Petition	for	Exemption	14	CFR	§	11.81

Petition	for	Exemption	under	Section	333

Name:	Taylor	J	Horsager

Address:	220	State	Street	Apt	1,	Madison	WI	53703

Phone:	(612)	741-7570

Email:	tayjhorsager@gmail.com

I,	Taylor	Horsager,	pursuant	to	Section	333	of	the	FAA	Modernization	and	Reform	

Act	of	2012,	Subsection	(f)	of	49	USC § 44701,	and	14	CFR	Part	11,	am	requesting an	

exemption	 from	 the	 Federal	 Aviation	 Administration	 regulations	 listed	 below in	

order	to	 conduct	 commercial	operations	with	the	Yuneec	Typhoon	Q500	4k	 small	

unmanned	 aircraft	 system	 (sUAS).	 I	 wish	 to	 provide	 professional	 inspection	 and	

surveying	services	for the	energy	industry (to	include	wind	turbines,	power	lines,	oil	

pipelines,	 and	 solar	farms),	 insurance	 industry (to	 include	 structural	 and	forensic

investigations),	 and	 survey	 industry (to	 include	 geospatial	 applications, such	 as	

Lidar	and	near-infrared).

The	requested	operations	can	be	conducted	safely	in	the	National	Airspace	System	

and	 benefits	 the	 public	 as	 a	 whole	 by	 providing	 an	 efficient	 service	 to	 existing	

organizations,	allowing	them	to collect	aerial	imagery data	in	an	effective	and	timely	

manner.	 This	 will	 lead	 to	 safer	 business	 practices	 and	 preventative	 maintenance	

measures, while	 protecting	the	 safety	 of	 employees	 from	 hazardous	 high-altitude	

working	conditions.	

I	seek	exemptions	from	the	following	regulations:

 14	CFR	61.23	(a)	and	(c);

 14	CFR	61.113	(a)	and	(b);

 14	CFR	91.7	(a);

 14	CFR	91.119	(c);

 14	CFR	91.121;

 14	CFR	91.151	(a);

 14	CFR	91.405	(a);

 14	CFR	91.407	(a)(1);

 14	CFR	91.409	(a)(1)	and	(2);

 14	CFR	91.417	(a)	and	(b).
Safety	Concerns

As	 an	 FAA	 licensed	 private	 pilot, I	 have a	 thorough	 understanding	 of	 the	 safety	

concerns	regarding	regulated	airspace,	making	me a	good	candidate	for	exemption	

from	Section	333.	My	general	knowledge	of	the	safety	systems	implemented	by	the	

FAA	 would	 ensure	 that	 safety would	 not	 affect	 operations.	 I would	 not	 conduct	

operations near	airports,	outdoor	sporting	events,	or	high	traffic	areas.	Also, I will	

pay	attentions	to	any	relevant	NOTAMS	issued	in	the area	of	operation.	The	sUAS I

intends to	operate	is	the	Yuneec	Typhoon	Q500	4k,	which	has	distinguishable	safety	

features	such	as	Home	Mode,	No-Fly	Zones,	and	Smart	Circle	(see	Owner’s	Manual).	

Operating	Conditions

I am	requesting	an	exemption	subject	to	the	conditions	listed	in	Appendix	A, which	

resemble	 the	 operating	 conditions	 required	 by	 the	 FAA’s	 previous	 grants	 of	

exemption	under	Section	333.

In	 accordance	 with	 the	 conditions	 approved	 in	 previous	 exemption	 requests,	 I	

request	an	authority	to	operate	the	Yuneec	Typhoon	Q500	4k	within	visual	line	of	

sight	and	below	400	feet	AGL,	except	as	provided	by	the	FAA	Air	Traffic	Control	via	

COA.	 These	 operating	 conditions,	 along	 with	 those	 listed	 in	 Appendix	 A,	 and	 the	

sUAS	safety	features	listed	below	provide	an	equivalent	level	of	safety.	

The	follow	 safety	functions	are	incorporated	into	the	Typhoon to	ensure	operator	

and	public safety	while	operating	in	the	National	Airspace	System:

 Home	mode:	In	Home	Mode	the	GPS	connectivity	will	fly	back	the	Typhoon,	

and	automatically	land	within	13-26	feet	of	the	pilot.

 No-Fly	Zones:	With	a	 suitable	GPS	 signal	it	will	not	be	possible	to	 start	the	

motors,	takeoff	or	fly	the	Typhoon	in	the	No-Fly	Zones	within	a	4	NM	radius	

of	most	major	airports.	

 Smart	 Circle:	 In	 most	 cases	 the	 Smart	 Circle	 will	 keep	 the	 Typhoon	 from	

coming	within	approximately	26	feet	of	the	operator.

 Kill	Switch:	The	ST10+	controller	is	equipped	with	a	start/stop	motor	button	

that	can	be	used	in	case	of	emergencies.	

 GPS	&	Satellite	Connectivity Information:	The	ST10+	displays	the	number	of	

satellites	connected	to	the	Typhoon	and	strength	of	GPS	connection.	
 Groundspeed,	Location,	&	Altitude Information:	The	ST10+	displays	relevant	

flight	 characteristic	 information	 such	 as	 the groundspeed,	 latitudinal	 and	

longitudinal	location,	and	altitude	above	ground	level of	the	Typhoon.	

 Battery Status:	 The	 ST10+	 displays	 the	 battery	 voltage	 remaining	 in	 the	

Typhoon’s	onboard	battery.	

 LED	Status	Indications:	(see	attached	Owner’s	manual)

Furthermore,	I	intend	to follow	these	suggested	safety	regulations:	

 Always	keep	the	aircraft	in	sight	and	under	control.

 Conduct	full	pre-flight	inspections	and	preventative	maintenance.	

 Always	 keep	 people,	 children,	 and	 animals	 away	 from	 the	 vicinity	 of	 the	

aircraft (approximately	50	feet)	whenever	the	battery	is	connected.

 Always	use	fully	charged	batteries.

 Always	keep	transmitter	powered	whenever	the	aircraft	is	powered.	

 Always	remove	the	batteries	when	the	aircraft	is	not	in	use.	

 Always	keep	moving	parts	clean	and	dry.	

 Never	operate	a	damaged	aircraft.	

Federal	Register	Summary

Docket	Number:	No.	FAA-2015-____

Petitioner:	Taylor	Horsager

Section	of	14	CFR:	§	61.23	(a)	and	(c),	§	61.113	(a)	and	(b),	§	91.7(a),	§	91.119(c),	§	

91.121,	 §	 91.151	 (a),	 §	 91.405(a),	 §	 91.407(a)(1),	 §	 91.409	 (a)(1)	 and	 (2),	 and	

§91.417	(a)	and	(b).

Taylor	Horsager	is seeking	an	exemption	from	the	FAA	Section	333	rule to	provide

commercial	imaging services to	energy,	insurance,	and	survey	companies	that	wish	

to	obtain	the	data	I collect.	

Additional	Information

Operations	of	the	Yuneec	Typhoon	Q500	4k include	the	following	information:

 Flight	time: up	to	25	minutes

 Dimension: 22.2	x	16.5	x	8.3	in

 Weight:	60.0	oz

 Transmitter:	10-channel	2.4	GHz
 Flight	modes:	Smart,	Angle	and	Home

 Maximum	Horizontal	Speed:	8	m/s

 Radio	Control	Frequency	Band:	2.4	GHz

I	have no	intention	of	using	this	exemption	outside	of	the	United	States.	

My	FAA	certificate	number	is	3795160.

Sincerely,

Taylor	J	Horsager
APPENDIX	A	– Operating	Limitations

a) All	operations	authorized	by	the	grant	of	exemption	are	limited	to	the	Yuneec	

Typhoon	Q500	4k;

b) No	flight	will	be	made	with	a	sUAS	gross	weight	exceeding	55	pounds;

c) All	operations	must	occur	in	FAA	class	G	airspace at	no	more	than	400	feet

AGL,	at	an	airspeed	of	no	more	than	50	kts;

d) Operations	will	be	restricted	to	flights	over	property	with	the	permission	of	

the	property	owner;

e) The	 sUAS	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;	

f) Operations	will	be	conducted	within	the	visual	line	of	site	of	the	PIC;

g) All	required	permits	will	be	obtained	from	state	and	local	government	prior	

to	operation and	must	be	accessible	during	operation;

h) The	sUAS	will	not	be	operated	over	densely	populated	areas;

i) The	sUAS	will	not	be	operated	within	5	NM	of	an	airport;

j) Operations	will	be	restricted	to	day	only	and	VFR	weather	conditions;

k) Any	sUAS	that	has	undergone	maintenance	that	effects	flight	characteristics	

must	 undergo	 a	 functional	 test	 flight,	 and	 an	 entry	 must	 be	 made	 in	 the	

aircraft	flight	records;

l) No	flight	may	be	made	without	a	pre-flight	inspection	by	the	PIC	before	each	

flight	to	ensure	the	sUAS	is	in	a	safe	condition	for	flight;

m) The	 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	valid	U.S.	driver’s	license;

n) All	 aircraft	 operated	 in	 accordance	 with	the	 requested	 exemption	 must	 be	

identified	 by	 serial	 number,	 registered	in	 accordance	with	 14	CFR	Part	 47,	

and	have	identification	(N-Number)	markings;

o) The	sUAS	must	give	right	of	way	to	all	other	manned	operations	at	all	times;

p) The	sUAS	may	not	be	operated	from	any	moving	device	or	vehicle;

q) Any	incident	or	accident	shall	be	reported	to	the	FAA’s	UAS	Integration	Office	

(AFS-80)	within	24	hours.	Accidents	must	be	reported	to	the	NTSB.