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 of Transportation (DOT) 

1200 New Jersey 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 

I am requesting relief from airworthiness certification requirement under the FAA Modernization and 

Reform Act of 2012, Public Law 112-95 FEB. 14, 2012, Section 333. I am asking for permission to operate 

unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for business purposes. 

The aircraft in question will be a unmanned aircraft system (UAS). This aircraft will be under 50 pounds 

total weight and will house only the necessary instrumentation required for flight and video equipment. 

All flights will be below 200ft and visual line of sight will be maintained at all times. Flights will remain 

clear and not interfere with manned aircraft operations and if operating within 5 miles of an 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 for the purpose of inspecting bridges along the roadways of the various states. Our 

company is a structural 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 document the health of the 

bridge in lieu of heavy and expensive man lifting equipment. The UAS will always be in proper line of site 

and will not operate more than 200ft. above the ground surface. 

The bridge owners will be aware and approve of the use of the UAS system. In addition, proper traffic 

control will be implemented. Traffic control is a necessary part of any bridge inspection or construction 

2260 Wednesday Street, Suite 500 • Tallahassee, FL 32308 • www.SDRengineering.com • Tel: 850-222-2737 • Fax: 850-386-9197 
environment. This is done so that moving traffic and the general public will be safely separated from 

heavy equipment and workers. This principle will still apply to the UAS and it will be treated as if it were 

human workers or heavy machinery as it applies to protecting traffic and the general public. 

To summarize even if this petition is approved it is still up to the bridge owner, typically the states 

Department of Transportation, if they will allow the use of a 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 it would 

comply with the recreational mandate of not flying near people, as much as "near" can be defined. In 

addition proper precautions will be implemented to assure there is a safe distance between people and 

the UAS and that the public will be in no danger with the UAS's use. The only difference is that this UAS 

will be used for business purposes, thereby requiring your approve for its use. 

Thank you for your time and I would appreciate consideration for approval of the necessary permit and 

or documentation required to use a UAS for this business purpose. 

Sincerely, 

Matthew Hamby 

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