!

"# $%&'

1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
AdmlnlsLraLor
Cfflce of Lhe AdmlnlsLraLor
lederal AvlaLlon AdmlnlsLraLlon
800 lndependence Avenue SW
WashlngLon, uC 20391

!uly 9, 2014

!"# $%&'() *"+,+,() -(. /0"%1+,()
uear AdmlnlsLraLor PuerLa:
AL Amazon, our energy comes from lnvenLlng on behalf of cusLomers. Amazon rlme Alr,
a new dellvery sysLem LhaL wlll geL packages Lo cusLomers ln 30 mlnuLes or less uslng aerlal
vehlcles, ls one lnvenLlon we are lncredlbly passlonaLe abouL. We belleve cusLomers wlll love lL,
and we are commlLLed Lo maklng rlme Alr avallable Lo cusLomers worldwlde as soon as we are
permlLLed Lo do so.

Amazon shares Congress's goal of geLLlng small aerlal vehlcles (a.k.a., small unmanned
alrcrafL sysLems, or suAS") flylng commerclally ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes safely and soon. ln Lhe lAA
ModernlzaLlon and 8eform AcL of 2012, Congress dlrecLed Lhe lAA Lo safely acceleraLe Lhe
lnLegraLlon of clvll unmanned alrcrafL sysLems lnLo Lhe naLlonal alrspace sysLem" and, under
SecLlon 333 of LhaL law, gave Lhe lAA power Lo granL lnnovaLors expedlLed operaLlonal
auLhorlzaLlon" Lo do so. 8y Lhls peLlLlon, Amazon ls seeklng lLs flrsL such auLhorlzaLlon, ln order
Lo conducL addlLlonal research and developmenL for rlme Alr.

We are rapldly experlmenLlng and lLeraLlng on rlme Alr lnslde our nexL generaLlon
research and developmenL lab ln SeaLLle. ln Lhe pasL flve monLhs, we have made advancemenLs
Loward Lhe developmenL of hlghlyauLomaLed aerlal vehlcles for rlme Alr, lncludlng:

1esLlng a range of capablllLles for our elghLh and nlnLhgeneraLlon aerlal vehlcles,
lncludlng aglllLy, fllghL duraLlon, redundancy, and senseandavold sensors and
algorlLhms,
ueveloplng aerlal vehlcles LhaL Lravel over 30 mlles per hour, and wlll carry 3
pound payloads, whlch cover 86 of producLs sold on Amazon, and
1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 2


ALLracLlng a growlng Leam of worldrenowned roboLlclsLs, sclenLlsLs, aeronauLlcal
englneers, remoLe senslng experLs, and a former nASA asLronauL.
CurrenL lAA rules allow hobbylsLs and manufacLurers of model alrcrafL wlde laLlLude ln
flylng Lhelr suAS ouLdoors. 8ecause Amazon ls a commerclal enLerprlse we have been llmlLed Lo
conducLlng 8&u fllghLs lndoors or ln oLher counLrles. Cf course, Amazon would prefer Lo keep
Lhe focus, [obs, and lnvesLmenL of Lhls lmporLanL research and developmenL lnlLlaLlve ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes by conducLlng prlvaLe research and developmenL operaLlons ouLdoors near SeaLLle
- where our nexL generaLlon 8&u lab and dlsLlngulshed Leam of englneers, sclenLlsLs and
aeronauLlcal professlonals are locaLed. ln order Lo allow ouLdoor 8&u LesLlng for rlme Alr ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes, we are submlLLlng Lhls peLlLlon for exempLlon pursuanL Lo SecLlon 333 of Lhe lAA
ModernlzaLlon and 8eform AcL of 2012.
CranLlng Amazon an exempLlon Lo allow 8&u LesLlng ouLdoors ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes ls ln
Lhe publlc lnLeresL because lL advances Congress's goal of geLLlng commerclal suAS flylng ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes safely and soon. lL ls a necessary sLep Lowards reallzlng Lhe consumer beneflLs of
Amazon rlme Alr and, aL Lhls polnL, Amazon's conLlnulng lnnovaLlon ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes
requlres Lhe requesLed exempLlon for ouLdoor LesLlng ln supporL of our 8&u.

lurLher, granLlng Lhls requesL wlll do noLhlng more Lhan allow Amazon Lo do whaL
Lhousands of hobbylsLs and manufacLurers of model alrcrafL do every day, and we wlll ablde by
much sLronger safeLy measures Lhan currenLly requlred for Lhese groups by lAA pollcles and
regulaLlons. ln Lhls peLlLlon for exempLlon, we seek Lo engage ln essenLlally Lhe same Lype of
suAS operaLlon LhaL Lhe lAA would permlL us Lo currenLly - buL for Lhe facL LhaL Amazon ls noL a
hobbylsL or manufacLurer of a model alrcrafL.

Cne day, seelng Amazon rlme Alr wlll be as normal as seelng mall Lrucks on Lhe road
Loday, resulLlng ln enormous beneflLs for consumers across Lhe naLlon. We respecLfully submlL
Lhls peLlLlon for exempLlon so LhaL rlme Alr can be ready Lo launch commerclal operaLlons as
soon as evenLually permlLLed by subsequenL lAA acLlon.


lnformaLlon SupporLlng Lhls eLlLlon as Speclfled ln 14 C.l.8. 11.81
!"# $"%&%'( "))*+,, "') -./+* 0-'."0. %'1-*2".%-' ,30/ ", " 1"4 '325+*6 .+&+7/-'+
'325+*6 -* +2"%& "))*+,,

1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 3


Amazon.com
Legal ueparLmenL
8e: rlme Alr LxempLlon eLlLlon
440 1erry Ave. norLh
SeaLLle, WA 98109
lax: 2062667010
Lmall: prlmealrexempLlon[amazon.com


!5# 8/+ ,7+0%1%0 ,+0.%-' -* ,+0.%-', -1 9: ;<=<>< 1*-2 ?/%0/ @2"A-' ,++B, "' +4+27.%-'
14 C.l.8. 21.191(a) - /01".,%")+&2 3".+,-,4&+"5

14 C.l.8. 43.23(b) - 6,512&7 (- %&.859 :")".&2

14 C.l.8. 91.9(b) - 3,;,2 &,.4.&-+ -2,:<+ %&)=&2> %&.8,):> &)? 12&4&.? ."@=,."%")+5

14 C.l.8. 91.203(a) and (b) - 3,;,2 $,.4.&-+# 3".+,-,4&+,()5 !"@=,."?
We belleve an exempLlon from Lhe regulaLlons noLed above wlll be sufflclenL Lo conducL
Lhe 8&u descrlbed ln Lhls exempLlon requesL. 1o Lhe exLenL LhaL lAA may deem lL necessary,
however, we also requesL an exempLlon from any regulaLlons anclllary Lo Lhe foregolng LhaL may
be needed Lo faclllLaLe Lhe deslred operaLlons.
1

!0# 8/+ +4.+'. -1 *+&%+1 @2"A-' ,++B,6 "') ./+ *+",-' @2"A-' ,++B, ./+ *+&%+1
We seek an exempLlon from several lnLerrelaLed provlslons of 14 C.l.8. arLs 21, 43 and
91 Lo Lhe exLenL necessary Lo engage ln prlvaLe, noncommerclal 8&u operaLlons of suAS on our
own properLy LhaL would oLherwlse be expressly permlLLed lf conducLed by a hobbylsL or a

1
Clven Lhe naLure of Lhe speclflc rellef soughL by Lhls exempLlon requesL under 14 C.l.8.
21.191(a), 43.23(b), 91.9(b) and 91.203(a) and (b), and Lhe parLlcular conLours of our deslred LesLlng
operaLlons and proposed safeguards, a requesL for rellef from any assoclaLed or lmplemenLlng
requlremenLs of several relaLed provlslons LhaL may oLherwlse be appllcable, such as 14 C.l.8. 91.7(a)
(clvll alrcrafL alrworLhlness), 91.103(b) (prefllghL acLlon), 91.109 (fllghL lnsLrucLlon), 91.119 (mlnlmum
safe alLlLudes), 91.121 (alLlmeLer seLLlngs), 91.131(a) (fuel requlremenLs ln vl8 condlLlons), 91.403(a)
(malnLenance requlred), 91.407(a)(1) (operaLlon afLer malnLenance, prevenLaLlve malnLenance,
rebulldlng, or alLeraLlon), 91.409(a)(2) (lnspecLlons), and 91.417(a) and (b) (malnLenance records), should
elLher be unnecessary as mooL or deemed lncorporaLed hereln. neverLheless, we seek an exempLlon from
any such speclflc provlslons Lo Lhe exLenL lAA flnds lL necessary Lo granL Lhls requesL.
1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 4


manufacLurer produclng such suAS.
2
We have deLalled, below, a slgnlflcanL seL of safeguards
LhaL wlll apply Lo Lhese 8&u operaLlons. CperaLlons under Lhese safeguards wlll provlde for a
level of safeLy exceedlng Lhe level of safeLy requlred of slmllar suAS operaLlons LhaL lAA
auLhorlzes currenLly and wlLhouL requlrlng compllance wlLh Lhe regulaLlons from whlch we seek
an exempLlon. Moreover, our operaLlons wlll noL creaLe a hazard Lo users of Lhe naLlonal
alrspace sysLem or Lhe publlc or pose a LhreaL Lo naLlonal securlLy"
3
and are Lhus conslsLenL wlLh
Lhe congresslonal mandaLe ln SecLlon 333 of Lhe lAA ModernlzaLlon and 8eform AcL of 2012,
whlch glves lAA a mechanlsm Lo allow cerLaln uAS Lo operaLe safely ln Lhe naLlonal alrspace
sysLem.
We also lnLend Lo use one or more of Lhe slx lAAselecLed LesL slLes and seek a speclal
alrworLhlness cerLlflcaLe (experlmenLal caLegory) for our suAS. Powever, lL would be lmpracLlcal
for Amazon Lo pursue elLher one of Lhese avenues as our sole or even prlmary meLhod of 8&u
LesLlng aL Lhls Llme, and dolng so would unnecessarlly Lax scarce lAA resources. lor example, lL
would be an unreasonable burden on boLh Lhe lAA and Amazon lf we were requlred Lo apply for
a speclal alrworLhlness cerLlflcaLe for every suAS deslgn or LesLlng conflguraLlon whlle we are ln
8&u and conducLlng rapld proLoLyplng.

!)# 8/+ *+",-', ?/C (*"'.%'( @2"A-'D, *+E3+,. ?-3&) 5+ %' ./+ 735&%0 %'.+*+,.F ./". %,6 /-?
%. ?-3&) 5+'+1%. ./+ 735&%0 ", " ?/-&+
As descrlbed above, rlme Alr wlll be a new dellvery sysLem LhaL ls polsed Lo offer
enormous consumer beneflLs by dellverlng packages Lo cusLomers ln 30 mlnuLes or less. lease
see Lhe lnLroducLlon for deLalls on how granLlng Lhls requesL would beneflL Lhe publlc.
!+# 8/+ *+",-', ?/C (*"'.%'( ./+ +4+27.%-' ?-3&) '-. ")G+*,+&C "11+0. ,"1+.C6 -* /-? ./+
+4+27.%-' ?-3&) 7*-G%)+ " &+G+& -1 ,"1+.C ". &+",. +E3"& .- ./". 7*-G%)+) 5C ./+ *3&+
1*-2 ?/%0/ @2"A-' ,++B, ./+ +4+27.%-'
Cur 8&u operaLlons wlll provlde for a level of safeLy LhaL far exceeds Lhe level of safeLy
requlred by lAA for hobbylsLs and manufacLurers of model alrcrafL.
4
1he followlng operaLlng
procedures wlll apply durlng Lhe 8&u LesLlng conducLed under Lhls exempLlon requesL:

2
A"" ub. L. no. 11293, 336, 126 SLaL. 7778.
3
A"" ,?B> 333, 126 SLaL. 76.
4
8ecause Amazon's deslred LesLlng operaLlons could noL posslbly be conducLed uslng
convenLlonal alrcrafL, Lhe level of safeLy requlred of hobbylsLs and manufacLurers of model alrcrafL ls Lhe
approprlaLe comparlson.
1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 3


1he suAS wlll (l) have a maxlmum welghL of less Lhan 33 pounds, (ll) be roLor
powered vla a baLLery source, and (lll) be u.S.reglsLered and dlsplay marks ln
accordance wlLh 14 C.l.8. arL 43, SubparL C.
3


Cur suAS 8&u LesLlng under Lhls exempLlon wlll be conducLed (l) wlLhln Lhe vlsual
llne of slghL of Lhe operaLor and/or one or more observers, (ll) aL less Lhan 400
feeL ACL, and (lll) wlLhln Class C alrspace.

1he operaLlons wlll be conducLed ln a conflned area over lsolaLed Amazon prlvaLe
properLy locaLed a sufflclenL dlsLance away from (l) any alrporL, hellporL, seaplane
base, spaceporL or oLher locaLlon wlLh avlaLlon acLlvlLles, (ll) any densely
populaLed areas, and (lll) any mlllLary or u.S. governmenL lnsLallaLlons or alrflelds.
6


All operaLlons wlll remaln wlLhln Lhe laLeral and verLlcal boundarles of Lhe
operaLlng area, Laklng lnLo accounL all facLors, lncludlng wlnd, gross welghL and
gllde dlsLances, LhaL may affecL Lhe capablllLy of Lhe suAS Lo remaln wlLhln Lhe
alrspace boundary, moreover, Lhe lnLegrlLy of Lhe operaLlng area wlll be
relnforced by geofenclng,
7
lncludlng Lhe celllng helghL of no more Lhan 400 feeL
ACL.

Cur suAS 8&u LesLlng under Lhls exempLlon wlll be conducLed (l) under Lhe
supervlslon of a deslgnaLed plloL ln command (lC) who has flnal responslblllLy for
Lhe operaLlon ln accordance wlLh 14 C.l.8. 91.3 and elLher (A) holds a currenL
lAA prlvaLe plloL cerLlflcaLe lssued under 14 C.l.8. arL 61, SubparL L, a hlgher lAA
plloL cerLlflcaLlon, or a lAArecognlzed equlvalenL
8
or (8) has compleLed lAA
prlvaLe plloL ground lnsLrucLlon and passed Lhe lAA prlvaLe plloL wrlLLen

3
1o Lhe exLenL LhaL lAA deLermlnes LhaL Lhe Amazon suAS operaLlng under Lhls exempLlon musL
bear an experlmenLal" marklng, we seek an exempLlon from 14 C.l.8. 43.23(b) Lo accommodaLe Lhe
requlred marklngs pursuanL Lo 14 C.l.8. 43.29(f).
6
We wlll apply separaLely for Lhe necessary cerLlflcaLes of walver from Lhe requlremenLs of 14
C.l.8. 91.113 and 91.119 and Lhe assoclaLed alrspace auLhorlzaLlon. Speclflc deLalls of Lhe operaLlng
area, lncludlng laLlLude and longlLude, and aeronauLlcal charLs and/or phoLographs, wlll be provlded ln
con[uncLlon wlLh LhaL appllcaLlon process.
7
Ceofenclng ls a feaLure ln a sofLware program LhaL uses CS or radlo frequency LrlangulaLlon Lo
deflne geographlcal boundarles. A geofence ls a vlrLual barrler - effecLlvely an elecLronlc box ln whlch
Lhe suAS wlll be conflned.
8
A prlvaLe plloL cerLlflcaLe should be sufflclenL for Lhe lC Lo conducL Lhese research and
developmenL suAS fllghLs. A"" 14 C.l.8. 61.113(b).
1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 6


examlnaLlon or lAArecognlzed equlvalenL, and (ll) uslng only operaLors LhaL have
compleLed Lralnlng on Lhe normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures ln
speclflc deLalls and demonsLraLed proflclency wlLh Lhe suAS belng operaLed.

no operaLor or observer wlll engage ln, nor may an operaLor or observer permlL,
any acLlvlLy durlng a crlLlcal phase of fllghL whlch could dlsLracL any operaLor or
observer from Lhe performance of hls/her duLles or lnLerfere ln any way wlLh Lhe
proper conducL of hls/her duLles.

CperaLors wlll malnLaln Lhe suAS sysLem ln a condlLlon for safe operaLlon, and
conducL a prefllghL lnspecLlon prlor Lo each fllghL so as Lo ensure LhaL Lhe suAS,
conLrol sLaLlon, daLa llnk equlpmenL, payload, and supporL equlpmenL are ln a
condlLlon for safe operaLlon and ln a conflguraLlon approprlaLe for Lhe purpose of
Lhe lnLended fllghL.

1he operaLors and observers wlll malnLaln Lwoway communlcaLlons wlLh each
oLher durlng all operaLlons, lf unable Lo malnLaln Lwoway communlcaLlons, or lf
any condlLlon occurs LhaL may oLherwlse cause Lhe operaLlon Lo be unsafe, Lhe
operaLor wlll lmmedlaLely conclude Lhe operaLlon.

Lach suAS wlll safely sLop operaLlng and reLurn auLomaLlcally Lo a speclflc locaLlon
on Amazon's prlvaLe properLy lf Lhe communlcaLlons llnk ls losL.

lor each suAS, Lhe observer wlll have Lhe ablllLy Lo press a physlcal buLLon, LhaL
wlll be wlLhln hls/her reach aL all Llmes, LhaL reduces power Lo Lhe vehlcle so as Lo
force a conLrolled landlng, boLh Lhe hardware and communlcaLlon for Lhls safeLy
sysLem wlll be physlcally separaLe from Lhe suAS fllghL conLrol sysLems.

1esLlng operaLlons wlll be conducLed on prlvaLe properLy, and only Amazon
employees, conLracL personnel, and lnvlLees wlll be lnvlLed Lo Lhe operaLlons area,
securlLy measures wlll be puL ln place Lo deLer unauLhorlzed access.

1he alrcrafL documenLaLlon requlred by 14 C.l.8. 91.9 and 91.203(b), as
appllcable, wlll be avallable Lo Lhe lC referred Lo above aL any Llme Amazon's
suAS are operaLlng.

We wlll effecLlvely operaLe our own prlvaLe model alrplane fleld, buL wlLh addlLlonal safeguards
LhaL go far beyond Lhose LhaL lAA has longheld provlde a sufflclenL level of safeLy for publlc
model alrplane flelds - and only wlLh suAS. lndeed, Lhe comblnaLlon of Lhe geofenclng and losL
1he Ponorable Mlchael . PuerLa
!uly 9, 2014
age 7


llnk procedures descrlbed above wlll ensure Lhe suAS sLays wlLhln Lhe LlghLly deflned operaLlng
area wlLhln our prlvaLe properLy.
!1# @ ,322"*C =@@ 0"' 735&%,/ %' ./+ =HIH>@J >HKLM8H>6 ,.".%'(N !9# 8/+ *3&+ 1*-2 ?/%0/ C-3
,++B ./+ +4+27.%-'F "') !O# @ 5*%+1 )+,0*%7.%-' -1 ./+ '".3*+ -1 ./+ +4+27.%-' C-3 ,++B
*"+,+,()".# Amazon.com, lnc.
A"4+,()5 (- CD 3BEB!B $--"4+"?# 21.191(a), 43.23(b), 91.9(b), and 91.203(a) and (b)
6"54.,1+,() (- !"2,"- A(=:<+# eLlLloner seeks rellef from Lhe requlremenLs of 14 C.l.8.
21.191(a), 43.23(b), 91.9(b), and 91.203(a) and (b) Lo conducL prlvaLe, noncommerclal small
unmanned alrcrafL sysLems (suAS) operaLlons on lLs own properLy sub[ecL Lo operaLlng
procedures LhaL meeL or exceed Lhose LhaL lAA requlres for slmllar operaLlons.
!(# @'C "))%.%-'"& %'1-*2".%-'6 G%+?, -* "*(32+'., "G"%&"5&+ .- ,377-*. C-3* *+E3+,.

lease see Lhe lnLroducLlon Lo Lhls exempLlon requesL.

!/# L1 C-3 ?"'. .- +4+*0%,+ ./+ 7*%G%&+(+, -1 C-3* +4+27.%-' -3.,%)+ -1 ./+ P'%.+) M.".+,6
./+ *+",-' ?/C C-3 '++) .- )- ,-<
1he research and developmenL operaLlons descrlbed ln Lhls exempLlon requesL wlll be
conducLed wholly wlLhln Lhe unlLed SLaLes.

lease do noL heslLaLe Lo conLacL me vla emall aL prlmealrexempLlon[amazon.com lf
you have any quesLlons or concerns.

8especLfully submlLLed,

aul Mlsener
vlce resldenL, Clobal ubllc ollcy
Amazon.com