September 16, 2015

Exemption No. 12863

Regulatory Docket No. FAA−2015−2165

Mr. David J. Cavanaugh

President

DCDIGITAL, Inc.

1750 Castle Rock Road

Frederick, MD 21701

Dear Mr. Cavanaugh:

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 March 1, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of DCDIGITAL, Inc. (hereinafter petitioner or operator) for an exemption. The 

petitioner requested to operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to conduct real estate 

cinematography.

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 Phantom 3.

The petitioner requested relief from 14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products 

and parts, Subpart H—Airworthiness Certificates. 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 
2

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 the requested relief from 

14 CFR part 21, Certification procedures for products and parts, 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, DCDIGITAL, Inc. 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.

 

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.
3

Conditions and Limitations

In this grant of exemption, DCDIGITAL, Inc. is hereafter referred to as the operator.

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 Phantom 3 

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.

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. 
4

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 

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 
5

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 

(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 
6

(N−Number) markings in accordance with 14 CFR part 45, Subpart C. Markings must 

be as large as practicable.

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.
7

29. The operator must have a motion picture and television operations manual (MPTOM) 

as documented in this grant of exemption.

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.

This exemption terminates on September 30, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosures
1

March 1, 2015

U. S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

1200 New Jersey Ave.,

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal 

Aviation Regulations.

Attachments: These attachments are too large for submission via the submission portal.

They are available at this website for viewing or download.

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/download

1. Phantom 3 Professional Quick Start Guide (EN) v1.0

2. Phantom 3 Professional User Manual (EN) v1.0

3. Phantom 3 Safety Guidelines and Disclaimer

Dear Sir or Madam:

Pursuant to the Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the 

"Reform Act"), David J. Cavanaugh, President of DCDIGITAL, Inc., (the "applicant"), 

operator of an Unmanned Aircraft Systems ("UAS") seeks an exemption from the 

Federal Aviation Regulations ("FARs") to allow for commercial operation for aerial 

imaging to be used in real estate cinematography.

Applicant

David J. Cavanaugh, President

DCDIGITAL, Inc.

1750 Castle Rock Road

Frederick, MD 21701
2

Regulations from which the exemption is requested:

14 CFR Part 21 subpart H

14 CFR 45.23 (b)

14 CFR 91.7 (a)

14 CFR 91.9 (b) (2)

14 CFR 91.103

14 CFR 91.109

14 CFR 91.119 (c)

14 CFR 91.121

14 CFR 91.203 (a) and (b)

14 CFR 91.405 (a)

14 CFR 91.407 (a) (1)

14 CFR 91.409 (a) (2)

14 CFR 91.417 (a) and (b)

Extent of relief I seek, and why

14 CFR Part 21 subpart H

The UAs to be operated carries neither pilot nor passenger and carries no explosive 

materials or flammable liquids. Given the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area 

associated with the aircraft to be utilized, I request exception. In the restricted 

environment and under the conditions proposed operation will be at least as safe, or 

safer, than a conventional aircraft operating with an airworthiness certificate without 

said restrictions.

14 CFR 45.23 (b)

Due to the size of this UAS it does not have a cockpit, cabin, or pilot station on which to 

market certain words or phrases. Lettering would be very difficult to place on such a 

small aircraft and dimensions would need to be smaller than required minimum. 

Understanding the importance of lettering I will mark my UAS with the largest possible 

letters by placing the word "Experimental" or assigned number or name, based on 

request/ruling of FAA, on UAS fuselage. The equivalent level of safety will be provided

by having the UAS marked on its fuselage as required.
3

14 CFR 91.7 (a)

As there will be no airworthiness certificate for the aircraft, should this exemption be 

granted, no FAA regulatory standard will exist for determining airworthiness. Given the 

size of the aircraft for maintenance and use of safety check list prior to each flight an 

equivalent level of safety will be provided.

14 CFR 91.9 (b) (2)

Given the size and configuration, the UAS has no ability to carry a flight manual on the 

aircraft. There is no room, capacity, or pilot on board to adequately carry flight manual. 

An equivalent level of safety will be maintained by keeping the flight manual at ground 

control point where the pilot will have immediate access to it.

14 CFR 91.103

As FAA approved flight manuals will not be provided for the aircraft an exemption will 

be needed. Normal procedures including but not limited to; reviewing weather, flight 

battery requirement, landing and takeoff distances, along will all of those found in 

attachment "DJI Pilot Training". An equivalent level of safety will be provided by 

preflight protocol to properly match the machine.

14 CFR 91.109

UAS and remotely piloted aircraft do not have fully functional dual controls. Flight 

control is achieved through the use of a control box that communicates with the aircraft 

via radio communications. The equivalent level of safety provided because neither a 

pilot nor passenger will be carried in the aircraft, and by the speed and size of the 

aircraft.

14 CFR 91.113 (a) and (b)

DCDIGITAL, Inc. can achieve an equivalent level of safety as achieved by current 

regulations because my UAS does not carry pilot nor passenger. While helpful, a pilot’s 

license will not ensure remote control piloting skills.

14 CFR 91.121

The UAS may not have a barometric altimeter, but instead does have a GPS altitude 

read out. I believe an exemption may be needed. An equivalent level of safety is achieve 

by the operator receiving live flight data monitoring and confirming current altitude 

along with altitude of launch site shown on GPS altitude indicator.

14 CFR 91.203 (a) and (b)

Similar to, 14 CFR 91.9 (b) (2), given the size and configuration, the UAS has no ability to 

carry certificate and registration documents on the aircraft. There is no room, capacity, 
4

or pilot on board to adequately such documents. An equivalent level of safety will be 

achieved by keeping these documents, to the extent they are applicable to the UAS, at 

the ground control point where pilot has immediate access to them.

14 CFR 91.405 (a), 14 CFR 91.407 (a) (1), 14 CFR 91.409 (a) (2), 14 CFR 91.417 (a) and (b)

Given these section only apply to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these

sections do not apply to this applicant. As a safety precaution, operator will perform 

preflight inspections and ensure UAS is in working condition before initiating each flight.

DCDIGITAL, Inc. is seeking relief from all FARs above preventing applicant from 

conducting aerial photography and video of real estate taken at levels less than 400ft, at 

a speed less than 33.5 mph, and with a maximum flight time of 25 minutes,. The drone 

to be used is a DJI Phantom 3 Professional Edition. At 2.82 pounds the weight of the UAS 

meets the definition of "small unmanned aircraft" found in section 331.

"The Reform Act". In order to obtain high quality photography and video the UAS will be 

used at speeds much less than its top speed of 33.5 mph. Due to the UAS being battery 

powered there are no combustible fuels on board. Maximum flight time for this 

particular UAS is 25 minutes battery life, flights to be terminated with 30% battery life 

remaining. Given the size, weight, speed, and limited operating area associated with the 

aircraft to be utilized I find this exception to be reasonable with an equivalent, or 

greater, level of safety to be reached by the operator.

Safety Precautions:

1) I do not operate within 5 miles of an airport unless prior contact to Air Traffic Control 

or the airport manager has been made.

2) I land my UAS prior to manufacturer recommended 30% minimum level of battery 

power.

3) I pilot my UAS through remote control by line of sight.

4) My UAS uses GPS and a flight safety feature whereby it returns to a preprogrammed 

position and then slowly lands if communication with the remote control pilot is lost. 

The Phantom 3 also has optic and proximity sensors to ensure a safe and accurate 

landing.

5) I actively analyze flight data and other sources of information to constantly update 

and enhance safety protocols.

6) I conduct extensive pre-flight inspections and protocol, during which safety carries 

primary importance.

7) I always obtain all necessary permissions prior to operation; and,
5

8) I have procedures in place to abort flights in the event of safety breaches or potential 

danger.

Public Interest

The use of an UAS in the real estate industry provides both buyers and sellers a higher 

level of service. For a buyer a higher level of marketing and advertising is achieved, 

appealing to more buyers, resulting in a quicker sale of their home. Quicker home sales 

also helps accelerate the economy as a whole.

Buyers experience the benefit of encompassing a whole property, sometimes several 

acres, in one photo or a short video. Not only does this benefit the specific home seller 

or home buyer, but it benefits the general public because it is much more efficient than 

traditional ways of using a plane or helicopter to achieve the same result. We can now 

provide this level of service while being conservative with fuel, time, emissions, noise, 

and other resources. Considering size, weight, speed, and absence of combustible fuels, 

my UAS will poses much less of a safety concern for the general public when compared 

to larger manned aircraft.

Thank you for your consideration.

David J. Cavanaugh, President

DCDIGITAL, Inc.

1750 Castle Rock Road

Frederick, MD 21701

240-415-9331

dcdigitalonline@mac.com