September 1, 2015

U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20590

FreeSkies Corporation’s	Petition	For	Exemption	From	The	

Requirements	of	Title	14	of	the	Code	of	Federal	Regulations:	

14	C.F.R	§§	61.101,	61.113(a)	and	(b),	91.7(a),	91.9	(b)(2),	

91.109,	91.119(c),	91.121,	91.151,	91.203(a)	and	(b),	91.405(a),	

91.407(a)1(a),	91.409(a)(2),	91.417(a)	and	(b),	Pursuant	to	

Section	333	of	the	FAA	Modernization	and	Reform	Act	of	2012

SECTION	II	– DESCRIPTION	OF	PETITIONER	OPERATIONS

Name	and	Address	of	Petitioner

FreeSkies	Inc.

2200	Sand Hill	Road,	Suite	240

Menlo	Park,	CA	94025

Andy	Putch

Andy@freeskies.org

217-418-6703
SECTION	II	– DESCRIPTION	OF	PETITIONER	OPERATIONS

Below is a summary of the limitations and conditions to which the Petitioner proposes to be bound 

when conducting commercial flight operations under this exemption petition:

1. All aircraft will weigh less than 55 pounds.

2. All flights will occur during daylight hours.

3. All flights will be conducted with a minimum crew of a PIC and VO.

4. All flights will be conducted by a PIC who holds an airline transport, commercial, private, 

recreational, or sports pilot certificate.

5. All PICs will have demonstrated the safe ability to operate the UAS consistent with this 

exemption, consistent with aircraft manufacturer’s operation limitation, and consistent to 

the Petitioner’s internal operational standards.

6. All flights will be conducted by a PIC who holds either a current FAA medical certificate, 

or a valid U.S. Driver’s license.

7. At all times, VO will be able to communicate by voice and/or radio to PIC.

8. All flights will be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of PIC and/or VO.

9. All flights will be operated at an altitude no higher than 400 feet AGL.

10. No flights will occur within 5 nautical miles of an ‘airport reference point’ (ARP) as 

denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) unless a letter of agreement 

with that airport’s management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the 

exemption holder. The letter of agreement with the airport management must be made 

available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

11. The UA may 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.

12. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, the UA must return to a predetermined location within the private or controlled-access property.

13. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonparticipating persons 

(this excludes PIC, VO, and operator trainees), 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. The operator must 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 in a manner ensuring the safety of 

nonparticipating persons;

b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or structures has granted permission 

for operating closer to those objects 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.

Respectfully submitted,

Andy Putch

CEO & Co-Founder

FreeSkies Inc.