FAA Part 107 Operating Limits: Altitude, VLOS, Weather and Night

Part 107 is designed for routine small-drone work inside a defined operating envelope. A compliant pilot must manage more than the 400-foot altitude rule: weight, speed, visibility, clouds, visual line of sight, people, aircraft traffic, crew fitness, and the condition of the system all matter.

Core Part 107 Limits

Limit	Standard rule
Maximum takeoff weight	Less than 55 lb, including payload and everything attached or carried
Maximum groundspeed	87 knots, or 100 mph
Standard altitude	No higher than 400 ft AGL
Structure allowance	Within a 400-ft radius of a structure and no more than 400 ft above its immediate uppermost limit
Flight visibility	At least 3 statute miles from the control station
Below clouds	At least 500 ft
Horizontal cloud clearance	At least 2,000 ft
Visual line of sight	Required throughout the flight unless the FAA authorizes a deviation

Weight: Use the Actual Takeoff Configuration

The Part 107 weight threshold is based on the aircraft at takeoff, not the empty weight in a catalog. Include the battery, camera, gimbal, thermal sensor, LiDAR unit, RTK module, parachute, landing gear, lighting, propeller guards, cargo, and every attachment.

An aircraft at exactly 55 pounds or more is not a small unmanned aircraft under Part 107. Build a configuration weight sheet for modular systems so the crew can confirm the legal configuration before the job.

Altitude: 400 Feet Is Not a Universal Permission

The standard ceiling is 400 feet above ground level. The structure allowance permits a flight higher than 400 feet AGL only when the aircraft remains within 400 feet of a structure and does not fly more than 400 feet above that structure’s immediate uppermost limit.

Controlled-airspace authorizations can impose a lower ceiling. If a LAANC authorization approves 100 feet, the structure allowance does not raise that authorization to 400 feet. The operator must satisfy both Part 107 and the authorization conditions.

Terrain matters AGL is measured above the surface directly beneath the aircraft. On a slope, quarry, stockpile, tower site, or uneven roofline, the crew must understand how terrain changes the aircraft’s height above the ground.

Visual Line of Sight

The remote PIC, the person manipulating the controls, and any visual observer must be able to see the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses. The required visual awareness includes the aircraft’s location, attitude, altitude, direction of flight, nearby traffic and hazards, and whether the aircraft creates a danger to people or property.

Binoculars, a zoom camera, telemetry, first-person-view video, or a map display can support situational awareness, but they do not replace VLOS. A visual observer can assist, but the team must maintain effective communication and coordinate traffic scanning and aircraft position awareness.

Visibility and Clouds

Flight visibility must be at least 3 statute miles as observed from the control station. The aircraft must remain at least 500 feet below clouds and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds. These are legal minimums, not target conditions for every job.

Inspection work often requires a larger practical margin. Haze, glare, smoke, precipitation, a low-contrast sky, dark structures, and background clutter can make a technically visible aircraft difficult to track. The remote PIC should stop or reduce the operation before VLOS degrades to the regulatory minimum.

Night and Civil Twilight Operations

A night operation requires a remote PIC who completed an applicable initial knowledge test or recurrent training covering night operations after the FAA’s 2021 rule change. The aircraft must carry anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision.

The remote PIC may reduce the light intensity when operating conditions make that safer, but may not extinguish the anti-collision lighting. Civil twilight also requires compliant anti-collision lighting. Airspace authorization remains necessary for night operations in controlled airspace.

Yield to All Other Aircraft

A small drone must yield the right of way to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch and reentry vehicles. It may not pass over, under, or ahead of another aircraft unless well clear. The operator also may not fly close enough to create a collision hazard.

Helicopters, agricultural aircraft, emergency aircraft, and aircraft operating from small airports or heliports can appear at low altitude with little warning. A preflight site review should identify nearby landing areas and likely traffic routes, but the remote PIC must continue scanning throughout the operation.

Operations From Moving Vehicles

Part 107 prohibits operating from a moving aircraft. Operation from a moving land or waterborne vehicle is allowed only when the small drone is flown over a sparsely populated area and is not transporting another person’s property for compensation or hire.

A moving-vehicle plan does not remove VLOS, right-of-way, airspace, people, or other Part 107 requirements. The remote PIC must also account for driver distraction and ensure that the person driving is not simultaneously performing a role that conflicts with safe vehicle operation.

One Aircraft Per Person

A person may not manipulate controls, act as remote PIC, or serve as visual observer for more than one unmanned aircraft at the same time under the standard rule. One-to-many operations require a waiver or another applicable FAA authority.

Hazardous Operations and Hazardous Materials

Part 107 prohibits careless or reckless operation and prohibits dropping an object in a manner that creates an undue hazard. A small unmanned aircraft also may not carry hazardous material as defined by federal hazardous-material regulations.

Do not assume that a Part 107 waiver can solve every payload issue. Section 107.36 is not part of the standard waiver list. Agricultural dispensing and other specialized missions may require exemptions and additional operating authority.

Alcohol, Drugs, Fatigue, and Medical Condition

Part 107 incorporates the federal alcohol and drug restrictions applicable to flight crew roles. It also prohibits a person from manipulating controls, acting as remote PIC, serving as visual observer, or directly participating when a known physical or mental condition would interfere with safe operation.

A company fitness-for-duty policy should cover alcohol, impairing medication, fatigue, heat stress, illness, and any condition that reduces attention or decision-making. Passing the Part 107 exam does not override a pilot’s duty to remove themselves from an unsafe assignment.

Required Preflight Assessment

Local weather and expected changes during the mission.
Airspace classification, authorizations, TFRs, NOTAMs, and other restrictions.
People, traffic, structures, power lines, cranes, antennas, and property in the operating area.
Ground hazards and emergency landing areas.
Aircraft performance in the planned weight, battery, payload, wind, and temperature conditions.
Communication between the remote PIC, control manipulator, visual observer, and site personnel.
Control links between the aircraft and control station.
The condition of the aircraft, payload, propellers, batteries, mounts, software, and fail-safe settings.

When a Waiver May Be Needed

The FAA can waive certain operating provisions, including VLOS, multiple-aircraft, moving-vehicle, some night-lighting, people, moving-vehicle, speed, altitude, visibility, and cloud-clearance requirements. The applicant must describe the operation, hazards, and mitigations well enough for the FAA to determine that the alternative method is safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a drone fly 400 feet above a 1,000-foot tower?

Part 107 can allow that structure-based altitude when the aircraft remains within 400 feet of the structure and no more than 400 feet above its immediate uppermost limit. Airspace authorizations and other restrictions can impose lower limits.

Can FPV goggles satisfy VLOS?

No. FPV can support the operation, but the required visual observation must be maintained with unaided vision other than corrective lenses.

Can the pilot fly two automated drones while watching both screens?

Not under the standard rule. A person cannot manipulate controls or serve as remote PIC or visual observer for more than one unmanned aircraft at the same time without applicable FAA authority.

Related Guides

Compliance notice This page provides general federal compliance information and is not legal advice. Confirm current FAA rules, airspace restrictions, waivers, authorizations, and local requirements before each operation.