FAA exemption
- Thread starter Randy Rice
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It would help to know what you plan to do with it. Are you a FAA licensed pilot already?
Applying is as easy as filling the forms and sending them in.
Applying is as easy as filling the forms and sending them in.
msinger
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I would suggest you not do it unless you have a pilot license, are going to get a pilot license, or can hire a pilot to fly your Phantom. If you have one of those, then see the following link for instructions:
Petitioning for Exemption under Section 333
Petitioning for Exemption under Section 333
What is your reason for recommending that Randy Rice does not do it? Do you think that the FAA will have requirements that are easier to comply with? That would be great if they do, I don't know what the new proposed rules will morph into.
msinger
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You need a minimum of a sport or recreational pilot license in order to use an exemption. There is no need to waste the time getting an exemption if he has no plans to use it legally. The FAA requires everyone to have a pilot license.
The FAA is working on new rules, but I don't think we'll see them until at least next year. At that time, most people will not need an exemption to fly legally. They'll just have to follow the new rules. A new SUAS operator license will replace the current pilot license requirement.
The FAA is working on new rules, but I don't think we'll see them until at least next year. At that time, most people will not need an exemption to fly legally. They'll just have to follow the new rules. A new SUAS operator license will replace the current pilot license requirement.
I agree with your reasoning. Although if someone wanted to be legal for commercial operations now and had a 333 Exemption, they could get a sport license in a powered parachute for around 5 thousand dollars in about 2 weeks. I also think that the training from a sport pilots license will make us all safer. I hope the FAA creates an easier way to be legal for commercial operations sooner than later.
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So does the FAA -- or so they make it seem that way. But, the truth is that almost none of that experience will be useful for flying a Phantom safely. Making people pay 5k to get a pilot license for flying a Phantom is pretty foolish.
I am a licensed pilot, and I'm not afraid of risk (spent 2 years racing on a national drag racing circuit), but I wouldn't get in a powered parachute for any amount of money,,,there are too many things that can go wrong. You should be able to get a sports pilot license for about $5k, but it won't be done in 2 weeks (I have no idea what the requirements are on powered parachutes,,I only know of one pilot that would consider flying one, and we considered him someone not to fly with because he wasn't safe)
Hoping not to hijack this thread, what actually goes into getting a pilots license? Which one do I get (or try to get) if I might want to use my Phantom for commercial use? I am a sports photographer and I might want to add aerial photography to my work...
There are a ton of sites that can provide you this info, for example try:
Become a Pilot
This thread was about FAA exemptions for flying commercially.
Here is some info so you know the requirements. Easy Flight - Steps to Becoming a Sport Pilot Powered Parachute, Powered Parachute Sport Pilot & ultralight flight training . I also have a Private Pilot, A&P certificates and have flown in a powered parachute and found it quite refreshing. I found it no more dangerous than flying in a certified airplane or helicopter if maintained properly.
Here's an idea - Support #PilotRule - Urge the Transportation Committee to authorize the FAA to replace the "pilot license" requirement for 333 exemptions with an appropriate ground school written exam (eg. Sport Pilot): Study, pay $150, pass the test, done.
Congress Needs To Change UAV Pilot Requirement #PilotRule | Southern Helicam
Congress Needs To Change UAV Pilot Requirement #PilotRule | Southern Helicam
That is essentially what the FAA proposed, but there will be a few more conditions besides just taking a private organization's test:
Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (25 kg).
Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) only; the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the operator or visual observer.
At all times the small unmanned aircraft must remain close enough to the operator for the operator to be capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses.
Small unmanned aircraft may not operate over any persons not directly involved in the operation.
Daylight-only operations (official sunrise to official sunset, local time).
Must yield right-of-way to other aircraft, manned or unmanned.
May use visual observer (VO) but not required.
First-person view camera cannot satisfy “see-and-avoid” requirement but can be used as long as requirement is satisfied in other ways.
Maximum airspeed of 100 mph (87 knots).
Maximum altitude of 500 feet above ground level.
Minimum weather visibility of 3 miles from control station.
No operations are allowed in Class A (18,000 feet & above) airspace.
Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace are allowed with the required ATC permission.
Operations in Class G airspace are allowed without ATC permission
No person may act as an operator or VO for more than one unmanned aircraft operation at one time.
No careless or reckless operations.
Requires preflight inspection by the operator.
A person may not operate a small unmanned aircraft if he or she knows or has reason to know of any physical or mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small UAS.
Proposes a microUAS option that would allow operations in Class G airspace, over people not involved in the operation, provided the operator certifies he or she has the requisite aeronautical knowledge to perform the operation.
Pilots of a small UAS would be considered “operators”.
Obtain an unmanned aircraft operator certificate with a small UAS rating (like existing pilot airman certificates, never expires).
Pass a recurrent aeronautical knowledge test every 24 months.
Be at least 17 years old.
Make available to the FAA, upon request, the small UAS for inspection or testing, and any associated documents/records required to be kept under the proposed rule.
Report an accident to the FAA within 10 days of any operation that results in injury or property damage.
Conduct a preflight inspection, to include specific aircraft and control station systems checks, to ensure the small UAS is safe for operation.
Operators would be required to:
Pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center.
Be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration.
I would expect Congress is listening to the FAA's recommendation a littler closer than ours.
Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (25 kg).
Visual line-of-sight (VLOS) only; the unmanned aircraft must remain within VLOS of the operator or visual observer.
At all times the small unmanned aircraft must remain close enough to the operator for the operator to be capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses.
Small unmanned aircraft may not operate over any persons not directly involved in the operation.
Daylight-only operations (official sunrise to official sunset, local time).
Must yield right-of-way to other aircraft, manned or unmanned.
May use visual observer (VO) but not required.
First-person view camera cannot satisfy “see-and-avoid” requirement but can be used as long as requirement is satisfied in other ways.
Maximum airspeed of 100 mph (87 knots).
Maximum altitude of 500 feet above ground level.
Minimum weather visibility of 3 miles from control station.
No operations are allowed in Class A (18,000 feet & above) airspace.
Operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace are allowed with the required ATC permission.
Operations in Class G airspace are allowed without ATC permission
No person may act as an operator or VO for more than one unmanned aircraft operation at one time.
No careless or reckless operations.
Requires preflight inspection by the operator.
A person may not operate a small unmanned aircraft if he or she knows or has reason to know of any physical or mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small UAS.
Proposes a microUAS option that would allow operations in Class G airspace, over people not involved in the operation, provided the operator certifies he or she has the requisite aeronautical knowledge to perform the operation.
Pilots of a small UAS would be considered “operators”.
Obtain an unmanned aircraft operator certificate with a small UAS rating (like existing pilot airman certificates, never expires).
Pass a recurrent aeronautical knowledge test every 24 months.
Be at least 17 years old.
Make available to the FAA, upon request, the small UAS for inspection or testing, and any associated documents/records required to be kept under the proposed rule.
Report an accident to the FAA within 10 days of any operation that results in injury or property damage.
Conduct a preflight inspection, to include specific aircraft and control station systems checks, to ensure the small UAS is safe for operation.
Operators would be required to:
Pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center.
Be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration.
I would expect Congress is listening to the FAA's recommendation a littler closer than ours.
Hi all. Looking at this thread in regards to the pilots license....I thought I had read somewhere that you did not need a pilots license and that people could apply for that exemption too??? Am I wrong? Its been a while since anyone commented on the thread..... Thanks
You don't need a pilot's license to apply, but the person operating your drone has to have a pilot's license. I filed for the Exemption, but I am not a licensed pilot. So if I am granted the 333 Exemption I can fly for profit, but I need to have a licensed pilot fly my drone. Hopefully in the next few months that requirement will change, but who knows...
You do not need a pilots license to apply for and receive a 333 exemption. You DO need a pilots license to fly a UAS under that 333 exemption.
ok great. so I guess that might be how to go ahead and do it then! Lets just pray that they change it! Thanks both
I applied anyway, back in September. I figure that hopefully by the time it gets approved (thinking I'll have to make changes and resubmit a few times...) they may change the requirement. Why wait, since it takes 3-4 months anyway...
Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Any tips on the application? Have you been approved yet?
Haven't been approved yet. My application was accepted on 9/14, finally made it in their system on 11/19. I know that there is a way to check what date the FAA is up to for approvals, but forgot where I saw the link.
As for the application, the best (cheapest) way to go is to find an application that was approved (there's a link for that too, which I don't have as well... sorry...), and just scan through it and change the info in it to your info, then submit it. There are companies out there that charge in the hundreds of dollars to write up the application for you, so if you can afford it you can do that. I just did the cut/paste, but made sure the wording in it applied to me and what I was using it for.
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