September 11, 2015 

U. S. Department of Transporta.tion 

Docket Management System 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal 

Aviation Regulations from 14 CFR 61.113 (a) &(b); 91.103(b); 91.119; 91.121; 

91.151(a); 91.405 (a); 91.407(a) (1); 91.409 (a) (2); 91.417 (a) & (b). 

Dear Sir or Madam: 

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the 

Reform Act) and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, CORE Construction Services, L.L.C. a construction 

company, hereby applies for an exemption from the listed Federal Aviation Regulations 

("FARs") to allow commercial operation of its Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems ("sUAS") 

for aerial imaging for safety and monitoring of secured and controlled environment 

construction sites, so long as such operations are conducted within and under the conditions 

outlined herein or as may be established by the FAA as required by Section 333. 

The requested exemption would permit the operation of sUAS under controlled 

conditions in airspace that is 1) limited 2) predetermined 3) controlled as to access and 4) 

would provide safety enhancements to the already best practices safety protocols followed by 

Petitioner at each one of its construction sites. Approval of this exemption would thereby 

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." Section 333(c) of the Reform Act. 

The name and address of the applicant (hereinafter referred to as "Petitioner") is: 

CORE Construction Services, L.L.C. 

3131 N. I-10 Service Road, East, Suite 401 

Jason C, Bruzik 

PH: 504-731-3127 

Email:JasonBruzika,CoreConstruction.com 

Regulations from which the exemption is requested: 

14 C.F.R. Part 21 

14 C.F.R. 45.23(b) 

14 C.F.R. 61.113 (a) & (b) 

14 C.F.R. 91.7 (a) 

14 C.F.R. 91.9 (b) (2) 

14 C.F.R. 91.103 

14 C.F.R. 91.109 

14 C.F.R. 91.119 

14 C.F.R. 91.121 

1 
14 C.F.R. 91.203 (a) & (b) 

14 C.F.R. 91.405 (a) 

14 C.F.R. 407 (a) (1) 

14 C.F.R. 409 (a) (2) 

14 C.F.R. 417 (a) & (b) 

I. STATUTORY AUTHORITY FOR EXEMPTIONS 

The Federal Aviation Act expressly grants the FAA authority to issue exemptions. 

This statutory authority includes exempting civil aircraft, as the term is defined under §40101 of 

the Act, including sUASs, from the requirement that all civil aircraft must have a current 

airworthiness certificate. 

The Administrator may grant an exemption from a requirement of a regulation prescribed 

under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any sections 44702-44716 of this title if the 

Administrator fmds the exemption in the public interest. 49 U.S.C. §44701(f) See also 49 USC 

§44711(a); 49 USC §44704; 14 CFR §91.203(a) (1). 

Section 333(b) of the Reform Act assists the Secretary in determining whether sUAS may 

operate in the National Airspace System (NAS) without creating a hazard to the user, the public, 

or a threat to national security. In making this determination, the Secretary must consider: 

The sUAS's size, weight, speed, and operational capability; 

Whether the sUAS operates within the visual line of sight of the operator 

Whether the sUAS operates outside of highly populated areas and away from close proximity to 

airports 

Reform Act §333(a). If the Secretary determines that a sUAS "may operate safely in the 

national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe operation of such 

aircraft in the national airspace system." Id. §333(c). 

Petitioner's sUAS are multirotor vehicles, weighing 10 or fewer lbs. including payload. 

They operate under normal conditions at a speed of no more than 30 knots and have the capability 

to hover, and move in the vertical and horizontal plane simultaneously with a maximum altitude 

of 50 ft as enumerated in Exhibit "A" technical specifications. The sUAS will operate only in the 

Pilot's visual line of sight at all times and will operate only within a sterile area. Such operations 

will insure that the sUAS will "not create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or the 

public." Reform Act Section 333 (b). 

Given the small size of the sUAS involved and the restricted and sterile environment within 

which they will operate, our application falls squarely within the zone of safety (an equivalent 

level of safety) in which Congress envisioned that the FAA must, by exemption, allow commercial 

operations of sUAS to commence immediately. Also due to the small size of the sUAS and the 

low altitudes and restricted areas in which the sUAS will operate, approval of the application 

presents no national security issue. 
Given the clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act, the authority contained in the 

Federal Aviation Act, as amended; the strong equivalent level of safety surrounding the proposed 

operations, and the significant public benefit, including enhanced safety, the grant of the requested 

exemptions is in the public interest. 

Accordingly, Petitioner respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption 

without delay. 

II. PUBLIC INTEREST 

This exemption application is expressly submitted to fulfill Congress' goal in passing 

Section 333(a) through (c) of the Reform Act. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation to 

consider whether certain unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely in the NAS before 

completion of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of the Reform Act. By granting an 

exemption the FAA will fulfill Congress's intent of allowing UAS to operate with significant 

safety precautions in low risk environments. 

The use of sUAS on a construction site can significantly reduce the risk to workers of falls 

while inspecting, surveying, or monitoring site progress. sUAS can inspect, photograph, and 

collect data on hard to get to areas that otherwise would require worker inspection. Falls are a 

leading source of workplace fatality and injury on construction sites l , and reducing falls through 

sUAS use for site imaging could save workers lives. 

Additionally, sUAS could replace the use of helicopters and small aircraft to monitor sites. 

The sUAS we propose to fly in this application are under five pounds, and carry no combustible 

material on board, as opposed to the much larger conventionally powered small aircraft. Shifting 

to sUAS from helicopters presents a marked safety increase for our workers and the public. 

Lastly, sUAS reduce the environmental impact by dramatically decreasing the energy used 

for aerial imaging and data collection over a construction site. Our sUAS use rechargeable lithium 

ion batteries, as opposed to fossil fuels burned in operation of small aircraft that are many hundreds 

of times heavier. 

III. EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY 

Petitioner proposes that the exemption requested herein apply to sUAS that have the 

characteristics and that operate with the limitations listed herein. These limitations provide for at 

least an equivalent or even higher level of safety to operations under the current regulatory 

structure because the proposed operations represent a safety enhancement to the already safe 

protocols followed on construction sites and imaging and surveying operations conducted with 

helicopters and other conventional aircraft. 

1 "Commonly Used Statistics", Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Available at: 

https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html 

91 
Petitioner will be bound by the following limitations when conducting its sUAS operations 

under an FAA issued exemption: 

1. The sUAS will be less than 10 pounds. 

2. Flights will be operated within visual line of sight of a pilot. 

3. Maximum total flight time for each operational flight will be 20 minutes. The UAS 

calculates battery reserve in real time, and will return to its ground station with at 

least 20% battery power reserve should that occur prior to the 20 minute limit. 

4. Flights will normally be operated at an altitude of less than 200 feet AGL, never 

exceeding 400 feet AGL. 

5. Crew for each operation will consist of the sUAS Pilot who will keep the sUAS 

within his visual line of sight at all times. 

6. The sUAS Pilot will be trained in flight, operations, and safety procedures. 

7. The sUAS will only operate within a confined "Sterile Area" wherein all personnel 

will either be removed from the jobsite or shall be indoors and away from the sUAS. 

A"Security Perimeter" will be established for the flight operations area. 

8. A briefing will be conducted in regard to the planned sUAS operations prior to each 

day's production activities. It will be mandatory that all personnel who will be 

performing duties within the boundaries of the safety perimeter be present for this 

briefing. 

9. Pilot will have been trained in operation of UASs generally and received up-to-date 

information on the particular UAS to be operated. 

10. Written and/or oral permission from the relevant property holders will be obtained. 

11. All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county 

or city jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire, or other appropriate 

governmental agencies where applicable. 

12. If the sUAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, it will have capability 

to enter "loiter mode" and hover, reestablish satellite connection, and return to a 

pre- determined location within the Security Perimeter and land. 

IV. DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC REGULATIONS 

14 CFR 61.113 (a) &(b): Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command 

Sections 61.113 (a) &(b) limit private pilots to non-commercial operations. Because the 

sUAS will not carry a pilot or passengers, the proposed operations can achieve the equivalent level 

of safety of current operations by requiring the Pilot operating the aircraft to have an electronic 

tether that causes the sUAS to follow the pilot without any other interaction. Unlike a conventional 

aircraft that carries the pilot and passengers, the sUAS is remotely controlled with no living thing 

or cargo on board. The Lily sUAS is primarily operated by an autopilot, which greatly reduces the 

danger of human error. The area of operation is controlled and restricted to hard hat areas, and all 

flights are planned and coordinated in advance. 

The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 10 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot 

nor passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates exclusively 

within a secured area as set out supra. Like other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption 

will be tightly controlled and monitored by the operator, in compliance with local public safety 

4 
requirements, to provide security for the area of operation as is currently done on active 

construction sites. 

The risks associated with the operation of the sUAS are therefore diminished from the level 

of risk associated with commercial operations contemplated by Part 61 when drafted, and allowing 

operations of the sUAS as requested with a Pilot who bears an electronic tether and autopilot sUAS 

achieves the level of safety contemplated by 14 C.F.R. §61.113 (a) &(b). 

14 C.F.R. 91.103: Preflight Action 

This regulation requires each pilot in command take certain actions before flight to ensure 

the safety of flight. An exemption is needed from this requirement as the Pilot will take separate 

preflight actions, including checking for weather conditions, checking flight battery requirements, 

checking takeoff and landing distances, and all other actions of a Preflight Checklist. These actions 

will provide an equivalent level of safety. 

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

Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Section 91.119 (d) 

allows helicopters to be operated at less than the minimums prescribed, provided the person 

operating the helicopter complies with any route or altitudes prescribed for helicopters by the FAA. 

This exemption is for a multirotor craft that flies similarly to a helicopter, with vertical take off 

and vertical landing, which will typically operate at altitudes of 200 AGL, so an exemption may 

be needed to allow such operations. The sUAS will never operate at altitude higher than 400 AGL 

and will be in a restricted area with security perimeter, where buildings and people will not be 

exposed to operations without their pre-obtained 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. Because of the advance notice to the property owner and any 

onsite personnel as previously outlined, all affected individuals will be aware of the planned flight 

operations. Unlike flight operations with aircraft or rotorcraft weighing far more than the 

maximum 10 lbs. proposed herein, our sUAS will not carry flammable fuel. In addition, the lowaltitude operations of the sUAS will ensure separation between sUAS operations and the 

operations of conventional aircraft that must comply with Section 91.119. 

14 C.F.R. 91.121: Altimeter Settings 

This 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 not 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 by confirming the altitude of the launch site shown on the GPS 

altitude indicator before flight. 

5 
14 CFR 91.151 (a): Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions 

Section 91.151 (a) outlines fuel requiremets for beginning a flight in VFR conditions. Our 

sUAS is limited to operations in sterile and controlled environments as outlined above, and has a 

limited range and flight time which require an exemption from 14 CFR 91.151(a). 

The battery powering the sUAS provides approximately 35 minutes of powered flight. To 

meet the 30 minute reserve requirement in 14 CFR §91.151, sUAS flights would be limited to 

approximately 5 minutes in length. Given the limitations 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 night VFR conditions is reasonable. 

Petitioner believes that an exemption from 14 CFR §91.151(a) falls within the scope of 

prior exemptions. See Exemption 10673 (allowing Lockheed Martin Corporation to operate 

without compliance with FAR 91.151 (a)). Operating the small sUAS, in a tightly controlled area 

where only people and property owners or official representatives who have been informed of the 

proposed sUAS flight will be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve battery, does not 

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. 

An equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 30 minutes, or enough 

battery reserve to ensure that the sUAS lands at the ground station with at least 20% of battery 

power (as determined by the onboard monitoring system and the Pilot), whichever happens first. 

This restriction would be more than adequate to return the sUAS to its planned landing zone from 

anywhere in its limited operating area. 

Similar exemptions have been granted to other operations, including Exemptions 2689F, 

5745, 10673, and 10808. 

14 CFR 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 paragraph (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 sections and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, 

these sections will not apply to Petitioner. Maintenance will be accomplished by the operator 

pursuant to the above guidelines. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because these 

small sUAS are very limited in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in restricted 

areas for limited periods of time. If inechanical issues arise the sUAS can land immediately and 

will be operating from no higher than 400 feet AGL. The Pilot will ensure that the sUAS is in 

working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance, and keep a log of any 

maintenance performed. Moreover, the Pilot 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. 

31 
******* 

Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 11, the following summary is provided for publication in the 

Federal Register, should it be determined that publication is needed: 

Applicant seeks an exemption from the following rules: 14 C.F.R. §21, subpart H; 14 C.F.R 

45.23(b);14 C.F.R. §§ 61.113( a) &(b);91.7(a); 91.9 (b) (2);91.103(b);91.109; 91.119; 91.121; 

91.151(a);91.203(a) and (b); 91.405(a); 91.407 (a) (1); 91.409 (a) (2); 91.409 (a) (2) and 91.417 

(a) &(b) to operate commercially a small unmanned vehicle (551bs or less) in construction 

operations. 

Approval of exemptions allowing commercial operations of sUAS in the construction 

industry enhances safety while reducing risk. Manned aircraft monitoring and surveying creates a 

greater risk because the craft are much larger, have combustible fuel, and carry an onboard human 

pilot. In contrast, a sUAS weighing fewer than 10 lbs. and powered by batteries eliminates virtually 

all of that risk given the reduced mass and lack of combustible fuel carried on board. The sUAS 

will carry no passengers or crew and, therefore, will not expose them to the risks associated with 

manned aircraft flights. 

The operation of small sUAS, weighing less than 10 lbs., conducted in the strict conditions 

outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the grant of the exemptions 

requested herein, including exempting the applicant from the requirements of Part 21 and allowing 

commercial operations. These lightweight aircraft operate at slow speeds, close to the ground, and 

in a sterile environment and, as a result, are far safer than conventional operations conducted with 

turbine helicopters operating in close proximity to the ground and people. 

Privacy 

All flights will occur over private or controlled access property with the property owner's 

prior consent and knowledge. Images taken will be of individuals who have also consented to 

being filmed or otherwise have agreed to be in the area where aerial photography will take place. 

Satisfaction of the criteria provided in Section 333 of the Reform Act of 2012--size, weight, 

speed, operating capabilities, proximity to airports and populated areas and operation within visual 

line of sight and national security — provide more than adequate justification for the grant of the 

requested exemptions allowing commercial operation of applicant's sUAS in the construction 

industry. 

Sincer 

on C. Bruzik 

CORE Construction Services, L.L.C. 

Director of Business Services 

rA