# SOH Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Structure Design and Rehabilitation Matthew Hamby SDR Engineering Consultants, Inc. 2260 Wednesday Street, Suite 500 Tallahassee, FL 32308 850-570-1561 

## I 850-222-2737x246 mhamby@sdrengineering.com August 25, 2015
Federal Aviation Administration Docket Operations, M-30 Bridge Design

U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) 1200 NewJersey Avenue, SE. Room W12-140 West Building Ground Floor Washington, DC 20590-0001 RE: Petition for Exemption under Section 333 To Whom it May Concern, Failure Analysis Instrumentation and Testing

Iam requesting relieffrom airworthiness certification requirement underthe FAA Modernization and Reform Act of2012, Public Law 112-95 FEB. 14, 2012, Section 333. Iam asking for permission to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for business purposes. The aircraft in question will be a unmanned aircraft system (UAS). This aircraftwill be under 50 pounds total weight and will house onlythe necessary instrumentation required forflight and video equipment. All flights will be below 200ft and visual line ofsight will be maintained at all times. Flights will remain clear and not interfere with manned aircraft operations and ifoperatingwithin 5 miles ofan airport, the airport operator and air traffic control tower will be given prior notice. Carelessness or reckless actions with the UAS will not be permitted. The frequencies used to control and communicate with the UAS will be limited to 900 MHz, 1.2 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz. The UAS will be used forthe purpose of inspecting bridges along the roadways ofthevarious states. Our company is astructural bridge engineering firm. Our specialties include innovative bridge inspection techniques. The UAS will be used as tool to assist with proper and thorough bridge inspection. The UAS will operate in and around the bridge components using its camera to documentthe health ofthe bridge in lieu of heavy and expensive man lifting equipment. The UAS will always be in proper line ofsite and will not operate more than 200ft. above the ground surface. The bridge owners will be aware and approve ofthe use ofthe UAS system. In addition, propertraffic control will be implemented. Traffic control is a necessary part ofany bridge inspection or construction

2260 Wednesday Street, Suite 500 • Tallahassee, FL 32308 • www.SDRengineering.com • Tel: 850-222-2737 • Fax: 850-386-9197environment. This is done so that movingtraffic and the general public will be safely separated from heavy equipment and workers. This principle will still applytothe UAS and itwill be treated as ifitwere human workers or heavy machinery as itappliesto protectingtraffic and the general public. To summarize even ifthis petition is approved it is still up tothe bridge owner, typically the states Department ofTransportation, iftheywill allowthe use ofa UAS. We are simply asking for permission to use the air space in and around bridge sites for business purposes. The UAS will be used so that itwould complywith the recreational mandate of notflying near people, as much as "near" can be defined. In addition proper precautions will be implemented to assure there is asafe distance between people and the UAS and thatthe publicwill be in no danger with the UAS's use. The only difference is thatthis UAS will be used for business purposes, thereby requiring your approve for its use. Thankyou foryourtime and Iwould appreciate consideration for approval ofthe necessary permit and ordocumentation required to use a UAS forthis business purpose. Sincerely,

Matthew Hamby

2260 Wednesday Street, Suite 500, Tallahassee, FL 32308 • www.SDRengineering.com • Tel: 850-222-2737 • Fax: 850-386-9197