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Petition for Exemption

To Whom it Concerns,

HiLow Photo, an aerial photography, cinematography, structural and agricultural inspection, and 

real estate imaging business, based in North-Eastern Vermont is petitioning for a Section 333 exemption 

under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Public Law 112-95 and Title 14 Code of Federal 

regulations 14 CFR 21. 191 for the purpose of research and development. HiLow Photo and its owner, 

Roguen Carlson, seek exemption in order to establish a commercial aerial drone photography business 

that offers valuable aerial photography services to the public.

The name and address of the applicant is:

HiLow Photo, Aerial Drone Photography

Contact: Roguen Carlson

Email: HiLowPhoto@gmail.com

2191 Square Road, Eden Mills, Vermont, 05653

HiLow Photo is requesting an exemption that would permit the operation of small, unmanned, 

remote operated aerial craft in the National Airspace System. HiLow Photo petitions under the 

conditions of following all safety measures and regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration

and Section 333.1.and any other regulation regarding the operation of sUAV’s. HiLow and its operator, 

Roguen Carlson, would ensure that all devices used by the business such as the DJI Phantom 2 with a Go 

Pro Hero 4 Silver attached by a Zen muse Gimbal, the Phantom 3, the DJI Inspire 1, and in the future the 

DJI A900. None of these machines would be over the 55 lb. weight limit. These machines would be 
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operated under controlled and strict conditions. They all have the ability to return to their take off point 

in the case of a low battery or lost connection from the controller. They are able to hover with GPS 

guidance and are professional grade equipment. They would never be operated out of sight from the 

operator nor the spotter chosen by the operator for the flight. The spotter will be responsible for 

helping the operator be aware of obstacles and to avoid danger while in flight. The operator will ensure 

the UAV never flies above 250 ft. to ensure no collisions with other planes and helicopters operating 

within the NAS. The UAV would never operate in proximity to airports or any populated area, and would 

never be operated at night. Each flight will be carefully planned and executed with a flight plan planned 

before the flight and obstacles marked and avoided. 

The maximum flight times of the devices operated by HiLow Photo will be no more than 30 

minutes, and will finish a flight if the battery gets to 25% of its capacity before the 30 minute limit. 

Located in rural northern Vermont, the operating areas of HiLow photo are very scarcely populated and 

there is very little risk of danger to inhabitants of flight areas.

The devices that are going to be operated by HiLow Photo are much safer than traditional aerial 

photography methods. The UAV that are used do not carry fuel nor do they carry passengers. They carry 

camera equipment used for photography and videoing of events such as weddings or sports, roof and 

structural inspections, realty photography as well as agricultural inspections and many other possible 

uses. Because the sUAV’s do not have an onboard pilot or passengers, in the unlikely event of a crash, 

the chances of human bodily injury or death is very low. Also because there is no fuel, there is no chance 

of fire of explosion in the event of a collision. The DJI devices that HiLow uses are much safer than 

traditional gas powered airplanes that weigh over 1000 lbs.

The Applicant, HiLow Photo, operated by Roguen Carlson proposes that the exemption 

requested herein apply to civil aircraft that have the characteristics and that operate with the limitations 
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listed herein. These limitations provide for at least an equivalent or even higher level of safety to 

operations under the current regulatory structure because these proposed operations represent a 

safety enhancement for current aerial photography services. HiLow Photo’s request for exemption and 

reasons for exemption follows and reflects the guidelines congress envisioned for commercial aerial 

operations of UAVs. These guidelines which include the equivalent level of safety surrounding proposed 

operations, the significant public benefits including enhanced safety, and reduced environmental 

impacts all fall within the benefit of public interest. Accordingly, the applicant respectfully requests the 

FAA grant the requested exemption without delay. Roguen Carlson agrees to be bound to the limitations 

and conditions when conducting commercial operations under an FAA issued exemption which includes:

4 Reform Act Section 333 (b).

1. The sUAS will weigh less than 55 lbs.

2. Flights will be operated within line of sight of a pilot and/or observer.

3. Maximum total flight time for each operational flight will be 30 minutes. Flights

will be terminated at 25% battery power reserve should that occur prior to the 30

minute limit.

4. Flights will be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet AGL

5. Minimum crew for each operation will consist of the sUAS Pilot and a Visual

Observer.

6. sUAS pilot will be an FAA licensed airman with at least a private pilot’s
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certificate. The observer will hold at least a third class medical.

7. sUAS Pilot will be Pilot in Command (PIC). If a pilot certificate holder other

than the sUAS Pilot, who possess the necessary PIC qualifications, is also

present on location (i.e. the Aerial Coordinator), that person can also be

designated as PIC.

8. The UAS will only operate within a confined “Sterile Area” that has been

investigated and evaluated before flight operations.

9. The operator will obtain the consent of all persons involved in the filming and

ensure that only consenting persons will be allowed within 100 feet of the flight

operation, and this radius may be reduced to 30 feet based upon an equivalent

level of safety determination.

10. Pilot and observer will have been trained in operation of UAS generally and

received up-to-date information on the particular UAS to be operated.

11. Observer and pilot will at all times be able to communicate by voice and/or

text.

12. Written and/or oral permission from the relevant property holders will be

obtained.

13. All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state,
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county or city jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire, or other

appropriate governmental agencies.

14. If the sUAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UAS will have

capability to return to a pre-determined location within the Security Perimeter and

land.

15. The sUAS will have the capability to abort a flight in case of unpredicted

obstacles or emergencies.

14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 C.F.R. §91.203 (a) (1)

Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements

for the issuance of airworthiness certificates as required by FAR §91.203 (a) (1). Given the size

and limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized by the Applicant, an

exemption from Part 21 Subpart H meets the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under

Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act (49 U.S.C.§44701 (f)) 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 particular UAS. In all cases, an

analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the UAS operated without an airworthiness
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certificate, in the restricted environment and under the conditions proposed will be at least as

safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an

airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed.

The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 55 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a

pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates

exclusively within a secured area as set out in the Manual. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations

under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by both the operator, pursuant to

the Manual’s requirements, and under the requirements and in compliance with local public

safety requirements, to provide security for the area of operation as is now done with

conventional filming. The FAA will have advance notice of all operations. These safety

enhancements provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than

conventional operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 C.F.R. Part

21, Subpart H. Lastly, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible

threat to national security posed by the UAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of

operation, lack of explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a

substantial external load.

14 C.F.R. § 45.23 (b). Marking of the Aircraft

The regulation requires:
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When marks include only the Roman capital letter "N" and the registration

number is displayed on limited, restricted or light-sport category aircraft or

experimental or provisionally certificated aircraft, the operator must also display

on that aircraft near each entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station, in letters

not less than 2 inches nor more than 6 inches high, the words "limited,"

"restricted," "light-sport," "experimental," or "provisional," as applicable.

Even though the UAS will have no airworthiness certificate, an exemption may be

needed as the UAS will have no entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilot station on which the word

“Experimental” can be placed. Given the size of the sUAV, two-inch lettering will be impossible.

The word “Experimental” will be placed on the fuselage in compliance with §45.29 (f).

The equivalent level of safety will be provided by having the sUAV marked on its

fuselage as required by §45.29 (f) where the pilot, observer and others working with the sUAV

will see the identification of the UAS as “Experimental.” The FAA has issued the following

exemptions to this regulation to Exemptions Nos. 10700, 8738, 10167 and 10167A.

14 C.F.R. § 61.113 (a) & (b): Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations: Pilot in Command.

Sections 61.113 (a) & (b) limit private pilots to non-commercial operations. Because the

UAS will not carry a pilot or passengers, the proposed operations can achieve the equivalent

level of safety of current operations by requiring the PIC operating the aircraft to have a private
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pilot’s license rather than a commercial pilot’s license to operate this small UAS. Unlike a

conventional aircraft that carries the pilot and passengers, the sUAS is remotely controlled with

no living thing on board. The area of operation is controlled and restricted, and all flights are

planned and coordinated in advance as set forth in the Manual. The level of safety provided by

the requirements included in the Manual exceeds that provided by a single individual holding a

commercial pilot’s certificate operating a conventional aircraft. The risks associated with the

operation of the sUAS are so diminished from the level of risk associated with commercial

operations contemplated by Part 61 when drafted, that allowing operations of the sUAS as

requested with a private pilot as the PIC exceeds the present level of safety achieved by 14

C.F.R. §61.113 (a) & (b).

14 C.F.R. §91.7(a): Civil aircraft airworthiness.

The regulation requires that no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy

condition. As there will be no airworthiness certificate issued for the aircraft, should this

exemption be granted, no FAA regulatory standard will exist for determining airworthiness.

Given the size of the aircraft and the requirements contained in the DJI Owner’s Manual for

maintenance and use of safety check lists prior to each flight, an equivalent level of safety will

be provided.

14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b) (2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft.
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Section 91.9 (b) (2) provides:

No person may operate a U.S.-registered civil aircraft ...

(2) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by §21.5 of

this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved airplane

or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved manual material, markings, and placards,

or any combination thereof.

The sUAS, given its size and configuration has no ability or place to carry such a flight

manual on the aircraft, not only because there is no pilot on board, but because there is no

room or capacity to carry such an item on the aircraft.

The equivalent level of safety will be maintained by keeping the flight manual at the

ground control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to it. The FAA

has issued the following exemptions to this regulation: Exemption Nos. 8607, 8737, 8738, 9299,

9299A, 9565, 9565B, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 32827, and 10700.

14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight action

This regulation requires each pilot in command to take certain actions before flight to

insure the safety of flight. As FAA approved rotorcraft flight manuals will not be provided for the

aircraft an exemption will be needed. An equivalent level of safety will be provided as set forth in

DJI Phantom Owner’s manual along with the applicant’s 20+ years of experience flying radio
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controlled aircraft without incident. The PIC will take all actions including reviewing weather,

flight battery requirements, landing and takeoff distances and aircraft performance data before

initiation of flight.

14 C.F.R. §91.109: Flight instruction:

Section 91.103 provides that no person may operate a civil aircraft (except a manned

free balloon) that is being used for flight instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual

controls.

sUASs and remotely piloted aircraft, by their design do not have fully functional dual

controls. Flight control is accomplished through the use of a control box that communicates with

the aircraft via radio communications. The FAA has approved exemptions for flight training

without fully functional dual controls for a number of aircraft and for flight instruction in

experimental aircraft. See Exemption Nos.5778K & 9862A. The equivalent level of safety

provided by the fact that neither a pilot nor passengers will be carried in the aircraft and by the

size and speed of the aircraft.

14 C.F.R. §91.119: Minimum safe altitudes

Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Section 91.119 (d) allows

helicopters to be operated at less than the minimums prescribed, provided the person operating

the helicopter complies with any route or altitudes prescribed for helicopters by the FAA. As this
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exemption is for a sUAS that is a helicopter and the exemption requests authority to operate at

altitudes up to 400 AGL, an exemption may be needed to allow such operations. As set forth

herein, except for the limited conditions stated in the Manual, the UAS will never operate at

higher than 400 AGL. It will however be operated in a restricted area with security perimeter,

where buildings and people will not be exposed to operations without their pre-obtained

consent. The sUASs are equipped with telemetry back to the operator. Telemetry includes

altitude, vertical and horizontal ground speed, direction and distance from operator.

The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weight, speed of the UAS

as well as the location where it is operated. No flight will be taken without the permission of the

property owner or local officials. Because of the advance notice to the property owner and

participants in the filming activity, all affected individuals will be aware of the planned flight

operations. Compared to flight operations with aircraft or rotorcraft weighting far more than the

maximum 55lbs. proposed herein and the lack of flammable fuel, any risk associated with these

operations is far less than those presently presented with conventional aircraft used in

photography for Real Estate and Business. In addition, the low-altitude operations of the sUAS

will ensure separation between these small-UAS operations and the operations of conventional

aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119.

14 C.F.R. §91.121 Altimeter Settings
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This regulation requires each person operating an aircraft to maintain cruising altitude by

reference to an altimeter that is set “...to the elevation of the departure airport or an appropriate

altimeter setting available before departure.” As the sUAS may not have a barometric altimeter,

but instead a GPS altitude read out, an exemption may be needed. An equivalent level of safety

will be achieved by the operator, pursuant to the Manual and Safety Check list, confirming the

altitude of the launch site shown on the GPS altitude indicator before flight.

14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions

Section 91.151 (a) prohibits an individual from beginning “a flight in an airplane under

VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel

to fly to the first point of intended landing, and, assuming normal cruising speed – (1) During the

day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45

minutes.”

The battery powering the sUAS provides approximately 25 minutes of powered flight.

Given the limitations on the UAS’s proposed flight area and the location of its proposed

operations within a predetermined area, a longer time frame for flight in daylight or night VFR

conditions is reasonable.

Applicant believes that an exemption from 14 CFR §91.151(a) falls within the scope of

prior exemptions. See Exemption 10673 (allowing Lockheed Martin Corporation to operate
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without compliance with FAR 91.151 (a)). Operating the small UAS, in a tightly controlled area

where only people and property owners or official representatives who have signed waivers will

be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve fuel, does not engender the type of risks that

Section 91.151(a) was intended to alleviate given the size and speed of the small UAS.

Similar exemptions have been granted to other operations, including Exemptions 2689F, 5745,

10673, and 10808.

14 C.F.R. §91.203 (a) and (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and Registration

The regulation provides in pertinent part:

(a) Except as provided in § 91.715, no person may operate a civil aircraft unless

it has within it the following:

(1) An appropriate and current airworthiness certificate. . . .

(b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate

required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued

under §91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to

passengers or crew.

The UAS fully loaded weighs no more than 55 lbs and is operated without an onboard

pilot. As such, there is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to

display them on the sUAS.
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An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the ground

control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to them, to the extent

they are applicable to the sUAS. The FAA has issued numerous exemptions to this regulation. A

representative sample of other exceptions includes Exemption Nos. 9565, 9665, 9789, 9789A,

9797, 9797A, 9816A, and 10700.

14 C.F.R. §91.405 (a); 407 (a) (1); 409 (a) (2); 417(a) & (b): Maintenance Inspections

These regulations require that an aircraft operator or owner “shall have that aircraft

inspected as prescribed in subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except

as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in part

43 of this chapter...,” and others shall inspect or maintain the aircraft in compliance with Part 43.

Given that these sections and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate,

these sections will not apply to the applicant. Maintenance will be accomplished by the operator

pursuant to the manufacturer’s flight manual and operating handbook.

An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because these small UASs are very limited

in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in restricted areas for limited periods of

time. If mechanical issues arise the UAS can land immediately and will be operating from no

higher than 400 feet AGL. As provided in the Owner’s Manual, the operator will ensure that the

UAS is in working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance. Moreover, the
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operator is the person most familiar with the aircraft and best suited to maintain the aircraft in an

airworthy condition to provide the equivalent level of safety.

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 11, the following summary is provided for publication in the

Federal Register, should it be determined that publication is needed:

Applicant seeks an exemption from the following rules:

14 C.F.R. §21, subpart H; 14 C.F.R 45.23(b);14 C.F.R. §§ 61.113( a) & (b);91.7

(a); 91.9 (b) (2);91.103(b);91.109; 91.119; 91.121; 91.151(a);91.203(a) and (b); 91.405

(a); 91.407 (a) (1); 91.409 (a) (2); 91.409 (a) (2) and 91.417 (a) & (b) to operate

commercially a small unmanned vehicle (55lbs or less) in motion picture and television

operations.

Approval of exemptions allowing commercial operations of sUASs will enhance safety by

reducing risk. Conventional aerial photography/videography operations use jet or piston

powered aircraft. Such aircraft must fly to and from the film location. In contrast, a sUAS

weighing fewer than 55 lbs. and powered by batteries eliminates virtually all of that risk given

the reduced mass and lack of combustible fuel carried on board. The sUAS is carried to the film

location and not flown. The sUAS will carry no passengers or crew and, therefore, will not

expose them to the risks associated with manned aircraft flights.

The operation of small UASs, weighting less than 55 lbs., conducted in the strict
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conditions outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the grant of the

exemptions requested herein, including exempting the applicant from the requirements of Part

21 and allowing commercial operations. These lightweight aircraft operate at slow speeds, close

to the ground, and in a sterile environment and, as a result, are far safer than conventional

operations conducted with turbine helicopters operating in close proximity to the ground and

people.

Privacy

All flights will occur over private or controlled access property with the property

owner’s prior consent and knowledge. Photographs will be of people who have also

consented to being photographed or otherwise have agreed to be in the area where

photography will take place.

Satisfaction of the criteria provided in Section 333 of the Reform Act of 2012--size,

weight, speed, operating capabilities, proximity to airports and populated areas and operation

within visual line of sight and national security – provide more than adequate justification for the

grant of the requested exemptions allowing commercial operation of applicant’s UAS in the

aerial photography industry.
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Thank you

-Roguen Carlson

HiLow Photo

Hilowaerial@gmail.com