Cary R. Branch

205 Chestnut Oak Lane Charl ottesville VA 22903 January 10, 2016

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE Washington DC 20590

Re: Exemption Request Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations from: 14 CFR 21 subpart H; 14 CFR 45.23(b); 14 CFR 61.113(a); 14 CFR 91.7(a); 14 CFR 91.9(b)(2); 14 CFR 91.103; 14 CFR 91.109; 14 CFR 91.119(c); 14 CFR 91.121; 14 CFR 91.151(a); 14 CFR 91.203 (a) and (b); 14 CFR 91.405 (a) ; 14 CFR 91.407 (a) (1) 14 CFR 91.409 (a)(1) and (2); 14 CFR 91.417(a) and (b).

Dear Sir or Madam:
Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Reform Act”) and 14 CFR Part 11, Cary R. Branch
, an operator of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“sUAS”), hereby applies for an exemption from the listed Federal Aviation Regulations (“FARs”) to a llow commercial operation of his sUAS, so long as such operations are conducted within and under the conditions outlined herein or as my be established by the FAA as required by Section 333.

Commercial operation of sUAS, as described herein, which are equipped with cameras and sensors, would operate in the following manner:

1. Demonstrations of sUAS and associated payloads f or sales/marketing purposes. 2. Aerial photography and/or video for public and/or private use including real estate, architecture, land surveying, engineering , site development, and other related professional activities. 3. Aerial video and/or photography for public and/or private use including television, public events, cinematography and news gathering. 4. Aerial inspection/photography of residential/commercial structures under contract with the owners or local government authority. 5. The ability to offer training to persons individua lly or belonging to both private and/or public organizations that have i nterests in the use and application of sUAS for the purpose of the safe
oper ation of sUAS

.

As described fully below, the requested exemption would permit the operation of sUAS under controlled conditions in the NAS that would be a) limited b) controlled c) predetermined and d) willprovide safety enhancements to the already safe operations in the industry presently using conventional

aircraft. Approval of this exemption would t hereby enhance safety and fulfill the Secretary of Transportation’s (the FAA Administrator’s) responsibilities to “....establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft systems in the national airspace system.”
The name and address of the applic ant is: Cary R. Branch 205 Chestnut Oak Lane Charlottesville VA 22903 Phone: 434-825-9246 Email: banjobud@gmail.com

Regulations from which the exemption is requested:
14 CFR Part 21 subpart H 14 CFR 45.23 (b) 14 CFR 61.113 (a) 14 CFR 91.7 (a) 14 CFR 9 1.9 (b) (2) 14 CFR 91.103 14 CFR 91.109 14 CFR 91.119 (c) 14 CFR 91.121 14 CFR 91.151 (a) 14 CFR 91.203 (a) & (b) 14 CFR 91.405 (a) 14 CFR 91.407 (a) (1) 14 CFR 91.409 (a) (2) 14 CFR 91.417 (a) & (b)

Proposed Operations:

My sUAS a re multi -ro tor craft weighing no more than 55lbs. including payload. Under normal conditi ons they operate at speeds of no more than 50kts and have the ability hover and move along a vertical and horizontal plane simultaneously. They will operate in line of sight and will operate within a closed off and predetermined area owned and/operated by the property representative. Given the small size of the sUAS and the controlled environment provided
, the proposed operations will adhere to the Reform Act’s safety requirements. The approval of this applicat ion presents no national security issues. Regarding the level of safety surrounding the proposed operations and the public benefit, reduction in environmental i mpacts, i ncluding but not limited to reduced emissions and noise, the grant of the requested exe mption is in the public interest. Accordingly the applicant requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption.

AIRCRAFT AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAF ETY
The operation limitations proposed for an equivalent or higher level of safety becau se operations will further enhance the safety of the persons and/or property using conventional aircraft. These limitations and conditions to which the applicant agrees to adhere to when conducting commercial operations under the FAA issued exemption as s et forth in the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) include:1. Flight operations will be conducted in accordance to the Academy o f Model Aeronautics Safety

Code which follows the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 with regard to model aircraft operations and limits

. 2. Flights will be operated within line of sight of a pilot and/or observer. 3. Minimum crew for each operation will consist of the sUAS Pilot, the Visual Observer (VO) and
may include but not limited to a Ca mera Operator. 4. The sUAS pilot will be a designated Pilot in Command (PIC) and hold a private pilot’s license and

a state driver’s license

. 5. A briefing will be performed regarding the planned sUAS opera tions prior to each day’s flight consisting of all the d ays’ flight activities. 6. The PIC and VO will have been trained in operation of sUAS and receive up

- to

- date information for the particular sUAS to be operated. 7. The PIC and VO will be able to communicate by voice, radio, and/or text at all times. 8. If the sUAS loses communications or loses GPS signal, the sUAS will have the capability to return
to a pre

- determined location within a designated location and land autonomously. 9. The sUAS will have the capability to abort a flight in case of unpredicted obstacles, wea ther, or emergencies.

Detailed Explanation of Each Exemption:
14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 C.F.R. §91.203 (a) (1) Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, 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 the Applicant, 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 U.S.C.§44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Refor m Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capabil ity, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the particular sUAS. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the sUAS 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 (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed. The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 55 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates exclusively within a secured and designated area. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and moni tored by both the operator and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety requirements. These safety enhancements provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than conventional operations conducted with airwor thiness certificates issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H. Lastly, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national security posed by the sUAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of operation, lac k of explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a substantial external load.
14 C.F.R. § 45.23 (b). Marking of the Aircraft
The regulation requires: When marks include only the Roman capital letter "N" and the registration number is displayed on limited, restricted or light -s port category aircraft or experimental or provisionally certificated aircraft, the operator must also display on that aircraft near each entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot station, in letters not less th an 2 inches nor more than 6 inches high, the words "limited," "restricted," "light -s port," "experimental," or "provisional," as applicable.Even though the sUAS will have no airworthiness certificate, an exemption may be needed as the sUAS

will have no entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilot station on which the word “Experimental” can be placed. Given the size of the sUAS, two -i nch lettering will be imp ractical . The word “Experimental” will be placed on the fuselage in compliance with §45.29 (f). The eq uivalent level of safety will be provided by having the sUAS marked on its fuselage as required by §45.29 (f) where the pilot, observer and others working with the sUAS will see the identification of the sUAS as “Experimental.”
14 C.F.R. § 61.113 (a): Priv ate Pilot Privileges and Limitations: Pilot in Command.
Pursuant to 14 CFR 61.113 (a), no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire. Our sUAS d o not carry any pilots or passengers nor property therefore I am seeking an exemption to 14 CFR 61.113(a). Although helpful, a pilot’s license will not ensure remote control piloting skills. The risks attendant to the operation of sUAS is far less than the risk levels inherent in the commercial activities outlined in 14 CFR 61. I feel the operation and limitations set forth in the FOM will equate to the safe operation of the sUAS.
14 C.F.R. §91.7(a): Civil Aircraft Airworthiness.
The regulation requires tha t 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 for maintenance and use of safety check lists prior to each flight an equivalent level of safety will be provided.
14 C.F.R. § 91.9 (b) (2): Civil Aircraft Flight Manual in the Aircraft.
Section 91.9 (b) (2) provides: No person may operate a U.S.

- registered civil aircraft ... (2) For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by §21.5 of this chapter, unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual, approved manu al material, markings, and placards, or any combination thereof. The sUAS, 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 flight manual at the ground control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to it.

14 C.F.R. § 91.103: Preflight Action.
This regulation requires each pilot in command to take certain actions before flight to insure the safety of flight. As FAA approved rotorcraft flight manuals will not be provided for the aircraft an exemption will be needed. T he 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: Flight Instruction.
Section 91.103 provides that no person ma y operate a civil aircraft (except a manned free balloon) that is being used for flight instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls. sUAS and remotely piloted aircraft, by their design do not have fully functional dual controls. Fl ight 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 dualcontrols for a number of aircraft and for flight i nstruction in experimental aircraft. The equivalent level

of safety provided by the fact that neither a pilot nor passengers will be carried in the aircraft and by the size and speed of the aircraft.

14 C.F.R. §91.119: Minimum Safe Altitudes.

Section 91.11 9 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft

. As set forth herein, the sUAS will never operate at higher than 400 AGL with the exception that in circumstances where the sUAS is used to survey or photograph a structure whose height exceeds 400 feet AGL, the sUAS will not be operated more than 100' above the highest point on the structure. It will however be operated in a restricted area with security perimeter, where buildings and people will not be exposed to operations without their
pre

- ob tained consent. The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weight, speed of the sUAS as well as the location where it is operated. No flight will be taken without the permission of the property owner or local officials. Compared to fli ght operations with aircraft or rotorcraft weighting far more than the maximum 55lbs. proposed herein and the lack of flammable fuel, any risk associated with these operations is far less than those presently presented with conventional aircraft operating at or below 500 AGL. In addition, the low

- altitude operations of the sUAS will ensure separation between these small

- UAS operations and the operations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119.
14 C.F.R. §91.121 Altimeter Settings.

Thi s regulation requires each person operating an 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 sUAS may no t 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 operator, pursuant to the safety check list and live flight data monitoring, confirming the altitude of th e launch site shown on the GPS altitude indicator before flight.
14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a): Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions
Section 91.151 (a) prohibits an individual from beginning “a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing, and, assuming normal cruising speed

– (1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2) At night, to fly after that f or at least 45 minutes.” The battery powering the sUAS provides approximately 30 minutes of powered flight. To meet the 30 minute reserve requirement in 14 CFR §91.151, sUAS flights would be limited to approximately 10 minutes in length. Given the limitati ons on the sUAS’s proposed flight area and the location of its proposed operations within a predetermined area, a longer time frame for flight in daylight or twilight VFR conditions is reasonable. Applicant believes that an exemption from 14 CFR §91.151(a) falls within the scope of prior exemptions. Operating the small UAS, in a tightly controlled area where only people and property owners or official

re presentatives who have signed waivers will be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve fuel, does

no t engender the type of risks that Section 91.151(a) was intended to alleviate given the size and speed of the small UAS. Additionally, limiting sUAS flights to 10 minutes would greatly reduce the utility for which the exemption will be granted. Applicant b elieves that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 25% of batter y power. This restriction would be more than adequate to return the sUAS to its planned landing zone from anywhere in its limited operating area.

14 C.F.R. §91. 203 (a) and (b): Carrying Civil Aircraft Certification and RegistrationThe regulation provides in pertinent part: (a) Except as provided in § 91.715, no person may operate a

civil aircraft unless it has within it the following: (1) An appropriate and curr ent airworthiness certificate. (b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under §91.715 is displayed at the cabin or cockpit
entrance s o that it is legible to passengers or crew. The sUAS fully loaded weighs no more than 55 lbs. and is operated without an onboard pilot. As such, there is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to display them on the sUAS. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the ground control point where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to them, to the extent they are applicable to the sUAS. 14 C.F.R. §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 paragrap h (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 section and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these sections will not apply to the applicant. Maintenance will be accomplished by the operator pursuant to the flight manual and operating handbook. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because these small UASs are very 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 sUAS can land immediately and will be operating from no higher than 400 feet AGL. The operator will ensure that the sUAS i s in working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance, and keep a log of any maintenance performed. Moreover, the operator 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. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because maintenance and inspections will be performed in accordance with the sUAS Manufacturer's Manual, as referenced in the Aircraft Operations Manual (AOM). As p rovided in the FOM, the operator will ensure that the sUAS is in working order prior to initiating flight and perform required maintenance needed.

Public Interest:
Cary Branch seeks to safely and legally deliver unique aerial photography services to the public, commercially. These services are presently, (generally) unavailable. Grant of these exemptions will permit valuable service that would otherwise not be available - this is in the Public's interest.

Make and Model:
Cary Branch will operate DJI brand UAVs, including the Phantom 3 Advanced.

Additional Information :
The applicant, Cary R. Branch , has been involved in the building and piloting of remote controlled aircraft for more than 3 5 years. Mr. Branch is a former member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics
, and currently hol ds a US HPA P2 rating, as wel l as a n FAA Airman C ertificate with a glider rating.

Satisfaction of the criteria provi ded in Section 333 of the Reform Act of 2012 provide more than adequate justification for the grant of the requested exemptions allowing the commercial operati on of the applicant’s sUAS. Based upon recent rulings by the F AA concerning the 333 exemption I would ask that this request be issued under the summary grant process as this application is similar to many before it.
Sincerely,
Cary R. Branch