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Elevated Element, LLC

April 20, 2015

U. S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590

Re: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation

Regulations from 14 C.F.R. 45.23(b); 14 CFR Part 21; 14 CFR 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) & (b); 91.405 (a); 91.407(a) (1);

91.409 (a) (2); 91.417 (a) & (b).

Dear Sir or Madam:

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform

Act) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, Elevated Element, LLC hereby applies for an exemption from the 

listed Federal Aviation Regulations ("FAR") to allow commercial operation of its UAV’s, 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.

The requested exemption would permit the operation of small, unmanned and UAV’s under 

controlled conditions in airspace that is 1) limited 2) predetermined 3) Controlled as to access.

UAV flights performed by Elevated Element, LLC, in all scenarios, can readily be protected with 

secured access by the staff of Elevated Element, LLC, comparable to that of a movie production 

set. The structures on these properties provided sufficient protection from the decent of the UAV

and can be completed with much less risk than what would be assumed in a manned operation at 

low altitudes. Elevated Element, LLC plans to offer video inspection, photogrammetry, and 

photography services for commercial purposes initially including:

1. Aerial Mapping in the Agriculture, Construction, Aggregate and Asphalt industries. 

2. Building and infrastructure inspections including, but not limited to, bridges, towers, solar farms, 

pipelines and power lines.

3. Commercial video production for the advertising, marketing and real estate industries. 

The UAV applications listed above are closed to the general public, providing the opportunity to 

operate only in an area where informed, consenting participants and personnel are present.

Where Towers and solar panel farms are concerned, Elevated Element, LLC will be operating 

within airspace previously reviewed by the FAA for the construction of the tower therefore the 

airspace of the controlled operations area creates no additional hazard to the national airspace. 

Approval of this exemption would therefore create no safety concerns regarding national airspace 

and fulfill the Secretary of Transportation's (the FAA Administrator's) responsibilities to " ... 

establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft systems in the national airspace 

system." Section 333(c) of the Reform Act.

The name and address of the applicant is:

Elevated Element, LLC

Attn: Terry Kilby

Email terry@elevatedelement.com

9741 Bon Haven Lane

Owings Mills, MD 21117

(267) 809-9918

Regulations from which the exemption is requested:
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14 C.F.R. Part 21

14 C.F.R. 45.23 (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.7 (a)

14 C.F.R. 91.9 (b) (2)

14 C.F.R. 91.103

14 C.F.R. 91.109

14 C.F.R. 91.119

14 C.F.R. 91.121

14 C.F.R. 91.151 (a)

14 C.F.R. 91.203 (a) & (b)

14 C.F.R. 91.405 (a)

14 C.F.R. 407 (a) (1)

14 C.F.R. 409 (a) (2)

14 C.F.R. 417 (a) & (b)

This exemption application is expressly submitted to fulfill Congress' goal in passing

Section 333(a) through (c) of the Reform Act. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation 

to consider whether certain unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely in the national 

airspace system (NAS) before completion of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of 

the Reform Act. In making this determination, the Secretary is required to determine which 

types of UAV do not create a hazard to users of the NAS or the public or pose a threat to 

national security in light of the following:

• The UAV size, weight, speed, and operational capability;

• Operation of the UAV in close proximity to airports and populated areas; and

• Operation of the UAV within visual line of sight of the operator

Reform Act§ 333(a). Lastly, if the Secretary determines that such vehicles "may operate 

safely in the national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe 

operation of such aircraft in the national airspace system." Applicant interprets this provision 

to place the duty on the Administrator to not only process applications for exemptions under 

section 333, but for the Administrator to craft conditions for the safe operation of the UAS, if it 

should be determined that the conditions set forth herein do not fulfill the statutory

requirements for approval. The Federal Aviation Act expressly grants the FAA the authority 

to issue exemptions. This statutory authority by its terms includes exempting civil aircraft, as 

the term is defined under §401 01 of the Act that includes UAV, from the requirement that all 

civil aircraft must have a current airworthiness certificate.

The Administrator may grant an exemption from a requirement of a regulation prescribed 

under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any sections 44702-44716 of this title if the

Administrator finds the exemption in the public interest. 49 U.S.C. §44701(f) See also 49 

USC §44711(a); 49 USC §44704; 14 CFR §91.203(a) (1).

Elevated Element’s UAV’s consist of manufacturer built 4 engine multirotor craft, weighing 55

or fewer lbs. including payload. They operate, under normal conditions, at a speed of no 

more than 50 knots and have the capability to hover, and move in the vertical and horizontal 

plane simultaneously. They will operate only in line of sight and will operate only within a 

small controlled area described in the Confidential Operations Procedures, attached as 

Exhibit A (hereinafter "Procedures") Such operations will insure that the UAV will "not create 

a hazard to users of the national airspace system or the public.''

Applicant submits this Procedure as a Confidential and Proprietary document under 14

CFR 11 .35 (b) as the entire Procedures contains proprietary information that the applicant 

has not and will not share with others. The Procedures contains operating conditions and

procedures that are not available to the public and are protected from release under the 

Freedom of Information Act 5 USC 552 et.seq. Given the small size of the UAV’s involved 

and the restricted controlled environment within which they will operate, the applicant falls 

squarely within that zone of safety (an equivalent level of safety) in which Congress 

envisioned that the FAA must, by exemption, allow commercial operations of UAV’s to 

commence immediately. Also due to the size of the UAV’s and the controlled areas in which 

the relevant UAV’s will operate, approval of the application presents no national security 

issue. Given the following, the grant of the requested exemptions is clearly in the public 
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interest:

• Clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act, the authority contained in the Federal 

Aviation Act, as amended

• The level of safety surrounding the proposed operations that implement the use of HD and 

thermal imagining, and the significant public benefit

• Innovative reductions in physical dangers of personnel climbing towers (e.g., thermal 

imaging of active wasp/hornet nests, electrical “hot spots”...) and/or the use of high-rise

heavy equipment thus reduced emissions associated with allowing UAV’s operations.

Accordingly, the applicant respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption

without delay.

AIRCRAFT AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY

The applicant proposes that the exemption requested herein apply to civil aircraft that have 

the characteristics and that operate with the limitations listed herein. These limitations

provide for an exceptional level of safety to operations. These limitations and conditions to

which Elevated Element, LLC agrees to be bound when conducting commercial operations 

under an FAA issued exemption include:

1. The UAV will weigh less than 55 lbs.

2. Flights will be operated within line of sight of operator.

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

terminated at 15% 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. UAV operator will be trained and certified in the proper safety and operations of the UAV.

6. The UAV will only operate within a controlled area as defined in the Procedures.

7. The operator will post advisor notice around the controlled area.

8. Operator will have been trained in operation of UAV generally and received up-to-date 

information on the particular UAV to be operated as required.

9. If the UAV 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.

10. The UAV 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 UAV. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the UAV

operated without an airworthiness 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 UAV’s 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 controlled area as set out in the Procedures. Unlike other civil aircraft,

operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by the operator,

pursuant to the Procedures requirements. Lastly, application of these same criteria
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demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national security posed by the UAV, 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. §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 Procedures for 

maintenance and use of safety checklists 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.

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 UAV, 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 operator flying the UAV will have immediate access to it. The

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

8738, 9299, 9299A, 9565, 95658, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 32827, and 10700.

14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight action

This regulation requires each operator 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

Procedures. The operator 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.

UAV’s 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.
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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 exemption is for a UAV 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 Procedures, the UAV will 

never operate at higher than 400 AGL.

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

as well as the location where it is operated. In addition, the low-altitude operations of the 

UAV 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

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 UAV 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 Procedures 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 UAV provides approximately 40 minutes of powered flight. To meet 

the 30-minute reserve requirement in 14 CFR §91 .151, UAV flights would be limited to

approximately 10 minutes in length. Given the limitations on the UAV'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 without 

compliance with FAR 91.151 (a)). Operating the small UAS, in a tightly controlled area, 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. Additionally, limiting 

UAV flights to 10 minutes would greatly reduce the utility for which the exemption will be 

granted.

Applicant believes that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 30 

minutes or 15% of battery power whichever happens first. This restriction would be more

than adequate to return the UAV to its planned landing zone from anywhere in its limited

operating area.

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

5745, 10673, and 10808.
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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 UAV fully loaded weighs no more than 55 lbs and is operated without an on board pilot. 

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

display them on the UAV.

An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the ground control 

point where the operator flying the UAV will have immediate access to them, to the extent they 

are applicable to the UAV. 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 section and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these 

sections will not apply to the applicant. The operator will accomplish maintenance pursuant to the 

flight manual and operating handbook as referenced in the Procedures. An equivalent level of 

safety will be achieved because these small UAV’s are very limited in size and will carry a small 

payload and operate only in controlled areas for limited periods of time. If mechanical issues arise 

the UAV can land immediately and will be operating from no higher than 400 feet AGL. As 

provided in the Procedures, the operator will ensure that the UAV is in working order prior to 

initiating flight, perform required maintenance, and keep a log of any maintenance performed. 

Moreover, the 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 (551bs or less) for the purpose of inspection, monitoring, mapping and photographing

attached equipment and engineering studies involving communication tower operations.

Approval of exemptions allowing commercial operations of UAV’s will create a level of safety by 

reducing risk. Conventional tower structure inspections and associated tasks involve extreme 

risks to personnel physically climbing such structures and/or utilizing high rise equipment both of 

which create numerous and extreme risk to such personnel. In contrast, a UAV weighing fewer 

than 55 lbs. and powered by batteries eliminates virtually all of that risk. The UAV will carry no 

passengers or crew and, therefore, will not expose personnel to any of the risks described above.

The operation of small UAV’s, weighing less than 55 lbs., conducted in the strict conditions 

outlined above, will provide a 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 
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the ground, and in a controlled environment.

Privacy

All flights will occur over private or controlled access property with the property owner's prior 

consent and knowledge. The granting of this exemption request will provide innovative safety 

operations.

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 UAV in and

pursuant to the Procedures appended hereto.

Respectfully,

Terry Kilby

Managing Partner

Elevated Element, LLC