333 Exemption cost and process

[sifu128]

Hey guys, I have a question on the exemption. Can someone break down the steps following and an estimate of the total costs on what it takes to obtain a 333? There seems to be a TON of misinformation out there.

TIA

 

[fordruid]

It is free if you do it (and if you are already a pilot LOL), FAA site has step by step instructions
Section 333

 

[sifu128]

Thanks man. I am not a pilot however there have been some threads out there that is has cost people up to 10k for flight lessons, etc.

 

[barefootbeachcombing]

Thanks man. I am not a pilot however there have been some threads out there that is has cost people up to 10k for flight lessons, etc.

Do you have a pilot's license?

 

[fordruid]

Yep, getting pilots license is costly.

 

[msinger]

It's free to get a 333 exemption. The aircraft and N number registrations will cost you about $15. The pilot certificate cost will be dependent on the type of certificate you decide to acquire.

 

[sifu128]

I don't have a pilot's license, so I see that is critical to be able to fly the drone commercially.

 

[msinger]

Right, you'll definitely need a license in order to use your approved exemption.

 

[sifu128]

I see that you also need to make sure you make at least 3 flights every 90 days to keep it current. I hope the FAA gets this changed at some point.

 

[msinger]

The FAA is working on creating a new "operator" license. It will not require flying a manned aircraft.

 

[sifu128]

The FAA is working on creating a new "operator" license. It will not require flying a manned aircraft.

Is there any information on the research / work they are doing? I would like to read up on it.

 

[msinger]

You can find info about the NPRM here.

 

[sifu128]

Thank you!!

 

[SanCap]

I see that you also need to make sure you make at least 3 flights every 90 days to keep it current. I hope the FAA gets this changed at some point.

No, you will not need to keep current only a flight review every 24 months.

 

[UASFlyer01]

1. Filing an exemption is free, however, you will need to review previous exemption petitions to determine which CFRs you would like to be exempted from. DIY kits start at $249 from uasexemptions.com and we will do it for you starting at $499, which is much less expensive than the competition (cheapest I found was $300 and all the way up to $8000)
2. Registering your aircraft with the FAA costs around $15, DIY Kit from us is $25 (includes 2 AC 8050-1 forms + sUA Ownership forms), $120 + $20/additional aircraft for them to do it for you.
   1. You need to get a physical AC Form 8050-1 - Free from your local FSDO or Get it from us for $5
   2. You will need an Aircraft Bill of Sale or receipts of purchase and a sUA Ownership form signed by notary (included in our Pro Pack of sample forms for $20)
   3. FAA Registration fee is $5, FAA Recording fee $5 to FAA Aircraft Registration Branch in Oklahoma + postage <$5
3. Have at least a Sport Pilot License ($3k-$5k) OR hire a local pilot (there are plenty) for <$50/hr and train him/her on piloting a drone.

And after you are granted an exemption and Certificate or Waiver of Authorization, you will need to comply with all the rules and regulations listed in the exemption and CoA, with the CoA being the governing document i.e. 200' AGL for blanket CoA. Even though it may state 400' AGL for exemption, you would have to apply for an additional CoA to fly at that height. You must also have mandatory documents on site including:

• Permission forms (You can get sample templates all the documents listed here and below with our Pro Pack $20).
• flight and maintenance logs
• Exemption and CoA
• Sport Pilot's License and Driver's License (if Private Pilot, must hold 3rd Class medical Certificate or better and be current on aircraft)

All in all, you can do it yourself for $15 if you have a pilot's license but it will take a good bit of time. When I did my first exemption circa Jan 2015, it took a couple weeks to get everything together. Using downloadable templates from us will cost you $250-$300, and we will do everything for you (without extra lawyer review) for one exemption, one aircraft, pro pack, and a nice binder to put it all in to have on site for $714. Hope this helps.

 

[Deep6]

So as a hobbyist, and a new one at that, I was thinking it would be pretty cool if I could take a few pics here and there for a realtor or something. Might even be able to pay for those $800 dollar FPV glasses I want... But looking into this, it seems like its not something that's feasible to do for the one off shoot, due to the fact that a Pilots license is req'd.