Petition for Exemption

To Whom It May Concern,

I, Michael Pietrantoni, am requesting an FAA exemption for operating a UAV for purposes other than hobby or 

recreation.

I am requesting such exemption for the following reasons:

1. I will be the exclusive PIC of the UAV to be used.

2. The UAV will be used in assisting with the accurate inventory and location of various Cellular Carrier assets 

(radios, antennas, etc.) on radio communication towers, a process known as Tower Mapping.

3. Tower Mapping will be performed within a limited, controlled space within 200ft. of the radio tower. This 

includes a 200ft. radius around the base of the tower, and an operating elevation no greater than 200ft., far 

below the cloud line. The great majority of radio towers are well below 200ft. See other attachments uploaded 

with this petition, Height Verification Sample.pdf, and Tower Mapping Sample.pdf.

4. UAV will operate at a max speed of 396 ft./m (2 m/s).

5. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment. Hardhats.) will be enforced in the area that the UAV is operating.

6. UAV tower mapping will reduce the need for climbing of towers to perform Tower Mapping, which will, in turn, 

reduce the risk of injury or death from falls.

7. The Phantom 2 Vision+ is the safest UAV drone on the market. Built in GPS sensors render the UAV inop within 

1.5 miles of an International Airport, and limit altitude within 5 miles. See YouTube link on page 2 of this 

petition.

8. In the event of lost communication with the remote control, the Phantom 2 Vision+ returns to its original point 

of take-off.

9. Because of the limited airspace the UAV will be used, the PIC will have a continuous VLOS with the UAV, 

ensuring its safe operation in regards to proximity with overhead power lines, terrain, wind, and weather.

10. Pre-Flight inspections will be conducted prior to UAV use including:

a. Batteries are fully charged in both UAV and remote control radio.

b. Propellers are secure and free of cracks or damage.

c. All wiring is secured and free of cracks or damage.

d. LED lighting is operational

11. Because of the nature of the work the UAV is to be used for, it will only operate during daylight.

12. The radio controller operating frequency is: 5.728 GHz – 5.85 GHz, and is FCC compliant. See page 2 of this 

petition.

13. The UAV will also be equipped with a camera, allowing the PIC to see what the UAV camera sees via FPV (FirstPerson View) communication.

14. PIC is a 40 year old male, non-smoker, in excellent health, honorably discharged military, with no criminal 

record. 

15. PIC will not operate UAV while under the influence of alcohol.
The Google Map image above illustrates the “No-Fly Zone” that the Phantom 2 Vision+ automatically operates with.

The smaller red circle represents a 1.5 mile radius around Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, in which the 

Phantom UAV will not operate. Its GPS sensors will not allow the UAV to fly within this area.

The larger orange circle represents a 5 mile radius around Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, in which the 

Phantom UAV will only operate at a very limited altitude, starting at 35ft., and gradually increases as it travels further 

away from the center.

This “No-Fly Zone” safety feature can best be seen by clicking on the following link:

https://youtu.be/YoXAMRQoIAA

The following operating frequencies/FCC compliance data was taken directly from the Phantom 2 Vision+ manufacturer 

website:

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-2-vision-plus/spec
If you should require any further information for approval of this petition, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Michael Pietrantoni

577 S Meadows Dr.

Chandler, AZ 85224

480-225-3630