For most paid work with a small drone in the United States, the starting point is FAA Part 107. Before a typical job, the operator needs a qualified remote pilot, a properly registered and marked aircraft, applicable Remote ID compliance, and any required controlled-airspace authorization. The flight must also meet Part 107’s operating limits; a waiver is needed before relying on permission to depart from a waivable limit. Night flights and operations over people are allowed only when their specific conditions are met.
This guide covers ordinary non-recreational small-drone operations. The applicable rules can change with the aircraft’s weight, the work being done, or a specialized operation. FAA compliance also does not by itself provide permission to use a launch site or satisfy state, local, property-owner, or client requirements.
Does Part 107 apply to your drone job?
The FAA identifies commercial aerial photography, aerial surveys, work for hire, and other non-recreational operations as examples of Part 107 activity. A recreational exception is not a general shortcut for paid or business-related work: determine the operating purpose and applicable rule before planning the flight.
Part 107 generally covers small unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds, including payload, at takeoff. Weight is not the only consideration. Package delivery, agricultural dispensing, interstate carriage, public aircraft operations, heavier aircraft, and other specialized activities may trigger additional or different FAA requirements. Check the FAA’s applicable rules for the actual aircraft and operation rather than assuming every commercial drone job fits the ordinary Part 107 workflow.
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What must be in place before a typical Part 107 flight?
- Confirm the operating regime. Identify the purpose of the flight, aircraft weight and payload, and whether the work falls under ordinary Part 107 or a specialized framework.
- Qualify the remote pilot. The person manipulating the controls must hold a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating or be under the direct supervision of a certificate holder.
- Register and identify the aircraft. Register each Part 107 drone, mark it with its registration number, and carry the registration certificate. Check its Remote ID configuration against current FAA instructions.
- Check the location and airspace. Identify the airspace, restrictions, planned altitude, and whether controlled-airspace authorization is required. Obtain approval and follow its conditions before flying.
- Match the flight profile to the rules. Check the requirements for altitude, visibility, visual line of sight, night operations, and any flight over people or moving vehicles.
- Confirm ground access and job conditions. Check local requirements, launch and landing access, and client or property-owner conditions separately from FAA airspace approval.
- Inspect and operate safely. Conduct a preflight inspection, follow any authorization or waiver conditions, and report qualifying incidents to the FAA within the required period.
How does a pilot qualify and stay current?
First-time remote pilots
A first-time applicant generally must meet FAA eligibility requirements, pass the Unmanned Aircraft General—Small (UAG) knowledge test, and complete the FAA certificate application steps through IACRA. Follow the FAA’s current applicant instructions, since application procedures can change. Keep the certificate accessible during operations.
Existing certificate holders
To maintain knowledge recency, certificate holders must complete the applicable FAA recurrent training within each 24-calendar-month period. The FAA offers recurrent training online at no cost. Confirm which course applies to your certificate and operation, and complete it within the required period.
How do registration and Remote ID work?
For Part 107, register each aircraft rather than relying on a recreational registration. Mark the drone with its registration number and carry the registration certificate during operations. FAA registration guidance checked October 4, 2026 lists a $5 fee per Part 107 drone and a three-year registration term; fees and requirements can change, so verify the current FAA instructions when registering.
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Drones that are required to be registered, or that are registered, generally must comply with Remote ID unless an applicable exception applies. One example is operating an eligible aircraft within a FAA-recognized identification area (FRIA). Depending on the aircraft and setup, compliance may involve built-in Remote ID or a broadcast module. Check the current FAA requirements for the aircraft’s exact configuration, including applicable serial-number information. Registration alone does not establish Remote ID compliance.
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Controlled-airspace authorization
Flights in controlled airspace may require prior FAA authorization. Depending on the location and request, an available path may include LAANC or FAA DroneZone. An application is not approval: wait for an authorization and comply with its altitude limits and other conditions. FAA material says LAANC requests may be submitted up to 90 days before a planned flight; confirm availability and current application procedures for the specific location.
Part 107 waiver
A waiver is separate from airspace authorization. The FAA describes it as an official document approving certain operations outside regulatory limitations. A waiver may be relevant to a request such as flying beyond visual line of sight, above the usual altitude limit, or conducting specified operations over people or vehicles. The applicant must provide an adequate safety basis, and the operation must remain within the waiver’s terms. Do not rely on a waiver until the FAA has granted it.
A waiver does not automatically provide controlled-airspace authorization, ground access, or permission to disregard other applicable rules. Treat each approval as a separate requirement and check the conditions attached to it.
What are the ordinary Part 107 operating limits?
The FAA’s current Part 107 overview gives these selected baseline limits and requirements:
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- Altitude: Generally no more than 400 feet above ground level (AGL), subject to a limited allowance when operating near a structure and meeting the rule’s conditions.
- Speed: No more than 100 mph.
- Visibility: At least three statute miles of flight visibility from the control station.
- Visual line of sight: The remote pilot and any visual observer must be able to see the aircraft as required by the rule; ordinary Part 107 does not authorize beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight.
- Safety: Avoid crewed aircraft and do not operate carelessly or recklessly.
These are not substitutes for checking the actual rule, a location’s airspace restrictions, and the terms of an authorization or waiver. A permitted altitude in one context does not override an airspace authorization’s lower limit or another applicable restriction.
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What extra rules apply at night or over people?
Night operations
Routine night flight requires the applicable updated knowledge test or recurrent training. The aircraft must have anti-collision lighting visible for at least three statute miles and with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. Controlled airspace still requires authorization when applicable. Check the lighting specification and the flight’s airspace conditions rather than assuming any strobe or illuminated aircraft meets the rule.
Operations over people
There is no blanket permission to fly over people simply because a job is commercial or the pilot holds a Part 107 certificate. Eligibility depends on the aircraft’s applicable category and compliance with that category’s operating limitations. Category 3 has additional constraints, including restrictions involving open-air assemblies and conditions on where or how the aircraft may fly over people. Determine the aircraft’s eligibility and the precise rule conditions before planning the route.
Moving vehicles
Operations over moving vehicles have additional conditions, which depend on the aircraft category and the site and flight circumstances. Check the applicable rule and any waiver or authorization conditions for the specific operation; permission to fly over people does not by itself resolve the vehicle requirements.
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Does FAA approval cover the launch site and client requirements?
No. FAA airspace authorization addresses aviation-related permission within its scope; it does not itself grant access to private or public property or permission to take off or land there. State and local rules may address other concerns, including privacy, zoning or land use, trespass, and conduct. Their requirements depend on the jurisdiction and location.
For each job, check the site owner’s access rules, local requirements, and client conditions as well as FAA requirements. A client or permitting authority may also require insurance or other documentation. FAA guidance and advisory material do not establish a universal insurance mandate for ordinary Part 107 operators, so do not treat a client’s insurance requirement as a general FAA rule.
What should the operator check on the day of the flight?
Before takeoff
- Inspect the aircraft and confirm it is safe for flight.
- Verify registration marking, registration documentation, and Remote ID configuration.
- Recheck airspace, restrictions, authorization conditions, weather and visibility, and the planned operating area.
- Confirm that the pilot’s qualification and any required training are current.
- For night, over-people, or moving-vehicle operations, verify every applicable aircraft, pilot, and operation-specific condition.
After an incident
The FAA’s Part 107 overview says certain serious injuries, loss of consciousness, or property damage of at least $500 must be reported to the FAA within 10 days. Check the FAA’s current reporting instructions to determine whether an event meets the reporting criteria and how to submit it. Keep required records available and retain applicable authorizations or waivers with their conditions.
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