Electronic*Submission

October!14,!2015

U.S.!Department!of!Transportation,!Docket!Operations!

West!Building!Ground!Floor,!Room!W12E140!1200

New!Jersey!Avenue!SE!

Washington,!DC!20590!

Dear!Sir!or!Madam:!

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

referred!to!as!FMRA)!and!14!CFR!Part!11,!AriAscend!Corporation (herein!referred!to!

as!AriAscend)!hereby!applies!for!an!exemption!from!the!listed!Federal!Aviation!

Regulations!(FARs)!to!allow!commercial!operation!of!UAS for!the!acquisition!of!

aerial!data,!so!long!as!such!operations!are!conducted!within!and!under!the!

conditions!outlined!herein!or!as!may!be!established!by!the!FAA.!

As!detailed!in!this!document!and!the!attached!Appendix!of!UAS,!the!requested!

exemption!would permit!the!operation!of!UAS!platforms!previously!approved!by!the!

FAA!for!commercial!operations!in!the!United!States.!Approval!of!this!exemption!

would!thereby!enhance!safety!and!fulfill!the!Secretary!of!Transportation’s!

responsibilities!to!“...establish!requirements!for!the!safe!operation!of!such!aircraft!

systems!in!the!national!airspace!system.”!Section!333(c)!Reform!Act.!

The!name!and!address!of!the!applicant!is:!

AriAscend!Corporation

Thomas!Sugahara

CEO!&!CoEFounder

PO!Box!5046

Salem,!OR!97304

Tel:!503E302E4935

Email:!kenji@ariascend.com!

Regulations!from!which!the!exemption!is!requested:!

14!CFR!Part!21!

14!CFR!45.23(b)!

14!CFR!61.113(a)!&!(b)!

14!CFR!91.7(a)!

14!CFR!91.9(b)(2)!

14!CFR!91.103!

14!CFR!91.109!

14!CFR!91.119!

14!CFR!91.121!

14!CFR!91.151(a)!
14!CFR!91.203(a)!&!(b)!

14!CFR!91.405(a)!

14!CFR!407(a)(1)!

14!CFR!409(a)(2)!

14!CFR!417(a)!&!(b)!

AUTHORITY*FOR*EXEMPTIONS*

The!Federal!Aviation!Act!expressly!grants!the!FAA!authority!to!issue!exemptions.!

This!statutory!authority!includes!exempting!civil!aircraft,!as!the!term!is!defined!

under!§40101!of!the!Act,!including!UAS,!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!§44702E44716!

of!this!title!if!the!Administrator!finds!the!exemption!in!the!public!interest.!49!USC!

§44701(f).!See!also!49!USC!§44711(a);!49!USC!§44704;!14!CFR!91.203(a)(1).!

Section!333(b)!of!the!Reform!Act!assists!the!Secretary!in!determining!whether!UAS!

may!operate!in!the!national!airspace!system!without!creating!a!hazard!to!the!user,!

the!public,!or!a!threat!to!national!security.!In!making!this!determination,!the!

Secretary!must!consider:!

• The!UAS’!size,!weight,!speed!and!operational!capability;!

• Whether!the!UAS!operates!within!the!visual!line!of!sight!of!the!operator;!

• Whether!the!UAS!operates!outside!of!highly!populated!areas!and!away!from!

close!proximity!to!airports.!

Reform!Act!333(a).!If the!Secretary!determines!that!a!UAS!“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.”!Id.!333(c).!

BACKGROUND*ON*ARIASCEND

AriAscend!is!one!of!the!world’s!leading!vertically!integrated!drone!services!provider.!

AriAscend!provides!turnkey!solutions!utilizing!UAS!to!deliver!specific,!low!risk,!and!

cost!effective!actionable!data!to!clients.!AriAscend!was!founded!specifically!to!help!

clients!avoid!the!capital!expense!and!operating!risks!of!establishing!their!own!drone!

programs!and!to!purchase!drone!support!in!a!way!which!better!fits!their!operations!

and!cost!profiles.!

AriAscend!believes!in!a!riskEbased!and!technology!agnostic!approach!to!operations!

in!the!national!airspace.!Approval!for!any!operation!should!be!based!on!an!analysis!

of!the!specific!risks!associated!with!the!fully!integrated!solution,!rather!than!the!

individual!components.!
The!AriAscend!business!model!is!predicated!on!identifying!requirements,!

developing!the!business!case,!and!demonstrating!the!Return!on!Investment!(ROI)!

from!UAS!for!enterprise!clients!in!agriculture and!other!industries.!

UAS*AND*OPERATIONAL*DESCRIPTION*

AriAscend!seeks!to!commercially!operate!a!variety!of!UAS!weighing!less!than!55!

pounds!including!payload!in!the!United!States!for!the!purpose!of!acquiring!aerial!

data.!The!Appendix!attached!to!this!exemption!petition!lists!the!aircraft!that!

AriAscend!contemplates!operating.!In!prior,!similar!exemptions!the!Secretary!has!

approved!every!UAS!platform!included!in!the!Appendix.!

As!the!operator!of!these!aircraft,!AriAscend!is!committed!to!the!following!conditions!

and!limitations!on!its!operations.!AriAscend!understands!that!failure!to!comply!will!

be!grounds!for!the!immediate!suspension!or!rescission!any!exemption!granted.!

1.!Operations!are!limited!to!the!UAS!listed!in!the!Appendix!when!weighing!less!than!

55!pounds!including!payload.!

2.!Operations!for!the!purpose!of!closedEset!motion!picture!and!television!filming!are!

not!contemplated.!

3.!The!aircraft!will!not!be!operated!at!a!speed!exceeding!87!knots!(100!miles!per!

hour).!In!no!case!will!the!aircraft!be!operated!at!airspeeds!greater!than!the!

maximum!aircraft!operating!airspeed!recommended!by!the!aircraft!manufacturer.!

4.!The!aircraft!will!be!operated!at!an!altitude!of!no!more!than!400!feet!above!ground!

level!(AGL).!Altitude!must!be!reported!in!feet!AGL.!

5.!The!aircraft!will!be!operated!within!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS)!of!the!Pilot!in!

Command!(PIC)!at!all!times.!This!requires!the!PIC!to!be able!to!use!human!vision!

unaided!by!any!device!other!than!corrective!lenses,!as!specified!on!the!PIC’s!U.S.!

driver’s!license.!

6.!All!operations!will!utilize!a!visual!observer!(VO).!The!aircraft!will!be!operated!

within!the!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS)!of!the!PIC!and!VO!at!all!times.!

7.!All!operating!documents!needed!to!operate!the!UAS!and!will!be!accessible!during!

UAS!operations!and!made!available!to!the!Administrator!upon!request.!The!operator!

will!also!present!updated!and!revised!documents!if!it!petitions!for!extension!or!

amendment.!

8.!Any!UAS!that!has!undergone!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!prior!to!conducting!further!operations.!

9.!AriAscend is!responsible!for!maintaining!and!inspecting!the!UAS!to!ensure!that!it!

is!in!a!condition!for!safe!operation.!
10.!Prior!to!each!flight,!the!PIC!will!conduct!a!preEflight!inspection!and!determine!

the!UAS!is!in!a!condition!for!safe!flight.!

11.!AriAscend!will!follow!the!UAS!manufacturer’s!maintenance,!overhaul,!

replacement,!inspection,!and!life!limit!requirements!for!the!aircraft!and!aircraft!

components.!

12.!Each!UAS!operated!under!this!exemption!will!comply!with!all!manufacturer

safety!bulletins.!

13.!The!PIC!will!hold!a!UAS!flight!training!certificate,!in!some!cases!training!directly!

from!the!aircraft!manufacturer,!and!a!valid!U.S.!driver’s!license!issued!by!a!state,!the!

District!of!Columbia,!Puerto!Rico,!a!territory,!a!possession,!or!the!Federal!

government.!

14.!AriAscend!will!not!permit!any!PIC!to!operate!unless!the!PIC!demonstrates!the!

ability!to!safely!operate!the!UAS!in!a!manner!consistent!with!how!the!UAS!will!be!

operated!to!acquire!aerial!data,!including!evasive!and!emergency!maneuvers!and!

maintaining!appropriate!distances!from!persons,!vessels,!vehicles!and!structures.!

PIC!qualification!flight!hours!and!currency!will!be!logged!in!a!manner!consistent!

with!14!CFR!§!61.51(b).!AriAscend will!operate!flights!for!the!purposes!of!training!

AriAscend PICs!and!VOs!(training,!proficiency,!and!experienceEbuilding)!and!

determining!the!PIC’s!ability!to!safely!operate!the!UAS.!

15.!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).!

16.!The!aircraft!will!not!operate!within!5!nautical!miles!of!an!airport!reference!point!

(ARP)!as!denoted!in!the!current!FAA!Airport/Facility!Directory!(AFD)!or!for!airports!

not!denoted!with!an!ARP,!the!center!of!the!airport!symbol!as!denoted!on!the!current!

FAAEpublished!aeronautical!chart,!unless!a!letter!of!agreement!with!that!airport’s!

management!is!obtained!or!otherwise!permitted!by!a!COA.!

17.!The!aircraft!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.!

18.!If!the!UAS!loses!communications!or!loses!its!GPS!signal,!the!aircraft!will!return!to!

a!preEdetermined!location.!

19.!The!PIC!will!abort!the!flight!in!the!event!of!unpredicted!obstacles!or!emergencies.!

20.!The!PIC!will!be!prohibited!from!beginning!a!flight!unless!(considering!wind!and!

forecast!weather!conditions)!there!is!enough!available!power!or!fuel!for!the!aircraft!

to!conduct!the!intended!operation!and!to!operate!after!that!for!at!least!five!minutes!

or!with!the!reserve!power!or!fuel!recommended!by!the!manufacturer!if!greater.!

21.!All!operations!shall!be!conducted!in!accordance!with!an!ATOEissued!COA!if!the!

blanket!COA!does!not!cover!the!intended!operation.!
22.!All!aircraft!operated!will!be!identified!by!serial!number,!registered!in!accordance!

with!14!CFR!part!47,!and!have!identification(N−Number)!markings!in!accordance!

with!14!CFR!part!45,!Subpart!C.!Markings!will!be!as!large!as!practicable.!

23.!Documents!used!by!AriAscend!to!ensure!the!safe!operation!and!flight!of!the!UAS!

and!any!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!aircraft!is!operating.!

24.!The!aircraft!will!remain!clear!and!give!way!to!all!manned!aviation!operations!

and!activities!at!all!times.!

25.!The!UAS!may!be!operated!by!the!PIC!from!a!moving!device!or!vehicle;!however,!

specific!requests!will!be!made!via!subsequent!COA.!

26.!All!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!aircraft!or!debris!in!the!event!of!an!accident;!or!

b.!The!owner/controller/operator!of!any!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures!has!granted!

permission!for!operating!closer!to!those!objects!and!the!PIC!has!made!an!

assessment!of!the!risk!of!operating!closer!to!those!objects!and!determined!that!it!

does!not!present!an!undue!hazard.!

27.!The!PIC,!VO,!operator!trainees!or!essential!persons!will!not!be!considered!

nonparticipating!persons!under!this!exemption.!

28.!All!operations!conducted!over!private!or!controlledEaccess!property!will!be!

conducted!with!the!permission!from!the!property!owner/controller!or!authorized!

representative.!Permission!from!property!owner/controller!or!authorized!

representative!will!be!obtained!for!each!flight!to!be!conducted.!

29.!Any!incident,!accident,!or!flight!operation!that!transgresses!the!lateral!or!vertical!

boundaries!of!the!operational!area!as!defined!by!the!applicable!COA!will!be!reported!

to!the!FAA's!UAS!Integration!Office!(AFS−80)!within!24!hours.!Accidents!must!be!

reported!to!the!National!Transportation!Safety!Board!(NTSB)!per!instructions!

contained!on!the!NTSB!Web!site:!www.ntsb.gov.!

DESCRIPTION*OF*SPECIFIC*REGULATIONS*

14!CFR!Part!21,!Subpart!H:!Airworthiness!certificates!

Subpart!H,!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!AriAscend,!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!USC!§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!certificate,!in!

the!restricted!environment!and!under!the!conditions!proposed,!will!be!at!least!as!

safe,!or!safer,!than!a!conventional!aircraft!operating!with!an!airworthiness!

certificate!without!the!restrictions!and!conditions!proposed.!

14!CFR!45.23(b):!Marking!of!the!aircraft!

This!regulation!requires!that!certain!experimental,!provisionally!certified!aircraft,!or!

lightEsport!category!aircraft!to!be!marked!with!letters!between!2!inches!and!6!

inches!high!“limited”,!“restricted,”!“lightEsport,”!“experimental,”!or!“provisional,”!

near!each!entrance!to!a!cabin,!cockpit!or!pilot!station.!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!UAS,!2!inch!lettering!may!be!impossible.!AriAscend!

will!mark!the!UAS!as!practicable.!

14!CFR!61.113(a)!&!(b):!Private!pilot!privileges!and!limitations:!Pilot!in!command!

Sections!61.113(a)!and!(b)!limit!private!pilots!to!nonEcommercial!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!pilot!

operating!the!aircraft!to!have!completed!a!UAS!flightEtraining!course.!Unlike!a!

conventional!aircraft!that!carries!the!pilot!and!passengers,!the!UAS!is!remotely!

controlled.!The!area!of!operation!is!controlled!and!restricted,!and!all!flights!are!

planned!and!coordinated!in!advance.!The!risks!associated!with!the!operation!of!the!

UAS!are!so!diminished!from!the!level!of!risk!associated!with!commercial!operations!

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

requested!exceeds!the!present!level!of!safety!achieved!by!14!CFR!61.113(a)!and!(b).!

14!CFR!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!AriAscend contemplates!operating,!should!this!exemption!be!granted,!no!

FAA!regulatory!standard!will!exist!for!determining!airworthiness.!Given!the!size of!

the!aircraft!and!the!operational!restrictions!put!on!the!aircraft,!an!equivalent!level!of!

safety!will!be!provided.!

14!CFR!91.9(b)(2):!Civil!aircraft!flight!manual,!marking!and!placard!requirements!

The!UAS,!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!Operating!Manuals!at!the!ground!

control!point!where!the!pilot!flying!the!UAS!will!have!immediate!access!to!it.!

14!CFR!91.103:!Preflight!action!

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

ensure!the!safety!of!flight.!An!exemption!is!needed!from!this!requirement,!as!the!

pilot!will!take!separate!preflight!actions,!including!checking!for!weather!conditions,!

checking!flight!battery!or!fuel!requirements,!checking!takeoff!and!landing!distances,!

and!all!other!actions!in!the!Operating!Manual!and!safety!checklists.!These!actions!

will!provide!an!equivalent!level!of!safety.!

14!CFR!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.!By!design,!UAS!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!equivalent!level!of!

safety!is!provided!by!the!fact!that!neither!a!pilot!nor!passengers!will!be!carried!in!

the!aircraft,!the!ability!to!control!the!UAS!via!radio!signals!from!the!controller!and!

by!the!size!and!speed!of!the!aircraft.!

14!CFR!91.119:!Minimum!safe!altitudes!

Section!91.119!establishes!safe!altitudes!for!operation!of!civil!aircraft.!The!UAS!will!

never!operate!at!altitude!higher!than!400!AGL!and!all!operations!will!occur!during!

daylight!hours!under!Visual!Meteorological!Conditions!(VMC)!only.!

The!equivalent!level!of!safety!will!be!achieved!given!the!size,!weight!and!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.!Because!advance!notice!to!the!property!

owner and!any!onsite!personnel,!as!well!as!the!precautions!outlined!below,!all!

affected!individuals!will!be!aware!of!the!planned!flight!operations.!

Flight!operations!will!be!conducted!at!least!500!feet!from!all!nonEparticipating!

persons!(persons!other!than!the pilot!in!command!(PIC)!or!visual!observer!(VO)),!

vessels,!vehicles!and!structures,!unless!operations!do!not!present!an!undue!hazard.!

The!UAS!will!remain!within!visual!line!of!sight!of!the!PIC!or!VO.!Flight!operations!

will!be!conducted!at!least!5!miles!from!an!airport.!The!PIC!or!VO!will!provide!

notification!to!the!local!Flight!Standards!District!Office!and!airport!controller!of!all!

operations!within!5!miles!of!an!airport.!The!FAA!will!have!advance!notice!of!all!

operations!through!the!filing!of!noticesEtoEairmen.!

Compared!to!flight!operations!with!aircraft!or!rotorcraft!weighing!far!more!than!the!

UAS!proposed!herein,!any!risk!associated!with!our!operations!is!far!less!than!those!
presently!presented!with!helicopters!and!other!conventional!aircraft!operating at!or!

below!500!feet!AGL.!In!addition,!the!lowEaltitude!operations!of!the!UAS!will!ensure!

separation!between!these!UAS!operations!and!the!operations!of!conventional!

aircraft!that!must!comply!with!Section!91.119.!

14!CFR!91.121:!Altimeter!Settings!

This!regulation!requires!each!person!operating!the!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!UAS!

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!PIC!

confirming!the!altitude!of!the!launch!site!shown!on!the!GPS!altitude!indicator!before!

flight.!

14!CFR!91.151(a):!Fuel!requirements!for!flight!in!VFR!conditions!

Section!91.151(a)!outlines!fuel!requirements!for!beginning!a!flight!in!VFR!conditions.!

Relief!from!Section!91.151(a)(1)!is!requested!to!the!extent!required!to!allow!flights!

of!a!variety!of!UAS!during!daylight!hours!in!visual!flight!rules!(VFR)!conditions!to!

continue!until!30!percent!of!remaining!battery power!or!fuel!reserves!remain.!

AriAscend!seeks!the!requested!relief!because!without!an!exemption!from!Section!

91.151(a)(1),!the!flight!time!duration!of!the!selected!aircraft!will!be!reduced!and!

severely!constrain!the!practicality!of!any!aerial!acquisition!of!data!that!AriAscend!

proposes!to!conduct!pursuant!to!this!Petition.!

The!technical!specifications!of!the!proposed!UAS,!their!Operations!Manuals,!and!

AriAscend’s!proposed!operating!limitations,!ensure!that!AriAscend!will!safely!

operate!the!selected!aircraft!during!daylight!hours!in!VFR!conditions!until!30!

percent!of!remaining!battery!power!or!fuel!reserves!remain.!

14!CFR!91.203(a)!&!(b):!Carrying!civil!aircraft!certification!and!registration!

The!UAS!has!no!cabin,!cockpit!or!pilot!station!and!is!operated!without!an!onboard!

pilot.!Therefore,!there!is!no!ability!or!place!to!carry!certification!and!registration!

documents!or!to!display!them!on!the!UAS.!An!equivalent!level!of!safety!will!be!

achieved!by!keeping!these!documents!at!the!ground!control!point!where!the!pilot!

flying!the!UAS!will!have!immediate!access!to!them,!to!the!extent!they!are!applicable!

to!the!UAS.!

14!CFR!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!AriAscend.!Maintenance!will!be!

accomplished!pursuant!to!the!User!Guide!or!Operating!Manual.!An!equivalent!level!

of!safety!will!be!achieved!because!these!UASs!are!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.!The!PIC!will!ensure!that!the!UAS!is!in!working!order!

prior!to!initiating!flight,!perform!required!maintenance!and!keep!a!log!of!any!

maintenance!performed.!Moreover,!the!PIC!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.!

PUBLIC*INTEREST*

Approval!of!exemptions!allowing!commercial!operations!of!UASs!for!aerial!

acquisition!of!data!enhances!safety!while!reducing!risk.!Manned!aircraft!in!certain!

application!such!as!pipeline!monitoring!create!a!greater!risk!because!the!aircraft!are!

much!larger!and carry!an!onboard!human!pilot.!In!contrast,!a!UAS!weighing!55!

pounds!or!less!will!carry!no!passengers!or!crew!and,!therefore,!will!not!expose!them!

to!the!risks!associated!with!manned!aircraft!flights.!In!addition,!additional!streams!

of!aerial!data!will!allow!large!commercial!entities!to!make!decisions!about!how!to!

best!deploy!ground!resources!and!ensure!the!safety!and!costEeffectiveness!of!their!

operations.!

EQUIVALENT*LEVEL*OF*SAFETY*

AriAscend proposes!that!the!exemption!requested!herein!apply!to!civil!aircraft!that!

have!the!characteristics!and!that!operate!within!the!limitations!listed!herein.!These!

limitations!provide!for!at!least!an!equivalent!or!even!higher!level!of!safety!to!

operations!under!the!current!and!proposed!regulatory!structure.!

PRIVACY*

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

owner’s!prior!consent!and!knowledge.!Images!or!video!taken!of!individuals!will!

have!consented!to!being!filmed!or!otherwise!they!will!be!made!anonymous.!

NATIONAL*SECURITY*

Given!the!small!size!of!the!UAS!involved!and!the!restricted!environment!within!

which!they!will!operate,!our!petition!presents!no!national!security!issue.!

FEDERAL*REGISTER*SUMMARY*

Docket!No.:!No.!FAAE2015E____!

Petitioner:!AriAscend!Corporation

Part!21!and!§§!45.23(b),!61.113(a)!and!(b),!91.7(a),!91.9(b)(2),!91.103,!91.109,!
91.119,!91.121,!91.151(a),!91.203(a)!and!(b),!91.405(a),!407(a)(1),!409(a)(2),!

417(a)!and!(b)!of!Title!14,!Code!of!the!Federal!Regulations!(14!CFR).!

Description!of!Relief!Sought:!AriAscend is!seeking!an!exemption!to!conduct!

commercial!acquisition!of!aerial!data!using!unmanned!aircraft!systems.!

Based!upon!the!foregoing,!AriAscend requests!that!the!FAA!grant!it!the!necessary!

exemptions!under!Section!333!of!the!FAA!Reform!Act!as!requested!herein!to!allow!

for!commercial!operations!of!UAS!within!the!United!States.!

Sincerely,!

Thomas!Sugahara

CEO!&!CoEFounder

AriAscend!Corporation

PO!Box!5046

Salem,!OR!97304