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PO Box 96 

Johnson City, Tx 78636 

872-216-9463 

www.TexasWineTrail.com 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

November 12, 2014 

To Whom It May Concern: 

My name is January Wiese and I am the Executive Director for Texas Hill 

Country Wineries. We are a non-profit association, which provides marketing, 

consumer events and educational seminars for our member wineries. I have 

been in the wine industry for 24 years and have experienced the growth in many 

regions across the country. 

THCW has worked with Arch Aerial over the past year in producing 

informational and marketing videos for our association. We have currently 

contracted 4 more videos for 2015. The videos Arch Aerial has and will produce 

for us are beneficial to THCW, our growers and now our consumers. They will 

help us convey a message that we just can’t get across in a brochure or on a 

website and social media in writing. It allows us to take our consumers on a 

‘tour’ of the Hill Country Wineries from a point of view not many have ever had. 

We are excited to continue our work with Arch Aerial. 

Sincerely, 

January Wiese 

Executive Director 

C 512.914.5561 

January@TexasWineTrail.com 

www.TexasWineTrail.com
Eric	J.	Heller

PhD	Candidate

Department	of	Anthropology	

1334	Watkins	Hall

University	of	California	Riverside

Riverside,	CA	92521

Eric.Heller@email.ucr.edu

617-584-1228

November	11,	2014	

To	Whom	It	May	Concern,		

I	am	a	PhD	candidate,	graduate	student	researcher,	and	associate	instructor	in	the	

Department	of	Anthropology	at	the	University	of	California	Riverside	and	I	am	

writing	in	support	of	an	exemption	for	Arch	Aerial	LLC	from	FAA	regulation	for	

unmanned	aerial	systems	(UAS)	operation	in	the	airspace	of	the	United	States.		

As	a	graduate	researcher,	my	focus	is	on	issues	related	to	the	elite-commoner	

interaction,	political	economics,	ideology,	and	landscape	use	among	the	ancient	

Maya	of	the	Classic	Period	(200	–	900	AD)	in	Northwestern	Belize.	I	have	worked	for	

nearly	a	decade	with	the	Programme	for	Belize	Archaeological	Project	(PfBAP),	and	

for	the	last	five	years,	I	have	directed	my	dissertation	research	project	under	the	

auspices	of	PfBAP.	In	2013,	I	worked	extensively	with	Arch	Aerial	LLC,	utilizing	GPSguided	quad-rotor	drones	to	conduct	aerial	photographic	survey	and	produce	threedimensional	models	of	archaeological	excavation	units.	In	2015,	I	intend	to	work	

with	Arch	Aerial	LLC	to	employ	LiDAR	(Light	Detection	and	Ranging)	enabled	

drones	that	will	ultimately	create	a	high-resolution	three-dimensional	topographic	

model	of	my	research	area,	which	will	be	used	to	locate	new	archaeological	features	

and	conduct	a	variety	of	geospatial	analyses.

Due	it	its	immense	value	to	archaeological	research,	LiDAR	imaging	is	on	the	cusp	of	

becoming	an	industry	standard	in	academic	and	private	sector	projects	in	both	the	

United	States	and	abroad.	Unfortunately,	LiDAR	units	typically	must	be	mounted	to	

a	piloted	aircraft	and	flown	over	research	areas	in	multiple	passes.	This	renders	

LiDAR	data	collection	cost-prohibitive	to	most	archaeological	projects	that	lack	

major	sources	of	funding.	Arch	Aerial	LLC	however,	is	on	the	cusp	of	developing	a	

solution	using	unmanned	aerial	vehicles,	which	will	dramatically	reduce	the	cost	of	

LiDAR	deployment	and	facilitate	the	expansion	of	the	technology	into	smaller	scale	

academic	projects	as	well	as	private	sector	projects,	like	those	conducted	in	the	
United	States	by	cultural	resource	management	firms	operating	in	compliance	with	

federal	law.	

Increased	accessibility	of	LiDAR	imaging	will	not	only	contribute	to	the	excellence	

archeological	research	by	giving	researchers	the	means	to	access	high-resolution	

geospatial	data,	but	may	also	increase	the	accessibility	of	that	information	to	the	

general	public.	Because	LiDAR	produces	three-dimensional	topographic	data,	these	

data	can	be	easily	disseminated	into	public	spheres	through	an	engaging	medium,	

bringing	the	interested	public	closer	to	the	past	by	enabling	people	to	view	and	

interact	with	archaeological	data	in	three-dimensional	digital	spaces.		

LiDAR	technology	promises	to	revolutionize	archaeological	reconnaissance	while	

simultaneously	providing	new	and	exciting	avenues	for	public	engagement.	Arch	

Aerial	LLC	is	uniquely	positioned	to	provide	low-cost	solutions	to	a	meet	a	growing	

demand	for	this	essential	technology.	To	achieve	this	end,	Arch	Aerial	LLC	must	

engage	in	extensive	research,	development,	and	testing	in	the	United	States	prior	to	

the	deployment	of	their	innovative	UAS	solutions.	I	strongly	urge	you	to	exempt	

Arch	Aerial	LLC	from	upcoming	regulations	regarding	the	use	of	UAS	to	ensure	that	

their	work	to	bring	low-cost	LiDAR	enabled	systems	to	archaeological	research	

projects	within	and	outside	of	the	United	States	may	continue	unabated.	

Sincerely,	

Eric	J.	Heller

PhD	Candidate

Department	of	Anthropology		

University	of	California	Riverside