FAA Part 107 Regulations
FAA Part 107
As far as federal regulation and insurers are concerned, UAS are AIRCRAFT, not toys, tools, or science projects. In order to fly your drone under the FAA's Small UAS Rule (Part 107), you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. This certificate demonstrates that you understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones.
Requirements for a Part 107 Remote Certificate:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
- Pass a TSA Background Check
- Be in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a drone
- Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge exam: "Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG)"
- Complete an online recurrent training every 24 calendar months to maintain aeronautical knowledge recency
Any person operating a small UAS must either hold a remote pilot airman certificate with a small UAS rating or be under the direct supervision of a person who does hold a remote pilot certificate. Until international standards are developed, foreign-certified UAS pilots are required to obtain an FAA-issued remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.
Check out the role of the RPIC and the VO:
Operational Limitations
- Maximum groundspeed of 100 mph (87 knots)
- Maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL), unless the aircraft remains within 400 feet laterally of a structure in which case the aircraft can fly to an altitude 400 feet above that structure
- Minimum weather requirements for UAS operations:
- Visibility of 3 statute miles from the control station
- 500 ft. below clouds
- 2000 ft. horizontally from clouds
- 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.
- No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft:
- Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage
- While under the influence of alcohol
- While using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety
- While having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater in a blood or breath specimen
- No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that interferes with operations, traffic patterns at any airport, heliport, or seaplane base
- sUAS must yield right of way to other aircraft.
Aircraft Regulations
- No carriage of any hazardous materials is allowed under any circumstance.
- External load operations are allowed if the object being carried by the unmanned aircraft is securely attached and does not adversely affect the flight characteristic or controllability of the aircraft.
- UAS requires a preflight inspection by the remote pilot in command
- Remote Pilot in Command must also ensure that the small unmanned aircraft complies with the existing registration requirements specified in § 91.203(a)(2) (see infographic below)
- Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (25 kg).
- No operations from a moving aircraft.
- No operations from a moving vehicle unless the operation is over a sparsely populated area.
- No careless or reckless operations.