Two More Section 333 Approvals by FAA

Today, the FAA approved two new Section 333 petitions for exemption for sUAS. The first is for Asymmetric Technologies LLC of Columbus, Ohio and the second is for Blue Chip UAS.  Special congrats to Asymetric Techologies whose general counsel, Stuart C. Sparker, we met at the Ohio UAS Conference in 2014.  This brings the total to 23 US companies and individuals now possessing FAA approval to fly UAS commercially.

•  Asymmetric_Technologies_LLC
• Blue Chip_UAS

Asymmetric_Technologies_LLC‘s approved use is solely to inspect the underside of a bridge over a canyon. Its petition described the project as near US Highway 93 in Mohave County, Arizona, sitting above Raster Wash adjacent to the Burro Creek Wilderness Area approximately 70 miles south east of Kingman, Arizona.

The approved sUAS to be used by Asymetric Technologies LLC is manufacturerd by Microdrones, weighs 8.5 pounds, and limited to  flight times of 45 minutes and 27 mph. It has a GPS assisted barometer and return to home (RTH) technology in the event of a lost command and control link. The FAA specifically mentioned that the VO must not participate in operating the camera or other instruments, as its role is to aid the pilot in command (PIC) in its see and avoid duty,

For Blue Chip_UAS their approved uses include agriculture, oil and gas, aerial photography, and wildlife industries using a 10 pound sUAS, the Sensurion Magpie MP-1, with a speed of 68 knots.  The most interesting aspect of Blue Chip UAS’s grant of exemption is that the FAA is permitting it to operate within 5 miles of an airport as long as there is a letter of agreement between Blue Chip UAS and the airport’s management and the COA and NOTAM requirements are met.

Both Asymetric Technologies LLC of Columbus Ohio and Blue Chip UAS are required to use PICs with at least a private pilot’s certificate (license) with a third class medical certificate.

If your company would like assistance filing its own Section 333 petition to fly UAS commercially, contact firm principal Jeffrey Antonelli at 312-201-8310 or fill out the contact form below and we will contact you. See  our recent Section 333 filings for an indication of the quality of our work:

• High voltage power-line infrastructure inspection: Aerial Inspection Resources (AIR)
• Cinematography: iCam Copters LLC 
• Real estate: Owlcam LLC

If you are interested in an excerpt of Jeffrey Antonelli’s recent appearance discussing drones on Chicago Tonight please click here.