T H 0 MP soN

A T lANTA CLEVElAND

DAYTON

WASH

I NGTON.

D

. C. **---I-IINE~~----------C-1-N-C**

**-N-NA_**
**_I** _________ **co-L-U-M-BU-S--------N- W--YO-R-K--~~~~~**  October

9, 2014 U.S

. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington

, D.C. 20590 Re

: Petition

of Southern Company Services,
Inc. for an Exemption Pursuant

to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization

and Reform Act of2012 Dear Sir or Madam

: Pursuant

to section 333 of the FAA Modernization

and Reform Act of2012 (the "FMRA"),

49 U.S.C.

§ 44701 and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, Southern Company Services

, Inc. ("Southern Company Services"

or "Petitioner"),

a s ubsidiary

of The Southern Company ("Southern"), hereby requests

an exemption

to permit limited small unmanned aircraft system ("sUAS") operations

as described herein. Southern Company Services requests
the exemption

in order
to conduct

re
s earch on the applicability

of sUAS when assessing damage

to power lines due to storm event

s and performing routine power line inspection

. sUAS operations have the potential

to a s sist util

i ties in providing safer and faster alternatives

to manned ground and aerial inspections

, and to increase customer benefits. Petitioner requests

an exemption

in order
to conduct research

on the application

of sUAS

in the power industry and to investigate

the benefits

of such technology compared

to manned ground and aerial inspections. Petitioner
will invest

i gate benefits
for various sUAS applications

and evaluate
the extent

to which
its customers could benefit through better service. Through

its research, Petitioner
will be in
a position

to establish best practices

for using and operating sUAS within the power industry and share that information
with the Department

of Transportation

(the "Department"),

the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA'') and other industry members. As described

in detail below, Petitioner's proposed sUAS operations

are in accordance with the principles
and the requirements

set forth
at section 333 of the FMRA. They will also help implement

the Department's

and the FAA's policy

to leverage authority granted under Section 333 for authorizing safe, civil operations

of sUAS

in the national airspace system ("NAS")

. Southern Company Services' proposed operations
will also meet strict safety requirements.
They will only take place
in
a privately owned, remote location, involve trained THOMPSON

H IN E n
r ATTORNEYS

A T lAw

1919 M Street, N.W. Suite 700 W a shington, D.C

. 2003
6- 3537

www

. ThompsonHine.com Phone: 202

. 331.8800 Fax: 202.331.8330

27 6 2 0 8.<1THO MPSON **-I-f lNE**  **~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page2 pilots

, occur

at low altitudes,

la s t for limited time periods and use sUAS weighing
less than 10 pounds,
far less than the FMRA'

s cut-offweight

of 55 pounds

to qualify

as sUAS.

1 Reliance

on sUAS would vastly reduce risks
to crews responsible

for power line inspections

and sign

i ficantly hasten power restoration

in the event of storms

, hurricanes, tornadoes
and other weather events occurring

in the southeast region
of the United States. Southern Company Services' proposed operations
will not have an impact
on any citizen's privacy rights and will be in compliance
with all privacy laws.

In this regard, granting Southern Company Services' exemption
request would be in the public interest. 1 See FMRA

, Pub.
L. No. 112-95,

§ 3 3 1 ( 6)

, 126 Sta

t. II

, 72

. ( 20

1 2 ) ( s ta t ing

t h at

" [ t ] he

t e rm

' s mall

u nma

n ned
ai r craft

' mea ns an unmanned aircraft weighing
less

t ha n 5 5 pounds

" ) .THOMPSON **-tilNE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 20 14 Page

3

Contents I. Description ofThe Southern Company
and Southern Company Services,
Inc ....

.. ....

. ..

. ...

. ... . 4 A

. The Southern Company ...................................................................

. .........

...

. ...

. ........

. ...

. .... 4 B. Southern Company Services,
Inc ................................

. ...

. ....

. .. ... ..

. . ...

. . . . ... ....

. .................

. .. .. 4 II. Statutory
and Regulatory Authority

for Granting Petitioner's Request
for an Exemption

.. .. 5 A. Section 333 ofthe FMRA .....................................

.. .... ......

.. ...

. ...

. ...

. ..................

..

. . ..

. . ..

. .......

5 B. 49 U.S.C

. Sections 40109 and 44701

. . . . ....

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. ...

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... ... ..

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. ....
..

. . .. 6 C

. 14 C.F.R

. Part
11

. ..

. ....

..

. ...............

.. .....

. .. ... .. ........

. .....

. ...

. .......

.. ... .. ...

. . ......

. ... ... .. .....

. ......
...

. . .. 7 III

. Southern Company Services' Propo

s ed Operations

. ....

.. ..

. ....

. ...

. ... ..

. ....

. . . . . ....

. .... ... .. ...

. ..

. ........

7 A

. Proposed sUAS Platform

. ....

. .....

. ......

. . . . . ....

. .......
... ... ........

. ............... .......

. ....

.. ....

. ....

. .. .. ......

. 7 1 . Southern Company Services will use

a safe, proven sUAS platform

. ......

. .........

. ..

. ........

7 2. Aircraft design and operational characteristics

.. ... ... ..

. ... .. ...

. ...

. ...

. .............

. ....

. ... ..

. ....

. ..

. .. 9 3
. Aircraft inspection
and maintenance

. . . . .... ..............................

. ...

. ..

. ....
..

. .....

. .....

.. .. ...

. ..

. . 1 0 B. Pilot and Observer Qualifications

. .....

..

. ... ......
... .........

. ... ..

. . .....

. .......

. ...

. ... ..

. ............

. . ....

. ..

. . 10 C. Scope
of Operations

. ....

. .. .. ....

. . . ...

. .......

. .. ... ... .... ......

.. ..

. ...

. ..

. . . ... ...

. ...

. ...

. . . ......

.. .. ....

. .......

. .....

1 0 1. Geographic Location ...............

.. ......

. ...

. ... ....

.. .. .. .. ....

. . .....

. ...

. .. ...

. ...

. ......
... ..............

. .. .. ..

. . 10 2. Flight Conditions

. ....

. ..........

.. ...

. ..........

. .....

..

. . . ..

. ..

. . .. .......

. ...

. .. ...

. .. .. .............

.. ...........

.. ...

. 19 IV. Regulations
from which Exemption

is Requested

. . . . .. ....

. .. ..

. . ..

. .....................

. ... .. .. ...............

20 V. Granting Southern Company Services' Petition

is in the Public Interest..

. .. .. .. ......

. .. .. .. .. .. ..
. 30 VI. Privacy

. . ..

. . . ... ...

. . . ...

. ..

. ...........................

.. ... .. .. .....

. . . ....

.. ........

.. .......

. . ... .. .... ... ..........

. . ....

. ... ..

. ..
. 31 VII. Federal Register Notice .........................................

......

. ...

. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ...........

. .... ....

. ....

.. ..

. ....... 32 VIII. Summary ...........................................

. . . . ...

. ... ..

. . ... ....

..

. . ........

. ........

. ......

.. ......
...

. .....

. .....

. ..

. ... .. .. 32 IX. Request
for Relief

...

. ..

. . . . . ..

. ....

.. ...

. . .. .. ..... .......

.. .... ..... ... ...

. ...

. . . ..

. ....................

. ... ....

. . . ......

. ... .. .. 33THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page4I.DescriptionofTheSouthernCompanyandSouthernCompanyServices,Inc.A.TheSouthernCompanySouthernisaleadingU.S.producerofclean,safe,reliableandaffordableelectricity.Itownselectricutilitiesinfourstates(AlabamaPower,GeorgiaPower,GulfPower,andMississippiPower),aswellasacompetitivegenerationcompany,SouthernPower.Southernalsoownsalicensedoperatorofthreenucleargeneratingplants,SouthernNuclear,aswellasfiberopticsandwirelesscommunicationsentities-SouthernTelecomandSouthernLINCWireless.Southernbrandsareknownforenergyinnovation,excellentcustomerservice,highreliabilityandretailelectricpricesthatarebelowthenationalaverage.With4.4millioncustomers,over100,000milesofmediumvoltagepowerlinesandnearly46,000megawattsofgeneratingcapacity,SouthernisthepremierenergycompanyservingtheSoutheast.SouthernhasbeenrecognizedbytheU.S.DepartmentofDefenseandG.l.JobsmagazineasatopmilitaryemployerandlistedbyDiversitylncasatopcompanyforBlacks.Thecompanyreceivedthe2012EdisonAwardfromtheEdisonElectricInstituteforitsleadershipinnewnucleardevelopment,wasnamedPlatts'2011PowerCompanyoftheYearandiscontinuallyrankedamongthetoputilitiesinFortune'sannualWorld'sMostAdmiredElectricandGasUtilityrankings.B.SouthernCompanyServices,Inc.SouthernCompanyServices,withofficesinBirmingham,Alabama,isasharedservicesorganizationofSouthern.Assuch,SouthernCompanyServicesprovidesadministrativeandoperationalservicesandsupporttoSouthernsubsidiaries.SouthernCompanyServicesalsoprovidesengineeringservicestoSouthernsubsidiaries.OneofSouthernCompanyServices'areasofsupportisresearchanddevelopment.ItisthroughitsResearchandTechnologyManagement("R&TM")officethatSouthernCompanyServicesprovidesresearchanddevelopmentservicestoSouthernsubsidiaries.SouthernCompanyServices'R&TMwillmanage,coordinateandexecuteallsUASactivitiesfortheotherSouthernsubsidiariesinthegeographicareadesignatedinsectionIII.C.ofthispetition.SouthernCompanyServices,therefore,isthePetitionerrequestingasection333exemptionforlimitedsUASoperationsassetforthherein.ThePetitioner'snameandmailingaddressare:THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page5SouthernCompanyServices,Inc.Attn:DexterLewis600North18thStreet,14N-8195,Birmingham,AL35203Tel.:(205)257-6854Email:dlewis@southernco.comAllcommunicationsinconnectionwiththispetitionshouldbesenttotheundersignedandtotheaddresslistedabove,totheattentionofMr.DexterLewis,whowillbethepointofcontactatSouthernCompanyServices.II.StatutoryandRegulatoryAuthorityforGrantingPetitioner'sRequestforanExemptionA.Section333oftheFMRASection333oftheFMRAprovidesthatTheSecretaryofTransportationshalldetermineifcertainunmannedaircraftsystemsmayoperatesafelyinthenationalairspacesystembeforecompletionoftheplanandrulemakingrequiredbysection332ofthisActortheguidancerequiredbysection334ofthisAct?Section333alsostates:IftheSecretarydeterminesunderthissectionthatcertainunmannedaircraftsystemsmayoperatesafelyinthenationalairspacesystem,theSecretaryshallestablishrequirementsforthesafeoperationofsuchaircraftsystemsinthenationalairspacesystem.3Basedontheplainlanguageofthestatute,theSecretaryisrequiredtodeterminewhethercertainUASoperationsshouldbepermittedbeforeissuanceofthesUASregulationsrequiredundersection332oftheFMRA.IftheSecretarydeterminesthattheoperationsaresafe,theSecretarymustdecidewhattherequirementswillbeforsuchoperations.Inotherwords,the2FMRA§333(a)(emphasis added).3FMRA§333(c)(emphasis added).THO MPSON **-fi lNE**  **~~------------------------------------** U

. S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page6 Secretary

is required

to apply conditions

for the

s afe operation

of the sUAS

in instances where the Secretary
has determined
that the system may operate safely

in the NAS. The FAA has interpreted section 333,
as
a grant oflimited statutory flexibility

to expedite requirements

for the safe operation

of certain aircraft

s ystems

in the NAS.

4 Section 333 further
sta

t es that when the Secretary ofTransportation
makes

a determination under subsection

(a), the Secretary must consider which types ofUAS would not create

a hazard

to others using the NAS or the public
or pose

a threat

to national security. The Secretary

is required

to consider
the following

U AS spec

i fications and operational factors

: • Size. • Weight. • Speed

. • Ope

r ational capability

. • Proximity

t o airports and populated areas

. • Operation with visual line of sigh

t. 5 If, upon consideration

of the factors enumerated above, the proposed

sU A S operations

do not pose

a threat

to others using the NAS or to national security,
the Secretary, acting through the FAA, may approve
the proposed operations

. As shown below, Southern Company Service'

s proposed sUAS operations
will in no way create

a hazard

to the NAS
or pose

a threat

to national s ecurity based on the factors
set forth
at

s ection 333

. B.
49 U.S.C.
Se ctions 40109 and 44701 Section 44701 requires
the FAA Administrator

to promote safe flight of civil aircraft
by prescribing standards

for aircraft and aircraft parts, inspecting, servicing
and overhauling aircraft

, maximum hours for airmen, and other practices

or procedures necessary

for safety and national security

. 6 However, subsection

(f) states that the FAA Administrator "may grant an exemption 4 See FAA , S e ct io n 333, https:// www.faa

. g ov/u as/l

e g i s la
t iv e _pr ogra m s/ sec ti o n _3 33 / (

l ast
v is ited
O c t. 2
, 2 0 1 4 ) . 5 FMRA

§ 333

( b)

( l ) . 6 4 9 U .S

. C

. § 44 7 01 (a)

- (b) (2 0 14)

.THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page?fromarequirementofaregulationprescribedundersubsection(a)or(b)ofthissectionoranyofsections44702-44716ofthistitle,iftheAdministratorfindstheexemptionisinthepublicinterest."7Inaddition,Section40109authorizestheAdministratorto"grantanexemptionfroma[safety]regulationprescribedincarryingoutsections40103(b)(1)and(2),40119,44901,44903,44906,and44935-44937of[49U.S.C.]whentheAdministratordecidestheexemptionisinthepublicinterest."8Consequently,undertheplainlanguageofpertinentU.S.aviationlaw,theAdministratorisexpresslyauthorizedtograntexemptionsfromtheFAA'ssafetyregulationswhereitwouldbeinthepublicinterest.Assetforthinfurtherdetailbelow,grantingSouthernCompanyServices'petitionforanexemptionwouldbeinthepublicinterest.9C.14C.F.R.Part11TheFAA'sregulationsstatethat,usingapetitionforexemption,anentitymayaskFAAtograntitrelieffromcurrentregulationsintitle14oftheCodeofFederalRegulations.1014C.F.R.Part11providesthebasesforrequestingexemptions.Thepetitionerisrequiredtostate(1)thespecificsectionsofTitle14fromwhichitseeksanexemption,(2)theextentofreliefitseeksand(3)thereasonswhygrantingtherequestwouldbeinthepublicinterestandwouldnotadverselyaffectsafety(orhowtheexemptionwouldprovidealevelofsafetyatleastequaltothatprovidedbytherulefromwhichthepetitionseeksanexemption).11Assetforthbelow,Petitionerhasfulfilledeachofthesecriteriabydemonstratingthatgrantingitsexemptionwillservethepublicinterestandnotadverselyaffectsafety.III.SouthernCompanyServices'ProposedOperationsA.ProposedsUASPlatform1.SouthernCompanyServiceswilluseasafe,provensUASplatformPetitionerseeksanexemptionpermittingoperationsofanAeryonSkyRangersUASrotorcraftthatweighs6pounds,includingitsimagingpayload,toperformpowerlineinspections749U.S.C.§4470l(f).849U.S.C.§40109(b).9See§V.,infra.1014C.F.R.§11.61.1114C.F.R.§11.81.Additional,non-substantivecontent is required.THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page8thatconsistofstillphotographs,video,andotherdatatakenbyonboardsensors.TheSkyRangerproduceshighqualityimageryanddatathatcanbeusedindependently-orinthecaseofsurveyingandmodeling-canbecombinedtoproduceprecisiondigitalpointclouds,trianglemodels,andcontourmapsofthesurveyedarea.ApplicationsforthesesUASsincludeinspectionofsensitiveinfrastructure,includingoilandgaspipelinesandflarestacks,powerlinesandtowers,windturbines,andsurveyingtaskssuchasprecisionagriculture,mining,transportation,andforestry.UseoftheSkyRangerfortheseinspectionandsurveyingapplicationsreducestheneedtooperateconventionalaircraft,providingdatamorequickly,accurately,economically,andsafely,withreducedenvironmentalimpact.TheSkyRangerisasafe,provensUASplatformusedbymultiplegovernmentalagencies.AcriticalelementofthispetitionforanexemptionisevidenceoftheAeryonSkyRanger'sairworthiness.AeryonhasdemonstratedairworthinessoftheSkyRangerthroughahistoryofauthorizedflightoperationsandsuccessfulflights,includingmanyoperationswithpublicagencies.ThelistofauthorizedSkyRangeroperatorsincludes:MichiganStatePolice,USNavySpawar,MassDevelopment(JointBaseCapeCod),UnmannedExperts(NIJPartnership),WesternWashingtonUniversity,Aetos(viaNorthwestMichiganCollege),UniversityofAlaskaFairbanks,UniversityofNewMexico,KansasStateUniversity,andVirginiaTechUniversity.TheSkyRangeralsosuccessfullycompletedtheDepartmentofHomelandSecurityRAPSTrialin2013.InCanada,Aeryonhasobtained19SpecialFlightOperationsCertificates(SFOCs)fromTransportCanadaover5yearsanditscustomershavereceivedmultiplecertificatestoperformdemonstration,researchanddevelopment,andpublicandcommercialoperations.TheSFOCsandtheoperationsbynumerouspublicentitiesintheUnitedStatesdemonstratetheSkyRanger'ssafetyandfitnessforoperationsproposedinthispetition.Thecriteriasetforthinthecertificatesdemonstratethedevice'ssafetyandfitnessforoperationandensurethattheFAAhassufficientbasistoevaluatetheaircraft'ssafety.TheSkyRangeralsohasasignificantsetofautomatedfeaturestoensuresafetakeoff,flight,andlandinginmanyconditions.DetailsonsuchfeaturesaresetforthatAttachment1heretoanddiscussed belowinthissectionliLAandsectionIV.(pertainingtoanexemptionfrom14C.F.R.§61.113).ThisinformationprovidestheFAAwithmorethanasufficientbasisforconcludingthatthisparticularsUASdoesnotpresentahazardtotheNASorpersonsorpropertyontheground.THOMPSON **--J-IINE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page9

2. Aircraft design and operational characteristics The Aeryon SkyRanger

is a 6-pound rotorcraft sUAS characterized

by
a high degree
of pre-programmed control and various built-in technical capabilities
that limit the potential

for operation outside
of the operating conditions

set forth
in section III.C.

It has the capability

to hover and move
in the vertical and horizontal plane simultaneously,

and
it provide

s many other built-in functional
and safety features

to assist the operator with safe and reliable operations

. The flight control system
of the Aeryon Sky Ranger contains two semi-autonomous

flight modes that use

a point-and-click

map and video interface
and

a manual override mode

. Under semi-autonomous modes, which are the primary modes for flight control, the operator exercises control
by clicking
the on
a map the points

to which the aircraft should
fly or programming

a flight plan comprising

a series of waypoints

or
a grid-based
area into the flight control system and executing

it. The flight control system relies upon the GPS for navigation
and employs

a variety
of sensors

, including sonar, barometric pressure

, temperature, wind speed, and others

to ensure high aircraft

s tabil

i ty and flight control accuracy

. Landing

z ones and flight areas may be designated

to ensure that the SkyRanger operates only within user-specified
flight parameters. At all times during flight, the operator can cancel the semi-autonomous

flight modes and take immediate control
of the aircraft. The SkyRanger employs

a robust slate of automated safety functions
and safety enhancing features, including
the following

: • Automated
pre- flight system performance check

s . • Automated condition

or fault detection, warnings

, and pre-defined response

s to a number of flight and system conditions, including

: o High winds with system and user defined safety thresholds. o Low battery with system and user defined

s afety thresholds. o High temperature

or other system safety thresholds. o Lost-link communication. • Pre-defined response behavior including attempting

to re-establish radio communication, return

t o home position and hover, return

to home position and land

, and land in current position

. • In the case oflost GPS capability,

a manual user flight mode that allows the operator

to provide manual navigation inputs

to assist
in landing
the vehicle.THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page10Attachment1containsadditionalspecificationsandinformationconcerningtheAeryonSkyRanger.Aconfidentialaircraftmanualwillbesubmittedassoonaspossibleunderseparatecoverandwitharequestforconfidentialtreatment.3.AircraftinspectionandmaintenanceAttachment1providesinformationonSkyRangerinspectionandmaintenancerequirementsandprocedures.TheSkyRangerisnearlymaintenancefree,iscapableofevaluatingitshealthandfunctionality,andrequiresinspectionbeforeflightandaftercontactwithotherobjects.B.PilotandObserverQualificationsThepilotincommand("PIC")oftheSkyRangerwillbeanFAAlicensedairmanwithatleastaprivatepilot'scertificateandcurrentthird-classmedicalcertificate.PriortoflyingtheSkyRanger,aPICmustcompleteAeryon'sauthorizedtrainingprogramforoperationandmaintenanceoftheSkyRangersUAS.ThepilotandthevisualobserverwillhavebeentrainedingeneralsUASoperationsandreceivedup-to-dateinformationonthesUAStobeoperated.C.ScopeofOperationsThissectionIII.CidentifiesthestandardsunderwhichSouthernCompanyServiceswilloperatetheSkyRangersUAS.Ataminimum,SouthernCompanyServiceswilloperatethesUASinconformancewiththeModelAircraftOperatingStandardssetforthinAdvisoryCircular91-57.TherobustsetofoperatingparametersdescribedinthissectionensuresthatSouthernCompanyServices'proposedoperationwill"notcreateahazardtousersofthenationalairspacesystemorthepublicorposeathreattonationalsecurity."121.GeographicLocationSouthernCompanyServicesrequestsanexemptionforsUASoperationsandproposestrainingandresearchanddevelopmentactivitiesinaverylimitedgeographicalarea.PetitionerinitiallyproposesconductingsUASoperationswithinanexistingpowersystemtrainingfacility,12SeeFMRA,Pub.L.No.112-95,§333(b), 126Stat.II,72.(2012).

## THOMPSON **--filNE~~-------------------------------------** 

### U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page

11 the Klondike Training Facility ("Training Facility"), which

is located

in Lithonia, Georgia.

13 

### The Training Facility

is situated
on private property owned
by Georgia Power Company,

a Southern subsidiary,

is surrounded

by
a secure chain link fence, and remains closed

to the public at all times. The Training Facility

is also greater than five miles from any airport and located

in class

G Airspace.
(See 

### Figures

1 and 2, below.) Thus, the Training Facility meets the Class

G airspace and

5 statute-mile airport-distance requirements

that Congress adopted
for sUAS operations

by public safety agencies.

14 Klondike Training Facility lithonia,
GA 

### Figure

I. The Training Facility

is greater than

5 miles from any airport. This figure

is difficult to read, but the distances

are as follows: greater than 16 miles from
A TL, greater than

7 miles from Berry Hill, greater than
16 miles from Covington,

and greater than
11 miles from Whispering Pines. 13 Southern Company Services may request COAs for additional locations

in the future. 14 FMRA

§ 334(c)(2)(C).

# T HOMPSON **filNE ~~------------------------------------**  

# U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page
12 Klondike Training Facility lithonia,
GA 

# Figure

2. The Training Facility,

as shown by the red star,
is below ATL Class

B airspace, which starts

at 3,000 feet AGL, far above the altitude

of Southern Company Services' proposed operations. Class

G is from the surface

to 1200 feet AGL. Operations below 400 feet AGL will be in class

G airspace

. The Training Facility has multiple "training yards" with non-energized
poles and wires that will be used
to train field crew personnel. This infrastructure

will serve
as the perfect training facility
for pilots learning

to assess pole and line damage. Specific location details
of the Klondike Training Site are shown

in Figure

3 below.THOMPSON **-rflNE~~------------------------------------** U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 20 14 Page
13 Klondike Training Facility Training Areas

Leo lnd • lls- TllOW>Q .....

1 **o.-r~**

.....
z • ,..Y.,.Tr_

....
. **T~S'*On** TrJII'IIOgArU

I **T~ll"'l$:10"1 Tr~...ngAna** 

1 Figure

3. Training Facility site in Lithonia, GA. The different colors represent different training yards for the Training Facility. There are two Distribution training areas, two Transmission training areas, and one pole yard

.THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page14KlondikeTrainingFacilityPoleYardTrainingAreaFigure4.PoleYardTrainingAreaAsshowninFigure4,above,theTrainingFacilitycomprisesanopenareawithmultiplepowerpoles.ThissectionoftheTrainingFacilityisknownasthePoleYardTrainingArea.ThisareawouldserveasthefirsttrainingareafortheAeryonSkyRanger.Thepolesrepresentverticalinfrastructurethatapilotmustavoid.Flightswillnotoccurovertheadjacentparkinglot.Tabl1Lfeoca10nspec11cmorma1onon"fi.£feoearrammgthPIY d T··Area.PointGPSCoordsLengthSegmentLength(feet)133.639582,-84.1261151-2136233.639222,-84.1261112-3107333.639221,-84.1257563-430433.639096,-84.1257494-5189533.639099,-84.125091 5-6170633.639559,-84.1251956-1300THOMPSON **-filNE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page

1 5 Further,

in Figure

5, below,

is the area within the Train

i ng Facility known

as Transmission Training Area

1. This area consists

of large de-energized equipment used for training. This area will be
u s ed for applications training required
for transmission

line structures. Klondike

T r aining Facility Transmission

Tra

i ni n g Area

1 Figure

5. Transmission Training Area

1 Tabl 2 L e

. fi

. :6 ocat10n spec1

1c m ormatiOn

on T ransmtsston

T rammg
Ar

a 1. e Point GPS Co o rds

L en g th Se g ment Length

( feet) 1

33

. 636143

,- 84

. 126646

1-2

273 2 33.635645

,- 84

. 126086

2 - 3

380 3

33

. 635557

,- 84

. 124828

3 - 4

190 4

33

. 636121

, - 84

. 124814

4 - 1

577T HO MP SON **fi lN**  **E~~-------------------------------------** U

. S. Departm

e nt o f Transport

a tion Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page
16 F urther,

in Figure

6, below

, is the area within the Training Facility known

as Transmission Training Area

2
. This includes

a test line that contain

s multiple types of structures used for training. This area will be used for

a p plications training required
for transmission

line

s . Klondi

ke T r a

i n

i n g F a c

i
l
i ty Figure

6. T r a nsmission Training Area

2 T a bl

3 L

f e oca ton spect

tc m orma ton on . fi

. fi

t

T ransmtsston

T ramt ng_ Ar

a 2. e Point GPS Coords

L e ngth Se g ment Length (feet) 1

33 .635 23 5,-8

4 .122652

1 - 2

213 2

3 3

. 6 348

5 7 ,-8 4

. 1225

4 8 2

- 3

1 ,083 3

3 3

. 6 3 6529,

- 8 4 .1208

3 7

3 - 4

4 00 4

33 .637013,

- 8 4 .1216

6 5

4 - 5

3 94 5

3 3

. 63 6 0 4 7,-8

4 .121 78 9

5 - 1

4 2 4THO MP SON **-fi**

**lN E~~------------------------------------**  U.S. Department ofTransport

a tion Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page
17 Figure

7
, below, depicts

t he area within the Tra

i ning Facility known

as Distribution Training Area

1. This
is a distribution

test line that contains multiple, installed pieces
of distribution equipment.
This area will allow

a pilot
to perform visual inspection

on specific distribution equipment. Klondike Training Facility Dist

r ibu

t io n Trainin

g Area

1 Figure

7. Distribution Training Area

1 Tabl 4 L

f

"fi

. £

f e oca ton spect

tc m orma ton on D.

t

· b r
T IS n u ton rammg
Ar

a 1. e Point GPS Coord

s Length Segment

L e n g th (fe e t) 1

33

. 637 94 1,
- 8 4

. 1 29 277

1 - 2

550 2 33.636 295

, - 8 4

. 1 2 94 49

2 - 3

623 3

33 .6 3 6 328
,- 8 4.
1 272 93

3- 4

49 7 4

3 3

. 6 3 7757,-
84 .1 2 7266

4 - 5

5 4 0THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page18Further,inFigure8,below,istheareawithintheTrainingFacilityknownasDistributionTrainingArea2.Thistestlinecrossesbackandforthtorepresentalongdistributionline.Thisareawillbeusedforapplicationstrainingrequiredfordistributionlines.KlondikeTrainingFacilityDistributionTrainingArea2Figure8.DistributionTrainingArea 2Tabl5 Lf.fi.:6eocatonspecttcmormationonD.·b·TtstnuttonrammgAra2.ePointGPSCoordsLengthSegmentLength(feet)133.641214,-84.1256621-2475233.639955,-84.1255122-3650333.640008,-84.1231833-41,293433.643322,-84.1218754-5640533.643465,-84.1241925-6777633.641607,-84.1247396-1250THOMPSON **-1-IINE~~------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page
19 As set forth
in section 334(c)
of the FMRA and shown above, the Training Facility's location meets the same statutory requirements

that Congress adopted
for sUAS operations

to be conducted

by public safety agencies. Specifically,

it is within Class

G airspace and outside
of 5 statute miles from any airport.

15 Further

, as shown above, safe sUAS demonstrations

can be coordinated

at the Training Facility

to research
the use of sUAS for different applications within the power generation
and transmission industry. 2

. Flight Conditions In addition

to operations within

a limited geographic location only, Southern Company Services proposes sUAS operations under the conditions described below. These conditions
will ensure that such operations
will not adversely affect safety

in the NAS and will provide

a level of safety

at least equal
to that provided

by each rule from which Petitioner seeks
an exemption: (1)

T he sUAS will weigh less than 10 lbs. (2) All flights will be operated within visual line of sight of the PIC and at least one observer. (3) Flights will be operated within the Training Facility boundaries,

as described

in section III.C.1

. Additional COAs will be requested

for any training and research and development operations outside

of the Training Facility. (4) All flights will be operated

at an altitude
of 400 feet or less AGL and in Clas

s G atrspace. (5) The sUAS will not be operated above
50 knots. (6) All flights will be operated during daylight hours

. (7)

A ll flights will be operated

at least

5 miles away from any non-private airport.THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page20(8)NosUASactivitywillbeconductedaboveanypublicpassibleroads,highways,interstates,orotherpublictransportationrightsofwayunlesstrafficisrestricted.(9)TheminimumcrewforeachflightwillconsistofthesUASpilotandavisualobserver.(10)Asafetybriefingwillbeconductedbeforeeachflight,anditwillidentifyadverseweather,theproposedflightpath,theboundariesoftheflightarea,and anyrelevanthazardstotheflight.(11)Theoperatorwillobtaintheconsentofallpersonsinvolvedintheresearchandensurethatonlyconsentingpersonswillbeallowedwithin100feetoftheflightoperation.(12)Thevisualobserverandthepilotwillatalltimesbeabletocommunicatebyvoiceand/or radio.(13)Themaximumtotalflighttimeforeachflightwillonlybe40minutesoratsuchtimeasthesUASreaches20%batterypowerreserve,whicheverisshorter.(14)SouthernCompanyServiceswillnotperformsUASservicesforanyorganizationsotherthanSouthernanditsoperatingsubsidiaries.SouthernCompanyServicesnotesthattheFAAhasfoundthatsafetyfactorspermitsUASflightsbyoperatorswhenthemandatoryoperatingconditionsspecifiedabovewerepresent.16IV.RegulationsfromwhichExemptionisRequestedPetitionerrequestsanexemptionfromrelevantprovisionsgoverningaircraftoperationswithinTitle14oftheCodeofFederalRegulationsinordertoconductresearchontheapplicabilityofsUASwhenassessingdamagetopowerlinesduetostormeventsandconductingroutinepowerlineinspection.ExemptionsarerequestedfromprovisionswithinParts21,45,47,49,61and91ofTitle14.Petitioneraddresseseachrelevantregulationbelowandprovidesa16SeeFederalAviationAdministration,NoticeN-8900.227,UnmannedAircraftSystems(UAS)OperationalApproval,at20-21(July30,2013).T HOMP SON **I-!IN E~~-------------------------------------**  U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 20 14 Page
21 basis for requesting

an exemption. Petitioner also provides
the basis for achieving

a level of safety that is either equal to, or greater than, the level of safety provided

by the regulation from which
an exemption

is requested.

In this regard, Southern Company Services meets the requirements

at Part
11 for exemptions,

and

, as set forth
at section

V

. , below, granting these exemptions

are in the public intere

s t as required under 49 U.S.C.

s ection 44701(f). 14 C.F.R

. Part 21 (Aircra

ft Certifica tion)

. 14 C.F

. R. Part 21, Subpart

H

s ets forth requirement

s for airworthiness certificates

as required
by 14 C

. F.R.

§ 91.203(a)(1).

As explained above

at section liLA

, the SkyRanger's airworthiness

has been proven

. Further

, given the size of the aircraft, relatively
low speed for operation, proposed limited location
for flights

in the Training Facility, and the previous COAs issued,

an exemption from Subpart

H meet

s the equivalent level of safety under section 333 of the FMRA and 14 C.F

. R. Part 11, especially

in light of the restrictive conditions proposed

in this petition. The operations proposed

in this petition will be
a s safe as, if not more safe than, operations involving manned aircraft

or rotorcraft operating with an airworthiness

cert

i ficate and without the restrictions
that Petitioner
has propo

s ed in this petition

. 14 C.F.R. Par

t 45

, subpart

C and

1 4 C.F

. R. 91.9

( Aircraf

t Marki

n g). Section

45

. 23 provides

: (a) Each operator

of an aircraft must display
on that aircraft marks consisting

of the Roman capital letter "N" (denoting United States registration) followed

by the registration number
of the aircraft. Each suffix letter used

in the marks displayed must also be
a Roman capital letter. (b) When marks include only the Roman capital letter "N" and the registration number

is displayed

on limited, restricted

or light-

s port category aircraft

or experimental

or provisionally certificated aircraft, the operato

r must

al s o display
on that aircraft near each entrance

to the cabin, cockpit,

or pilot station,

in letters not less than

2 inches nor more than

6 inches high the words "limited"

" restricted" "light-sport" '

' ' ' "e x perimental,

" or

" provisional,"

as applicable

. Section 91.9(c) provides:THOMPSON -HINE-=-:,_,;,.__ _________________

_ U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page22

No person may operate

a U.S.-registered

civil aircraft unless that aircraft is identified

in accordance with part 45 of this chapter. The SkyRanger

has no cabin, cockpit

or pilot station, and, therefore,

no entrance

to any of these areas, on which the markings
can be placed. Given the size of the sUAS, two-inch lettering will be impossible.
The SkyRanger

is currently marked with

a fixed label stating "Aeryon Labs SkyRanger"

that measures 1.5"

x 0.5'',
as well as
a serial number located under the removable camera payload. Southern Company Services

is prepared

to mark the sUAS with its name and location
(or origin) and fulfill any other request
by the FAA concerning

this issue
in accordance with section 45.29(f) where the pilot, observer,
and others working with the sUAS will see its identification. The FAA has previously issued exemptions

to this regulation.

17 14 C.F.R. Part 47 (Aircraft Registration)

and Part 49 (Recordation

of Aircraft Title and Security Documents). 14 C.F.R. Part 47 set

s forth various aircraft registration requirements.

For example, section 47.3(b) states that no person may operate

an aircraft eligible
for registration unless the aircraft has been registered

by its owner.

14 C.F .R. Part 49 requires recordation

of any conveyances affecting title to, or interest
in, aircraft. Petitioner seeks an exemption from the registration requirements

at Part 47 and the title recordation requirements

of Part 49 on the grounds that the Aeryon Sky Ranger will only be operated within the confines

of the Training Facility and pursuant

to the conditions proposed

in this petition. Due to the limited nature
of the flights proposed hereunder, registration

and recordation

of title and any security interests
are not necessary

to achieve

an equivalent level of safety

. 14 C.F.R.

§ 61.3(d) (Requirement

of Certificate

for Flight Instruction). This regulation generally states that only those holding

a flight instructor certificate issued under the FAA's regulations

can give training required

to qualify

a person for solo flights. Aside from general training

on the fundamentals

of instruction,

a person that possesses

a flight instructor certificate

is not especially qualified

to provide the limited training
on small unmanned 17 See, e.g

., Exemp

ti o n Nos

. 8738,

10 16 7, 10 167 Aan

d

1 0 700

.T HOMPSON - HINE-=..;:_.;___ _________________

_ U

. S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 20 14 Page 23 aircraft that would
be necessary

to qualify existing private pilots
to fly the SkyRanger

. First

, to qualify
for the certificate

, a person must demonstrate

an ability

to instruct

a person

to fly

a manned aircraft.

18 The training needed

to operate the SkyRanger, however,

is less rigorous than that required
for manned aircraft; because

of the SkyRanger's automation,

the skills necessary

to safely operate

a manned aircraft are unnecessary

for operating
the SkyRanger. Second,
the training nec

e ssary
to conduct
the proposed sUAS operations would
be given
to private pilots who already possess adequate aeronautical knowledge

to operate sUAS. Third, qualified instructors
will provide only the highest level of flight instruction

. This level of training

is equivalent

to that required under the instruction certification requirements

at 14 C.F .R.

§ 61.3( d). An

e x emption from that provision

is thus appropriate. 14 C.F.R.

§ 61.31(d)(2) (Aircraft category, class, and type ratings)

. This provision requires
the pilot in command

of an aircraft

to possess

an appropriate category and class rating for the aircraft.

In other words,

it limits pilots

to the aircraft types and operations

for which they are licensed (e.g., airplane single engine land; instrument airplane)

. sUAS, however,

are dissimilar from other categories
and classe

s of aircraft
for which

p i lot
s are rated

. Indeed, the FAA does not issue

l i censes
for pilots

to fly

s U AS

. Thus, the existing category and class limitations

do not apply

to sUAS operations
and exempting

the SkyRanger pilots from the category and class requirement

at

s ection

61

. 31

( d)(2) would not adversely impact safety

. Moreover,

the special training that the pilots will obtain under Petitioner's proposed operation,

as explained below regarding section

61

. 113, will be rigorous

, thorough

, and more than sufficient

to reach

a level of safety that
is equivalent

to that achieved pursuant

to section 61.31

( d)(2) for manned aircraft, especially given

the restrictive conditions

for operations proposed hereunder and the limited geographic location
for such flights

in the Training Facility only

. It is on these grounds that Petitioner respectfully reque

s ts an exemption from this provision. 14 C.F.R.

§ 61.113(a)

& (b)

( Privat

e Pil ot Restrict ions on Compensa tion). Section 61.113(a)
and (b) prohibit private pilots from operating

an aircraft
for compensation

or **hir~,** with

a few exceptions.

To avoid this prohibition,

a person must possess

a commercial pilot certificate, which requires additional aeronautical knowledge

and airmanship competency

. 19 This additional competency

is unn

e cessary

, however

, to operate the SkyRanger 18 See

, e

. g

. , 14 C.F

. R

. § 61.187(b)(l
)(iv)
(r equiring profic

i ency
in providing

a preflight

l e sson

a maneuver

" to be pe rfonne

d

i n flight

" ) ; 14 C.F.R.

§ 61.195(g)

( " a fli g ht

i nstructor must

p erform
all training from

i n an ai r c r aft that meet

s the fo llo win
g req uirements

.

.

.
. " )(emphasis added

) . 19 14 C. F .R.

§ 61.133(a)

.THOMPSON **-HINE~.;..__** _________________

_ U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 20 14 Page24 in the proposed limited operations with the SkyRanger-specific training that each sUAS pilot will obtain.

20 Moreover, unlike

a conventional aircraft that carries

a pilot, passengers,

and cargo, the SkyRanger

in this case
is remotely controlled with

no passengers

or property

of others
on board. Commercial
pilot certification

is also unnecessary because

of the characteristics

of the SkyRanger

and the location
for the proposed operations. Aeryon's SkyRanger

has

a high degree of pre-programmed control and various built-in technical capabilities
that strictly limit the potential

for operation outside
of the operating conditions
and geographic location proposed

in this petition. The SkyRanger

has an all-digital software platform with advanced features previously restricted

to full size unmanned aircraft

. Automated features and advanced fly-safe controls enable safe, reliable operation,

as well
as advanced networking capabilities

and system extensibility

: • Plan your flight
or fly ad-hoc: The system can autonomously

fly

a programmed flight path or fly in manual mode • Smart batteries
and charger: Flight time and battery minutes
are displayed

at all times

. The system will return home and land automatically ifuser-configurable limits are reached. Flight safety

is a priority,

no matter the operating environment

or project. The SkyRanger offers superior safety over manned aircraft
by removing
the need for people

to be onboard

in potentially dangerous situations. With multiple built-in safety features,
the Aeryon platform leads other sUAS with respect

to safety: • Intelligent fault handling

: The system automatically detects potential issues-with configurable automated response behavior such as
a return-home-and-land
routine • Automatic pre-flight checks: The system self-calibrates

all of its sensors and performs self-tests prior
to takeoff

to check for errors • No-fly zones

: The system has the ability

to set up visual no-fly zones 20 See In re Astraeus Aerial,

F AA

- 2 0 14-0352, slip op. at

1 5 -18 (Sept 25, 20 14) (granting

an exemption from
14 C

. F

. R

. §§61.113( a)&(b) for sUAS operations because private pilot aeronautical knowledge

is sufficient and the additio

n al ai rm ans
h ip skills of a commercial

p i lo
t do
n ot necessarily provide

an
a dvan

t age

i n limited sUAS operations

) .T HO MP SON **}i lN**  **E~---------------------------------------** U

. S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page 25
• Self-monitoring: Monitoring battery levels, in-flight wind speeds, and other system and environmental conditions

are automatically handled
by the system • Battery communication: Battery minutes and

fl
i ght time are displayed

at all times

. The system will return home and land automatically ifuser-configurable

limits are reached. Additional automated safety functions
and safety enhancing features

of the

S kyRanger include the following

: • Auto detection

of los

t G P S warns the pilot and initiates

an immediate landing. • Low battery
on the SkyRanger triggers

a Non-Fatal Warning alarm

to return home

, land and replace the battery • Very low battery
on the SkyRanger triggers

a F atal Error alarm and initiates

an emergency high

s peed descent landing

. •

If the SkyRanger detects

a lost-link

to the base station the vehicle will perform

its pre-defined Non-Fatal Condition Response

. Given Pet

i tioner's proposed conditions
and restrictions,

and given the SkyRanger's safety features,

an equivalent level of safety will be attained
by allowing operation

of the SkyRanger with

a private pilot

' s certificate,

not

a commercial pilot's certificate, under the conditions

set forth herein. The risks

a ssociated with the operation

of the Sky Ranger (given
its size

, speed, operational capabilities

, and lack of combustible
fuel) are so diminished from the level of risk associated with private pilot operations

or commercial operations contemplated

by Part 61 with conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft),
that allowing operations ofthe sUAS

as set forth above meets
or exceeds
the present level of safety provided under

14 C.F.R.

§ 61

. 113(a)

& (b) and does not rise to the

l e vel of requiring

a commercial pilot
to operate the aircraft under

§ 61.133(a)

. 14 C.F.R.

§ 91.7(a) (Airworthiness Requirement). This regulation states that no person may operate

a civil aircraft unless

it is in an airworthy condition.

As

e xplained above

at section liLA

, the SkyRanger's airworthiness

has been proven. Further

, given the size of the aircraft

, proposed limited location
for operations,

andTHOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page26thepreviousCOAsissued,anequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeachievedundertherestrictiveconditionsproposedinthispetition.14C.F.R.§91.9(b)(2)(FlightManualonAircraft).Thisregulationprovides:Nopersonmayoperatea U.S.-registeredcivilaircraft...(2)ForwhichanAirplaneorRotorcraftFlightManualisnotrequiredby§21.5ofthischapter,unlessthereisavailableintheaircraftacurrentapprovedairplaneorRotorcraftFlightManual,approvedmanualmaterial,markings,andplacards,oranycombinationthereof.GiventhesizeandconfigurationoftheSkyRanger,ithasnoabilityorplacetocarrysuchaflightmanualontheaircraft.Noristhereanypilotonboard.TheequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeachievedbykeepingtheflightmanualatthegroundcontrolpointwherethepilotflyingthesUASwillhaveimmediateaccesstoit.Asmentionedabove,theSkyRangerUserGuide,oraircraftmanual,willbeprovidedunderseparatecoverwitharequestforconfidentialtreatmentassoonaspossible.TheFAAhasissuedtoothersthefollowingexemptionstothisregulation:ExemptionNos.8607,8737, 8738,9299,9299A,9565,9565B,10167,10167A,10602,and10700.14C.F.R.§91.105(CrewmembersatStations;Seatbelts).Section91.105requiresflightcrewmemberstobeattheirstationswithseatbeltsfastenedduringlandingandtakeoff.Theproposedoperationsdonotinvolveflightcrewmembersaboardtheaircraft.Anexemptionfromthisprovisionisappropriateundertheconditionsproposedinthispetition.14C.F.R.§91.109(FlightInstruction).Theseregulationsprovidethatnopersonmayoperateacivilaircraft(exceptamannedfreeballoon)thatisbeingusedforflightinstructionunlessthataircrafthasfullyfunctioningdualcontrols.TheSkyRangerisaremotelypilotedaircraft,and,bydesign,doesnothavefullyfunctionaldualcontrols.Flightcontrolisaccomplishedthroughtheuseofacontrolboxthatcommunicateswiththeaircraftviaradiocommunications.TheflightplaniseithermanuallyTHOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page27controlledthroughpoint-and-clicktouchscreennavigationorpre-programmedaswaypointsoranAutoGridintotheautopilotbeforeorduringflight.Onlyinunusualcircumstanceswillthepilotinputcontrolfunctionstoalterthepre-programmedflight.Sinceinstructionandtrainingwillbeaccomplishedthroughatrainingprogram,anequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeassured.Moreover,theinstructorcaneasilyassumecontroloftheflightduringtrainingandinstruction.TheFAAhasapprovedexemptionsforflighttrainingwithoutfullyfunctionaldualcontrolsforanumberofaircraftandforflightinstructioninexperimentalaircraft.(SeeExemptionNos.5778Kand9862A.)TheequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeachievedbythemanufacturerprovidingthetrainingandthroughtheuseofexperiencedandqualifiedpilotsfamiliarwiththeSkyRanger.14C.F.R.§91.119 (MinimumSafe Altitudes).Section91.119establishessafealtitudesforoperationofcivilaircraft.Specifically,91.119(c)limitsaircraftflyingoverareasotherthancongested areastoanaltitudeof500feetabovethesurface,exceptoveropenwaterorsparselypopulatedareas.Inthosecases,theaircraftmaynotbeoperatedcloserthan500feettoanyperson,vessel,vehicle,orstructure.Assetforthherein,theSkyRangerwillneveroperateathigherthan400feetAGL.Norwillflightsoccuroutsidethedesignatedgeographiclocations.Thus,therewillbenoflightsnearpersons,vehiclesorvessels.Rather,flightswillbeconductedoutsideofcongestedorpopulatedareas.However,becauseaerialsurveyandinspectionworkmustbeaccomplishedatrelativelylowaltitudesandataltitudeslessthan500feetAGLandwithin500feetofstructures,anexemptionfromSection91.119(c)isneeded.Anequivalentlevelofsafetywillbeachievedgiventhesize,weight,speed,andmaterialwithwhichtheSkyRangerisbuilt.ItisalsoachievedthroughoperationsintheTrainingFacility,whichisaverylimitedgeographicareaasdescribedatSectionIII.C.1,above.Comparedtocurrentaerialsurveyoperationsconductedwithaircraftorrotorcraftweighingfarmorethan6lbs.andcarryingflammablefuel,whicharecurrentlyallowedatorbelow500feetAGLandwithin500feetofstructures,theproposedSkyRangeroperationswillbefarsafer.Indeed,thelow-altitudeoperationsofthesUASintherestrictedgeographiclocationwillmaintainseparationbetweenthesesUASoperationsandtheoperationsofconventionalaircraftthatmustcomplywithSection91.119.14C.F.R.§91.121(AltimeterSettings).14C.F.R.§91.121requirespersonsoperatingaircrafttomaintaincertaincruisingaltitudesorflightlevelsbyreferencetoanaltimeterthatisset"totheelevationofthedepartureTHOMPSON -HINE-=-=-;..__ _________________

_ U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page 28 airport

or an appropriate altimeter setting available before departure

. " Petitioner requests

an exemption

to this provision

on the grounds that an equivalent level of safety,
or greater, will be achieved

by the Aeryon SkyRanger's

use of
a GPS system. The PIC will rely on the SkyRanger

' s GPS system

in order

to monitor
the sUAS'

s altitude, thereby achieving

an equivalent level of safety

. 14 C.F.R.

§ 91.151 (Fuel Requirements). This regulation prohibits

an individual from beginning

" a flight
in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there

is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed-
(1) During the day, to fly after that for at lea

s t 30 minutes

; or (2) At night,

to fly after that for at least 45 minutes." The SkyRanger batteries provide approximately

50 minutes

of powered flight. Without an exemption from

§ 14 C.F .R. 91.151, the flights would be limited

to approximately

20 minutes in length. Given the limitations

on its proposed operations
and the

l ocation
of those propo

s ed operations,

a longer time frame for flight
in daylight VFR conditions

is rea

s onable

. An exemption from
14 C.F .R

. § 91

. 151 (a) would still result
in safe operations
and falls within the scope of
a similar, prior exemption

. 21 Operating

the sUAS, without

30 minutes

of reserve fuel does not engender
the type of risks that Section 91.151(a) was meant

to prevent given the size and speed

at which the sUAS operates,
and given the limited geographic location for operations proposed

in this petition. The fact that
it carries
no pilot, passenger,

or cargo also enhances

its safety. Additionally, limiting SkyRanger flights

to 20 minutes would greatly reduce their utility and require

a greater length of time
to accrue data and information from the research to be conducted.

In the unlikely event that the SkyRanger should run out of fuel,

it would simply land within the Training Facility. Given
its weight and construction material

, the risks are le s s than contemplated

by the current regulation
and an equivalent

, if not greater, level of safety would
be achieved under the conditions propo

s ed in this petition

. An equivalent level of safety can be achieved

by maintaining

10 minutes

of reserve battery power, which would allow 40 minutes

of flight time. The 10 minutes' worth of reserve battery power would
be more than adequate

to return the sUAS

to its planned landing zone from anywhere

in the Training Facility

. 2 1 S ee Ex
e mp ti on 10 67 3 (allo
w
i n g L oc kheed
M a rt
i n Co rpo

r a t i o n t o op era te w ith o u t comp liance

w
i t h 91.1 5l (a
) ).THOMPSON-HINE-=-=--:....____________________U.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page29TheFAAhasgrantedsimilarexemptionstoothers,includingExemptions2689F,5745,10673and10808.14C.F.R.§91.203(a)and(b)(Display ofCertificates).Sections91.203(a)and(b)requiresallcivilaircrafttohavewithinthemairworthinessandregistrationcertificates,whicharedisplayedatthecabinorcockpitentrance.Theserequirementsweredesignedformannedaircraftwhichhaveacabinandcockpit.Giventhesize,oftheSkyRangeranditslackofacabinorcockpit,airworthinessandregistrationcertificatescannotbecontainedinanddisplayedintheSkyRangerinaccordancewithsection91.203.Moreover,operationoftheSkyRangerwillbeconductedpursuanttoanexemptiontotheairworthinessandregistrationrequirements.Forthesereasons,compliancewithSections91.203(a)and(b)areunnecessary.14C.F.R.§91.213(InoperativeInstrumentsandEquipment).Thisregulationprohibitstakingoffinanaircraftwithinoperativeinstrumentsandequipmentunlesscertainconditionsaremet.TheSkyRangeroperationsproposedhereinwillbesubjecttorestrictiveconditions,occurwithinarestrictivearea,andrequireextensivepre-flightchecksandinspections.Theseconditionsandrequirementsachievethesame,ifnotagreater,levelofsafetyrequiredundersection91.213.14C.F.R.§§91.405(a),(d);91.407(a)(1);91.409(a)(2);91.417(a)and(b)(MaintenanceInspectionsandPlacarding).Theseregulationssetforthvariousmaintenanceandinspectionrequirementsandreference14C.F.R.Part43.Forexample,section91.405(a)requiresthatanaircraftoperatororowner"shallhavethataircraftinspectedasprescribedinsubpartEofthispartandshallbetweenrequiredinspections,exceptasprovidedinparagraph(c)ofthissection,havediscrepanciesrepairedasprescribedinpart43ofthischapter...."Section19.405(d)requiresplacardstobeinstalledwhendiscrepanciesincludeinoperativeinstrumentsorequipment.Section91.407similarlymakesreferencetorequirementsinPart43;Section91.409(a)(2)requiresanannualinspectionfortheissuanceofanairworthinesscertificate.Section91.417(a)requirestheowneroroperatortokeeprecordsshowingcertainmaintenanceworkthathasbeenaccomplishedbycertificatedmechanics,underPart43,orlicensedpilotsandrecordsofapprovaloftheaircraftforreturntoservice.TheSkyRangerisnearlymaintenancefree.Itperformsautomaticpre-flightchecksandthefailureofanycheckwillpreventtake-off.Pre-flightcheckswhichcannotbeperformedbyTHO MP SON **-fi**

**lN E~~-------------------------------------**  U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page 30 the system will be performed

by

a qualified person prior
to each flight and at predefined intervals as part of the Maintenance Schedule

in the User Guide

. The

p re-flight checklist includes: 1. Visual inspection

of the airframe 2. Visual inspection

of rotor integrity 3. Checking

the charge
of all batteries (aerial vehicle, command station, radio repeater station) An equivalent level of safety will be achieved because
the sUAS

is small
in size, will carry no external payload, will operate only in the Training Facility and is not

a complex mechanical device.
As provided

in the Aeryon User Guide (System Maintenance section),
the SkyRanger operator will ensure that the sUAS

is in working order prior
to initiating flight, perform required maintenance,

and keep

a log of any maintenance

that
is performed. Moreover, the operator

is the person most familiar with the aircraft and is best suited

to maintain
the aircraft in an airworthy condition
and to ensure
an equivalent level of safety

. The SkyRanger

' s Maintenance guidelines ensure

a level of safety equivalent

to these maintenance

and inspection requirements

in Part 91.

I n addition, any component failure detectable

by the system will be reported

to the control station and will cause the sUAS

to perform

a Fatal Condition Response (FCR)
or Non-Fatal Condition Response (NFCR), depending

on the type of failure. V. Granting Southern Company

Se rvices' Petition

is in the Pu blic Interest Southern Company Services' proposed sUAS operations
will accord significant benefit

s to the public, Southern Company customers

, its employees,

and to the industry. Through

its proposed research and development operations, Petitioner
will generate best practices that can be applied across the industry and throughout

the United States. Southern Company Services' operations
will help devise ways
to restore power for consumers more quickly after storm
ev e nt
s . The best practices developed from Petitioner's research will result

in lower restoration

and maintenance costs and help provide safer, more affordable
and more reliable power

to all consumers

in the United States. Petitioner

is willing

to share information gathered from its research and development efforts with others for this purpose, including

the FAA

.THOMPSON **-fiiNE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page 31 Southern Company Services' proposed sUAS operations
will also enhance safety and reduce risk. Traditional inspections

are conducted with helicopters

and bucket trucks

. Helicopters

are noisy, consume expensive energy resources

in the form of fuel and can be dangerous

in that there

is a risk of accidents which can result
in significant damages

to property as well
as injuries and fatalities

for the crew. Bucket trucks are large, invasive and not always helpful

in attaining hard-to-reach areas, and, thus, can be dangerous

for inspection crews

as well. In contrast, Petitioner's proposed operations would involve sUAS weighing less than 10 pounds, operated

at a very low altitude-i.e. under 400 feet AGL-and

at relatively
low speeds. Petitioner's proposed operations

do not involve
the carriage

of passengers

or crew, and, thus, avoid risks involved with manned aircraft flights. Moreover, since Petitioner's sUAS will operate

on battery power, the carriage and consumption

of flammable fuels will not occur. Nor will fuel emissions

. Petitioner's proposed operations
will be significantly
safer and more efficient than helicopters

and bucket trucks

. Petitioner's proposed sUAS operations
also fulfill Congress' objective

in adopting section 333 ofthe FMRA, and FAA's policy,

to expedite
the integration ofsUAS into the NAS and allow such operations where the FAA can determine
that they will be accomplished without endangering others using the NAS or posing

a risk to national security.

As set forth above, Southern Company Services' operations
will be conducted

in accordance
with strict conditions that ensure safety
of the NAS and pose no threat

to national security whatsoever. VI. Privacy Petitioner's proposed sUAS operations

do not implicate
any privacy concerns

. All proposed sUAS training flights will be confined

to the Training Facility, which

is located
on private property owned
by Georgia Power Company,

a Southern Company operating subsidiary. As shown

in section
III. C, above, the Training Facility

is located
far from residential areas and business centers. Moreover,

the public

is restricted from accessing
the Training Facility.

To the extent that Petitioner would seek additional
CO As for training and research and development flights outside the Training Facility,
the geographic
area would
be limited and public access will be restricted, thereby eliminating privacy concerns.

In addition, Petitioner
will remain

in compliance
with all applicable local, state and federal privacy laws.THOMPSON **-filNE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page 32 V II. Fe dera

l Register

N o tice Pursuant

to 14 C.F

. R. Part 11, Petitioner provides
the following Federal Register notice in the event that the FAA determines
that publication

of such

a notice will be required: Southern Company, through

its subsidiary, Southern Company Services, Inc. (Southern Company Services)
has filed

a petition with the Federal Aviation Administration requesting

an exemption from the following provisions

in connection with operating

a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) weighing

6 pounds:

14 CFR Part 21; 14 CFR Part 45, subpart

C; 14 CFR Part 47; 14 CFR Part 49; 14 CFR

§ 61.3(d);

14 CFR

§ 61.31(d)(2);

14 CFR

§ 61.113(a),
(b); 14 CFR

§ 91.7(a);

14 CFR

§ 91.9(b)(2);4

14 CFR

§ 91.105;

14 CFR

§ 91.109;

14 CFR

§ 91.119;

14 CFR

§ 91.121;

14 CFR

§ 91.151;

14 CFR

§ 91.203(a),
(b); 14 CFR

§ 91.213

; 14 CFR

§ 91.405(a),
(d); 14 CFR

§ 91.407(a)(1);

14 CFR

§ 91.409; and 14 CFR

§ 91.417(a),

(b). Southern Company Services' propo

s ed sUAS operations
will occur less than 400 feet above ground level, over five miles from any airport, and in areas where public access will be restricted.
The purpose

of the operations is to conduct research

on the use of sUAS when inspecting power lines for damage, especially after storm events. Southern Company Services requests that

it s sUAS operations

be subject

to the conditions

and safety standards that

a r e as set forth
in its petition

in order
to ensure

a level of safety that
is equivalent

to

, or higher than, the level attained through regulations listed above

. VIII.
Su mm ar y In accordance with

the factors

to be considered under section 333 ofthe FMRA, Petitioner's proposed operations
will not endanger others using the NAS or pose

a threat

to national security. The SkyRanger's

size and weight are quite small

at only

6 pounds, and its speed

is relatively
low at 50 knots. The SkyRanger's operational capabilities

are quite sophisticated
with numerous safeguards. Since

it is currently widely used under public Certificates

of Authorization,

the SkyRanger's airworthiness

has been proven. At

all times, the flights will be operated within the pilot's and the visual observer's lines of sight. Flights will also occur

in a remote area far from any airport and populated areas. Since equivalent levels ofTHOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page33safetywillbeaccomplishedthroughtheproposedconditionsinthispetition,exemptionsfromtheregulatoryprovisionsdiscussedaboveareappropriate.IX.RequestforReliefBasedontheforegoing,PetitionerherebyrequestsanexemptionfromtheprovisionsdiscussedhereinandsuchfurtherreliefthattheDepartmentdeemsappropriatefortheoperationsproposedherein.Attachmentcc:JamesWilliamsRobertPappasRespectfullysubmitted,G.BrentConnorJasonD.TutroneThompsonHineLLPCounselforSouthernCompanyServices,Inc.THOMPSON

ATLANTA CLEVELAND

D AYTON

WASHI

N GTON

. D.C. **---I-II~E---------------C**

**-N-CI-N- A-~-**  **---------CO- _U_M_8U-S--------N-** 

**W--YO-R- ------------**  Petition

of Southern Company Services, Inc. ATTACHMENT

1 SMALL UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION Aeryon Corporate Overview: Aeryon Labs, Inc.
is a Canadian company located

in Waterloo Ontario. Aeryon

is focused

on providing

m

i cro unmanned aerial systems and is globally recognized

as the market and technology leader

in this space. Key customer

s range from military organizations
such
as Canadian Special Operations

and US Special Operations;

key government agencies such as NOAA, Environment Canada and the US Coast Guard; world leading universities

in the unmanned space such
as University

of Alaska Fairbanks
and Kansas State University; police agencies such
as the RCMP and OPP

; and global enterprises such as BP, UK Power Networks
and Fortune 500 companies

in the chemical, oil/gas and security markets. Aeryon systems have accumulated
over 5000 hours
in global flight operations

. Th is number does not include military flight hours which increase
the number

s further

. Aeryon systems have

a been approved

by the FAA for research CO As and have

a demonstrated safety track record. The Aeryon sUAS platforms were the first to officially

fly at one of the FAA's UAS Test Sites (UAF Alaska). Many
cu

s tomers from military,

to education

to police and even commercial operations have been given approval

to fly in US, Canada

, UK, Australia, Japan

, and others air

s paces

. SkyRanger Overview: Aeryon unmanned systems have been used
to fight terrorism

in Iraq, Afghanistan

and Nigeria, monitor hostile borders between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, ensure the safety of world leader

s at the G50 Nuclear Summit

in Seoul

, escort

a fuel tanker and ice breaker into

a remote Alaskan community, monitor wildlife
on the Aleutian Islands, map remote communities

in South America

, keep our highways clear and

s afe; and provide volumetric analysis
for open pit mines

. The Aeryon SkyRanger

can carry payloads

of up to 600
g. The SkyRanger
flies with

a maximum wind threshold

of 40 M.P.H.
for sustained winds and wind gusts up to 55 M.P.H. What

is unique about the Aeryon SkyRanger

is the system automatically compensates

for wind versus relying
on the operator's

' sense of feel' for what the impact
of the wind

is at the altitude the system

is flying. The end result

is a system capable
of gathering high quality aerial intelligence

at much higher wind thresholds.

A trait that
is imperative

for many aerial inspection operations

. The SkyRanger

has an operational range of up to 3 km (1.6 NM) with the standard offering and up to 5 km (2.7 NM)

. THOMPSON HINE LLP ATTORNEYS

AT lAw

1919 M Street

, N.W

. Suite 700 W a shington,

D

. C

. 20036-3537

www. ThompsonHine.com Phone: 202

. 331.8800 Fax: 202.331.8330

2762

0 8.4THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page2AllflightoperationsareGPScontrolledmakingthesystemextremelyeasytonavigate.Atanypointiftheoperatorisnotexplicitlycommandingthesystemtomove,thesystemautomaticallyholdsitsGPSposition(i.e.GPSholdforreliablelocationhover).CamerapositioningisalsoGPScontrolledallowingforthemostsophisticatedcameratargetingavailable.TheflightcontrolsystememploysnotonlyGPSpositioningbutavarietyofsensorsincludingsonar,barometricpressure,temperature,windspeedandotherstoensurethemoststabilityofanysysteminitsclass-regardlessofthewind.TheAeryonSkyRangercanbeoperatedinbothsemiandfullyautonomousflightmodes.Creatingpreplannedflightpathstoflyinautonomousmodeisassimpleasclickingonthemaptocreateapreplannedflightpath.Insemi-autonomousmode,theoperatorclicksonthemapandtheAeryonSkyRangerautomaticallyfliestothepointonthemapwheretheoperatorispointing.Pre-missionwaypoints,LandingzonepointsandflightareadimensionscanallbeenteredduringpreflightensuringtheSkyRangeroperatesonly withinspecifiedparameters.TheAeryonSkyRangerincludesmanyadvancedsafetyfeaturesthatmaketheSkyRangerthesafestchoiceforbothurbanandnon-urbanenvironments.Built-inintelligentfaulthandlingallowstheSkyRangertodetectasystemfaultwhileintheair,andtoautomaticallyflybacktoitstake-offlocationandland.Faultsthatcanbedetectedinclude:lossofcommunication;pre-setwindthresholdsexceeded;andlowbatterylevels.Inaddition,theoperatorcancreatenoflyzonesormaximumflightrangesandaltitudessothesystemcannotenterareasdeemedunsafeorunnecessarytoflyover.Andbeforeeverytake-offautomatedflightchecksensurethesystemisflightreadybeforeittakesoff.TheAeryonSkyRangercanbeoperatedentirelybyatouch-screen,mapbasedinterface.ThismeansTheoperatoronlyneedstocommandthesystemwheretogo,andthesystemdoesalltheflyingfortheoperator.Mapscanbesavedandflightplanscanbemadeorrecalledwithnointernetconnectionrequired.SkyRangerOperatingManual-Systemusermanualavailableuponrequest.PhysicalCharacteristicsMeasurements-40"diameterdeployed,20x10"foldedWeight(withoutpayload)-2.4kg(5.3lbs.)THOMPSON **-fiiNE~~------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page3 Fuel

- Lithium polymer batteries
are self-contained

high duration systems with "SMART" intelligence on-board. This includes cycle charge times, locations, GPS antenna, chemical management,

and real-time data feeds
to ensure maximum flight duration and sub-system safety processes

. Charging

is done
in the included Aeryon Battery charger and can be charged via standard wall outlet,

or via

a vehicle. Landing style

/ type

- Autonomou

s vertical
lift Propulsion System • Engines

- The SkyRanger

is powered

by 4 electric brushless
DC motors

. • Batteries

- Lithium polymer batteries
are self-contained

high duration systems with SMART intelligence on-board. This includes cycle charge times, locations, GPS antenna, chemical management,

and real-time data feeds
to ensure maximum

fl i ght duration and sub-system safety proces

s es. Charging

is done
in the included Aeryon Battery charger and can be charged
via standard wall outlet,

or via

a vehicle. Performance Characteristics • Maximum Altitude

- 1500
ft. • Maximum Endurance

- 50 minutes • Maximum Range-

3 km • Weather Minimums

- • Winds Maximum-

40 MPH sustained,

55 mph gusts • Min

i mum ceiling: 500 ft. • Minimum

v is ibility:

1 SM • Icing conditions-

no

i cing conditions • Precipitation

- no visible moisture Maintenance

- The UAS

is nearly maintenance
free,

it performs automatic pre-flight checks and the failure
of any check will prevent take-off. Checks which cannot
be done by the sy
s tem will be performed

by

a qualified person prior
to each flight. Pre-flight checklist includes: • Visual inspection

of the airframe • Visual inspection

s of rotor integrity • Check charge
of all batteries (aerial

v ehicle, command station, radio repeater station)THOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page4Reliability-Thesystemisdesignedformaximumreliabilityandtomaintainperformanceoveritslife.Theonlycomponentsthatexperienceroutineweararerotors,batteries,motors,andlegs.Batteryandmotorconditionsaremonitoredbythesystemwithdeviationsreportedtotheoperator.Contactwithotherobjectsduringflightmaycauseothercomponents,particularlyrotors,andmotorarms,tobecomedamaged.Damagedcomponentsarelikelytobedetectedduringthefullvisualinspectionoftheairframeperformedbeforeeachflight.Structuraldamageaffectingflightcharacteristicswillbedetectedbyon-boardsensors.TheUAVsystemdetectsnumerousconditionswhichmaymakeflyingunsafe,suchasreducedGPSaccuracy,magneticanomalies,lowbatterycharge,batterycellimbalances,temperaturefluctuations.Automaticpre-flightcheckspreventtheUAVfromtakingoffifsuchconditionsarepresent;or,iftheconditionisdetectedduringflight,thesystemwilltriggeraFatalConditionedResponse.FaultTolerance-ThekeyfeatureoftheUAVfaulttoleranceisitsmechanicalsimplicity.Itusesfourfixedpitchedrotors,eachmountedonaseparatemotor.NocontrolsurfacesorotheractuatorsarerequiredfortheUAStofly.AnycomponentfailuredetectablebythesystemwillbereportedtothecontrolstationandwillcausetheUAVtoperformaFatalConditionResponse(FCR)orNon-FatalConditionedResponse(NFCR),dependingonthetypeoffailure.CommandandControlSystemsTheSkyRangerGroundControlstationallowstheoperatorsimultaneouscontroloveraircraftandpayloads.Thetouchscreencontrolallowsforquicknavigationanddataentrywhilethedisplayscreenprovidesallessentialflightdatatotheoperator.Telemetrydataistransmittedtothecommandstationatleastoncepersecond.DisplayedonGCS:•UASPosition•NavigationRoute•UASTailNumber•UASPosition•UASAltitude•UASHeading•NorthSeekingArrow•RangetoTarget•CalculatedtargetpositionTHOMPSONU.S.DepartmentofTransportationDocketManagementSystemOctober9,2014Page5•Date/time•SensorheadingandorientationrelativetoUASOn-boardFlightInstruments-TheUAVisequippedwithanInertialNavigationSystem(3-axisgyroscope,3-axismagnetometer,GPSreceiver,andstaticpressuresensor)andasonarsensorforprecisionAGLaltitudemeasurement.On-boardcomputersystems-TheUASisequippedon-boardcomputersystemstomonitor(sensors,battery,etc.),control(speeds,altitude,position,etc.),andcommunicate(control,telemetry,etc.).On-boardguidanceandnavigationequipment-TheUAScanoperateautonomously;itdoesnotrequireanyinputfromground-basedequipment,orfromthepilottohoverinplace.FrequencyAllocations-900MHz,2.4GHz,5.8GHz,customFlightterminationlink-topreventa"flyaway"orotherpotentiallydangeroussituationaflightterminationlinkisavailabletotheoperatorattheGCS.TakeoffandLanding-TheSkyRangerhasverticalliftautonomouslaunchandrecovery.ALandingZone"LZ"isdesignatedbytheoperatorsandidentifiedintheGCSsoftware.Forlaunchprocedurestheaircraftwilltakeoffandhover3metersdirectlyabovetheLZandholduntilfurtheroperatorinstructionisgiven.Theaircraftwillautomaticallyadjustforwindduringthisperiod.NavigationSystem-Specificmapscanbedownloadedtothedisplayscreen(suchasairsectionalandgeographicmaps)whichareoverlaidwithGPSpositionaldata.Waypointscanbecreatedbeforeandduringflightoperationcreatingspecificlocationsandsequencesfortheaircraft.RedundantSystems-TheUAScombinestheinputfromamultitudeofsensors.Eventhoughthedatafromallsensorsisrequiredforoptimalsystemperformance,asinglesensormalfunctionislikelytoresultindegradedperformanceratherthanleadingtoacatastrophicfailure.EmergencyProceduresandSystemFailuresFailureHandling-TheUAShasextensivefailuredetectionandhandlingcapabilities.Allfailuresaredeededtobeeitherfatalornon-fatal.FailuresclassifiedasfatalresultinaFatalTHOMPSON **--I-IINE~~-------------------------------------** U.S. Department ofTransportation Docket Management System October

9, 2014 Page6 Condition Response (FCR); and failures classified

as non-fatal result
in a Non-Fatal Condition Response (NFCR). Sensor Failure- Failure
of on-board flight instruments/sensors

will degrade
the UAS performance

and will result

in either

a FCR or
a NFCR, depending

on their severity.

If the UAS becomes unstable due to

s en

s or failure,

it will stop all four motors and free fall to avoid

a fly away condition

. Motor Failure- The UAS flight performance

will degrade significantly

if one or more motor

s fails

. Airframe Failure-

If airframe

is damaged

in ways that impacts flight characteristics

, the UAS will behave similar

to if an on-board flight instrument failed. Navigation System Failure-

In a navigation system failure, degraded GPS will result

in FCR or NFCR

's depending

on failures

. Power Failure-

A complete battery failure which results

in power los

s to the UAS will re
s ult in degraded flight performance

. Low Battery Condition

- Operator will be alerted
of
a low battery condition
and will land the aircraft

a s soon
as able. Low Battery Condition

- Ope

r ator will be alerted
of
a low battery condition
and will land the aircraft

as soon as able. Line-of-Sight
Loss

- All flight operations
will be conducted with the UAS within visual sight of the pilot.
If the pilot'

s view becomes obstructed
and line-of-sight

is lost, the pilot may instruct the UAS
to hover
in place until line-of-sight

is reestablished,

to return

to the take-off position,

or to land
at the current position. Security The system and communication

links are encrypted

by the manufacturers proprietary software.