July 14, 2015

Exemption No. 12025

Regulatory Docket No. FAA–2015–1524

Mr. Jesse Lasky

155 Exchange Street

Albany, NY 12205

Dear Mr. Lasky:

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 1, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an 

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

conduct aerial photography, videography, and survey operations.

See Appendix A for the petition submitted to the FAA describing 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 the 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 is a DJI Inspire 1.

In accordance with the statutory criteria provided in Section 333 of Public 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, Certification procedures for products and parts, 
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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 collection1. The FAA has issued grants of 

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

In Grants of Exemption Nos. 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 Labs, 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 requested 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, Mr. Jesse Lasky 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 allow the petitioner to operate a UAS to perform aerial data collection. 

This exemption is subject to the conditions and limitations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, Mr. Jesse Lasky is hereafter referred to as the operator.

 

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 (particulate measurement, etc.), or any other gathering of data by 

instruments aboard the UA.
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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 Inspire 1when 

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 lenses, 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; 

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

must be designated 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 

operations in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this grant of 

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

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 must 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 law enforcement official upon request. The 
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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 which the FAA granted this exemption, then 

the operator must petition for an amendment to its grant of exemption. The FAA’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 inspection 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 maintenance 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 UAS 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 

current FAA airman medical certificate or a valid U.S. driver’s license issued by a 

state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a territory, a possession, or the Federal 

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

14 CFR § 61.56 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). Flights for the purposes of training the operator’s PICs and VOs 
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(training, 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 permitted under the terms of this exemption. However, 

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

training, 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 visual 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 for airports not 

denoted with an ARP, the center of the airport symbol 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 exemption 

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 or when visibility is less than 3 statute miles from the PIC.

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

pre-determined location within the private 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 for 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 conducted in accordance with an ATO-issued COA. The 

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

any documents 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 request.

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 nonparticipating 

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 persons 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 controlled-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 operation that transgresses the lateral or vertical 

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

to the FAA's UAS Integration Office (AFS−80) within 24 hours. Accidents must be 

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

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

District Office (FSDO) with jurisdiction over the area of proposed filming. The 3-day 

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

must include 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 the person responsible for the on-scene operation of 

the UAS;

d. Make, 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 production, 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.
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This exemption terminates on July 31, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures
Jesse Lasky

155 Exchange Street

Albany, New York 12205

(Phone) 518-598-2849

jesseclasky@gmail.com

May 1, 2015

U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Request for Exemption Per PL 112-95 §333 from 14 CFR 61.113(a) and (b), 14 CFR 91.103, 14 

CFR 91.109, 14 CFR 91.119, 14 CFR 91.121, 14 CFR 91.151(a), 14 CFR 91.405(a), 14 CFR 

91.407(a)(1), 14 CFR 91.409(a)(2), 14 CFR 91.417(a) and (b)

The following documents have been included in order to provide supplemental information for this 

petition’s request for exemption:

1. Inspire_1_Safety_Guidelines

2. Inspire_1_User_Manual_v1.2

3. Inspire_1_Maintenance_ManualV1.0

Dear Sir or Madam,

This letter will serve as a request for an exemption of the above sections of title 14 CFR for myself, Jesse 

Lasky, henceforth referred to as the petitioner, for the purpose of conducting commercial “aerial 

photography, videography, and survey operations” using a small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) in 

FAA controlled airspace. As described herein, Jesse Lasky, is an experienced user of multicopter sUAS 

for hobby operations, flying multicopters of varying sizes under 55 pounds using both Visual Line Of 

Sight (VLOS) and on board camera controls. The following petition provides all necessary information to 

justify an exemption from the above listed Federal Aviation Regulations.

The Unmanned Aircraft System

The petitioner will be flying a DJI Inspire 1 that is equipped with 4 propellers, onboard camera, and 

onboard flight control systems that utilize both GPS and ground movement to stabilize the aircraft. The 

Inspire 1 is operated via remote control in the 2.4ghz spectrum.

The sUAS has built in functionality that can limit the height it flies above the ground, limit the distance 

between the aircraft and PIC, and restrict the sUAS from flying in class B, C, and D airspace. The aircraft 

also comes preinstalled with the ability to automatically return to the PIC and land if any of the previous 

restrictions are violated, or if the connection to the wireless controller is lost.

The sUAS weighs 2935 grams (just under 6 pounds) while carrying all necessary batteries and cameras. It 

also has a max speed of 22 meters per second (just under 43 knots) that can be limited prior to takeoff.
The aircraft is powered via a lithium polymer battery which supplies electricity to the 4 brushless onboard 

motors.

(For more specifications, please refer to the attached owner’s manual [Inspire_1_User_Manual_v1.2].

Pre-flight and post-flight inspections will be consistent with the attached Safety Guidelines and 

Maintenance Manual [Inspire_1_Safety_Guidelines] [Inspire_1_Maintenance_ManualV1.0])

The Unmanned Aircraft PIC

Jesse Lasky, the PIC of the DJI Inspire 1 is an experienced sUAS pilot, especially piloting multi-rotor 

aircraft. The petitioner has been a hobbyist sUAS pilot for over 5 years, and has piloted this particular 

aircraft on numerous occasions without incident. To improve safety and comply with the FAA’s requests, 

a trained observer will be present at all times during the flight. The petitioner is also experienced with

maintaining a controlled area of operations, ensuring the safety of all nearby persons and property.

sUAS Operation Overview

The sUAS will be operated to provide aerial photography, videography, and survey services to the public 

sector, particularly for the purposes of real estate, weddings, events, and property surveys.

Prior to the operation, flight restrictions will be programmed into to sUAS to prevent it from flying 400 

feet above ground level or 1500 away from the PIC. Before takeoff, the operator and observer will review 

the pre-flight checklist (found in Inspire_1_Safety_Guidelines) and survey the area to determine if 

weather/cloud conditions are suitable for flight and what the emergency landing sites would be. All 

nearby persons in the operations area will be made aware of the flight in progress. Flights will not take 

place over densely populated areas or private property without the owner‘s permission. Once the 

operation is complete, the sUAS will be inspected to determine if any maintenance will be needed before 

the next operation.

Compared to traditional flights using manned aircraft, flights using sUAS are much less dangerous and 

therefor would not adversely affect safety:

 The nature of these flights will restrict the use of the sUAS to a small area where all nearby 

persons can be aware of the ongoing flight. 

 The sUAS carries no explosive materials or combustible liquid fuel.

 The light weight of the sUAS would cause minimal damage in the event of an airborne failure, 

especially when compared to traditional manned aircraft with airworthiness certificates.

 The small size of the sUAS would allow for all operations to be conducted within a clearly 

defined area, including takeoffs and landings.

All flights by the PIC will begin and remain outside of a 5 mile radius of any airport. The sUAS has a 

mandatory, built-in functionality to restrict the aircraft from flying within this radius and will 

automatically land if it inadvertently violates this restriction. Any and all precautions will be taken by the 

PIC and the accompanying Observer to prevent midair collisions with objects and other aircraft, even 

outside the 5km radius of airports. 
All planned operations utilizing the sUAS will be completed safely. With the combination of the preflight 

safety risk assessments previously discussed and the inherently reduced risk of flying a sUAS compared 

to a traditional manned aircraft, the PIC will be able to provide a level of safety greater than the 

traditional method of performing aerial based photography, videography, and survey operations.

Benefit to Public Interest

The services provided by the petitioner would be a great benefit to the public as a whole. Granting this 

exemption would reduce the need for traditional forms of aerial photography, videography, and surveys

which, as previously discussed, are much more dangerous than operations performed by sUAS. The cost 

of sUAS operations is also significantly lower than traditional aerial photography flights, making these 

services available to smaller businesses or individuals that otherwise may not be able to afford them. This 

in turn allows businesses to better serve their clients, increasing the public benefit as a whole.

Conclusion

All commercial sUAS flights by the petitioner shall satisfy the criteria provided in Section 333 of the 

Reform Act of 2012, including: size, weight, speed, flight within VLOS, distance from PIC, distance from 

airports, operation capabilities, maintaining safety, and the benefit to the public. In accordance with the 

FAA’s announcement on March 23rd, 2015, the petitioner will apply for a Certificate of Waiver or 

Authorization for all flights over 200 feet above the ground. These qualifications more than justify 

granting the petitioner, Jesse Lasky, with an exemption to the stated sections of title 14 CFR.

The requests of this petition are similar to those of Marcus D. Melhus, Ralph J. Apel, and Saratoga Aerial 

and Video, all of whom have received Section 333 exemptions for use of comparable aircraft for similar 

operations. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jesse C. Lasky

Petitioner