessment as proprietary under 14 C.F.R. 11.35(b) and not include this document in the public docket. **14 C.F.R. § 61 .3: Requirements for certificates, ratings and authorizations**  **14 C.F.R. § 61.113(a) & (b); 61.133(a): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations; Pilot in Command; Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations**  The regulation provides that no person may s erve as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of the United States, unless that person: (1) Has a pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization issued under this part in thatperson's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization. However, when the aircraft is operated within a foreign country, a pilot license issued by that country

may be used. The regulation provides also that no person that holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft for compensation or hire. Subparagraph (b) allows a private pilot to act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employ

ment if: (1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employ ment; (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property

for compensation or hire. Given the safety

f eatures of the eBee and the fact that the missions are pre-programmed and monitored in real
-time with a specif ic flight management software (eMotion), SenseFly proposes that operators of the eBee should not be required to hold a commercial pilot certification. I nstead, operators should be required to: Have a sport or recreational pilot license (at least) and have successfully p assed a manufacturer’ s training program for the eBee. **14 C.F.R.**  **§ 91.7(a):**  **Civil aircraft**  **airworthiness** This regulation requires that no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. Should the exemption be granted allowing commercial operation of the eBee without an airworthiness certificate, no standard will exist for airworthiness of the eBee. Given the size of the aircraft and the previous airworthiness assessments given to the eBee, among others:

 New Mexico State University: https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/10208/nmsu
uas - flight
-test- center- conducts
- ebee
- airworthiness
-as sessment

 USACE New Orleans, who coordinated with the Department of Army and the FAA to obtain all authorizations required in order to operate the eBee UAS for levee system monitoring, documentation of construction progress, and extensive oblique photogra phy of USACE structures & activities An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by

insuring compliance with the SenseFly manuals prior to each flight. **14 CFR**  **§ 91.119:**  **Minimum Safe Altitudes**  The regulation provides that over sparsely populated areas the aircraft cannot be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. Since the aircraft will be operating at a maximum of 400 feet AGL, the eBee cannot comply with this requirement. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the eBee will only f ly over private property with the permission of the landowner. The operator will define before every f light a working area radius and a flight area ceiling, preventing the eBee to go beyond the flight area. The landowner and the persons who may be on the ground in the flight area will be briefed of the expected route of flight and the associated risks to persons and property on the ground. Due to the small size of the eBee and the material with which the eBee is built, the hazard to persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures is not comparable to manned aircraft and should be considered in granting the exemption.Moreover, the aircraft will not be operated over congested areas nor over any open- air assembly of persons. The aircraft will be operated at an altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency

landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. **14 C.F.R.**  **§ 91.151(a):**  **Fuel Requirements**  **for Flight**  **in VFR**  **Conditions** The regulation provides tha t no person may begin a flight in an airplane under day
-VFR conditions unless there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after that for at least 30 minutes. Given the area of operation for the eBee, GSA believes that an equivalent level of safety i s already achieved with the specific procedure preventing the eBee to accept a take
- off order is the battery level is below a given value. Moreover, SenseFly has integrated “low” and “critical” battery level warnings and implemented a “return to Home” (and “Go Land”) actions in these situations. **14 CFR Subpart E (91.401 -**  **91.417) -**  **Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Alterations**  The regulation provides that the operator is primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in an airworthy condition, including compliance with Parts 39 and 43. P aragraphs 91.407 and 91.409 require that the aircraft be "approved for return to service by a person authorized under 43.7" after maintenance and inspection. Section 91.409(a) (2) requires an annual inspection for the issuance of an airworthiness certificate. Section 91.417(a) requires the owner or operator to keep records showing certain maintenance work that has been accomplished by certificated mechanics, under Part 43, or licensed pilots and records of approval of the aircraft for return to service. GSA proposes that the maintenance of the eBee will be accomplished by the owner/operator according to the maintenance manual, provided by SenseFly
. GSA requests the FAA treat the eBee training program as proprietary under 14 C.F.R. 11.35(b) and not include this document in the public docket. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because the eBee is small in size, it is not a complex mechanical device, it will carry no external payload, and it will operate only in restricted predetermined areas. Moreover, the operator is the person most familiar with the aircraft and is best suited to maintain the aircraft in an airworthy condition and to ensure an equivalent level of safety
. Finally, before every flight, the eBee runs automatically a s equence of pre- flight tests to make sure that every sensor and every critical part is running properly
. If a problem is detected, the eBee will not be able to be switched
-on and a message error is displayed on the main screen of the flight management software
. The operator can then refer to the maintenance manual to troubleshoot this issue. Several parts of the eBee are easily interchangeable (propellers, wings), which allows the operator to make sure the wings and propulsion system are always airworthy when a mission is initiated.