Randy Hemmel 

80 Fawnridge Dr. 

Long Valley, NJ 

07853 

908-303-9393 

randai@comcast.net

July 13, 2015 

Dear Exemption Manager, Mr. John S. Duncan; 

As per http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=82485 I am requesting that this 

exemption request be considered and granted under the new “Summary Grant” process 

announce by the FAA in the above on April 9, 2015. 

The following is in support of my Petition #FAA-2015-1026 for an Exemption for 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems operations. 

I, Randy Hemmel, am an FAA licensed private pilot with over 425 flight hours including 75 

glider flights as PIC. Mr. Hemmel has been a private pilot since 1985, flying many different 

types of aircraft, and takes the skills and education for the safe operation of UAS, very 

seriously. Mr. Hemmel has both private pilot power & glider ratings and has flown aircraft 

for over 30 years without a single incident.

Randy Hemmel’s request is for a waiver of the sections previously identified in this 

exemption request in an effort to operate a DJI Phantom UAS only for Real Estate 

photos/videos. 

The FAA has indicated that the length of time for these exemption requests to be 

processed will be based in part on the completeness & the complexity of the requests.

Completeness - This request is complete and is similar to other exemptions granted 

recently. As per email from the FAA on June 15th, 2015: 

“We received your submission of the requested information on June 5, 2015; at which 

point, your petition was determined to be complete, and ready for review under 

Section 333. Your petition is under review at this time.”

Complexity - This is a simple exemption request for aerial photography and videography 

for Real Estate utilizing a Phantom Vision 2+ UAS. Many similar requests have been 

granted recently by the FAA including exemptions 11969, 11971, 11945, 11954, & 11959. 

These requests are all for Real Estate photography using the DJI Phantom Vision 2 UAS. 

They are exactly the same as my petition.

In reference to the FAA announcement: http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=82485

This announcement references the FAA’s experience in reviewing Section 333 petitions. 

These generally fall into two categories; film/television production and aerial data collection 

and that most of the exemption requests in these categories will likely be handled through 

the new summary grant process. 
 

With a solid understanding of FAA rules, the awareness of National airspace, plus 30+ 

years experience as a private pilot, and a 100% safety record over three decades, Randy 

Hemmel believes he should be granted an exemption. 

Mr. Hemmel’s request for a waiver of the section is not for operations for the purpose of 

“closed-set motion picture and television filming”, but rather only for aerial photography 

and videography for Real Estate purposes. 

The petitioner is seeking an exemption to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) 

under the new FAA “Summary Grant” approach, announced April 9, 2015 here: 

http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=82485 This will help speed up Section 333 

exemption approvals for many commercial UAS operators prior to finalizing the small UAS 

proposed rules. 

It is Mr. Hemmel’s understanding that the FAA will still individually review each Section 333 

petition. However, it is hoped that the agency will accept this particular petition, and 

include it in the next summary grant, and issue to Mr. Hemmel an exemption on the 

presumption that the FAA has “already granted a previous exemption similar to this 

request”. 

Based on the size of the craft, experience of the pilot, and operational goals, this request 

appears to be well suited for approval using the new summary grant procedure and the 

current criteria outlined in Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. 

Sincerely, 

Randy Hemmel