FAA Part 107 Explained: The Basics for U.S. Drone Pilots

Part 107 is the FAA regulation that governs most non-recreational small unmanned aircraft (drone) operations in the United States.

Key takeaways

Part 107 applies to civil drone flights that are not purely recreational. The FAA's own advice for borderline cases is "when in doubt, assume Part 107".
To fly under it you need a Remote Pilot Certificate (minimum age 16), a registered aircraft under 55 lb, and compliance with the operating limits: 400 ft, 3 statute miles of visibility, visual line of sight, and daylight, twilight with lighting, or night with lighting and training.
Controlled airspace near airports needs prior ATC authorization, usually requested through LAANC.
Night flight and flight over people no longer need a waiver for routine cases, but both come with conditions.
Rules not covered here can sometimes be waived. See the separate guide on how to get a Part 107 waiver.

Who needs it

If you fly a drone for anything beyond purely personal enjoyment — for a business, as part of a job, for a client, or to sell photos or footage — Part 107 generally applies. Recreational flyers have a separate, simpler set of rules (still requiring The Recreational UAS Safety Test, TRUST), but the moment flying has any commercial purpose, Part 107 is the relevant framework.

The FAA is explicit that payment is not the test. Its recreational-flyer guidance says that compensation, or the lack of it, does not decide whether a flight was recreational, and it gives examples such as photographing a property, inspecting a roof, or photographing a school event as Part 107 activities. Its advice: when in doubt, assume Part 107.

Becoming a remote pilot

According to the FAA, applicants must be at least 16 years old, able to read, speak, write and understand English, and in a physical and mental condition to fly safely. The process runs through the FAA's online systems:

Get an FAA Tracking Number through IACRA and book an appointment at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center.
Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test, "Unmanned Aircraft General – Small" (UAG). Topics include regulations, airspace, weather, emergency procedures and night operations.
Complete the certificate application (FAA Form 8710-13) in IACRA.
After TSA security vetting you receive a temporary certificate; the permanent certificate follows by mail.

To keep the certificate current, the FAA says you must complete online recurrent training every 24 calendar months (the Part 107 small UAS recurrent course is offered at no cost). The certificate must be easily accessible during all operations.

Core requirements at a glance

Hold a Remote Pilot Certificate, earned by passing the FAA's Part 107 knowledge test. Flying under the direct supervision of a certificate holder is the other permitted path.
Fly a drone under 55 lb (25 kg) registered with the FAA. The FAA's summary counts the 55 lb as the total including the drone, its systems and any cargo.
Keep the drone within visual line of sight (VLOS) at all times, without visual aids other than corrective lenses. With first person view (FPV) goggles, a visual observer must keep the drone in unaided sight.
Fly at or below 400 feet above ground level (AGL), or, near a structure, up to 400 feet above that structure's top.
Keep flight visibility at no less than 3 statute miles, measured from the control station.
Stay at least 500 feet below clouds and 2,000 feet horizontally from them.
Keep groundspeed under 87 knots (100 mph).
Avoid other aircraft and never fly over people or moving vehicles without meeting specific additional conditions (see below).

The altitude, visibility, cloud and speed limits are all in 14 CFR 107.51. Because 107.51 is also one of the sections the FAA can waive, any of those four numbers can in principle be changed by a waiver, but only for the specific operation and conditions the FAA approves.

Daylight, twilight and night

The FAA summary gives the permitted hours as 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset, local time, with anti-collision lighting in twilight. Under 14 CFR 107.29, civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and the 30 minutes after sunset, and in it the aircraft needs lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision.

Night flight is allowed without a waiver under 14 CFR 107.29 when two conditions are met: the remote pilot completed the initial knowledge test or recurrent training after April 6, 2021, and the aircraft has that same anti-collision lighting. You may reduce the light's intensity if safety calls for it, but not switch it off.

Flying over people and vehicles

Operations over people follow four categories, in effect since April 21, 2021 according to the FAA. Category 1 covers aircraft of 0.55 lb or less with no exposed rotating parts that could cause lacerations. Category 2 is performance-based eligibility for heavier aircraft. Category 3 has stricter limits, including no operation over open-air assemblies. Category 4 applies to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate and is flown according to the flight manual. For Categories 1, 2 and 4, sustained flight over open-air assemblies also requires Remote ID compliance. Which category a particular drone qualifies for depends on its documentation, so check the manufacturer's information and the FAA page before relying on any of them.

Operation from a moving vehicle (107.25) is limited by the rule itself, and the FAA's summary says it is allowed only over sparsely populated areas without carrying property for compensation. Anything outside those limits needs a waiver.

Controlled airspace needs authorization

Flying in Class B, Class C or Class D airspace, or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport, requires prior authorization from Air Traffic Control under 14 CFR 107.41. Most people get it through LAANC (covered in a separate guide) rather than a lengthy manual application. According to the FAA:

LAANC gives near-real-time authorization at pre-approved altitudes, typically immediately when you apply on the day of the flight, and requests can be filed up to 90 days ahead.
Flights above the pre-approved altitudes but below 400 feet need "further coordination" reviewed by an Air Traffic Manager, to be submitted at least 72 hours before the operation.
The FAADroneZone portal handles requests for all airports, particularly those without LAANC; the FAA notes that processing there has historically taken up to eight weeks.

For how LAANC works in practice, see what LAANC is and why it matters.

Registration, Remote ID and reporting

Registration costs $5 per drone through the FAA's DroneZone, according to the FAA's Part 107 summary. Part 107 pilots register each aircraft individually.
Registered drones must broadcast Remote ID unless flown within an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). Our Remote ID guide covers the details.
Under 14 CFR 107.9, a remote pilot in command must report to the FAA, within 10 calendar days, an operation that caused serious injury or loss of consciousness, or property damage (other than to the aircraft) above $500 in repair cost or fair market value.

Common mistakes

Assuming unpaid or "for fun" content is recreational. A real estate or roof photo can still be a Part 107 flight.
Treating the 400 ft ceiling as flat everywhere. In controlled airspace the authorized altitude can be lower.
Forgetting that civil twilight needs anti-collision lighting, even though it looks like daylight.
Letting recurrent training lapse. The 24-month clock applies to the certificate holder.
Flying FPV without a visual observer.
Filing a waiver for something that no longer needs one (routine night flight or flight over people).
Skipping the airspace check and relying only on a weather dashboard. Weather and wind layers help planning, but they do not tell you whether a flight is authorized.

This is an overview, not legal advice

Part 107 has grown more detailed over time, including waivers for specific operations such as beyond visual line of sight. The 2021 changes mean routine night flight and flight over people are now handled through the rule itself rather than waivers. Always check the FAA's current rule text and any Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for your specific location before flying. For wind, gust and Kp planning around those rules, use the FlyDroneMap dashboard, and for the broader picture see the US regulations page. If you need a rule changed for a specific mission, read how to get a Part 107 waiver.

FAQ

Do I need a Part 107 certificate to sell drone photos occasionally?

Generally yes. The FAA says that compensation or its absence does not decide whether a flight is recreational, and it treats activities like property photography as Part 107 operations. If you are unsure, the FAA's advice is to assume Part 107.

Can I fly a Part 107 drone at night?

Yes, without a waiver, if you completed the knowledge test or recurrent training after April 6, 2021 and the aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. Check the FAA's rule text for the exact wording.

How often must I renew training?

The FAA states that certificate holders must complete online recurrent training every 24 calendar months to maintain aeronautical knowledge recency. The Part 107 small UAS recurrent course is available at no cost.

Do I need permission to fly near an airport?

If the location is in Class B, C or D airspace, or inside the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport, yes. Prior ATC authorization is required, most often via LAANC.