# 16300 Christensen

Road,

Suite

350



# I Seattle,

WA 98188



# I 206.241

. 6000



# I www.nhcweb.com 

# nhc northwest

hydraulic consultants 1 May

2015 U.

S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management

System 1200

New Jersey

Ave.,

SE Washington,

DC 20590 Dear

Sir/ Madam: Pursuant

to Section

333

of the

FAA Modernization

and Reform

Act

of 2012

{the Reform

Act)

and

14 C.F.R.

Part

11, Northwest

Hydraulic Consultants

{NHC),

hereby

applies

for

an exemption

from

the listed Federal Aviation Regulations

{uFARs")

to allow commercial

operation

of sUASs

{small Unmanned

Aircraft System),

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. As described

more

fully below,

the requested

exemption

would

permit

the operation

of small, unmanned

and relatively inexpensive

sUAS under controlled

conditions

in airspace

that

is



# 1) limited;



# 2) predetermined;



# 3) controlled

as

to access. 

# Name

and Address

of the applicant

is Dr Stephen

Kwan Northwest

Hydraulic Consultants 16300 Christensen

Road,

Suite

350 Tukwila WA 98188 Tel:

206

241 6000 Email: skwan@nhcweb.com 

# Relevant Qualifications Commercial

Pilot {3664987)

with

the following

ratings: 1. 

# Airplane

Single

Engine

Land 2. Rotorcraft

Helicopter 3. Instrument

Airplane 4. Instrument

Helicopter 5.

Cer

t ified Flight Instructor {Helicopter) Total

Flying

time:

1100

hours 

# About

The Petitioner NHC

is

a specialty consulting engineering

firm focused exclusively

in the area

of water resources.

We

are experts

in flood control,

water management,

water supply, irrigation,

river restoration

and many

other water related

fields.

NHC requires topographic

survey

and imagery

of geographical

areas

to help

us

in environmental

projects

that include identifying

potential

areas

of flooding, developing

hydraulic

models of rivers

to predict

areas

of bank erosion

and improve

areas

of fish habitat.

NHC wishes

to use sUASs

to water resource specialistsn cperformtopographicandimageryacquisitioninordertosignificantlyreducethecostforourclients(whoinmostcasesaregovernmentagencies)andsothatwehavethemostup-to-dateterraindataavailabletoconductourwork.ProposedCommercialUsesNHCplanstousethefollowingsUAS:•eBeeSenseFiy•DJIPhantom2•3DRIrisThesUASwillbefittedwithadigitalcameratotakeaerialphotosofriverbankswhichcanbeusedforthefollowingpurposes:1.Floodplainmapping2.Determiningareasofpotentialerosion/sedimentation3.Designoffloodcontrolandhabitatrestorationprojects4.CreatingDigitalElevationMaps5.ExaminingareasdamagedbyfloodingorlandslidesWeneedtouseasUASbecause:1.Accesstoportionsofsomesitesisnotpossibleduetoterrain,fastriverflows,orotherhazards.2.Riverbanksareconstantlychangingandweneedtocreateuptodateterraindatausingaerialphotos.3.Wecanaccessbothsidesoftheriverbankefficientlyandsafely.4.CreatingDigitalElevationModels(OEM)fromaerialphotosismuchmoreefficientandeconomicalthanusingmannedaircraft.Wewillsubsequentlybeabletopassthiscostsavingtoourclients.Wehavenointentionofsellingphotosforcommercialpurposes.WehavenotyetperformedanyworkinthisfieldtoensurecompliancewithanyapplicableFARsregardingtheuseofUASforcommercialoperations.IntendedOperationalUseofsUAS•Operationaltitudes:50-400ftAGL•EstimatedSurveyArea:0.5-600acres•FlightTime:multiple15minflightsasnecessarytocoverarea.Typicalprojectflighttimeestimatedtobeabout1hour.•Airspace:ClassG2Figure1showsatypicalscenarioillustratingtheflightpathoverastretchofriver.Figure1.TypicalflightpathofUAS(showninRed)NHCwillbeboundbythefollowinglimitationswhenconductingitssUASoperationsunderanFAAexemption:1.ThesUASwillweighlessthan55lbs.2.Flightswillbeoperatedwithinlineofsightofapilotand/orobserver.3.Maximumtotalflighttimeforeachoperationalflightwillbe15minutes.Flightswillbeterminatedat20%batterypowerreserveshouldthatoccurpriortothe15minutelimit.4.Flightswillbeoperatedatanaltitudeofnomorethan400ftAGL.5.FlightoperationswilloccurringduringdaylighthoursunderVFRorMarginalVFRconditions.6.MinimumcrewforeachoperationwillconsistofthesUASPilotandtheVisualObserver.7.sUASPICwillbeanFAAlicensedairmanwithatleastaprivatepilot'scertificateandthirdclassmedical.(DrStephenKwanisacertifiedflightinstructorandinadditionholdsacommercialand3cnhcinstrumentratingforbothhelicopterandairplanes.Heunderstandsregulations,requirementsandflightrulesgoverningairspace).8.ThePICmaytrainotherpilotsintheuseofthesUASduringthesurvey.9.ThesUASwilloperatewithinanareathathasbeendeterminedtobesafeandatleast200ftawayallpersonswhoareunawareofthesurvey.Theoperatorwillobtainwrittenconsentofallpersonsinvolvedorintheareaofthesurvey.10.ThesUASwilloperateatleast100ftawayfrombuildingsinurbanizedareas.11.AbriefingwillbeconductedinregardtotheplannedsUASoperationspriortoeachsurvey.Itwillbemandatorythatallpersonnelwhowillbeperformingdutieswithinthesurveyareatobepresentforthisbriefing12.TheoperatorwillfileaFAAForm7711-1,oritsequivalent,asmodifiedinlightoftherequestedexemption,withtheappropriateFlightStandardsDistrictOffice.13.PilotandobserverwillbetrainedinoperationofsUASgenerallyandreceiveup-to-dateinformationontheparticularsUAStobeoperated.14.Observerandpilotwillatalltimesbeabletocommunicatebyvoiceand/ortext.15.Writtenand/ororalpermissionfromtherelevantpropertyholderswillbeobtained.16.Allrequiredpermissionsandpermitswillbeobtainedfromterritorial,state,countyorcityjurisdictions,includinglocallawenforcement,fire,orotherappropriategovernmentalagencies.17.IfthesUASlosescommunicationsorlosesitsGPSsignal,thesUASwillhavecapabilitytoreturntoapre-determinedlocationandland.18.ThesUASwillhavethecapabilitytoabortaflightincaseofunpredictedobstaclesoremergencies.HowourrequestwouldbenefitthegeneralpublicOneofNHC'smajorareaofexpertiseisfloodplainmappingtodeterminetheextentoffloodingintheeventofamajorflood.IfwearegrantedanexemptiontouseasUASforaerialsurveying,thebenefitstothepublicwillbe:1.Areasofpotentiallandslidesandfloodingcanbeeasilyidentified;2.Accuratemappingofpotentialareasofflooding;3.Increasedefficiencyandreducedcostofriverrestorationandfloodcontrolprojectsforourclients(usuallyGovernmentagencies).Regulationsfromwhichtheexemptionisrequested:14C.F.R.Part21;14C.F.R.91.7(a)14C.F.R.91.9(b)(2)&(c)14C.F.R.91.10314C.F.R.91.109:14C.F.R.91.119;1414C.F.R.91.12114.C.F.R.91.151(a)14C.F.R.91.203(a)&(b)414C.F.R.91.405(a)14C.F.R.91.407(a)(1)14C.F.R.91.409(a)(2)14C.F.R.91.417(a).DescriptionofSpecificRegulationsWerequireanexemptioninaccordancewithSection333ANDacivilCertificateofWaiverorAuthorization(COA)tooperateunmannedaircraftintheNationalAirspaceSystem(NAS)forcommercialuseinalow-risk,controlledenvironment.14C.F.R.Part21:(Aircraftcertificationrequirements)&14C.F.R.91.203(a)&(b);(Maintenanceinspections)Under14C.F.R.§91.203,allU.S.-registeredaircraftarerequiredtohaveacertificateofairworthinessissuedbytheFAA.Part21,SubpartHoftheFANsregulationsestablishestheproceduralrequirementsfortheissuanceofairworthinesscertificatesbytheFAA.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:ThestrictoperationallimitationsunderwhichNHCwillconductflightsforcommercialsUASapplications(e.g.,daylightoperations,useofClassGairspace,allflightswithinline-of-sightoftheoperator)areatleastasrestrictiveasthelimitationsthatapplytotheoperationoflimitedorrestrictedcategory,experimentalorprovisionally-certificatedaircraft.ThesUASdoesnotcarryapilotoranyotherpassengersandtheirsmallsizeandelectricmotorreducethedangerthatanycollisionswiththegroundorstructureswillinvolveanythingmorethanthelossofsUAS.AutomaticdescentofthesUASuponlossofthedatalinkwithitscontrolstationeliminatesthepotentialfor••flyaway11incidents.Theconcernsbehindtheneedforthecertificationofanaircraft•sairworthinessaremitigatedbythesUAS'slimitedoperationalrange,smalldimensionsandtheuseoflightweightmaterialsintheirconstruction,allofwhichreducetheriskofdamagetosurroundingstructures.14C.F.R.45.23(b):"N"numbersandmarkingsThisregulationrequiresthedisplayofan••NuregistrationmarkonanyU.S.-registeredaircraft.Additionalmarkingsarerequiredforlimitedorrestrictedcategoryaircraft,experimentalaircraftorprovisionally-certificatedaircraftontheentrancetothecabin,cockpitorpilotstation.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:TheFAAhasyettoindicatewhethersUASaircraftwillbesubjecttoitsaircraftregistrationrequirements.TheFANsIntegrationofCivilUnmannedAircraftSystemsintheNationalAirspaceSystem(NAS)RoadmappublishedinNovember2013issilentonthispoint.AssUASaircraftarenotcurrentlyrequiredtoberegisteredwiththeFAA,itisnotnecessaryforNHC'ssUASaircrafttobemarkedwithan11N11registrationnumber.ThesurfaceareaofthesUASisnotlargeenoughtocontainanyofthemarkingsrequiredbytheFAAforlimitedorrestrictedcategoryaircraft,experimentalaircraftorprovisionally-certificatedaircraft.Oneofthepurposesservedbythesemarkingsistocautionpassengersonboardsuchanaircraft(includinganypilot)thatitdoesnotmeetalloftheFANsrequirementsforastandardcategorycertificateofairworthiness.AsthesUASwillnotcarryany5

# n c passengers,

and otherwise

will operate

in accordance

with strictly-controlled

flight parameters,

the absence

of such

a warning

on the sUAS

will

not result

in any reduction

in the overall

safety

of the operation.

NHC

is willing

to include

any markings

that

may

be required

by the

FAA

in connection

with

its commercial

UAS operations,

with

the understanding

that

the surface

area

of the sUAS

will

not permit lettering

that

is larger

than

1 inch

in height.

In addition,

if requested

by the

FAA,

NHC

can place markings on each

of the control stations

used

to operate

NHC's

sUAS aircraft. 

# 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 User Guide

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)



# & (c): (Flight manuals,

placards) This regulation

requires

that

an approved

flight manual,

manual material,

markings,

placards

or some combination

thereof

be placed

on board

the aircraft.

The sUAS

does

not have

a configuration suitable

for compliance

with

this requirement. Equivalent

level

of safety analysis:



# The sUAS

is linked

to

a computer

that serves

as the control

station. The instruction

manual

for

the sUAS

can

be downloaded

to the computer

and accessed

by the operator, in much

the same

way

that pilots

of commercial

airliners

are able

to access

flight manuals

on tablet devices

that serve

as

.. electronic

flight

bags!'

All manual material,

markings

and placards

relevant

to the operation

of the sUAS

can

be displayed

on the screen

of the computer

that serves

as the control

station, as required.

The instruction

manual

for

the sUAS

will therefore

be just

as accessible

as

a flight manual carried

on board

a commercial

jet. 

# 14 C.F.R

. 91

. 103: (pre-flight) This regulation

requires

each

pilot

in command

to take certain

actions

before

flight

to ensure

the safety of flight.

As FAA approved

rotorcraft

flight manuals

will

not

be provided

for

the aircraft

an exemption will

be needed. Equivalent

level

of safety analysis:



# 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:

(Dual controls

for 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.



# 6Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:Neitherapilotnorpassengerswillbecarriedintheaircraft.TherequirementfordualflightcontrolsonanaircraftusedfortrainingpurposesismitigatedbythesUAS'slimitedoperationalrange,smalldimensionsandtheuseoflightweightmaterialsintheirconstruction,allofwhichreducetheriskofdamagetosurroundingstructuresintheeventofanoperatorerrorthatresultsinthelossoftheaircraft.14C.F.R.91.119:(Safealtitudesoverobstacles)Thisregulationspecifiestheminimumaltitudeinvariousflightenvironmentsbelowwhichaircraftarenotallowedtooperate.NHCwillconductthecommercialservicesitproposestooperatebelowtheFAAspecifiedminimumof500ftabovethesurfaceandclosertovesselsandstructuresthantheminimumseparationof500ftmandatedbytheFAA.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:TheoperationofthesUASaircraftexclusivelyinClassGairspace(i.e.,below1200ft)isintendedasasafetymeasuretoprovidealevelofseparationbetweenNHC'scommercialUASoperationsandtheoperationofmannedaircraftataltitudesabove1200ft.Inthiscase,limitingthesUAStoflightsbelowthe500ftminimumwillenhancesafetyratherthancompromiseit.NHCwillneedtooperatethesUAScloserthan500fttostructuresinordertoconducttheinspectionsthatwillcompriseamajorpartofNHC'scommercialsUASservices.However,NHC'sflightproceduresincludethecompany'sownrequirementsregardingtheminimumlevelofseparationbetweensUASandanynearbystructuresorfacilities.Inaddition,theriskofdamagetoanynearbystructuresorfacilitiesisreducedbysUAS'slimitedoperationalrange,smalldimensionsandtheuseoflightweightmaterialsinitsconstruction.14C.F.R.91.121:AltimeterSettingsThisregulationrequireseachpersonoperatinganaircrafttomaintaincruisingaltitudebyreferencetoanaltimeterthatisset"...totheelevationofthedepartureairportoranappropriatealtimetersettingavailablebeforedeparture."AsthesUASmaynothaveabarometricaltimeter,butinsteadaGPSaltitudereadout,anexemptionisneeded.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:Theoperator,pursuanttotheManualandSafetyChecklist,willconfirmthealtitudeofthelaunchsiteshownontheGPSaltitudeindicatorbeforeflight.14C.F.R.91.151{a):(Fuelminimums)FAAregulationsrequirethatarotorcraftoperatingunderVFRconditionshavesufficientfueltoflytothefirstpointofintendedlandingand,assumingnormalcruisingspeed,toflyforatleastanadditional20minutes.ThesUAShasamaximumoperatingtimeof20minutes.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:TheFAA'sregulationsrequiresufficientreservesofadditionalfueltoenablearotorcrafttofindthenearestsuitablelandingzoneiftheintendedlandingfacilityisnotavailable.Theadditionaltimethatarotorcraftisrequiredtobeabletooperateislessthanthetimerequiredtoallowfixed-wingaircrafttofindasuitablelandingfield(30minutesduringtheday,45minutesatnight)reflectingtherelativescarcityoflandingfieldsforaircraftversuslandingzonessuitableforrotorcraft.Bysimilarlogic,theadditionalfuelrequiredforsUASaircraftshouldbedramaticallyless7cn cthanforrotorcraft,asthesUASissmallenoughtolandvirtuallyanywhere.BecausethesUASinitiatesanautomaticspiraldescentuponanylossofpower,thereisnoneedtorequireadditionalflyingtimeforthesUAStofindasuitablelandingzone.TheconcernsbehindtheFAA'ssurplusfuelrequirementforrotorcraftaremitigatedbythesUAS'slimitedoperationalrange,smalldimensionsandtheuseoflightweightmaterialsinitsconstruction,allofwhichreducetheriskofdamagetosurroundingstructures.14C.F.R.91.203(a)&(b):(Maintenanceinspections)Theregulationprovidesinpertinentpart:(a)Exceptasprovidedin§91.715,nopersonmayoperateacivilaircraftunlessithaswithinitthefollowing:(1)Anappropriateandcurrentairworthinesscertificate....(b)Nopersonmayoperateacivilaircraftunlesstheairworthinesscertificaterequiredbyparagraph(a)ofthissectionoraspecialflightauthorizationissuedunder§91.715isdisplayedatthecabinorcockpitentrancesothatitislegibletopassengersorcrew.TheUASfullyloadedweighsnomorethan55lbsandisoperatedwithoutanonboardpilot.Assuch,thereisnoabilityorplacetocarrycertificationandregistrationdocumentsortodisplaythemonthesUAS.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:AnequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeachievedbykeepingthesedocumentsatthegroundcontrolpointwherethepilotflyingthesUASwillhaveimmediateaccesstothem,totheextenttheyareapplicabletothesUAS.14C.F.R.91.405(a)&14C.F.R.91.407(a)(1):14C.F.R.91.409(a)(2):14C.F.R.91.417(a):(Maintenancerelated)FAAregulationsimposevariousrequirementsregardingthemaintenanceofcivilaircraft,includingperiodicinspections,approvalforreturntoservicebyaqualifiedmechanicfollowingmaintenanceorrepair,anairworthinessinspectionandcertainrulesconcerningmaintenancerecordkeeping.NHC'smaintenanceofthesUASaircraftwillnotsatisfytheserequirements.Equivalentlevelofsafetyanalysis:NHCwillmaintainthesUASinaccordancewiththemanualsandoperatinghandbookprovidedbythemanufacturer.BecauseofthesUAS'ssmallsizeandlightweightconstruction,NHCwillbeabletosubjectittotop-to-bottomexaminationaftereveryflight.Allpre-orpost-flightmaintenance,equipmentfailures,chargecyclelogs,fault/repairlogs,inspectionsandgeneralmaintenancerecordswillbekeptonfileforaminimumofthreeyears.NHChasdevelopedalengthypre/post-flightchecklist;anyaircraftwhichisunabletomeetalltherequirementsforsafeoperationwillberemovedfromserviceimmediatelyandwillnotreturntoserviceuntilanydefectshavebeenremedied.Moreover,ifmechanicalissuesarise,thesUAScanlandimmediatelyastheywillbeoperatingatanaltitudenohigherthan500ft.ThemanufacturersperiodicallyupdatepartsandsoftwareforsUASaircraft.Whena8UAS

is tested

in the office,

NHC

will check

for

the most recent

stable software

issued

by the manufacturer

(NHC

will

not

use

Beta software).

NHC

will ensure

its sUAS aircraft

have

the most recent equipment

and software.

The number

of hours

that

a sUAS

is

in operation

will

be logged

by NHC

to ensure

proper

life

of components

as well

as the flight

packs

that provide

power. Summary

n c This application

seeks

an exemption

from

the FARs

set forth above

to allow commercial

operations

of

a small unmanned

aircraft

system

to conduct

precision

aerial surveys

for

the benefit

of the general

public. Yours sincerely Dr Stephen

Kwan

CFI River Engineer Northwest

Hydraulic Consultants **'t~+'\')~** Todd Bennett

P.E Branch Manager Northwest

Hydraulic Consultants

9