September 8th, 2015

U.S.!Department!of!Transportation

Federal!Aviation!Administration

800!Independence!Avenue,!SW

Washington,!DC!20591

Re:!Exemption!Request!Pursuant!to!Section!333!of!the!FAA!Reform!Act!and!Part!11!of!the

Federal!Aviation!Regulations!from:!14!CFR!61.113{a)!&!(b);!91.7!(a);!91.103;!91.119{c);!91.121;

91.151{a);!91.405{a);!91.407(a)(1);!91.409!(a)(1)!and!{2};!91.417{a)!&!(b).

Dear!Sir!or!Madam:!

Pursuant!to!Section!333!of!the!FAA!Modernization!and!Reform!Act,!I,!Jeffrey Frommer,!operator!of!

an!Unmanned!Aircraft!System!(UAS),!hereby!apply,!on!behalf!of!Malka Media Group, LLC,!for!an!

exemption!from!the!listed!Federal!Aviation!Regulations!(“FARs”)!to!allow!commercial!operation!of!

its!UAS,!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.!!

I!would!like!to!formally!submit!for an!exemption!from!part!21,!subpart!H;!and!Sections!45.23(b),!

91.7(a),!91.9(b)(2), 91.119,!91.121,!91.151(a),!91.203(a)!and!(b),!91.405(a),!91.407(a)(1),!

91.409(a)(2),!and 91.417(a)!and!(b)!of!Title!14,!Code!of!Federal!Regulations!(14!CFR).!This!proposed!

exemption!would!allow!the!operation!of!unmanned!aircraft!systems!(UAS)!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!

videography!and!photography for commercial film purposes.

Applicant:!

Jeffrey Frommer

Managing Partner

Malka Media Group, LLC

51 Harrison St. Suite 5D

Hoboken, NJ 07030

jeff@malkamediagroup.com

908-770-4777

Commercial operation of an UAS, as described herein, which are equipped with camera and sensors, 

would operate in the following maner:

• Aerial!video!and/or!photography!for!commercial film and advertising.

As!described!fully!below,!the!requested!exemption!would!permit!the!operation!of!a!UAS!under!

controlled!conditions!in!the!NAS!that!would!be!a)!limited,!b)!controlled,!c)!predetermined,!and!d)!will!
provide!safety!enhancements!to!the!already!safe!operations!in!the!industry!presently!using!

conventional!aircraft.!Approval!of!this!exemption!would!thereby!enhance!safety!and!fulfill!the!

Secretary!of!Transportation responsibilities!to!“....establish!requirements!for!the!safe!operation of!

such!aircraft!systems!in!the!national!airspace!system.”!

We will operate a UAS, the FREEFLY Alta Drone, less than 55 pounds including payload. They operate 

at a speed less than 50 knots and have the capability to hover and move in the vertical and horizontal 

plane simultaneously. It has an auto return to launch point when battery power is under 25%. The 

UAS will operate within the line of sight within a protected flight area as described below and at 200 

feet AGL or less with an observer located close at hand as to make voice communication possible. 

These operations will not create a hazard to users of the nation airspace, public nor the environment.

UAS$Operating$Parameters$

We!will!abide!by!the!following!additional!operating!conditions!under!this!exemption,!which!

ensures!a!level!of!safety!at!least!equal!to!existing!rules:!

• operate!UAS!below!300!feet!and!within!a!radius!distance!of!1000!feet!from!the!controller to

aid!in!direct!line!of!sight!visual!observation;

• obtain!permission!from!the!owner/controller!of!any!vessels,!vehicles!and!structures when

operations!may!be!conducted!closer!than!500!feet!to!any!such!vessels,!vehicles or!structures;

we!will!conduct!a!safety!assessment!of!the!risk!of!operating!closer!to those!objects!and

determine!that!it!does!not!present!an!undue!hazard;

• operate!the!UAS!for!5d10!minutes!per!flight;

• land!UAS!prior!to!the!manufacturer’s!recommended!minimum!level!of!battery!power;

• operate!UAS!during daylight!hours!only!within!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS);

• use!the!UAS’!global!positioning!system!(GPS)!flight!safety!feature!whereby!it!hovers and!then

slowly!lands!if!communication!with!the!remote!control!pilot!is!lost;

• conduct!all!operations!under!the!flight!safety!protocols!(including!posting!a!warning sign

reading:!“Attention!Aerial!Photography!in!Progress!–!Remain!Back!150!feet”)!contained in

the!operating!documents!and!will!actively!analyze!flight!data!and!other!sources of

information!to!constantly!update!and!enhance!safety!protocols;

• contact!respective!airports!if!operations!will!be!within!5!miles!to!advise!them!of!his

estimated flight!time,!flight!duration,!elevation!of!flight!and!other!pertinent!information;

• always!obtain!all!necessary!permissions!prior!to!operation; have!procedures!in!place!to

abort!flights!in!the!event!of!safety!breaches!or!potential danger;

• only!operate!in!safe!environments!that!are!strictly!controlled,!are!away!from!power lines,

elevated!lights,!airports!and!densely!populated!areas!(defined!by!areas!depicted in!“yellow”

on!VFR!charts!and!through!obtaining!information!regarding!congested!areas from!the!local

Flight!Standards!District!Office!(FSDO);

• conduct!extensive!preflight!inspections!and!protocols,!during!which!safety!carries!primary

importance!(reference!PHANTOM!Flying!Flow!Chart!and!User!Manual).

Regarding!UAS!operational!training,!we!have!flown!numerous!practice!flights!in!remote areas!as!

hobbyists!simulating!flights!for!future!commercial!use!to!gain!familiarization with!the!characteristics!

of!the!UAS’!performance!under!different!temperature!and weather!conditions.
Any!PIC!operating!our!UAS!will!have!accumulated!and!logged,!in!a!manner!consistent with!14!CFR!

61.51(b),!25!hours!of!total!time!as!a!UAS!rotorcraft!pilot!including!at!least 10!hours!logged!as!a!UAS!

pilot!with!a!multidrotor!UAS.!The!PIC!will!also!have!accumulated!and!logged!a!minimum!of!5!hours!as!

a!UAS!pilot!operating!the!same!make!and model!of!UAS!to!be!used!for!operations.!In!addition!to!the!

hour!requirements,!the!PIC!will!accomplish!3!takedoffs!and!landings!in!the!preceding!90!days!(for!

currency!purposes) prior!to!any!flight.

Specific$Exemptions$Requested

Given!the!size,!weight,!speed,!and!limited!operating!area!associated!with!the!UA,!we!feel!an!

exemption!from!14!CFR!part!21,!Subpart!H!(Airworthiness!Certificates)!and!§

91.203(a)!and!(b)!(Certifications!required),!subject!to!certain!conditions!and!limitations,!

is!warranted!and!meets!the!requirements!for!an!equivalent!level!of!safety!under!14!CFR part!11!and!

Section!333!of!P.L.!112d95!(Section!333).

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!45.23!Marking!of!the!aircraft!because!the!UA!will!not have!a!cabin,!

cockpit!or!pilot!station!on!which!to!mark!certain!words!or!phrases.!Further, the!twodinch!lettering!is!

difficult!to!place!on!such!a!small!aircraft!with!dimensions!smaller than!the!minimal!lettering!

requirement.!Regardless!of!this,!we!can!mark!the!UAS!in!the largest!possible!lettering!by!placing!the!

word!“Experimental”!on!its!fuselage!as!required!by!§!45.29(f)!so!that!anyone!will!see!the!markings.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.7(a)!which!prohibits!the!operation!of!an!aircraft without!an!

airworthiness!certificate,!since!there!is!currently!no!certificate!applicable!to our!operation,!this!

regulation!is!inapplicable.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§§!91.405(a),!91.407(a)(1),!91.409(a)(2)!and!91.417(a) and!(b)!

Maintenance!inspections!since!they!only!apply!to!aircraft!with!an!airworthiness certificate.!However,!

as!a!safety!precaution!we!will!perform!a!preflight!inspection!of!the UAS!before!each!flight!as!outlined!

in!the!attached!operating!documents.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.9(b)(2)!which!requires!an!aircraft!flight!manual!in the!aircraft,!

however!since!there!are!no!pilots!or!passengers!on!board!the!aircraft!and given!its!size,!this!

regulation!is!inapplicable.!We!believe!an!equivalent!level!of!safety will!be!achieved!by!maintaining!a!

safety/flight!manual!with!the!UAS!ground!station.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.119!which!prescribes!safe!altitudes!for!the!operation of!civil!

aircraft,!but!it!allows!helicopters!to!be!operated!at!lower!altitudes!in!certain!conditions.!We!will!not!

operate!our!UAS!above!the!altitude!of!200!feet!above!ground!level!(AGL)!and!will!also!only!operate!in!

safe!areas!away!from!the!public!and!traffic,!thus!“providing!a!level!of!safety!at!least!equivalent!to!or!

below!those!in!relation!to!minimum safe!altitudes.”!Given!the!size,!weight,!maneuverability,!and!

speed!of!the!UAS,!an equivalent!or!higher!level!of!safety!will!be!achieved.!

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.121!Altimeter!settings!as!it!is!inapplicable!since!the

UAS!utilizes!electronic!GPS!with!a!barometric!sensor.

We!request!an!exemption!from!§!91.151(a)!Fuel!requirements!for!flight!in!VFR!conditions.

The!UAV!is!100%!electric!and!two!low!battery!alerts!are!issued!d!per!the!operating documents,!the!

UAV!will!be!landed!at!the!first!alert.!Also,!our!flights!will!last!only!5d10!minutes!each,!and!the!UAS!has!

an!automated!function,!which!results!in!immediate landing!when!a!low!battery!is!detected.!The!PIC!
will!not!begin!a!flight!unless!(considering wind!and!forecast!weather!conditions)!there!is!enough!

power!to!fly!to!the!first!point of!intended!landing!and,!assuming!normal!cruising!speed,!land!the!UA!

with!30%!battery power!remaining.

Public$Interest$

Aerial!photography!and!videography!for!commercial and film!are!proven!strategies!to!enhance!

marketing!efforts!and!increase!business!success.!The!industry!is!not!new.!However,!until!recently!

it!was!conducted!through!the!use!of!costly!manned!aircraft,!a!prohibitive!business!activity!for!

small!companies.!By!granting!this!exemption!I!would!be!able!to!provide!affordable!services.!

Further,!the small!UAS!will pose!no!threat!to!the!public!given!its!small!size!and!lack!of!combustible!

fuel!when!compared to!larger!manned!aircraft.!Additionally,!the!operation!of!our!UAS!will!minimize!

harm!to!the!environment economic!growth!by!providing!information!to!companies and!the!public

looking!to!relocate!or!build!in!the!metro!areas!we!service.!Public!and!private!events!serviced!by!our!

business!enhance!vibrancy and!add!culture to the!community and!its!citizens.!

Summary

We!will!comply!with!all!of!the!following!conditions!and!limitations!should!this!exemption be!

provided:

1) Operations!will!be!limited!to!the!following!aircraft!described!in!the!operating!documents,!which!is

the FREEFLY Alta Drone.

2) The!UA!will!not!be!flown!at!an!indicated!airspeed!exceeding!50!knots.

3) The!UA!will!be!operated!at!an!altitude!of!no!more!than!200!feet!above!ground!level

(AGL),!All!altitudes!reported!to!ATC!must!be!in!feet!AGL.

4) The!UA!will!be!operated!within!visual!line!of!sight!(VLOS)!of!the!Pilot!In!Command

(PIC)!at!all!times.

5) All!operations!will!utilize!a!visual!observer!(VO).!The!UA!will!be!operated!within!the!visual!line!of

sight!(VLOS)!of!the!VO!at!all!times.!The!VO!and!PIC!will!be!able!to!communicate!verbally!at!all!times.

The!PIC!will!be!designated!before!the!flight!and!will!not!transfer!his!or!her!designation!for!the

duration!of!the!flight.!The!PIC!will!ensure!that!the!VO!can!perform!the!functions!prescribed!in!the

operating!documents.

6) The!operating!documents!will!be!accessible!during!UAS!operations!and!made!available!to!the

Administrator!upon!request.!Any!revisions!to!the!operating!documents!will!be!presented!to!the

Administrator!upon!request.

7) Prior!to!each!flight,!the!PIC!will!inspect!the!UAS!to!ensure!it!is!in!a!condition!for!safe!flight.!If!the

inspection!reveals!a!condition!that!affects!the!safe!operation!of!the!UAS,!the

UAS!will!not!be!operated!until!the!necessary!maintenance!has!been!performed!and!the

UAS!is!found!to!be!in!a!condition!for!safe!flight.!The!Ground!Control!Station!will!be!included!in!the

preflight!inspection.!All!maintenance!and!alterations!will!be!properly!documented!in!the!aircraft

records.

8) Any!UAS!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.

The!PIC!who!conducts!the!functional!test!flight!will!make!an!entry!in!the!aircraft!records.

9) The!predflight!inspection!section!in!the!operating!documents!will!account!for!all!discrepancies,

i.e.!inoperable!components,!items,!or!equipment,!not!already!covered!in!the relevant!sections!of!the

operating!documents.

10) We!will!follow!the!UAS!manufacturer’s!aircraft/component,!maintenance,!overhaul, replacement,

inspection,!and!life!limit!requirements.
11) We!will!carry!out!maintenance,!inspections,!and!record!keeping!requirements,!in!accordance

with!the!operating!documents.!Maintenance,!inspection,!and!alterations!will!be noted!in!the!aircraft

records,!including!total!flight!hours,!description!of!work!accomplished, and!the!signature!of!the

authorized!person!returning!the!UAS!to!service.

12) Each!UAS!operated!will!comply!with!all!manufacturer!Safety!Bulletins.

13) An!authorized!person!will!make!an!entry!in!the!aircraft!record!of!the!corrective!action taken

against!discrepancies!discovered!between!inspections.

14) UAS!operations!will!be!conducted!by!a!PIC!possessing!at!least!a!private!pilot!certificate and!at

least!a!current!thirddclass!medical!certificate.!The!PIC!will!also!meet!the flight!review!requirements

specified!in!14!CFR!61.56!in!an!aircraft!in!which!the!PIC!is rated!on!his!or!her!pilot!certificate.

15) Prior!to!operations!conducted!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!the!PIC!will!have

accumulated and!logged,!in!a!manner!consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!a!minimum!of!25 hours!of

total!time as!a!UAS!rotorcraft!pilot!including!at!least!10!hours!logged!as!a!UAS pilot!with!a!multidrotor

UAS.

16) Prior!to!operations!conducted!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!the!PIC!will!have

accumulated and!logged,!in!a!manner!consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!a!minimum!of!5 hours!as!UAS

pilot!operating!the!make!and!model!of!the!UAS!to!be!used!in!operations. The!PIC!will!accomplish!3

takedoffs!and!landings!in!the preceding!90!days.

17) The!PIC!will!not!operate!the!UAS!for!the!purpose!of!aerial!videography/photography!and!for real

estate!listing!videos!and!public!and!private!events!and!similar!operations,!unless!the!PIC has

demonstrated!and!logged!in!a!manner consistent!with!14!CFR!61.51(b),!the!ability to!safely!operate

the!UAS!in!a!manner!consistent!with!the!operating!documents,!including evasive!and!emergency

maneuvers!and!maintaining!appropriate!distances!from people,!vessels,!vehicles!and!structures.

18) 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).

19) The!UA!will!not!operate!within!5!nautical!miles!of!an!airport!reference!point!as!denoted on!a

current!FAAdpublished!aeronautical!chart.

20) The!UA!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.

21) If!a!UA!loses!communications!or!loses!its!GPS!signal,!it!will!return!to!a!predetermined location

within!the!planned!operating!area!and!land!or!be!recovered!in!accordance with!the!operating

documents.

22) The!PIC!will!abort!a!flight!in!the!event!of!unpredicted!obstacles!or!emergencies!in accordance

with!the!operating!documents.

23) The!PIC!will!not!begin!a!flight!unless!(considering!wind!and!forecast!weather!conditions) there!is

enough!power!to!fly!at!normal!cruising!speed!to!the!intended!landing point!and!land!the!UA!with

30%!battery!power!remaining.

24) We!will!obtain!an!Air!Traffic!Organization!(ATO)!issued!Certificate!of!Waiver!or!Authorization

(COA)!prior!to!conducting!any!operations,!and!also!request!a!Notice!to!Airdman!(NOTAM)!not!more

than!72!hours!in!advance,!but!not!less!than!48!hours!prior!to the!operation.

25) Before!conducting!operations,!the!radio!frequency!spectrum!used!for!operation!and control!of

the!UA!will!comply!with!the!Federal!Communications!Commission!(FCC)!or other!appropriate

government!oversight!agency!requirements.

26) The!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!UAS!is!operating.!These!documents will!be!made!available!to

the!Administrator!or!any!law!enforcement!official!upon!request.
27) The!UA!will!remain!clear!and!yield!the!right!of!way!to!all!manned!aviation!operations and

activities!at!all!times.

28) The!UAS!will!not!be!operated!by!the!PIC!from!any!moving!device!or!vehicle.

29) The!UA!will!not!be!operated!over!congested!or!densely!populated!areas.

30) 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!UA!and/or debris!in!the!event!of!an!accident.!We!will!ensure!that!nonparticipating

persons!remain!under!such!protection.!If!a!situation!arises!where!nonparticipating

persons!leave!such!protection!and!are!within!500!feet!of!the!UA,!flight!operations!must

cease!immediately!and/or;

b. The!aircraft!is!operated!near!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures!where!the!owner/controller

of!such!vessels,!vehicles!or!structures!has!granted!permission!and!the!PIC!has

made!a!safety!assessment!of!the!risk!of!operating!closer!to!those!objects!and!determined

that!it!does!not!present!an!undue!hazard,!and;

c. Operations!nearer!to!the!PIC,!VO,!operator!trainees!or!essential!persons!do!not

present!an!undue!hazard!to!those!persons!per!§!91.119(a).

31) All!operations!will!be!conducted!over!private or!controlleddaccess!property!with!permission

from!the!land!owner/controller!or!authorized!representative.!Permission!from land

owner/controller!or!authorized!representative!will!be!obtained!for!each!flight!to!be conducted.

32) 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!(AFSd80)!within!24!hours.!Accidents!will!be!reported!to!the!National!Transportation!Safety

Board!(NTSB)!per!instructions!contained!on!the!NTSB!Web!site:!www.ntsb.gov.

If!you!have!questions!or!need!additional!information,!please!contact!me!at!

jeff@malkamediagroup.com, cell (908) 770-4777.

Thank!you,!

Jeffrey Frommer

Managing Partner

Malka Media Group, LLC