Novembe r 1, 201 5 

U.S. Departmen t o f Transportation , Docke t Operation s 

Wes t Buildin g Groun d Floor , Roo m wl2-14 0 

120 0 Nevi/ Jerse y Avenue , S.E. 

Washington , DC 2059 0 

Petition for Exemption Under 14 CFR § 11.81 

to Allow Commercial Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems 

Petitioner: 

Towe r Safet y & Instructio n 

Kath y Brand , CEO 

2 2 1 Sout h 35 * Avenu e 

Phoenix , A Z 8500 9 

Work : 480-313-067 8 

Email : kathv@towersafetv.co m 

Website : www.towersafetv.co m 

Dea r Sir o r Madam , 

This applicatio n is substantiall y base d o n th e FAA's finding s i n Exemptio n No . 1106 2 grante d t o Astraeu s Aeria l 

(FAA-2014-0352) , Exemptio n No . 1110 9 Clayco , Inc . (FAA-2014-0507) , Exemptio n No . 11208 , Sky-Future s UAS , 

Inc . (FAA-2014-0641) , Exemptio n No . 11252 , Nixo n Engineerin g Solutions , LLC. (FAA-2014-0763) , Exemptio n 

N o . 11306 , Haw k Aerial , LLC. (FAA-2014-1023) , Exemptio n No . 11380 , First Tea m Rea l Estate , (FAA-2015 -

0052) , an d i n relianc e o n th e analysis provide d therein . 

1 . Section s fro m whic h exemption s ar e sought : Applicatio n is hereb y mad e fo r exemptio n from : 

a . FA A Modernizatio n an d Refor m Ac t o f 2012 , PL 112-9 5 FEB . 14 , 2012 , Sectio n 33 3 
b. 1 4 CFR Par t 21 , subpar t H 

c. 1 4 CFR Par t 61.113(a ) an d (b ) 

d . 14CFTPart91 : 

i . 91.103(b)(2 ) 

i i . 91.10 5 

iii . 91.10 9 

i v . 91.11 9 

V. 91.12 1 

v i . 91.15 1 

vii . 91.40 5 

viii . 91.40 7 

i x . 91.40 9 

X. 91.41 7 

2 . Relie f sought : 

a . Towe r Safet y & Instructio n wishe s t o operat e smal l Unmanne d Aircraf t System s (UAS ) fo r 

commercia l purpose s t o includ e (bu t no t limite d to ) videography , photography , inspection s an d 

analyses. This relie f is sough t becaus e commercia l us e o f UA S is currentl y prohibite d b y la w 

unless performe d unde r a n exemption . 

b. This exemptio n wil l cove r us e o f th e followin g airframes , al l o f whic h wil l weig h less tha n 5 5 

pound s includin g payloa d an d energ y sources: 

i . DJI Phanto m models ; 

i i . DJI Inspir e models ; 

iii . Othe r model s t o b e adde d b y futur e amendmen t t o thi s exemption . 

3 . Publi c benefit : 

a. Us e o f UA S technolog y t o obtai n imagery , informatio n an d dat a currentl y obtaine d b y us e o f 

manne d fligh t o r manua l methods : 

i . Reduce s statistica l ris k t o huma n lif e du e t o manne d aircraf t accidents (e.g. , powe r lin e 

inspections ) an d du e t o othe r dangerou s activitie s tha t ca n b e avoide d (e.g. , 

scaffolding/riggin g failure s durin g stac k o r bridg e inspections) . 

i i . Reduce s th e cost o f obtainin g suc h information , whic h benefit s consumer s an d th e 

economy . 

iii . Reduce s environmenta l impac t b y eliminatin g source s o f hydrocarbo n emission s fro m 

manne d aircraft . 
Safet y no t adversel y affected : 

a . Aircraf t wil l b e registere d an d marke d i n accordanc e wit h Sectio n 4471 1 an d Par t 4 7 an d Par t 

4 5 , Subpar t C. 

b. Aircraf t wil l compl y wit h maintenanc e an d inspectio n requirement s o f th e manufacturer . Al l 

repai r an d maintenanc e wor k wil l b e conducte d o r approve d b y qualifie d personne l suc h a s 

thos e authorize d b y Towe r Safet y & Instructio n (o r equivalent) , an d wil l requir e a tes t fligh t 

afte r suc h work . Record s o f al l maintenanc e an d repai r wor k wil l b e kep t i n a maintenanc e lo g 

f o r eac h aircraft . 

c. Al l fligh t operation s wil l b e conducte d b y tw o individuals wh o wil l maintai n verba l 

communicatio n capabilit y wit h eac h othe r a t al l time s durin g th e flight , an d wh o wil l remai n 

stationar y o n th e groun d durin g th e fligh t operations : 

i . A Pilo t I n Comman d (PIC) wh o possess th e followin g credentials : 

1 . A n airlin e transport , commercial , private , recreational , o r spor t pilo t certificate . 

2 . A Thir d Class medica l certificat e issue d unde r 1 4 CF R 6 7 o r vali d U.S. drive r 

license . 

3 . A Bi-annua l fligh t revie w unde r 1 4 CFR 61.5 6 

4 . A certificat e o f competenc y fo r UA S issue d b y Towe r Safet y & Instructio n (o r 

equivalen t certification) . 

5 . A t least 20 0 cycle s an d 2 5 hour s o f fligh t experienc e i n a UA S rotorcraf t (o r UA S 

fixed-win g i n th e cas e o f fixed-win g fligh t operation s unde r thi s exemption) . 

Suc h cycle s an d hour s ma y b e gaine d durin g flights unde r thi s exemptio n i f a saf e 

distanc e is maintaine d fro m person s i n accordanc e wit h 1 4 CFR 91.119 . 

6 . A t least 5 hour s o f fligh t experienc e an d 3 takeoff s an d landing s i n mak e an d 

mode l bein g flow n i n th e prio r 9 0 days. Suc h cycle s an d hour s ma y b e gaine d 

durin g flights unde r thi s exemptio n if a saf e distanc e is maintaine d fro m person s 

i n accordanc e wit h 1 4 CFR 91.119 . 

i i . A Visua l Observe r (VO) . 

d . Al l fligh t operation s wil l b e conducte d i n accordanc e wit h vali d Certificate s o f Authorization . 

e. Al l fligh t operation s wil l compl y wit h th e following : 

i . Th e manufacturers ' Aircraf t Fligh t Manual s an d operatio n guidelines. 

i i . Towe r Safet y & Instructio n fligh t operation s policie s includin g lost communicatio n an d 

othe r emergenc y an d safet y procedures . 

iii . Conducte d i n VM C condition s durin g dayligh t hours . 
i v . PIC an d V O wil l maintai n visua l lin e o f sigh t (VLOS ) a t al l times . 

v . Pre-fligh t inspection s (includin g groun d contro l station , i f any ) an d safet y ris k 

assessment s wil l b e conducte d prio r t o eac h flight . 

v i . Fligh t altitude s wil l remai n a t o r belo w 40 0 fee t abov e groun d level . 

vii . Fligh t speed s wil l no t excee d 8 7 knots . 

viii . No t tak e plac e ove r urba n area s o r withi n 5 mile s o f a n airport . 

i x . No t b e mad e nea r person s a s require d i n 1 4 CFR 91.11 9 an d no t ove r person s o n th e 

groun d withou t thei r prio r permission . 

X. Eac h fligh t wil l b e logge d i n bot h th e PIC's logboo k an d th e aircraf t logbook . 

x i . No t excee d 80 % o f th e batter y capacit y o f th e aircraft . 

xii . An y incidents wil l b e reporte d withi n 2 4 hour s o f occurrence . 

xiii . An y applicabl e loca l FSD O requirements . 

xiv . Al l othe r applicabl e regulation s concerne d wit h th e operatio n o f aircraft . 

Kath y Bran d 

Chie f Executiv e Office r 

Towe r Safet y & Instructio n 

Aircraf t manuals : 

http://dl.diicdn.com/downloads/phanto m 2/en/PHANTOM 2 Use r Manua l vl. 4 en.pd f 

https://dl.diican.com/downioads/phanto m 3 standard/en/Hnanto m i Standar d Use r Manua l V1.4.pd f 

https://dl.diicdn.com/downloads/inspir e l/en/lnspire%2Q 1 Use r Manua l VI.8.pd f 

Pleas e advis e u s o f an y additiona l informatio n o r change s tha t ar e required . 

Ver y Respectfully ,