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Troutman, Jake (FAA)

From: Troutman, Jake (FAA)

Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2015 10:07 AM

To: 'BMurphy@perkinscoie.com'

Cc: Pappas, Rob (FAA); Hoekstra, Kathlyn (FAA)

Subject: Request for Additional Information - Ars Electronica Linz GmbH

Tracking Tracking: Recipient Read

'BMurphy@perkinscoie.com'

Pappas, Rob (FAA)

Hoekstra, Kathlyn (FAA) Read: 5/5/2015 10:09 AM

Dear Mr. Brendan Murphy:  

This letter is to inform you that the following information is missing from your petition (Docket No. FAA‐2014‐

1095).  This information is necessary for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to process your petition.

A. On page 4 of your petition you indicate that “a few operators can safely manage a show involving 200

aircraft.”  Further, beginning on page 7 of your petition you mention the laptops are linked and each operator

can oversee multiple aircraft from one laptop. Can you explain further including:

1)            What is the maximum number of computers linked together for a light show?

2)            What is the maximum number of unmanned aircraft each computer would control?  

  

3)            Will there be one computer which serves as the “ground control station” or multiple computers?

B.    Can you also explain further your contingency plans for any computer and software failures, including:  

1)            What will happen to the unmanned vehicles if one or more computers malfunction?

2)            How does a malfunction affect each of the unmanned aircraft it controls?

3)            Is there one independent “kill” switch which would direct all UAs in the light show to land?  If not, does

each computer have this capability or would each operator have to direct the UAs s/he controls to land immediately in

an emergency?

4)            How do you ensure that UAs do not collide if you have to suddenly command them to land due to an

emergency situation?

5)            How do the unmanned aircraft respond to a lost communication link with the ground based control

unit?

C.            Given that you have performed many light shows around the world can you provide information about any

failures or incidents which occurred and what your response was to those incidents or failures such as changes to your

operations?
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D.            On page 4 and 5 of your petition you indicate that you have performed these light shows around the world and

on page 16 you state that the aircraft are not registered with any government implying that no country has required that

your aircraft be registered.  Do you have any documentation from the country of origin of the UAs or the petitioner

which indicates registration of these UAs is not necessary?  

E.            On page 18 of your petition you indicate that the individual operator’s supervising groups of aircraft on the

flight control laptop will operate under control of the pilot.  Can you clarify the roles and responsibilities of the PIC and

the operators and their communication mechanism between them.

Please submit the additional information (non‐proprietary) to your docket at www.regulations.gov and submit any

proprietary information to the FAA Headquarters or electronically via e‐mail to 333exemptions@faa.gov.  If you want us

to process your request any further, we must receive the information described above by 5/19/2015.  If we do not

receive the information, we will close the docket without notifying you further.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (202) 267‐9521.  

Sincerely,

Jake J Troutman

Program Analyst | Rulemaking

FAA Office of Aviation Safety

Airmen and Airspace Rules Division

202‐267‐9521