August 6, 2015

Exemption No. 12370

Regulatory Docket No. FAA

– 20 15

– 1975

Mr. James Mackler

Bone, McAllester Norton, PLLC

511 Union Street, Suite 1600

Nashville, T N 37219

Dear Mr. Mackler :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our

decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption,

including the date it ends.

By letter dated May 15, 2015 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on

behalf of Unmanned Systems Legal Association, LLC ( hereinafter petitioner or operator ) for

an exemption . The petitioner requested to operate an unmanned ai rcraft system (UAS) to

conduct aerial data collection

.

See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA des cribing the proposed operations and

the regulations that the petitioner seeks an exemption

.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of t he petition

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the petitioner

.

Airworthiness Certification

The UAS proposed by the petitioner are the DJI Phantom 1, DJI Phantom 2 Vision + , DJI

Phantom 3

, DJI Inspire 1 , and DJI Spreading Wings S800, DJI S900

, and DJI S1000 +

.2

In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of P ublic Law 112

− 95 in

reference to 49 U

. S

. C

. § 44704, and in consideration of the size, weight, speed, and limited

operating area associated with the aircraft and its operation, the Secretary of Transportation

has determined that this aircraft meets the conditions of Section 333. Therefore, the FAA

finds that relief from 14 CFR part 21

, C ertification procedures for products and parts,

Subpart H

— Airworthiness Certificates , and any associated noise certification and testing

requirements of part 36, is not necessary.

The Basis for Our Decision

You have requested to use a UAS for aerial data collection 1

. The FAA has issued grants of

exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition.

In Grants of Exemption No s

. 11062 to Astraeus Aerial ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0352),

11109 to Clayco, Inc. ( see Docket No. FAA

− 2014

− 0507), 11112 to VDOS Global, LLC ( see Docket No. FAA−2014−0382), and 11213 to Aeryon Lab s , Inc. ( see Docket No.

FAA−2014−0642), the FAA found that the enhanced safety achieved using an unmanned

aircraft (UA) with the specifications described by the petitioner and carrying no passengers or

crew, rather than a manned aircraft of significantly greater proportions, carrying crew in

addition to flammable fuel, gives the FAA good cause to find that the UAS operation enabled

by this exemption is in the public interest.

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that

—

• They are similar in all material respects to relief previously requ ested in Grant of

Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 ;

• The reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and

11213 also apply to the situation you present; and

• A grant of exemption is in the public interest.

Our Decision

In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption is in the public interest.

Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113, and 44701,

delegated to me by the Administrator, Unmanned Systems Legal Ass ociation, LLC is granted

an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 61.23(a) and ( c ), 61.101(e)(4 ) and (5), 61.113(a), 61.315(a)

, 91.7(a), 91.119(c), 91.121, 91.151(a)(1), 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 91.409(a)(1) and (2), and

91.417(a) and (b), to the extent necessary to al low the petitioner to operate a UAS to perform

aerial data collection

. This exemption is subject to the conditions and limitations listed

below.

1 Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard the UA.

Examples include imagery (photography, video, infrared, etc.), electronic measurement (precision surveying, RF

analysis, etc.), chemical measurement (part iculate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by

instruments aboard the UA.3

Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, Unmanned Systems Legal Association, LLC is hereafter referred

to as the operator.

Failure to comply with any of the conditions and limitations of this grant of exemption will be

grounds for the immediate suspension or rescission of this exemption.

1. Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the DJI Phantom 1,

DJI Phantom 2 Vision + , DJI Phantom 3

, DJI Inspire 1 , and DJI Spreading Wings

S800, DJI S900

, and DJI S1000 + when weighing less than 55 pounds including

payload. Proposed operations of any other aircraft will require a new petition or a

petition to amend this exemption

.

2. Operations for the purpose of closed

- set motion picture and television filming are

not permitted.

3. The UA may not be operated at a speed exceeding 87 knots (100 miles per hour). The

exemption holder may use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to determine

compliance with the 87 knot speed restriction. In no case will the UA be operated at

airspeeds greater than the maximum UA operating airspeed recommended by the

aircraft manufacturer.

4. The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground level

(AGL). Altitude must be reported in feet AGL.

5. The UA must be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC at all times.

This requires the PIC to be able to use human vision unaided by any device other than

corrective le nses, as specified on the PIC’s FAA

- issued airman medical certificate or

U.S. driver’s license.

6. All operations must utilize a visual observer (VO). The UA must be operated within

the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all times. The VO may be used

to satisfy the VLOS requirement as long as the PIC always maintains VLOS

capability. The VO and PIC must be able to communicate verbally at all times ;

e lectronic messaging or texting is not permitted during flight operations. The PIC

must be de signated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation for the

duration of the flight. The PIC must ensure that the VO can perform the duties

required of the VO.

7. This exemption and all documents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its

op erations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this grant of

exemption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating documents. The operating4

documents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the

Administrator upon request. If a discrepancy exists between the conditions and

limitations in this exemption and the procedures outlined in the operating documents,

the conditions and limitations herein take precedence and must be followed.

Otherwise, the operator mus t follow the procedures as outlined in its operating

documents. The operator may update or revise its operating documents. It is the

operator’s responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised

documents to the Administrator or any l aw enforcement official upon request. The

operator must also present updated and revised documents if it petitions for extension

or amendment to this grant of exemption. If the operator determines that any update

or revision would affect the basis upon w hich the FAA granted this exemption, then

the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FA A’s

UAS Integration Office (AFS− 80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding

updates or revisions to the operating documents.

8. Any UAS that has undergone maintenance or alterations that affect the UAS operation

or flight characteristics, e.g.

, replacement of a flight critical component, must undergo

a functional test flight prior to conducting further operations under this exemption.

Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and must remain at

least 500 feet from other people. The functional test flight must be conducted in such

a manner so as to not pose an undue hazard to persons and property.

9. The operator is responsible for maintaining and inspecting the UAS to ensure that it is

in a condition for safe operation.

10. Prior to each flight, the PIC must conduct a pre

- flight inspection and determine the

UAS is in a condition for safe flight. The pre

- flight inspe ction must account for all

potential discrepancies, e.g.

, inoperable components, items, or equipment. If the

inspection reveals a condition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the aircraft is

prohibited from operating until the necessary maintenan ce has been performed and the

UAS is found to be in a condition for safe flight.

11. The operator must follow the UAS manufacturer’s maintenance, overhaul,

replacement, inspection, and life limit requirements for the aircraft and

aircraft components.

12. Each UA S operated under this exemption must comply with all manufacturer

safety bulletins.

13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport,

commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate. The PIC must also hold a

curren t FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a

state, the District of Col u mbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal5

government. The PIC must also meet the flight revi ew requirements specified in

14 CFR § 6 1.56 in an aircraft in which the PIC is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

14. The operator may not permit any PIC to operate unless the PIC demonstrates the

ability to safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be

operated under this exemption, including evasive and emergency maneuvers and

maintaining appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC

qualification flight hours and currency must be logged in a manner consistent with

14 CFR § 61.51(b). Flig hts for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs

(traini ng, proficiency, and experience

- building) and determining the PIC’s ability to

safely operate the UAS in a manner consistent with how the UAS will be operated

under this exemption are perm itted under the terms of this exemption. However,

training operations may only be conducted during dedicated training sessions. During

traini ng, proficiency, and experience

- building flights, all persons not essential for

flight operations are considered nonparticipants, and the PIC must operate the UA

with appropriate distance from nonparticipants in accordance with 14 CFR § 91.119.

15. UAS operations may not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. All

operations must be conducted under visua l meteorological conditions (VMC). Flights

under special visual flight rules (SVFR) are not authorized.

16. The UA may not operate within 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as

denoted in the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or f or airports not

denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbo l as denoted on the current

FAA

- published aeronautical chart, unless a letter of agreement with that airport’s

management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued to the exemptio n

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

to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request.

17. The UA may not be operated less than 500 feet below or less than 2,000 feet

horizontally from a cloud o r when visibility is less than 3 statute miles from the PIC.

18. If the UAS loses communications or loses its GPS sign al, the UA must return to a

pre

- determined location within the pr ivate or controlled

- access property.

19. The PIC must abort the flight in the event of unpredicted obstacles or emergencies.

20. The PIC is prohibited from beginning a flight unless (considering wind and forecast

weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the

intended operation and to operate after that f or at least five minutes or with the reserve

power recommended by the manufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). All

operations shall be cond ucted in accordance with an ATO

- issued COA. The6

exemp tion holder may apply for a new or amended COA if it intends to conduct

operations that cannot be conducted under the terms of the attached COA

.

22. All aircraft operated in accordance with this exemption must be identified by serial

number, registered in acc ordance with 14 CFR part 47, and have identification

(N− Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must

be as large as practicable.

23. Documents used by the operator to ensure the safe operation and flight of the UAS and

any doc uments required under 14 CFR §§ 91.9 and 91.203 must be available to the

PIC at the Ground Control Station of the UAS any time the aircraft is operating.

These documents must be made available to the Administrator or any law enforcement

official upon requ est.

24. The UA must remain clear and give way to all manned aviation operations and

activities at all times.

25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any moving device or vehicle.

26. All Flight operations must be conducted at least 500 feet from all nonp articipating

persons, 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 per sons 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 ; and

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.

The PIC, VO, operator trainees or essential persons are not considered

nonparticipating persons under this exemption.

27. All operations shall be conducted over private or control led

- access property with

permission from the property owner/controller or authorized representative.

Permission from property owner/controller or authorized representative will be

obtained for each flight to be conducted.

28. Any incident, accident, or flight op eration that transgresses the lateral or vertical

boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported

to the FA A's UAS Integration Office (AFS− 80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be7

reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions

contained on the NTSB Web site: www.ntsb.gov

.

If this exemption permits operations for the purpose of closed

- set motion picture and

television filming and production, the following additional conditions and limitations apply.

29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM)

as documented in this grant of exemption.

30. At least 3 days before aerial filming, the operator of the UAS affected by this

exempt ion must submit a written Plan of Activities to the local Flight Standards

District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction over the a rea of proposed filming. The 3

- day

notification may be waived with the concurrence of the FSDO. The plan of activities

must incl ude at least the following:

a. Dates and times for all flights;

b. Name and phone number of the operator for the UAS aerial filming conducted

under this grant of exemption;

c. Name and phone number of th e person responsible for the on

- scene operation of

the UAS;

d. Ma ke, model, and serial or N− Number of UAS to be used;

e. Name and certificate number of UAS PICs involved in the aerial filming;

f. A statement that the operator has obtained permission from property owners

and/or local officials to conduct the filming production event; the list of those

who gave permission must be made available to the inspector upon request;

g. Signature of exemption holder or representative; and

h. A description of the flight activity, including maps or diagrams of any area, city,

town, county, and/or state over which filming will be conducted and the altitudes

essential to accomplish the operation.

31. Flight operations may be conducted closer than 500 feet from participating persons

consenting to be involved and necessary for the filming productio n, as specified in the

exemption holder’s MPTOM.

Unless otherwise specified in this grant of exemption, the UAS, the UAS PIC, and the UAS

operations must comply with all applicable parts of 14 CFR including, but not limited to,

parts 45, 47, 61, and 91.8

This exemption terminates on August 31

, 2017 , unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/ s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service

EnclosuresJames E . Mackler

Attorney

615.238.6312 (Direct Phone)

615.248.4668 (Direct Fax)

jmackler@bonelaw.com

{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) May 1 5 , 2015

U. S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE,

West Building Ground Floor, Room W12

- 140,

Washington, DC 20590

Re: Request for Exemption under Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act

and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations from 14 C.F.R. 61.23(a) and (c);

61.101(e)(4) and (5); 61.113(a); 61.315(a); 91.119(c); 91.121; 91.151(a)(1);

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

PETITION FOR SUMMARY EXEMPTION

Dear S ir 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, Unmanned Systems Legal Association , LLC, (“ USLA ”) an operator

of Small Unmanned Aircraft (UA) hereby applies for an exemption from the listed Federal

Aviation Regulations ("FARs") to allow commercial operation of its UA. USLA is eligible for a

summary exemption for aerial data collection

. 1

QUICK REFERENCE SUMMARY:

• Types of aircraft to be flown:

o DJI Phantom Series

o DJI Inspire Serie s

1 Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard the UA. Examples

include imagery (photography, video, infrared, etc.), electronic measurement (precision surveying, RF analysis,

etc.), chemical measurement (partic ulate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by instruments

aboard the UA. See exemption #. 11482.{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) o DJI Spreading Wings Series

• Technical manuals are all currently available online at the following URLs:

Phantom Series

o Phantom 1: http://www.dji.com/product/phantom/download

o Phantom 2: http://www.dji.com/product/phantom

- 2/download

o Phantom 2Vision+ : http://www.dji.com/product/phantom

- 2

- vision

- plus/download

o Phantom 3 : http://www.dji.com/product/phantom

- 3/download

Inspire Series

o Inspire 1: http://www.dji.com/product/inspire

- 1/download

Spreading Wings Series

o S800: http://www.dji.com/product/spreading

- wings

- s800/download

o S900: http://www.dji.co m/product/spreading

- wings

- s800/download

o S 1000+: http://www.dji.com/product/spreading

- wings

- s1000

- plus/download

• The operations will be for aerial data collection

. 2

• We already agree to all the restrictions listed in Exemption # 11358 granted to New

Heights Aerial Media, LLC for Aerial Data Collection on April 17, 2015. Those

restrictions are listed below. Based upon the FAA’s recent guidance, this petition is

eligibl e for summary exemption and should be granted immediately.

USLA requests that the publication and comment procedures be waived in accordance with

14 C.F.R. § 11.87 which states :

§ 11.87 Are there circumstances in which FAA may decide not to publish a summ ary of

my petition for exemption?

The FAA may not publish a summary of your petition for exemption and request

comments if you present or we find good cause why we should not delay action on your

petition. The factors we consider in deciding not to request comment include:

(a) Whether granting your petition would set a precedent.

2 Exemption 11358 to New Heights Aerial Media, LLC was for “aerial data collection.”{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) (b) Whether the relief requested is identical to exemptions granted previously.

(c) Whether our delaying action on your petition would affect you adversely.

(d) Whether you filed your petition in a timely manner.

Corresponding to the above sub

- sections, USLA has good cause to request the FAA to

waive the comment period and not delay action on the petition because:

(a) USLA would not set any precedent. USLA agrees to the SAME exa ct limitations as

Exemption # 11358, except we are proposing to operate the DJI line of products listed

above. These are commonly used aircraft. For example:

i. Exemption # 11326 and # 11384 permits the use of the DJI S900.

ii. Exemption s # 11184 and # 11161 permits the use of the DJI S1000.

iii. Exemption # 11341 was for the use of DJI Phantom 2 Vision+.

iv. Exemptions # 11347 and 11306 were for the DJI Phantom 2. DJI has

announced they will discontinue the Phantom 2 model and replace it with

the Phantom 3. Although no exemptions have been granted for the

Phantom 3, it is substantially similar in performance to the the DJI

Phantom 2 Vision+ (“P2”) in all relevant respects.

v. Exemption #11342 was for the DJI Inspire 1 Model T600.

(b) The relief requested is identical to that granted, without publication for comment, in

Exemption # 11358.

(c) Delaying the granting of this petition would adversely affect the public, the FAA,

and USLA

. The public, as well as the FAA, would be better served by the FAA

quickly granting this peti tion and thereby freeing up limited FAA resources and

allowing FAA inspectors to dedicate their time and attention to much higher

priorities. Moreover, USLA is adversely affected by the above listed regulations.

(d) The petition has been filed in a timely mann er.{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) Petitioner’s contact info:

Bone, McAllester Norton, PLLC

Attn: James Mackler

Phone: 615

- 238

- 6312

Email: jmackler@bonelaw.com

Address: 511 Union Street, Suite 1600, Nashville, Tennessee 37219

Regulations from which the exemption is requested:

• 14 C.F.R. § 61.23(a) and (c)

• 14 C.F.R. § 61.101(e)(4) and (5)

• 14 C.F.R. § 61.113(a)

• 14 C.F.R. § 61.315(a)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.7(a)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.119(c)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.121

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.151(a)(1)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.407(a)(1)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.409(a)(1) & (2)

• 14 C.F.R. § 91.417(a) & (b)

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

Section 333(a) through (c) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. This law directs

the Secretary of Transportation to consider whether certain unmanned aircraft systems may

operate safely in the national airspace system (NAS) before completion of the rulemaking

required under Section 332 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act. In making this

determination, the Secretary is required to determine which types of UA do not create a hazard to

users of the NAS or the public or pose a threat to national security in light of the following:

• The UA’s size, weight, speed, and operational capability;

• Operation of the UA in close prox imity to airports and populated areas; and,

• Operation of the UA within visual line of sight of the operator (VLOS). 3

3 FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 at § 333(a).{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) If the Secretary determines that such vehicles "may operate safely in the national airspace

system, the Secretary shall establish require ments for the safe operation of such aircraft in the

national airspace system." Id. § 333(c) (emphasis added). 4

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

This statutory authority by its terms includes exempting ci vil aircraft, as the term is defined

under § 40101 of the Act that includes UAS’s, 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

pres cribed under subsection (a) or (b) of this section or any sections 44702

- 44716 of this title if

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

U.S.C. § 44711(b).

OPERATING DOCUMENTS

USLA will operate only w ithin the limitations below and the performance parameters set

forth in the aircraft manuals.

AIRCRAFT AND EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY

The applicant proposes that the exemption requested herein applies to civil aircraft 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.

These limitations and conditions are identical to Exemption # 11358 except for the

difference in aircraft. USLA agrees to be bound when conducting commercial UA operations.

The list of limitations and conditions include the following:

1. Operations authorized by this grant of exe mption are li m ited to the DJI line of aircraft

listed above when weighing less than 55 pounds including payload. Proposed operations

of any other a i r c ra f t will requi r e a new petition or a p e tition to a m end this e x e mption.

4 Applicant interprets this provision to place the duty on the Administrator to not only process applications for

exemptions under section 333, but for the Administrator to craft conditions for the safe operation of the UAS, if it

should be determined th at the conditions set forth herein do not fulfill the statutory requirements for approval.{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) 2. Operations f or the purpose of closed

- set m otion picture and television filming are

not per m itt e d.

3. The UA m a y not be operated at a s p eed excee d ing 87 knots (100 m iles per hour). T h e

exe mption holder m ay use either groundspeed or calibrated airspeed to deter m ine

co mpliance with the 87 knot speed restrict i on. In no case will the UA be operated at

airspeeds greater than t h e m ax i m u m UA operating airspeed recommended by the aircraft

m anufacturer.

4. The UA m u st be operated at an altitude of no m o re than 400 f eet above ground level

(AGL). Altitude m ust be reported in feet AGL.

5. The UA m u st be operated within visual line of sight (VLOS) of t h e PIC at all ti m es. This

req u ir e s the PIC to be able to u s e hu m an vision unaided by any device other than

correcti v e lenses, as specified on the PIC’s FAA

- issued air m an m edical certifi c ate o r U.S.

driver ’ s li c ense.

6. All oper a ti o ns m ust utilize a vis u al o bserver (VO). The UA must be op e rated within

the visual line of sight (VLOS) of the PIC and VO at all ti m es. The VO m ay be used to

satisfy the VLOS require m ent as long as the P IC always maintains VLOS capability.

The VO and PIC m ust be able to c o mmunicate verbally at all ti m es; ele c tronic

messaging o r texting is not per m itted d uring f lig h t operations. The PIC m ust be

designated before the flight and cannot transfer his or her designation for the duration of

the flight. T he PIC m ust ensure t h at the VO can perform the duties required of the VO.

7. This exe mption and all docu m ents needed to operate the UAS and conduct its

operations in accorda n ce with the conditions a n d li m itations stated in t h is grant of

exe mption, are hereinafter referred to as the operating docu m ents. The operating

docu m ents must be accessible during UAS operations and made available to the

Ad m i nistrator upon request. If a discr e pancy exists between the conditions and

li m itations in this e x e m ption and the procedu r es outli n ed in the oper a ting docu m ents,

the conditions and li m itations herein t a ke precedence and must be followed. Otherwise,

the oper a tor must f ollow the procedures as outlined in its operating docu m ents. The

operator m ay update or rev i se its operating docu m ents. It is the operator’s

responsibility to track such revisions and present updated and revised docu m ents to the{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) Ad m i nistrator or any l a w enforce m ent official upon request. The operator m u st also

present updated and revis e d docu m ents if it petitions for extension or a m end m e nt to this

grant of exe mp t ion. If the operator deter m ines that any update or revision would affect

the basis upon which the FAA granted this exemption, then the operator must petition

for an a m e nd m e n t to its grant of exe mption. The FAA’s UAS Integration Office

(AF S

− 80) may be contacted if questions arise regarding updates or revisions to the

operating docu m ents.

8. Any UAS that has undergone m aintenance or alterations that af f

ect the UAS operation or

flight characteristics, e.g., replace m ent of a flight c r itical co mponent, must undergo a

functional test flight pri o r to conducting further oper a tions under this exe mption.

Functional test flights may only be conducted by a PIC with a VO and must re m ain at

least 500 feet from other people. The funct i onal test flight m u st be conducted in such a

m anner so as to not pose an undue h azard to persons and pr o perty.

9. The operator is responsible for m aintaining a nd inspecting the UAS to ensure that it is in

a condition for safe operation.

10. Prior to each flight, the P IC m ust conduct a pre

- flight ins p ection and deter m ine the UAS

is in a condition for safe flight. T h e pre

- fli g ht inspecti o n m ust acc o unt for all potential

discrepancies, e.g., inoperable co m ponents, ite m s, or equip m ent. If the inspection reveals

a co n dition that affects the safe operation of the UAS, the aircraft is prohibited from

operati n g until the n ecess a ry m a intena n ce h a s been perf o r m ed and the UAS is found to

be in a condition for safe flight.

11. The operat o r m ust f ollow the UAS m anufacturer’s m aintenance, overhaul,

replace m ent, inspection, and life li m i t require m ents for the aircraft and

aircraft components.

12. Each UAS operated un d er t h is exe mption m ust co m ply with all m anu f acturer

safety bulletins.

13. Under this grant of exemption, a PIC must hold either an airline transport, commercial,

priv a t e, r e c r eatio n al, or sport p i lot certificate. T he PIC m ust also hold a curre n t FAA

air m an m edical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a state, the District

of Colu m bia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal govern m ent. The{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) PIC must also m eet the flight review require m ents specified in 14 CFR § 61.56 in an

aircraft in which the P I C is rated on his or her pilot certificate.

14. The operator m ay not per m it any PIC to operate unless the PIC de m onstrates the ability

to sa f ely ope r ate the UAS in a m a nner co n siste n t with how the UAS will be operated

under this exemption, including evasive and e m ergency m aneuvers and m aintaining

appropriate distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures. PIC qualification

flight hours and currency m ust be logged in a manner consistent with 14 CFR §

61.51(b). Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s P ICs and VOs (training,

proficiency, and experience

- building) and deter m i ning the PI C ’s ability to sa f ely

oper a te the UAS in a m anner consistent w ith how the UAS will be operated under t h is

exe mption are per m itted under the ter m s of this exe mption. However, training

operations m ay only be conducted du r ing dedicated training sessions. During training,

proficiency, and experience

- building flights, a l l persons not essential for flight

operations are considered nonparti c ipants, and the PIC m ust operate the UA with

appro p riate distance from nonparticipa n t s in accorda n ce with 14 CFR § 91.119.

15. UAS operations m ay not be conducted during night, as defined in 14 CFR § 1.1. All

operations must be conducted under visual m eteorological conditions (VMC). Flights

under special visual flight rul e s (SVFR) are not authorized.

16. The UA m a y not operate within 5 nautical m iles of an airport refere n ce p oint (ARP) a s

denoted in the current F AA Airport/Faci l ity Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted

with an ARP, the center of the airport sy m bol as denoted on the current

FAA

- published aerona u tic a l ch a rt, u nless a letter of agree m ent with t h at airpo r t’s

m anage m ent is obt a i ned or otherwise per m itted b y a COA issued to the e xe m ption

holder. The letter of agree m ent with the a i rport m anage m ent must be m ade available to

the Ad m i nistrator or any law enforce m ent official upon request.

17. The UA m a y 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 m iles from the PIC.

18. If the UAS loses com m unications or loses its GPS signal, the UA m ust return to a

pre

- deter m ined location within t h e p rivate or co n t rolled

- acce s s property.

19. The PIC m u st abort the f light in the event of unpredicted obstacles or e m ergencies.{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) 20. The PIC is prohibited fr o m beginning a flight unless (con s idering wind and forecast

weather conditions) there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the intended

operation and to operate after that for at least five minutes or with the reserve power

recommended by the m anufacturer if greater.

21. Air Traffic Organizati o n (ATO) Certificate of Waiver or A utho r ization (COA). All

operations shall be conducted in accord a nce with an ATO

- issued COA. The

exe mption holder m ay apply for a new or a m ended COA if it intends to conduct

operations that cannot be conducted under the ter m s of the attached COA.

22. All aircraft operated in accor d a n ce with this exemption m ust be identified by serial

nu m ber, registered in accordance with 14 CFR p a rt 47, and have identification

( N

− Nu m ber) m arkings in accorda n ce with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings m ust be

as large as practica b le.

23. Docu m ents used by the operator to ensure t h e safe operation and flight of the UAS and

any docu m e nts required under 14 CFR §§ 91.9 and 91.203 m u st be available to thePIC at

the G round Control Station of the UAS any ti m e the aircraft is operating. These

doc u m ents m ust be m ade availa b l e to the Ad m i nistrator or any law enforcement official

upon request.

24. The UA m u st re m ain clear and give w a y to all m anned aviation operations and acti v ities

a t all ti m es.

25. The UAS may not be operated by the PIC from any m oving device or vehicle.

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

persons, vessels, vehicles, and structures unless:

a. Barriers or structures are present that sufficiently p r otect nonparticipating persons

from the UA and/or de b ris in the eve n t of an acci d ent. The o p erat o r m ust ensure

that nonparticipating persons re m ain under s u ch protection. If a situation arises

where nonparticipating persons leave such protection and are within 500 feet of

the UA, flight operatio n s m ust cease im m ediately in a m anner ensuring the safety

of nonparticipating persons; and

b. The owner/controller of any vessels, vehicles or struc t ures has granted per m ission

for operating closer to those objects and the PIC has m ade a safety assess m ent of{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) the risk of operating closer to those objects and deter m ined that it does not

present an u ndue hazard.

c. The PIC, VO, operator trainees or e s sential pers o ns are not c o nsidered

nonparticipating persons under this exe mption.

27. All operati o ns shall b e conducted o v er pri v ate o r contr o lle d

- access pro p erty with

per m ission from the property owner/contr o ller or authorized representative. Per m ission

from property owner/co n t roller o r authorized rep r esent a tive w ill b e obtained for each

flight to be conducted.

28. Any incident, accident, or flight operation that tr a nsgress e s t h e later a l or v ertical

boundaries of the operational area as defined by the applicable COA must be reported to

the FAA ' s UAS Integration O ff i ce (AF S

− 80) within 24 hours. Accidents m ust be

reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) per instructions contained

on the NTSB Web site: w ww.ntsb.gov

.

STATUTORY CRITERIA PROVIDED IN SECTION 333

The Federal Aviation Act (49 U.S.C.§ 44701 (f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act both

authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an airworthiness certificate, upon

consideration of the size, w eight, speed, operational capability, and proximity to airports and

populated areas of the particular UAS. In all cases, an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that

the UAS operated without an airworthiness certificate and under the restrictions propos ed will be

at least as safe, or safer, than a conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an

airworthiness certificate without the restrictions and conditions proposed.

Since the UA fully loaded weighs no more than 55 lbs. and is operat ed without an

onboard pilot, there is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to

display them on the unmanned aircraft. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping

these documents at the ground control point w here the pilot flying the UA will have immediate

access to them. Given the size of the unmanned aircraft, the FAA registration number will be

displayed on the airframe in as large a font as possible.{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) 14 C.F.R. § 61.23(a) & (c): M EDICAL C ERTIFICATES

Exemption # 11221, # 11284, and many others have provided that a U.S. driver’s

license could be used in lieu of the medical certificate.

14 C.F.R. § 61.101( e )(4) & (5): R ECREATIONAL P ILOT P RIVILEGES AND L IMITATIONS & 14

C.F.R. § 61.315( a ): S PORT P ILOT L IM ITATIONS

.

Exemption # 11221, # 11284, and many others have provided that the “PIC must hold

either an airline transport, commercial, private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate.”

Likewise, USLA is also performing commercial UAS work and is asking for the same

restrictions which have been previously deemed to provide an equivalent level of safety as

the burdensome regulations.

14 C.F.R. § 61.113 (a): P RIVATE P ILOT P RIVILEGES A ND L IMITATIONS : P ILOT I N

C OMMAND

.

Sub

- sections 61.113(a) limit private pilots to non

- commercial operations. Because the

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

level of safety of current operations by requiring the PIC operating the airc raft to have a

private pilot's license rather than a commercial pilot's license to operate this small UAS.

Unlike a conventional aircraft that carries the pilot and passengers, the UAS is remotely

controlled with no living thing on board.

14 C.F.R. § 91.7 ( a ): C IVIL A IRCRAFT A IRWORTHINESS

.

The custom built hexacopters use the same flight controller (pixhawk) that has been

previously approved in Exemption # 11192 . The hexacopter aircraft configuration has been

granted in other exemptions such as Exemption # 11332, Exemption # 11185, and Exemption

# 11066 . Therefore, this aircraft should not be required to have an airworthiness certificate

based upon the FAA’s previous determinations.

14 C.F.R. § 91.119: M INIMUM S AFE A LTITUDES{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) 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.

Because of the lack of flammable fuel, any risk associated with these operations is

far less than those presently presented with conventional aircraft operating at or below 500

AGL. In addition, the low

- altitude operations of the UAS will ensure separati on between

these small UAS operations and the operations of conventional aircraft that must comply

with Section 91.119.

14 C.F.R. § 91.121: A LTIMETER S ETTINGS

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 UAS may not have a barometric altimeter,

but instead a GPS altitude read out, an exemption may be n eeded. An equivalent level of safety

will be achieved by the operator, pursuant to the operating manuals.

14 C.F.R. § 91.151( a ): F UEL R EQUIREMENTS FOR F LIGHT IN VFR C ONDITIONS

Section 91.151 (a) prohibits an individual from beginning "a flight in an airpla ne under

VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel

to fly to the first point of intended landing, and, assuming normal cruising speed

- (1) During the

day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or (2 ) At night, to fly after that for at least 45

minutes."

Applicant believes that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved by prohibiting the

PIC from beginning a UAS flight unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions and

assuming normal cr uising speed) “there is enough available power for the UA to conduct the

intended operation and to operate after that for at least five minutes or with the reserve power

recommended by the manufacturer if greater.” Exemption # 11284, at page 5.

14 C.F.R. § 91.405 (a); § 91.407 (a) (1); § 91.409 (a) (2); § 91.417(a) & (b): M AINTENANCE

I NSPECTIONS{01232678.1 }

Nashville City Center, Suite 1600

- 511 Union Street

- Nashville, Tennessee 37219

615.238.6300 (phone)

- 615.238.6301 (fax) 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" 5 and others shall inspect or maintain the aircraft in compliance with Part 43. Given

that these sections and Part 43 ap ply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these

sections will not apply to the applicant. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because

these small UAS’s are very limited in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in

res tricted areas for limited periods of time. Moreover, the operator 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. Lastly, the petitioner will operat e in accordance with the manuals

submitted confidentially which will provide an equivalent level of safety as the burdensome

regulations.

CONCLUSION:

The operation of USLA using a small UAS, weighing less than 55 lbs., conducted under

the proposed restrict ions outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the

grant of the exemptions requested herein.

If I can be of any assistance to further expedite this petition, please do not hesitate to

contact me at (615) 238

- 6312 or at my email jmackler@bonelaw.com

.

Sincerely yours,

____________________ James E Mackler, Esq.

5 14 C.F.R. § 91.405(a).