July!19,!2015!

U.S.!Department!of!Transportation

Federal!Aviation!Administration

800!Independence!Avenue,!SW

Washington,!DC!20591

Re:!Exemption!Request!Pursuant!to!Section!333!of!the!FAA!Reform!Act!and!Part!11!of!the

Federal!Aviation!Regulations!from:!14!CFR!61.113{a)!&!(b);!91.7!(a);!91.103;!91.119{c);!91.121;

91.151{a);!91.405{a);!91.407(a)(1);!91.409!(a)(1)!and!{2};!91.417{a)!&!(b).

Dear!Sir!or!Madam:!

Pursuant!to!Section!333!of!the!FAA!Modernization!and!Reform!Act,!I,!John Strickland,!operator!of!an!

Unmanned!Aircraft!System!(UAS),!hereby!apply,!on!behalf!of!Skydrone Logistics LLC,!for!an!

exemption!from!the!listed!Federal!Aviation!Regulations!(“FARs”)!to!allow!commercial!operation!of!

its!UAS,!so!long!as!such!operations!are!conducted!within!and!under!the!conditions!outlined!herein!

or!as!may!be!established!by!the!FAA!as!required!by!Section!333.!!

I!would!like!to!formally!submit!for an!exemption!from!part!21,!subpart!H;!and!Sections!45.23(b),!

91.7(a),!91.9(b)(2), 91.119,!91.121,!91.151(a),!91.203(a)!and!(b),!91.405(a),!91.407(a)(1),!

91.409(a)(2),!and 91.417(a)!and!(b)!of!Title!14,!Code!of!Federal!Regulations!(14!CFR).!This!proposed!

exemption would!allow!the operation!of!unmanned!aircraft!systems!(UAS)!for!the!purpose of!aerial!

videography and!photography real!estate!purposes!and!events.!

Applicant:!

John Strickland

Owner!

Skydrone Logistics LLC.

572 Lanarkshire place

Apopka, Florida 32712

info@skydronelogistics.com

Commercial!operation!of!an!UAS,!as!described!herein,!which!are!equipped!with!camera and!sensors,!

would!operate!in!the!following!manner:!

• Aerial!photography!and/or!video!for!public!and/or!private!use!including!real!estate!and

other!related!professional!activities.!

• Aerial!video!and/or!photography!for!public!and/or!private!use!including public!and!private

events.

As!described!fully!below,!the!requested!exemption!would!permit!the!operation!of!a!UAS!under!

controlled!conditions!in!the!NAS!that!would!be!a)!limited, b)!controlled, c)!predetermined, and!d)!will!
provide!safety!enhancements!to!the!already!safe!operations!in!the!industry!presently!using!

conventional!aircraft.!Approval!of!this!exemption!would!thereby!enhance!safety!and!fulfill!the!

Secretary!of!Transportation responsibilities!to!“....establish!requirements!for!the!safe!operation of!

such!aircraft!systems!in!the!national!airspace!system.”

As!found!in!Exemption!No.!11138!(Trudeau),!the!FAA!recently!approved!similar!use!of!a!PHANTOM!

2!UAS.!We!will!operate!a!UAS,!the!DJI!Phantom!3!Professional,!Model!P3P001,!which!is!comprised!of!

an!unmanned!aircraft!(UA!or!Phantom),!an!attached!4K!camera!and!a!transportable!ground!station, 

in addition to the Phantom 2 Model PV331 (the Phantom 2 is carried as a back-up to the Phantom 3).!

The!PHANTOM!3!is!a!quad copter!with!a!gross!weight!of!2.8!pounds.!It maintains contact with the 

PIC via a 5.8ghz radio band. It!is!equipped!with!four!rotors!that!are!driven!by!electric!motors!

powered!by!batteries.!The!UA!has!a!maximum!airspeed!of!16!m/s.!It!will!be!operated!over!various!

rural and metropolitan!areas in the state of Florida!to!augment!real!estate!listing!videos,!capture!

event!areal!video!and!photography,!and!related!business!operations.!

UAS$Operating$Parameters$

I!will!abide!by!the!following!additional!operating!conditions!under!this!exemption,!which!ensures!

a!level!of!safety!equal!to or exceeding!existing!rules:!

• operate!UAS!below!200!feet!and!within!a!radius!distance!of!1000!feet!from!the!controller!to

aid!in!direct!line!of!sight!visual!observation;

• obtain!permission!from!the!owner/controller!of!any!vessels,!vehicles!and!structures!when

operations!may!be!conducted!closer!than!500!feet!to!any!such!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures;

I!will!conduct!a!safety!assessment!of!the!risk!of!operating!closer!to!those!objects!and

determine!that!it!does!not!present!an!undue!hazard;

• operate!the!UAS!for!5d10!minutes!per!flight;

• land!UAS!prior!to!the!manufacturer’s!recommended!minimum!level!of!battery!power;

• operate!UAS!during daylight!hours!only!within!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS);

• use!the!UAS’!global!positioning!system!(GPS)!flight!safety!feature!whereby!it!hovers and!then

slowly!lands!if!communication!with!the!remote!control!pilot!is!lost;

• conduct!all!operations!under!the!flight!safety!protocols!contained!in the!operating!

documents!and!will!actively!analyze!flight!data!and!other!sources!of information!to!

constantly!update!and!enhance!safety!protocols;

• contact!respective!airports!if!operations!will!be!within!5!miles!to!advise!them!of!his

estimated flight!time,!flight!duration,!elevation!of!flight!and!other!pertinent!information;

• always!obtain!all!necessary!permissions!prior!to!operation; have!procedures!in!place!to

abort!flights!in!the!event!of!safety!breaches!or!potential danger;

• only!operate!in!safe!environments!that!are!strictly!controlled,!are!away!from!power lines,

elevated!lights,!airports!and!densely!populated!areas!(defined!by!areas!depicted in!“yellow”

on!VFR!charts!and!through!obtaining!information!regarding!congested!areas from!the!local

Flight!Standards!District!Office!(FSDO);

• conduct!extensive!preflight!inspections!and!protocols,!during!which!safety!carries!primary

importance!(reference!PHANTOM!Flying!Flow!Chart!and!User!Manual).

Regarding!UAS!operational!training,!I!have!flown!numerous!practice!flights!in!remote!areas!as a

hobbyist!in excess of 80 hours simulating!flights!for!future!commercial!use!to!gain!familiarization!

with!the!characteristics!of!the!UAS’!performance!under!different!temperature!and!weather!

conditions.!
Speaking on bahalf of Skydrone Logistics LLC, any!PIC!operating!our!UAS!will!have!accumulated!and!

logged,!in!a!manner!consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!25!hours!of!total!time!as!a!UAS!rotorcraft!pilot!

including!at!least!10!hours!logged!as!a!UAS!pilot!with!a!multiS rotor!UAS.!The!PIC!will!also!have!

accumulated!and!logged!a!minimum!of!5!hours!as!a!UAS!pilot!operating!the!same!make!and!model!of!

UAS!to!be!used!for!operations.!In!addition!to!the!hour!requirements,!the!PIC!will!accomplish!3!

takeS offs!and!landings!in!the!preceding!90!days!(for!currency!purposes)!prior!to!any!flight.!

Specific$Exemptions$Requested

Given!the!size,!weight,!speed,!and!limited!operating!area!associated!with!the!UA,!we!feel!an!

exemption!from!14!CFR!part!21,!Subpart!H!(Airworthiness!Certificates)!and!§

91.203(a)!and!(b)!(Certifications!required),!subject!to!certain!conditions!and!limitations,

is!warranted!and!meets!the!requirements!for!an!equivalent!level!of!safety!under!14!CFR part!11!and!

Section!333!of!P.L.!112d95!(Section!333).

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!45.23!Marking!of!the!aircraft!because!the!UA!will!not have!a!cabin,!

cockpit!or!pilot!station!on!which!to!mark!certain!words!or!phrases.!Further, the!twodinch!lettering!is!

difficult!to!place!on!such!a!small!aircraft!with!dimensions!smaller than!the!minimal!lettering!

requirement.!Regardless!of!this,!we!can!mark!the!UAS!in!the largest!possible!lettering!by!placing!the!

word!“Experimental”!on!its!fuselage!as!required!by!§!45.29(f)!so!that!anyone!will!see!the!markings.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.7(a)!which!prohibits!the!operation!of!an!aircraft without!an!

airworthiness!certificate,!since!there!is!currently!no!certificate!applicable!to our!operation,!this!

regulation!is!inapplicable.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§§!91.405(a),!91.407(a)(1),!91.409(a)(2)!and!91.417(a) and!(b)!

Maintenance!inspections!since!they!only!apply!to!aircraft!with!an!airworthiness certificate.!However,!

as!a!safety!precaution!we!will!perform!a!preflight!inspection!of!the UAS!before!each!flight!as!outlined!

in!the!attached!operating!documents.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.9(b)(2)!which!requires!an!aircraft!flight!manual!in the!aircraft,!

however!since!there!are!no!pilots!or!passengers!on!board!the!aircraft!and given!its!size,!this!

regulation!is!inapplicable.!We!believe!an!equivalent!level!of!safety will!be!achieved!by!maintaining!a!

safety/flight!manual!with!the!UAS!ground!station.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.119!which!prescribes!safe!altitudes!for!the!operation of!civil!

aircraft,!but!it!allows!helicopters!to!be!operated!at!lower!altitudes!in!certain conditions.!We!will!not!

operate!our!UAS!above!the!altitude!of!300!feet!above!ground!level!(AGL)!and!will!also!only!operate!

in!safe!areas!away!from!the!public!and!traffic,!thus!“providing!a!level!of!safety!at!least!equivalent!to!

or exceeding!those!in!relation!to!minimum!safe!altitudes.”!Given!the!size,!weight,!maneuverability,!

and!speed!of!the!UAS,!an!equivalent!or!higher!level!of!safety!will!be!achieved.!!

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.121!Altimeter!settings!as!it!is!inapplicable!since!the

UAS!utilizes!electronic!GPS!with!a!barometric!sensor.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.151(a)!Fuel!requirements!for!flight!in!VFR!conditions.

The!UAV!is!100%!electric!and!two!low!battery!alerts!are!issued!d!per!the!operating documents,!the!

UAV!will!be!landed!at!the!first!alert.!Also,!our!flights!will!last!only!5d10!minutes!each,!and!the!UAS!has!

an!automated!function,!which!results!in!immediate landing!when!a!low!battery!is!detected.!The!PIC!
will!not!begin!a!flight!unless!(considering wind!and!forecast!weather!conditions)!there!is!enough!

power!to!fly!to!the!first!point of!intended!landing!and,!assuming!normal!cruising!speed,!land!the!UA!

with!30%!battery power!remaining.

Public$Interest

Aerial!photography!and!videography!for!real!estate and!events!are!proven!strategies!to!enhance!

marketing!efforts!and!increase!business!success.!The!industry!is!not!new.!However,!until!recently!it!

was!conducted!through!the!use!of!costly!manned!aircraft,!a!prohibitive business!activity!for!small!

companies.!By!granting!this!exemption!I!would!be!able!to!provide!affordable!services.

Further,!the small!UAS!will pose!no!threat!to!the!public!given!its!small!size!and!lack!of!combustible!

fuel!when!compared to!larger!manned!aircraft.!Additionally,!the!operation!of!our!UAS!will!minimize!

harm!to!the!environment economic!growth!by!providing!information!to!companies and!the!public

looking!to!relocate!or!build!in!the!metro!areas!we!service.!Public!and!private!events!serviced!by!our!

business!enhance!vibrancy and!add!culture to the!community and!its!citizens.!

Summary

We!will!comply!with!all!of!the!following!conditions!and!limitations!should!this!exemption be!

provided:

1) Operations!will!be!limited!to!the!following!aircraft!described!in!the!operating!documents,!which!is

a!quaddrotor!aircraft!weighing!2.8!pounds:!Phantom!3!Unmanned Aircraft!System.

2) The!UA!will!not!be!flown!at!an!indicated!airspeed!exceeding!50!knots.

3) The!UA!will!be!operated!at!an!altitude!of!no!more!than!200!feet!above!ground!level

(AGL),!All!altitudes!reported!to!ATC!will!be!in!feet!AGL.!

4) The!UA!will!be!operated!within!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS)!of!the!Pilot!In!Command

(PIC)!at!all!times.

5) All!operations!will!utilize!a!visual!observer!(VO).!The!UA!will!be!operated!within!the visual!line!of

sight!(VLOS)!of!the!VO!at!all!times.!The!VO!and!PIC!will!be!able!to!communicate verbally!at!all!times.!

The!PIC!will!be!designated!before!the!flight!and!will!not transfer!his!or!her!designation!for!the!

duration!of!the!flight.!The!PIC!will!ensure!that!the VO!can!perform!the!functions!prescribed!in!the!

operating!documents.

6) The!operating!documents!will!be!accessible!during!UAS!operations!and!made!available to!the

Administrator!upon!request.!Any!revisions!to!the!operating!documents!will be!presented!to!the!

Administrator!upon!request.

7) Prior!to!each!flight,!the!PIC!will!inspect!the!UAS!to!ensure!it!is!in!a!condition!for!safe flight.!If!the

inspection!reveals!a!condition!that!affects!the!safe!operation!of!the!UAS,!the

UAS!will!not!be!operated!until!the!necessary!maintenance!has!been!performed!and!the

UAS!is!found!to!be!in!a!condition!for!safe!flight.!The!Ground!Control!Station!will!be!included in!the!

preflight!inspection.!All!maintenance!and!alterations!will!be!properly!documented in!the!aircraft!

records.

8) Any!UAS!maintenance!or!alterations!that!affect!the!UAS!operation!or!flight!characteristics,

e.g.!replacement!of!a!flight!critical!component,!will!undergo!a!functional!test!flight.

The!PIC!who!conducts!the!functional!test!flight!will!make!an!entry!in!the!aircraft!records.

9) The!predflight!inspection!section!in!the!operating!documents!will!account!for!all!discrepancies,

i.e.!inoperable!components,!items,!or!equipment,!not!already!covered!in!the relevant!sections!of!the!

operating!documents.

10) We!will!follow!the!UAS!manufacturer’s!aircraft/component,!maintenance,!overhaul, replacement,

inspection,!and!life!limit!requirements.
11) We!will!carry!out!maintenance,!inspections,!and!record!keeping!requirements,!in!accordance

with!the!operating!documents.!Maintenance,!inspection,!and!alterations!will!be noted!in!the!aircraft!

records,!including!total!flight!hours,!description!of!work!accomplished, and!the!signature!of!the!

authorized!person!returning!the!UAS!to!service.

12) Each!UAS!operated!will!comply!with!all!manufacturer!Safety!Bulletins.

13) An!authorized!person!will!make!an!entry!in!the!aircraft!record!of!the!corrective!action taken

against!discrepancies!discovered!between!inspections.

14) Prior!to!operations!conducted!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!the!PIC!will!have!

accumulated and!logged,!in!a!manner!consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!a!minimum!of!25 hours!of!

total!time as!a!UAS!rotorcraft!pilot!including!at!least!10!hours!logged!as!a!UAS pilot!with!a!multidrotor!

UAS.

15) Prior!to!operations!conducted!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!the!PIC!will!have!

accumulated and!logged,!in!a!manner!consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!a!minimum!of!5 hours!as!UAS!

pilot!operating!the!make!and!model!of!the!UAS!to!be!used!in!operations. The!PIC!will!accomplish!3!

takedoffs!and!landings!in!the preceding!90!days.

16) The!PIC!will!not!operate!the!UAS!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!unless!the!PIC has!

demonstrated!and!logged!in!a!manner consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!the!ability to!safely!operate!

the!UAS!in!a!manner!consistent!with!the!operating!documents,!including evasive!and!emergency!

maneuvers!and!maintaining!appropriate!distances!from people,!vessels,!vehicles!and!structures.

17) UAS!operations!will!not!be!conducted!during!night,!as!defined!in!14!CFR!1.1.!All!operations!will

be!conducted!under!visual!meteorological!conditions!(VMC).

18) The!UA!will!not!operate!within!5!nautical!miles!of!an!airport!reference!point!as!denoted on!a

current!FAAdpublished!aeronautical!chart.

19) The!UA!will!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.

20) If!a!UA!loses!communications!or!loses!its!GPS!signal,!it!will!return!to!a!predetermined location

within!the!planned!operating!area!and!land!or!be!recovered!in!accordance with!the!operating!

documents.

21) The!PIC!will!abort!a!flight!in!the!event!of!unpredicted!obstacles!or!emergencies!in accordance

with!the!operating!documents.

22) The!PIC!will!not!begin!a!flight!unless!(considering!wind!and!forecast!weather!conditions) there!is

enough!power!to!fly!at!normal!cruising!speed!to!the!intended!landing point!and!land!the!UA!with!

30%!battery!power!remaining.

23) Before!conducting!operations,!the!radio!frequency!spectrum!used!for!operation!and control!of

the!UA!will!comply!with!the!Federal!Communications!Commission!(FCC)!or other!appropriate!

government!oversight!agency!requirements.

24) The!documents!required!under!14!CFR!91.9!and!91.203!will!be!available!to!the!PIC at!the!Ground

Control!Station!of!the!UAS!any!time!the!UAS!is!operating.!These!documents will!be!made!available!to!

the!Administrator!or!any!law!enforcement!official!upon!request.
25) The!UA!will!remain!clear!and!yield!the!right!of!way!to!all!manned!aviation!operations and

activities!at!all!times.

26) The!UAS!will!not!be!operated!by!the!PIC!from!any!moving!device!or!vehicle.

27) The!UA!will!not!be!operated!over!congested!or!densely!populated!areas.

28) Flight!operations!will!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.!We!will!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!and/or;

b. The!aircraft!is!operated!near!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures!where!the!owner/controller

of!such!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures!has!granted!permission!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,!and;

c. Operations!nearer!to!the!PIC,!VO,!operator!trainees!or!essential!persons!do!not

present!an!undue!hazard!to!those!persons!per!§!91.119(a).

29) All!operations!will!be!conducted!over!private or!controlleddaccess!property!with!permission

from!the!land!owner/controller!or!authorized!representative.!Permission!from land!

owner/controller!or!authorized!representative!will!be!obtained!for!each!flight!to!be conducted.

If!you!have!questions!or!need!additional!information,!please!contact!me!at!

info@skydronelogistics.com!or!(407)!408 5956.!

Thank!you,

John Strickland

Owner/Operator

Skydrone Logistics LLC.