David N. Fisher

September 2, 2015 12031 Center Dr Vernon, TX 76384 Cell 940

- 357

-0263 Email: fisher.dnf@gmail.com U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590 Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act of 2012 References: 1) FAA Exemption No. 11138, Regulatory Docket No. FAA20140481 in the matter of petition of DOUGLAS TRUDEAU 2) FAA Exemption No. 11136, Regulatory Docket No. FAA

–2014

–0508 in the matter of the petition ofADVANCED AVIAT ION SOLUTIONS LLC 3) FAA Exemption No. 11080 Regulatory Docket No. FAA20140355 in the matter of the petition of FLYING CAM INC Dear Sir or Madam, In accordance with the FAA’s Guidelines for Submitting a Petition for Exemption under section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, I David N Fisher, referred to hereafter as the petitioner, request exemption from the following sections of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations §§ **61.113(a) ;**  **61.113(b) ; 91.119(c); 91.121; 91.151(a); 91.405(a);**  **91.407(a)(1) ; 91.409**  **(a)(1) ; 91.409(a)(2); 91.417(a)**  **& (b) ;**  In order to operate small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) commercially in airspace regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the purposes of aerial photography, videography, crop surveying, inspections and other flight operations that could be performed safely and more cost effectively with the use of small UAS at low altitude within the U.S. national airspace system as compared to a manned aircraft. Operations will be performed o nly at the request of and with the authorization and permission of clients or their authorized agents in order to facilitate commerce and raise awareness of the beneficial uses of small unmanned air systems. So long as such operations areconducted withi n and under the conditions outlined herein or as may be established by the FAA as

required by Section 333. The conditions identified and proposed by the petitioner are drawn from references 13.
**The FARs** The petitioner seeks exemption from the above mention ed FARs for the following reasons; 61.113(a) & (b) ; The petitioner requests relief in order to facilitate the utilization of pilots, who hold a PRIVATE PILOT (or greater) certificate. Any pilots operating under this exemption would be required to comply wi th any conditions as set forth and in a similar fashion to the previously granted exemptions. 91.119(c) As discussed in Exemption 11138 (DOUGLAS TRUDEAU), operations conducted closer than 500 feet to the ground may require that the UA be operated closer th an 500 feet to essential persons, or objects that would not be possible without additional relief. The petitioner requests modification, waiver or exemption and clarification concerning the terms “congested areas” and “densely populated”. The petitioner re quests waiver for this condition to allow reasonable and responsible operations in areas of subdivisions and neighborhoods if required.

**91.121** As discussed in Exemption 11138 (DOUGLAS TRUDEAU) is inapplicable since the UAS does not have an altimeter and in stead utilizes electronic GPS with a barometric sensor for altitude information. **91.151(a)** As discussed in Exemption 11136 (ADVANCED AVIATION SOLUTIONS LLC) prior relief has been granted for manned aircraft to operate at less than the prescribed minimums, including Exemption Nos. 2689, 5745, and 10650. In addition, similar UAS specific relief has been granted in Exemption Nos. 8811, 10808, and 10673 for daytime, VFR conditions. The UAS provides battery power remaining in percent to the PIC. The UA batteries provide approximately 25 minutes of powered flight. Information provided in the operating documents discusses procedures regarding remaining battery power management. Those documents contain a condition in which the PIC will initiate a landing procedure w hen battery remaining reaches a specified level. Given the limitations on proposed operations and the location of those proposed operations, The FAA found that a reduced minimum power reserve for flight in daytime VFR conditions was reasonable. **91.405(a) ;**  **91.407(a)(1) ; 91.409 (a)(1) & (2); 91.417(a) & (b)**  As discussed in Exemption 11138 (DOUGLAS TRUDEAU), The petitioner proposes to inspect and ensure that the UAS is in a condition for safe flight in accordance with the operating documents. The FAA found tha t adherence to the petitioner’s operatingdocuments and the conditions and limitations specified, describing the requirements for maintenance,

inspection, and recordkeeping, were sufficient to ensure that safety would not be adversely affected.
**The UAS**
The DJI Phantom 3 Professional is a consumer grade small rotorcraft in the quadcopter configuration with an advertised weight of 1280 grams designed to carry aloft a high definition camera. It has an advertised maximum speed of 16 m/s (ATTI mode, no wind) and a maximum climb rate of 5 m/s. It is powered by four electric motors. It is controlled primarily by a remote control (RC) unit. Real time video information is transmitted back to a ground control station allowing the operator and/or PIC camera imagery and control camera angle. It has failsafe modes of operation for either loss of RC or GPS signal. Altitude can be limited by the onboard flight controller and maximum altitude can be preprogrammed by the PIC. . It utilizes an intelligent flight battery that continuously calculates its current distance from the controller and the amount of power needed to return, so the operator always knows when they should continue flying. The onboard flight controller will warn the pilot via external lighting and audio

cues before reaching a low battery state. It is anticipated that flights will usually last 18

- 20 minutes. **Risk mitigation** The petitioner has reviewed FAA exemptions reference’s 13Conditions and Limitations section and believes that the procedures specified t herein are reasonable and will be utilized in order to manage and mitigate risk and ensure public safety. A preflight checklist will be developed and employed to ensure that the UA airworthiness will be verified before launch. Airworthiness will be maintai ned by performance of routine inspections before each flight, maintaining flight and maintenance logs to record time on failure prone components. The petitioner request that in a manner similar to reference 3, he be allowed to operate within 5 miles of an airport provided that ; “The UA may not operate in Class B, C, or D airspace without written approval from the FAA. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of the geographic center of a nontowered airport as denoted on a current FAA published aeronau tical chart unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained, and the operation is conducted in accordance with a NOTAM as required by the operator’s COA. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made available to the Administrator upon request.” Operations within 5 miles of an airport are not anticipated to be routine but the petitioner is requesting a mechanism to facilitate such activities without requesting a new and separate exemption(s) should the need arise. Operations within class B airspace are not requested due to the lack of mode C transponder.**Public interest**

Use of the UAS in lieu of a manned aircraft would enhance safety and reduce the environmental impact as compared to similar operations conducted wit h manned aircraft of greater proportions, carrying a crew and flammable fuel. Additionally, use of the UAS in order to facilitate commerce could lead to economic growth. Operations for this petition will enable service for property owners or their designee s seeking an enhanced perspective for characteristics, amenities, and benefits of their desired photographic subjects that cannot be displayed through ground level videography/photography. Aerial photography is a valuable marketing tool that can lead to in creased commerce and enhance personal photography. Crop surveying applications could lead to decreased use of pesticides and fertilizer and conservation of water as well as increased crop yields and decreased costs. The petitioner will provide clients with photographic data for these purposes on a ‘for hire’ basis acting as an independent contractor. A visual observer will be utilized. Liability insurance will be obtained commensurate with the granting of this request for exemption. Flight data including UA flight time, Control Unit operation time, incident, accident, and details concerning any deviations from normal operations will be available to FAA for use in collecting data regarding the use of UAS as part of this application. This data may be submitted to FAA via traditional means, e.g. COA Monthly Reports, or other means as required.
**Conclusion** The petitioner is requesting this exemption for the purposes of “aerial photography, videography, crop surveying, inspections and other flight operations”. The reason for such a general and broad based request is that the petitioner wishes to utilize a business strategy of horizontal integration and maximize economies of scope in order to capitalize on opportunities as they may arise in the future without the lon g turnaround time associated with additional exemptions. The petitioner's business model is based on the idea of offering ad hoc small UAS services to individuals or companies who wish to employ these services as a safe, effective, and legal option to enha nce their business or hobby. The petitioner’s own market research shows pent up demand for these services currently exists in the real estate market and other markets are just beginning to emerge. The petitioner has identified universities and other agenci es that could benefit from the operation requested in this application. A quick internet search will show that many are currently operating similar UAS in exactly this fashion without, it is assumed, FAA authorization. The primary purpose of seeking this e xemption is to obtain the capability to offer those services while remaining in compliance.Respectfully submitted,

David N. Fisher