LANSING, MI — Aerius Flight, LCC is the first company in the state to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for commercial-application drone photography and videography. “We are the first firm in Michigan to get an exemption for sort of sundry commercial use,” said Jonathon Freye, Director for Policy & Strategy for Aerius Flight.
The South Lyon-based company is comprised of commercial rated pilots and certified flight instructors who are graduates of Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation. Freye, company founder Ken Beason and Director of Operation Jeremy Barber have a combined 20 years of experience operating remote aircraft.
The FAA has proposed rules that would change the way unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, are regulated. Aerius Flight sought an exemption under the current rules to operate a drone commercially. “It was our interpretation that the only way to do this and be on the up-and-up was to request the exemption from the FAA,” Freye said.
Aerius Flight submitted its application on Oct. 27, 2014. It was approved on March 26, 2015. As of April 3, the FAA had approved 99 exemptions nationwide.