UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

WASHINGTON, DC 

Regulatory Docket No. _______________

PETITION FOR AMENDMENT TO GRANT OF EXEMPTION NO. 11678

BY SURDEX CORPORATION

Submitted on November 2, 2015

GREGORY S. WINTON, ESQ.

THE AVIATION LAW FIRM

1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway

Suite 300

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Tel: (301) 294-8550

Fax: (866) 568-9886

Attorney for Petitioner
2

Petitioner, Surdex Corporation (“Surdex”), by and through undersigned counsel, pursuant 

to the provisions of the Federal Aviation Regulations and the Federal Aviation Administration 

(“FAA”) Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Section 333, Special Rules for Certain 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems, hereby petitions the Administrator for an amendment to the 

conditions and limitations of Grant Of Exemption No. 11678 (Regulatory Docket No. FAA2015-0704), which granted to Surdex 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 Altavian Nova F6500 UAS to perform aerial data collection.

1

 

Specifically, Surdex seeks an amendment to Grant of Exemption No. 11678 to the extent 

necessary to allow Surdex to operate the aircraft approved by the Secretary of the 

Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333, as shown in Attachment 1. 

Surdex submits that operation of these aircraft, which have already been approved for use by the 

Secretary of the Department of Transportation under Section 333, under the conditions and 

limitations set forth in Exemption No. 11678 will maintain the safety of the National Airspace 

System (“NAS”), as well as the safety of persons or property on the ground. 

In support thereof, Surdex states as follows:

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Surdex Corporation seeks an amendment to operate the aircraft approved by the Secretary 

of the Department of Transportation under Section 333 (See Attachment 1) for compensation or 

hire within the NAS pursuant to Paragraph 1 of the Conditions and Limitations section of 

 

1 Aerial data collection includes any remote sensing and measuring by an instrument(s) aboard a 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 a 

UA.
3

Exemption No. 11678. The FAA has previously approved for Measure, a 32 Advisors Company, 

LLC (“Measure”) to conduct aerial data collection operations utilizing the aircraft approved by 

the Secretary under Section 333 in Grant of Exemption Number 12646.

2

 As discussed herein, 

the relief requested by Surdex Corporation is in all material respects similar to that of Measure; it 

is similar in all material respects to the relief previously requested in Grant of Exemption Nos. 

11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213; and the reasons stated by the FAA for granting Exemption 

Nos. 11062, 11109, 11112, and 11213 also apply to the present situation. Additionally, granting 

Surdex’s Petition for Amendment would be in the public interest.

A. Name And Address Of The Petitioner.

The name and address of the Petitioner is:

Surdex Corporation

520 Spirit of St. Louis Boulevard

Chesterfield, MO 63005

The point of contact for this Petition and specific contact information is as follows:

Gregory S. Winton, Esq.

The Aviation Law Firm

1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway, Suite 300

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Tel: (301) 294-8550 | Fax: (866) 568-9886

Email: Greg@aviationlawexperts.com

 

2 Measure’s Grant of Exemption Condition and Limitation Number 1 stated the following:

Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the aircraft approved by the Secretary of the 

Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333 (Attachment 1) 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.

“Attachment 1” included 324 different UAS models approved for operation under Section 333 at the time of 

submission.
4

B. Surdex Seeks To Amend Condition and Limitation No. 1 Of Grant Of 

Exemption No. 11678.

Condition and Limitation No. 1 of Exemption No. 11678 states the following:

Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the Altavian Nova 

F6500 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.

Exemption No. 11678 at page 3, ¶1.

C. Extent Of The Amendment That Surdex Seeks And The Reason Surdex Seeks 

To Amend Condition And Limitation No. 1.

Surdex submits that Condition and Limitation No. 1 be amended as follows:

Operations authorized by this grant of exemption are limited to the aircraft approved 

by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (Attachment 1) for operation 

under Section 333 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. 

This relief is requested because Surdex’s original Petition For Exemption (Regulatory 

Docket No. FAA-2015-0704) did not request that operation of the aircraft approved by the 

Secretary of the Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333 be allowed under 

the Exemption. However, Surdex proposes that it may safely operate the aircraft that have been 

approved by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333 

under the same Conditions and Limitations set forth in Exemption No. 11678 for the Altavian 

Nova F6500 UAS.

D. The Reasons Why Granting Surdex’s Request For Amendment Would Be In The 

Public Interest; That Is, How It Would Benefit The Public As A Whole.

Granting the present petition for amendment will further the public interest as set forth by 

the Administrator in Exemption No. 11678. As the Administrator held on page 2 of Exemption

No. 11678, 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 
5

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. Further, there has been no change in the conditions and 

reasons relative to the public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original 

exemption.

Surdex’s proposed amendment not only furthers the public’s interest as set forth by the 

Administrator in Exemption No. 11678, it also is another step forward in fulfilling the 

Congressional mandate of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, by allowing Surdex

to safely, efficiently, and economically operate the aircraft approved by the Secretary of the 

Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333 commercially within the NAS. 

E. The Reasons Why Granting An Amendment To Condition And Limitation No. 1

Would Not Adversely Affect Safety.

Surdex proposes that it may safely operate the aircraft approved by the Secretary of the 

Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333 within the NAS because the 

proposed aircraft have already been determined to be safe for operation in previous grants of 

exemption and will be operated pursuant to the same Conditions and Limitations set forth in 

Exemption No. 11678, which are similar in all material respects to all other grants of exemption 

allowing aerial data collection operations. 

F. A Summary That Can Be Published In The Federal Register.

Surdex submits that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of this petition for 

amendment in the Federal Register because the requested amendment to Exemption No. 11678

would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the 

petitioner. The Altavian Nova F6500 UAS authorized in the original grant of exemption is 
6

comparable in type, size, weight, speed and operating capabilities to the aircraft approved by the 

Secretary of the Department of Transportation for operation under Section 333.

G. Any Additional Information, Views, Or Arguments Available To Support 

Surdex’s Request.

This Petition is made pursuant to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 

Section 333, which directs the Secretary of Transportation to determine if certain UAS may 

operate safely in the NAS. As such, Surdex’s request for amendment may be granted pursuant to 

the authority of FMRA Section 333 and 14 C.F.R. Part 11, as set forth above. 

CONCLUSION

WHEREFORE, in accordance with the Federal Aviation Regulations and the FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Section 333, Surdex respectfully requests that the 

Administrator grant this Petition for an amendment to Exemption No. 11678 to the extent 

necessary to allow Surdex to operate the aircraft approved by the Secretary of the Department 

of Transportation for operation under Section 333 (See Attachment 1) under the Conditions and 

Limitations originally set forth in Exemption No. 11678.

Dated: November 2, 2015 Respectfully submitted,

The Aviation Law Firm

/s/ Gregory S. Winton 

Gregory S. Winton, Esq.

1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway

Suite 300

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Tel: (301) 294-8550

Fax: (866) 568-9886

Attorney for Petitioner 
7

ATTACHMENT 1
8

1. 2AgEagle

2. 3D Robotics Aero-M 

3. 3D Robotics Iris 

4. 3D Robotics Iris+ 

5. 3D Robotics X8 

6. 3DRobotics Fixed Wing

7. 3DRobotics Multirotor

8. 3DRobotics Quadrotor

9. 3DR Solo

10. 3DR Spektre

11. 3DRobotics Spektre Industrial Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle

12. 3D Robotics Solo

13. 3DRobotics X8+ 

14. 3D Robotics X8-M

15. 3D Robotics Y6

16. Aerial Mob Heavy Lifter

17. Aerial Mob Light Lifter 

18. Aerial Remote Mineral Detection System (ARMDS)

19. Aerialtronics Zenith with integrated Airware system

20. Aerialtronics Altura Zenith ATX8

21. Aerigon

22. Aerobo

23. AeroCine Kopterworx Hammer X12

24. Aeromao AeroMapper 300

25. Aeromao Talon
9

26. Aeromao Aeromapper 300

27. Aeromao Aeromapper EV-2

28. AeroVironment Shrike 

29. AeroVironment Puma

30. Aeronavics X4 Titanium

31. Aeryon Sky Ranger

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

33. Aero-M

34. Aeryon Scout

35. Aeryon SkyRanger

36. AgEagle 

37. AgEagle Robotic

38. AgScout

39. AgScout Mini

40. Agribotix Hornet Drone

41. Agribotix Enduro Quad

42. AgriView VK Ranger EX

43. Aibot

44. Aibotix X-6 

45. Air Rover AR-3000

46. AirCover QR-425s

47. AirRobot AR 180

48. AirRobot AR 100

49. AirRobot AR200

50. Air-X
10

51. Align M690

52. Altavian Nova

53. Altavian Nova F6500

54. Altavian Nova R8400 

55. Altus X-4

56. Altus X-8

57. American Drones, LLC Eagle 

58. Apprentice

59. Arch Aerial OCTO multi-rotor UAS

60. Arris hexacoper

61. AR-960 Hex Rotor

62. AR-540 Quad Rotor

63. ARF-MikroKopter OktoXL

64. ARF-MikroKopter OktoXL + 

65. ArrowLite

66. AscTec Falcon

67. AscTec Falcon 8

68. Astraeus Aerial Cinema System V.3CS

69. Atlantic RC Aircraft LC04

70. Auburn Trimble UX5

71. Auburn War Eagle

72. Auburn EasyStar

73. Auburn

74. AV44

75. Bixler 3DR Plane
11

76. Blade 350QX

77. Bixler 2 

78. Boomerang Carbon Fiber Frame (The Identified System) 

79. Bormatec Maja UAV

80. BOSH Technologies Super Swiper

81. Bumblebee-S

82. C-Astral Bramor gEO

83. CarbonCore Octocopter 1000

84. Carbon Core Cortex Quadcopter

85. CCO w/Wkm M 

86. Chameleon Pro

87. CinesStar 

88. Cinestar 6

89. Cinestar X8

90. Cinestar 8

91. Cinestar 8 HL

92. Cinestar 8 Okto XL 

93. Coaxial Quad Multirotor VAO1-V1

94. Coaxial Quad Multirotor VAO2-V2

95. CopelandRED LLC Delta Wing Aircraft

96. CyberQuad Maxi

97. DJI Flame Wheel F450

98. DJI Flame Wheel F550

99. DAx8

100. DJI Inspire
12

101. DJI Inspire 1

102. DJI Inspire 2

103. DJI M P330z 

104. DJI Phantom

105. DJI Phantom 1

106. DJI Phantom 2 

107. DJI Phantom 2+

108. DJI Phantom 2 Vision

109. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ 

110. DJI Phantom Vision + 

111. DJI Phantom 3 

112. DJI Phantom FC40 

113. DJI Spreading Wings S900 

114. DJI Spreading Wings S1000 

115. DJI Spreading Wings S1000+

116. DJI S800

117. DJI S800 EVO

118. DJI T600

119. Draganflyer Guardian

120. Draganflyer X4ES

121. Draganflyer X4P

122. Draganflyer X6

123. DT-18 

124. DYS D800-X8

125. Eagle VTOL
13

126. Eagle V2

127. E-Flite Apprentice

128. Event 38 E384

129. F-450

130. Falcon VTOL

131. Fire Fly 6

132. First Aerial Responder UAV

133. Flame Wheel G4 7.8 Skycrane 

134. Flying-Cam 3.0 SARAH

135. Foxtech Kraken 130 V2

136. FreeFly Systems ALTA RTF

137. FreeFly Systems Octocopter Airframe (Legacy)

138. G4

139. G4 models

140. GeoStar 

141. GerMAP G220

142. GerMAP G180

143. goFarm GF-1 

144. Gryphon Dynamics X8 

145. GT80X 

146. Harris 18 HL

147. HEFF

148. Helicopters West DJI Inspire

149. Helicopters West SkyJib 8 

150. Helios 960
14

151. Hawkeye Mk-III 

152. HexaCrafter HC-1100 

153. HexaCrafter HO-1250

154. HH Blade 350QX2 AP

155. Hobbyking “Bixler” Fixed Wing Trainer

156. HoneyComb AgDrone

157. Horizon Hobby Blade 350 Qx2 quadcopter

158. Hoverfly LiveSky, BigSky 60 and H-Frame

159. Hubsan X4 micro drone 

160. HVP 14301 MultiRotor

161. Identified System

162. IMT Global xFold Cinema

163. Indago

164. InovalDrone:Inova One

165. InstantEye Mk-2

166. InstantEye Mk-2 Gen2

167. Intuitive Aerial Aeragon

168. K130 Octocopter

169. KongCopter X8

170. Kopterworx Hammer X12

171. Latitude HQ-4 Hybrid Multirotor

172. LB700 

173. Leading Edge Precision Vision 10

174. Leptron Avenger

175. Lewis Realty Associates Hexacopter 650
15

176. Liberty 1

177. Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III

178. Lockheed Martin Indago 

179. Matrix quad copter

180. MaxFlight

181. MD4-200

182. MD4-1000

183. Mikrokopter 2.5

184. MLB Company Super Bat

185. MU-1H 

186. Multirotor G4 7.8 Skycrane

187. Nighthawk

188. Nighthawk VTOL

189. OktoXL 6S12

190. PAG X4

191. Parksone Radian RTF

192. Parrot Bebop drone

193. Parrot PF 725100 Bebop Drone 14MP

194. Parrot Skycontroller

195. Patriot X4

196. Patriot X8

197. Finwing Penguin V2

198. Birdseyeview FireFly 6

199. Phoenix

200. Phoenix VTOL 
16

201. Phoenix 60

202. Phoenix 60LE

203. Pixhawk

204. Precision Drone Pacesetter 

205. PrecisionHawk

206. PrecisionHawk Hawkeye Mk-III

207. PrecisionHawk Lancaster

208. Precision Lancaster MK3

209. Prioria Hex

210. Prioria’s Maveric

211. Pulse Aerospace, PA 01 Vapor

212. Pulse Aerospace Pulse Vapor 35 

213. Pulse Vapor

214. Puma AE DDL

215. PV 14817 Multi Rotor

216. PV HL1

217. PV HL2

218. Q1 

219. Quadcopter LLC MikroKopter 

220. Quiet UAV

221. Qube

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

Multi Rotor

223. Frame Ronin Edition Microdrones:MD4-1000

224. RCTimer Hexacopter
17

225. RDASS

226. REHawk 500

227. REHawk 680

228. RF-70

229. Riegl RiCopter

230. RITEWING Z3 Spade 47”

231. Ritewing Drake 60”

232. RITEWING Z3 Spade 70”

233. RITEWING Z4 Spade 52”

234. RMAX

235. Roboflight

236. Rotomotion SR-15 

237. RV Jet

238. Scout X4

239. SD02

240. Seahawk 1.2 

241. SelectTech Geospacial’s EH-4

242. SenseFly eBee 

243. SenseFly eBee RTK

244. SenseFly eXom

245. Sensurion Magpie MP-1

246. Service-Drone Recon One

247. Service-Drone Blackbird

248. SH 900

249. ShadowHawk 
18

250. Shrike 

251. Sirius 

252. Altavian Nova F6500

253. SkyJib 8 v.2 Heavy Lifter

254. SkyPhilly MI

255. Skywalker Aero

256. Skywalker Flying Wing X8

257. SnapRoll Media SUAS

258. Solutions Phoenix 30

259. SteadiDrone

260. Steadidrone Quad 

261. Steadydrone QU4D 

262. Steadidrone Mavik

263. SuperX/P2 Multirotor

264. Swift Radioplanes Lynx

265. Tali 500

266. Talon 120LE

267. Tarot FY690S Hexacopter

268. Tarot quadcopter

269. Tarot 680pro

270. Tarot 690 

271. Tarot 900

272. Tarot 960

273. Tarot T-15

274. Tarot T15 C/F Folding Octocopter
19

275. Tarot T18 UAV 

276. Tarot T690

277. Tarot T810 

278. Tarot T960

279. Tarsier Systems MoAC

280. Tayzu Robotics Titan X8

281. TBS Discovery Pro

282. Team Black Sheep Discovery Pro Tarot T15

283. T-Rex 700E F3C 

284. TREX 800E DFC PRO

285. Trimble UX5

286. Trimble UX5 hp

287. Trimble ZX5

288. Turningy Talon 500

289. TUP X8-800

290. Turbo Ace CINEWING 6

291. TurboAce Matrix-G quadcopter

292. Turbo Ace matrix-E

293. Turbo Ace MATRIX-1

294. UAV Solutions Phoenix 60

295. Universeye Penguin 

296. Unmanned Flying Rolling Orb “UFRO”

297. US2 GreenHawk 

298. UtiliCopter ITX8

299. VA03-v1 
20

300. VA04-v1 

301. VA07-v1

302. Viking UAS Multicopter (VTOL)

303. Viking UAS FF-X4/X8

304. VK-Patriot X4/X8

305. Viking UAS Patriot X4/X8 Multirotor

306. Viking UAS X6 Model 800

307. Viking UAS Viking ONE

308. VK-450

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

310. Viking VK-FF-X4

311. VK-Ranger EX-SAR Fixed Wing UAS

312. Volantex Raptor Tarot T-18

313. Volt Aerial Robotics Octane

314. Vulcan frame controlled by a DJI A2 flight controller

315. Vulcan Mantis

316. Vulcan Octocopter

317. Vulcan Raven

318. Vulcan UAV 

319. Walkera TALI H500

320. Walkera Scout X4

321. Wookong DJI 5800 

322. xCel Drones XD550CDR

323. XFold Rig with four configurations: Quadcopter, Hexcopter, Octocopter and x12 Copter

324. X8-M