Via	Electronic	Submission	and	U.S.	Mail

Docket	Management	Facility

U.S.	Department	of	Transportation

1200	New	Jersey	Avenue,	S.E.

West	Building,	Ground	Floor

Room	W12-140	

Washington,	D.C.	20590

Re: Amendment	to Exemption	of Section	333	of	the	FAA	Modernization	and	Reform	

Act	of	2012.	

Exemption No. 12016

Regulatory Docket No. FAA–2015–0592

Applicant:	

Vortex	UAS,	LLC

Attn:	Vince	Donohue

1112	Valley	Stream	Drive

Wheeling,	Illinois	60090

Telephone:	(847)	571-8496

Email:	vince@vortexuas.com

Dear	Sir	or	Madam:	

Please	accept	this	letter	as	the	application	of	Vortex	UAS,	LLC,	for	amendment	to	

our	Exemption	No. 12016 under	Section	333	of	the	FAA	Modernization	and	Reform	Act	

of	2012	(“FMRA”).	

Request for Amendment to exemption includes the following:

1. Additional aircraft

In the Vortex UAS grant of exemption, Page 3 Paragraph 1 under Condition and 

Limitations: “Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the DJI

Phantom 2 Vision, DJI Spreading Wings S900, and PrecisionHawk	Hawkeye	Mk−III	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.” Thus, Vortex UAS requests 

to included all of the aircraft listed in Attachment 1 and all subsequent modifications, 

revisions and evolutions of the listed aircraft. The listed aircraft have already been approved 

under the Exemption received by Measure, LLC (Exemption No. 12646), providing 

precedence for approval.

2. Change of maximum flying altitude to below 500 feet AGL

In the Vortex UAS grant of exemption, Page 3 Paragraph 4 under Condition and 

Limitations: “The UA must be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet above ground 

level (AGL).” Vortex UAS LLC requests the maximum altitude for UAS operations to be 

amended to “no more that 500 feet above ground level (AGL).”
3. sUAS pilot training

In the original petition, Vortex UAS requested permission to conduct sUAS Pilot 

Training. Footnote 1 on Page 1 of the Vortex UAS Grant Exemption states:

1The petitioner also requested authority to conduct UAS training. At this time, the FAA is unable to authorize

UAS operations for training until a further assessment is completed.

Vortex UAS asks for an expedited review of this request, emphasizing that approval is in the 

best interest of the Public and the National Airspace to allow Vortex UAS to conduct training 

for sUAS pilots. Vortex UAS is particularly suited to conduct such training for the following 

reasons:

1. Vortex UAS president, Vincent Donohue, is uniquely qualified to create coursework 

and conduct sUAS training. He is a type-rated, professional corporate pilot and CFII 

for over a decade. Mr. Donohue’s background includes experience as a Naval Aviator, 

as a pilot in Part 121 operations, Part 135 operations and Part 91 operations. Mr. 

Donohue holds a Masters degree in Unmanned Systems Engineering, has a 

background in remote control aviation and continues to keep current in the RC 

community. This experience provides Mr. Donohue a unique perspective to 

understand the inherent risks and safe operation of conducting sUAS operations in the 

NAS. All proposed Vortex UAS flight training operations will fall under direct 

supervision of Mr. Donohue.

2. Vortex UAS training covers topics necessary to create the knowledge base required for 

the safe use of sUAS. These topics include safe flight, aerodynamics, operator 

interface, weather, airspace, safety, mission planning, normal and emergency 

procedures and post-mission procedures. Vortex UAS course curriculum will track as 

closely as possible to established FAA Private Pilot certification standards in elements 

that would be applicable to sUAS operations.

3. All Section 333 Exemption holders are required to have a certificated pilot to operate 

as PIC. However, most certificated pilots have no experience with sUAS nor Radio 

Controlled Aircraft. Thus, the only individuals legally allowed to operate the aircraft 

have little to no experience in operating the aircraft. This creates an inherently unsafe 

environment in which a company holding an exemption hires a certificated pilot to 

operate the sUAS to remain “legal” but is operating unsafely due to the pilot’s lack of 

training. Vortex UAS flight training provides the knowledge and skills necessary for 

new sUAS pilots to operate in a safe manner.

4. Vortex UAS requests to partner with the FAA in developing the training requirements 

of the sUAS Pilot’s license and act as a test bed for the new sUAS pilot certification 

rules.

Conclusion

The Applicant requests that the FAA grant the amendments to the exemption as proposed. 

Respectfully Submitted,

/s/ Vince Donohue

Vince Donohue

Vortex UAS, LLC
Attachment 1

1. 2AgEagle

2. 3D Robotics Aero-M

3. 3D Robotics Iris

4. 3D Robotics Iris+

5. 3D Robotics X8

6. 3DRobotics Fixed Wing

7. 3DRobotics Multirotor

8. 3DRobotics Quadrotor

9. 3DR Solo

10. 3DR Spektre

11. 3DRobotics Spektre Industrial Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle

12. 3D Robotics Solo

13. 3DRobotics X8+

14. 3D Robotics X8-M

15. 3D Robotics Y6

16. Aerial Mob Heavy Lifter

17. Aerial Mob Light Lifter

18. Aerial Remote Mineral Detection System (ARMDS)

19. Aerialtronics Zenith with intergrated Airware system

20. Aerialtronics Altura Zenith ATX8

21. Aerigon

22. Aerobo

23. AeroCine Kopterworx Hammer X12

24. Aeromao AeroMapper 300

25. Aeromao Talon

26. Aeromao Aeromapper 300

27. Aeromao Aeromapper EV-2

28. AeroVironment Shrike

29. AeroVironment Puma

30. Aeronavics X4 Titanium

31. Aeryon Sky Ranger

32. Aervonics Sky Jib frame with a DJI A2 flight system

33. Aero-M

34. Aeryon Scout

35. Aeryon SkyRanger

36. AgEagle

37. AgEagle Robotic

38. AgScout

39. AgScout Mini

40. Agribotix Hornet Drone

41. Agribotix Enduro Quad

42. AgriView VK Ranger EX

43. Aibot

44. Aibotix X-6

45. Air Rover AR-3000

46. AirCover QR-425s

47. AirRobot AR 180
48. AirRobot AR 100

49. AirRobot AR200

50. Air-X

51. Align M690

52. Altavian Nova

53. Altavian Nova F6500

54. Altavian Nova R8400

55. Altus X-4

56. Altus X-8

57. American Drones, LLC Eagle

58. Apprentice

59. Arch Aerial OCTO multi-rotor UAS

60. Arris hexacoper

61. AR-960 Hex Rotor

62. AR-540 Quad Rotor

63. ARF-MikroKopter OktoXL

64. ARF-MikroKopter OktoXL +

65. ArrowLite

66. AscTec Falcon

67. AscTec Falcon 8

68. Astraeus Aerial Cinema System V.3CS

69. Atlantic RC Aircraft LC04

70. Auburn Trimble UX5

71. Auburn War Eagle

72. Auburn EasyStar

73. Auburn

74. AV44

75. Bixler 3DR Plane

76. Blade 350QX

77. Bixler 2

78. Boomerang Carbon Fiber Frame (The Identified System)

79. Bormatec Maja UAV

80. BOSH Technologies Super Swiper

81. Bumblebee-S

82. C-Astral Bramor gEO

83. CarbonCore Octocopter 1000

84. Carbon Core Cortex Quadcopter

85. CCO w/Wkm M

86. Chameleon Pro

87. CinesStar

88. Cinestar 6

89. Cinestar X8

90. Cinestar 8

91. Cinestar 8 HL

92. Cinestar 8 Okto XL

93. Coaxial Quad Multirotor VAO1-V1

94. Coaxial Quad Multirotor VAO2-V2

95. CopelandRED LLC Delta Wing Aircraft

96. CyberQuad Maxi
97. DJI Flame Wheel F450

98. DJI Flame Wheel F550

99. DAx8

100. DJI Inspire

101. DJI Inspire 1

102. DJI Inspire 2

103. DJI M P330z

104. DJI Phantom

105. DJI Phantom 1

106. DJI Phantom 2

107. DJI Phantom 2+

108. DJI Phantom 2 Vision

109. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

110. DJI Phantom Vision +

111. DJI Phantom 3

112. DJI Phantom FC40

113. DJI Spreading Wings S900

114. DJI Spreading Wings S1000

115. DJI Spreading Wings S1000+

116. DJI S800

117. DJI S800 EVO

118. DJI T600

119. Draganflyer Guardian

120. Draganflyer X4ES

121. Draganflyer X4P

122. Draganflyer X6

123. DT-18

124. DYS D800-X8

125. Eagle VTOL

126. Eagle V2

127. E-Flite Apprentice

128. Event 38 E384

129. F-450

130. Falcon VTOL

131. Fire Fly 6

132. First Aerial Responder UAV

133. Flame Wheel G4 7.8 Skycrane

134. Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH

135. Foxtech Kraken 130 V2

136. FreeFly Systems ALTA RTF

137. FreeFly Systems Octocopter Airframe (Legacy)

138. G4

139. G4 models

140. GeoStar

141. GerMAP G220

142. GerMAP G180

143. goFarm GF-1

144. Gryphon Dynamics X8

145. GT80X
146. Harris 18 HL

147. HEFF

148. Helicopters West DJI Inspire

149. Helicopters West SkyJib 8

150. Helios 960

151. Hawkeye Mk-III

152. HexaCrafter HC-1100 85.

153. HexaCrafter HO-1250

154. HH Blade 350QX2 AP

155. Hobbyking	“Bixler”	Fixed	Wing	Trainer

156. HoneyComb AgDrone

157. Horizon Hobby Blade 350 Qx2 quadcopter

158. Hoverfly LiveSky, BigSky 60 and H-Frame

159. Hubsan X4 micro drone

160. HVP 14301 Multi Rotor

161. Identified System

162. IMT Global xFold Cinema

163. Indago

164. InovalDrone:Inova One

165. InstantEye Mk-2

166. InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2

167. Intuitive Aerial Aeragon

168. K130 Octocopter

169. KongCopter X8

170. Kopterworx Hammer X12

171. Latitude HQ-4 Hybrid Multirotor

172. LB700

173. Leading Edge Precision Vision 10

174. Leptron Avenger

175. Lewis Realty Associates Hexacopter 650

176. Liberty 1

177. Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III

178. Lockheed Martin Indago

179. Matrix quad copter

180. MaxFlight

181. MD4-200

182. MD4-1000

183. Mikrokopter 2.5

184. MLB Company Super Bat

185. MU-1H

186. Multirotor G4 7.8 Skycrane

187. Nighthawk

188. Nighthawk VTOL

189. OktoXL 6S12

190. PAG X4

191. Parksone Radian RTF

192. Parrot Bebop drone

193. Parrot PF 725100 Bebop Drone 14MP

194. Parrot Skycontroller
195. Patriot X4

196. Patriot X8

197. Finwing Penguin V2

198. Birdseyeview FireFly 6

199. Phoenix

200. Phoenix VTOL

201. Phoenix 60

202. Phoenix 60LE

203. Pixhawk

204. Precision Drone Pacesetter

205. PrecisionHawk

206. PrecisionHawk Hawkeye Mk-III

207. PrecisionHawk Lancaster

208. Precision Lancaster MK3

209. Prioria Hex

210. Prioria’s	Maveric

211. Pulse Aerospace, PA 01 Vapor

212. Pulse Aerospace Pulse Vapor 35

213. Pulse Vapor

214. Puma AE DDL

215. PV 14817 Multi Rotor

216. PV HL1

217. PV HL2

218. Q1

219. Quadcopter LLC MikroKopter

220. Quiet UAV

221. Qube

222. R/C Rotors and Aerial Media: Matrix Prof. Multi Rotor Frame & Octo Heavy Lift Prof.

Multi Rotor

223. Frame Ronin Edition Microdrones:MD4-1000

224. RCTimer Hexacopter

225. RDASS

226. REHawk 500

227. REHawk 680

228. RF-70

229. Riegl RiCopter

230. RITEWING	Z3	Spade	47”

231. Ritewing	Drake	60”

232. RITEWING	Z3	Spade	70”

233. RITEWING	Z4	Spade	52”

234. RMAX

235. Roboflight

236. Rotomotion SR-15

237. RV Jet

238. Scout X4

239. SD02

240. Seahawk 1.2

241. SelectTech	Geospacial’s	EH-4

242. SenseFly eBee
243. SenseFly eBee RTK

244. SenseFly eXom

245. Sensurion Magpie MP-1

246. Service-Drone Recon One

247. Service-Drone Blackbird

248. SH 900

249. ShadowHawk

250. Shrike

251. Sirius

252. SkyCatch

253. SkyJib 8 v.2 Heavy Lifter

254. SkyPhilly MI

255. Skywalker Aero

256. Skywalker Flying Wing X8

257. SnapRoll Media SUAS

258. Solutions Phoenix 30

259. SteadiDrone

260. Steadidrone Quad

261. Steadydrone QU4D

262. Steadidrone Mavik

263. SuperX/P2 Multirotor

264. Swift Radioplanes Lynx

265. Tali 500

266. Talon 120LE

267. Tarot FY690S Hexacopter

268. Tarot quadcopter

269. Tarot 680pro

270. Tarot 690

271. Tarot 900

272. Tarot 960

273. Tarot T-15

274. Tarot T15 C/F Folding Octocopter

275. Tarot T18 UAV

276. Tarot T690

277. Tarot T810

278. Tarot T960

279. Tarsier Systems MoAC

280. Tayzu Robotics Titan X8

281. TBS Discovery Pro

282. Team Black Sheep Discovery Pro Tarot T15

283. T-Rex 700E F3C

284. TREX 800E DFC PRO

285. Trimble UX5

286. Trimble UX5 hp

287. Trimble ZX5

288. Turningy Talon 500

289. TUP X8-800

290. Turbo Ace CINEWING 6

291. TurboAce Matrix-G quadcopter
292. Turbo Ace matrix-E

293. Turbo Ace MATRIX-1

294. UAV Solutions Phoenix 60

295. Universeye Penguin

296. Unmanned	Flying	Rolling	Orb	“UFRO”

297. US2 GreenHawk

298. UtiliCopter ITX8

299. VA03-v1

300. VA04-v1

301. VA07-v1

302. Viking UAS Multicopter (VTOL)

303. Viking UAS FF-X4/X8

304. VK-Patriot X4/X8

305. Viking UAS Patriot X4/X8 Multirotor

306. Viking UAS X6 Model 800

307. Viking UAS Viking ONE

308. VK-450

309. Viking Unmanned Aerial Systems, LLC AgriView VK Ranger EX

310. Viking VK-FF-X4

311. VK- Ranger EX- SAR Fixed Wing UAS

312. Volantex Raptor Tarot T-18

313. Volt Aerial Robotics Octane

314. Vulcan frame controlled by a DJI A2 flight controller

315. Vulcan Mantis

316. Vulcan Octocopter

317. Vulcan Raven

318. Vulcan UAV

319. Walkera TALI H500

320. Walkera Scout X4

321. Wookong DJI 5800

322. xCel Drones XD550CDR

323. XFold Rig with four configurations: 

Quadcopter, Hexcopter, Octocopter and x12Copter

324. X8-M