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FAA 333 Exemption

The FAA also made two other changes to the Section 333 exemption process last week:

  • The agency now allows operations under these exemptions by people who hold a recreational or sport pilot certificate. Previously, Section 333 operators were required to have at least a private pilot certificate. The newly added certificates are easier to obtain, and therefore less costly, than a private pilot certificate.
  • A third class medical certificate is no longer required. Now, a Section 333 operator only needs a valid driver’s license to satisfy the medical requirement. This change is consistent with the agency’s approach for sport pilot certificate holders, who may fly light sport aircraft with a driver’s license and no FAA medical certificate.

    FAA Summary Grants Speed UAS Exemptions

Additionally, If you already possess a Private Pilots license you still have to have what used to be called Biannual Flight Review (BFR) now called a Flight Review every 2 years. That requires 1 hour of ground instruction and 1 hour in the air in the aircraft you are rated for.
 
Anyone care to place a wager on it clearing the FAA? Here is the exact wording in the exemption.

"Given the sUAV safety features outlined below, (insert my company here) proposes that its operations under this Exemption request should not be required to hold a commercial or private pilot certification. Instead, Operators should be required to: have successfully completed, at a minimum, FAA private pilot ground instruction and passed the FAA Private Pilot written examination or FAA-recognized equivalents; have completed (insert my company here) training program for operation of the UAS."
Anyone care to place a wager on it clearing the FAA? Here is the exact wording in the exemption.

"Given the sUAV safety features outlined below, (insert my company here) proposes that its operations under this Exemption request should not be required to hold a commercial or private pilot certification. Instead, Operators should be required to: have successfully completed, at a minimum, FAA private pilot ground instruction and passed the FAA Private Pilot written examination or FAA-recognized equivalents; have completed (insert my company here) training program for operation of the UAS."



If they approve it as written then I'm going to operate as such.


It will be interesting to hear what they say, the faa isn't known for making exceptions to the rules....
 
Anyone care to place a wager on it clearing the FAA? Here is the exact wording in the exemption.

"Given the sUAV safety features outlined below, (insert my company here) proposes that its operations under this Exemption request should not be required to hold a commercial or private pilot certification. Instead, Operators should be required to: have successfully completed, at a minimum, FAA private pilot ground instruction and passed the FAA Private Pilot written examination or FAA-recognized equivalents; have completed (insert my company here) training program for operation of the UAS."



If they approve it as written then I'm going to operate as such.
They will not approve it.
 
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So regardless, at present, to commercially fly a UAS, you need to carry a license for manned flight and have logged at least 15 hrs of manned flight/training plus the ground school and written test requirements
 
So regardless, at present, to commercially fly a UAS, you need to carry a license for manned flight and have logged at least 15 hrs of manned flight/training plus the ground school and written test requirements
More than that. You need 30 hours of flight time (15 hours of flight training, 3 hours of solo time, 2 hours of cross country > 25NM) for a recreational licence.
 
We just hired Traverse Legal to handle our 333. Where I do respect the process and the rwquirements I think having a full scale pilots license to fly an aircraft that weighs less than 10lbs is ludicrous. Flight school, respect for people, property, testing maybe to know the commons concepts of flight and flight areas....for aircraft weighing 2-20lbs should be more than enough. We might well need drivers license for our RC cars also if we think like this. Just seems too much to have to get a full scale pilots license..
 
Yeah it's way overboard mainly due to the costs associated with manned flight. Each hour of flight costs around $250-$500 with renting a plane to get your licence. A cost that is very unnecessary when you are not flying manned aircraft. I can see needing to know the rules of manned flight though and how to communicate incidents with the FAA as well as communicating to aircraft and aircraft controllers.
 
It pretty straight forward most of this process, you need some type of license to operate an aircraft commercially. It is not for yous skills, its for mostly 3 things. One is the educational aspect, to have knowledge of airspace and procedures used for operating in it. Second the FAA needs to be able enforce, if such an action is needed. That is for them to be able to take away or suspend you rating if needed.

The third is with any license you apply for, part of the process has a background check with it and that is another reason they are currently requiring a rating. It does not matter what license it is, it could be a balloon license.

When it comes to the license you need to be current, but to be current you need the accompanied medical to go with it. So lets say you take your Bi Annual for your private license and get signed off in you log book, but if you do not have your medical current (3rd class min) you can not invoke private pilot privileges.

You can fly under recreational or sport privileges because the qualification for those ratings are less then what is needed for the private, and in this case the medical for those is only a current drivers license, however you will need to have some type of bi-annual review.

The 333 process is not so bad, but like mentioned earlier it not to hard to get the 333 its the pilot how has the certification and the skills to fly your drone which makes commercial operations challenging.
 
I really don't think a pilot unless he is RC experienced is going to fly better than most of us that are qualified to fly as long as its LOS. I understand perfectly the knowledge needed to know air space rules. My opinion is commercially the Multirotors are taking a bite out of the aerial imaging the choppers and planes use to have and can do it low altitude better, cheaper and quicker for live events and such. I just don't think flying full scale makes anyone better than the average RC plane/copter/Multirotor flyer.......ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY....:)
 
With a money back guarantee I'm pretty excited about using them.

If your application is demanding an element that is currently illegal it will be denied. I'd review the fine print on that money back guarantee. Soundslike this company was just gambling on that change inevitably taking place. The FAA is NOT going to change the law for your request. You'd better hope that changes before they review it or you'll be fighting with them for your money.
 
BTW look into a company called Aero one. It is a Commercial Pilot that files these 333's for $750.00. You're just looking for a "summary grant" The guys at Aero One have a template for that. They also offer a money back guarantee. $1500.00 for this is ridiculous. That's robbery.
 
I really don't think a pilot unless he is RC experienced is going to fly better than most of us that are qualified to fly as long as its LOS. I understand perfectly the knowledge needed to know air space rules. My opinion is commercially the Multirotors are taking a bite out of the aerial imaging the choppers and planes use to have and can do it low altitude better, cheaper and quicker for live events and such. I just don't think flying full scale makes anyone better than the average RC plane/copter/Multirotor flyer.......ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY....:)
It is not about money. It's about the safe integration of UAS into NAS. Its about trying to keep the skies safe. it is about the FAA following existing legislation until new legislation can be written to govern UAS. If I asked you to make sure you were not flying in a TFR and make sure you put up a NOTAM you would look at me like this o_O. That is the reason that the FAA is sticking by the PPL requirement until a UAS license requiring operators to understand the NAS can be adopted. They don't give two hoots about whether you can fly a glider or a 747. They care about whether you understand airspaces, flight rules and restrictions. If you had a pilots license you would understand.
 
More than that. You need 30 hours of flight time (15 hours of flight training, 3 hours of solo time, 2 hours of cross country > 25NM) for a recreational licence.


He's referring to the Light Sport Aircraft UAV license. Lower thresholds but meets the FAA requirements for commercial UAV applications.
 
The FAA also made two other changes to the Section 333 exemption process last week:

  • The agency now allows operations under these exemptions by people who hold a recreational or sport pilot certificate. Previously, Section 333 operators were required to have at least a private pilot certificate. The newly added certificates are easier to obtain, and therefore less costly, than a private pilot certificate.
  • A third class medical certificate is no longer required. Now, a Section 333 operator only needs a valid driver’s license to satisfy the medical requirement. This change is consistent with the agency’s approach for sport pilot certificate holders, who may fly light sport aircraft with a driver’s license and no FAA medical certificate.

    FAA Summary Grants Speed UAS Exemptions

Hi there. I'm new to the forum and looking to fly drones commercially. I'm a licensed private pilot and a commercial filmmaker so it seemed like a good fit given my needs and skill set. Do I file for the 333 as an individual (just using my name), or do I file as a business (petitioning the 333 under my company name, as an LLC)?

Obviously the LLC provides benefits in terms of protection and taxes. But companies come and go - for example I may close it at a later date, or split with my partners, etc. Lastly, if I file under a company name can I transfer the exemption to my name, as an individual, at a later date?

Love to hear from anybody that though through this one previously.
 
Chis

I think what ever you decide to do will be fine, at this time it is not really the 333 exemption that is hard to get, it just takes time. The bigger problem with 333 is getting a truly qualified pilot with good drone flying skills.

This may sound like off mark approach but If you incorporate your self then you can keep it separate with the liability elements, you can then get a drone liability insurance and when you use you drone for production have your other company hire your new company to do the drone work, so if down the road you do desperate then you will keep everything on the drone side intact and not have to skip a beat.
 
My intent is to serve as the drone pilot. I've been flying drones for a bit, but like everybody out there, I need a lot more flight time. Regardless, I currently have an LLC, but I'm not sure I want to register the LLC as the 333 holder. Are you suggesting opening up a second LLC purely for the drone work?
 
Additionally, If you already possess a Private Pilots license you still have to have what used to be called Biannual Flight Review (BFR) now called a Flight Review every 2 years. That requires 1 hour of ground instruction and 1 hour in the air in the aircraft you are rated for.

You don't have to be current as a pilot to be a drone PIC, do you?
 
You don't have to be current as a pilot to be a drone PIC, do you?

You will have to show that you can fly the aircraft you are rated for (on your pilots license) with an instructor every 2 years. I am rated for Single Engine Land so I would have to show an instructor that I am proficient enough to fly, know all the procedures to communicate with ground and tower, take off and land etc.
 
Hi SanCap, I have a multi-engine land rating, but its not technically current. I simply haven't flown in a while. But do you need to be current on your PPL in order to be PIC of a drone? My understanding is you just need to possess the actual license.
 

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