FAA Part 107 Compliance Guide for Commercial Drone Operations

Most commercial drone work in the United States starts with the same federal framework: a certificated remote pilot, a registered and Remote ID-compliant aircraft, a legal operating area, and a flight conducted within Part 107 limits. This guide shows how those pieces fit together and where a separate authorization or waiver may be required.

What Part 107 Covers

Part 107 is the FAA’s primary operating rule for civil small unmanned aircraft systems in the United States. A small unmanned aircraft weighs less than 55 pounds at takeoff, including the battery, payload, mounting hardware, and everything else attached to or carried by the aircraft.

Commercial work is not limited to flights sold as a standalone service. A roof inspection completed by an employee, aerial progress images used by a construction company, internal asset documentation, thermal data collected for a solar contractor, and mapping performed for a client are all non-recreational purposes. The limited recreational exception is based on the purpose of the flight, not on whether money changes hands at the launch site.

Indoor operations

FAA airspace rules generally do not apply to a flight conducted entirely indoors because the aircraft is not operating in the National Airspace System. The moment the operation moves outdoors, the applicable FAA operating path must be established.

Part 107 Compliance at a Glance

Area	Federal baseline
Aircraft	Less than 55 lb at takeoff, including payload and attachments
Pilot in command	FAA Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating and current aeronautical knowledge
Control manipulator	Certificated, or directly supervised by a certificated remote PIC who can immediately take control
Registration	$5 per Part 107 aircraft; valid for three years
Remote ID	Required for registered or registration-required aircraft unless an authorized compliance path applies
Standard altitude	No higher than 400 ft AGL, subject to the structure allowance and any airspace authorization limit
Maximum groundspeed	87 knots, or 100 mph
Flight visibility	At least 3 statute miles from the control station
Cloud clearance	At least 500 ft below and 2,000 ft horizontally
Night operations	Current night knowledge/training and anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles
Controlled airspace	Prior FAA authorization in Class B, C, D, and airport surface Class E airspace
FAA reportable event	Report within 10 calendar days when §107.9 thresholds are met

1. Assign a Qualified Remote Pilot in Command

Every Part 107 operation needs a designated Remote Pilot in Command, commonly shortened to remote PIC. That person is directly responsible for the operation and is the final authority on whether the flight proceeds, pauses, changes, or ends.

The person physically manipulating the controls does not always need a Remote Pilot Certificate. An uncertificated employee may fly under the direct supervision of a certificated remote PIC only when the remote PIC can immediately take direct control. Remote supervision from another city, a phone call, or general company oversight does not meet that standard.

2. Keep the Pilot Certificate Current

A first-time applicant must obtain an FAA Tracking Number, pass the Unmanned Aircraft General—Small knowledge test, and complete the certificate application through IACRA. The certificate itself does not have a printed expiration date, but the pilot must complete the appropriate FAA recurrent training every 24 calendar months to remain current.

During operations, the remote pilot must have the certificate and identification physically present and readily accessible. The documents must be presented when requested by the FAA, the NTSB, law enforcement, or the TSA as specified in §107.7.

3. Register and Mark Each Commercial Aircraft

Every drone operated under Part 107 must be registered, including a drone that weighs 0.55 pounds or less. The sub-0.55-pound registration exception applies only when the aircraft is flown exclusively under the limited recreational exception.

Part 107 registration costs $5 per aircraft and remains valid for three years. The registration number must be legible and displayed on an external surface. The operator must also carry a paper or digital registration certificate while flying.

4. Confirm Remote ID Compliance

Registered and registration-required drones must follow the Remote ID rule. The common compliance paths are a Standard Remote ID aircraft, an FAA-compliant broadcast module, or operation inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area. A broadcast-module operation and a FRIA operation require visual line of sight.

Part 107 operators register each Standard Remote ID aircraft or broadcast module as an individual device in FAADroneZone. The Remote ID serial number must match the device and the FAA record. A firmware screen that shows “Remote ID on” is not a substitute for checking the correct serial number, declaration of compliance, and actual broadcast status before launch.

5. Check Airspace Before the Site Visit

Class B, C, D, and the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport require prior FAA authorization. LAANC can issue many authorizations in near real time at or below the published UAS Facility Map value. A grid value is not permission to fly; it is an altitude at which the FAA may authorize an operation without additional safety analysis.

An authorization does not override Temporary Flight Restrictions, NOTAMs, special-use airspace, prohibited or restricted areas, stadium restrictions, or property-access rules. Confirm airspace again close to launch time, even when the job was scheduled weeks earlier.

6. Operate Within Part 107 Limits

The standard Part 107 envelope includes visual line of sight, a maximum groundspeed of 100 mph, at least 3 statute miles of flight visibility, and the required distance from clouds. The aircraft may not exceed 400 feet above ground level unless it remains within 400 feet of a structure and stays no more than 400 feet above that structure’s immediate uppermost limit.

A commercial mission plan should also account for right-of-way, people on the ground, nearby roads, heliports, emergency landing areas, battery reserves, command-and-control links, and the risk created by a payload or dropped object. The remote PIC must conduct a preflight assessment and verify that the system is in a condition for safe operation.

7. Treat Night Flights and Flights Over People as Separate Checks

Night operations are routine under Part 107 when the remote PIC has completed qualifying knowledge testing or recurrent training and the aircraft carries anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. Controlled-airspace authorization is still required when the site is in controlled airspace.

Flying over people or occupants of moving vehicles requires a separate legal path. The aircraft must qualify under Category 1, 2, 3, or 4, or the operation must fit another Part 107 exception or an FAA waiver. Registration, Remote ID, and a Part 107 certificate alone do not make an aircraft eligible to fly over people.

8. Use a Waiver Only When the Standard Rule Does Not Fit

A waiver allows the FAA to approve a deviation from specific Part 107 regulations when the applicant shows that the proposed operation can be performed safely using alternative methods. Common waiver subjects include BVLOS, one pilot operating multiple aircraft, operations above standard altitude limits, and operations over people that do not fit the routine categories.

A waiver is not an airspace authorization, and an airspace authorization is not a waiver. A BVLOS waiver does not automatically authorize controlled airspace, and a LAANC approval does not permit BVLOS.

9. Report Qualifying Safety Events

The remote PIC must report a qualifying event to the FAA no later than 10 calendar days after the operation. Reporting is required for serious injury, any loss of consciousness, or qualifying damage to property other than the drone when repair cost exceeds $500 or the property is a total loss with a fair market value above $500.

FAA reporting is not always the only federal reporting obligation. NTSB rules may require immediate notification for an aircraft accident or listed serious incident. Build both FAA and NTSB checks into the company incident procedure instead of assuming one report covers every agency.

Commercial Preflight Compliance Checklist

A current certificated remote PIC has been designated.
The remote pilot certificate and identification are readily accessible.
The aircraft weighs less than 55 pounds at takeoff in the planned configuration.
The correct aircraft is registered under Part 107, and the external marking is legible.
The paper or digital registration certificate is available to the operator.
Remote ID is functional, and the registered serial number matches the aircraft or module.
Airspace, UAS Facility Map values, TFRs, NOTAMs, and special restrictions have been checked.
Any required LAANC or FAADroneZone authorization is active for the exact time, place, and altitude.
VLOS, weather, cloud clearance, lighting, people, vehicles, and emergency landing areas have been evaluated.
The aircraft, payload, batteries, controls, command link, and fail-safe settings have passed the preflight check.
The client has provided lawful property access, and any state or local requirements have been addressed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Part 107 required when the company does not charge for the flight?

It can be. The purpose of the flight controls whether the limited recreational exception applies. An internal inspection, marketing shoot, training flight for a business program, or data collection supporting paid work is non-recreational even when the customer does not receive a separate drone-flight invoice.

Can an employee fly under a manager’s Part 107 certificate?

Only when the certificated remote PIC directly supervises the flight and can immediately take control. A certificate is issued to an individual, not to the company, and it does not cover unsupervised employees.

Does a Part 107 certificate authorize flight anywhere below 400 feet?

No. Controlled airspace may require authorization, and TFRs, prohibited or restricted areas, local restrictions, property rights, people, vehicles, and operating limitations can still prevent the operation.

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.