What is Part 107, anyway?

“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.”

That’s the official definition of Part 107 from the FAA’s website.  Let’s talk a little about why it actually matters beyond being able to fly a drone for commercial purposes.

Achieving your Part 107 Certification

Achieving your Part 107 Pilot certification means you are licensed to fly under Part 107 rules. Realistically, flying the drone isn’t necessarily difficult, it’s understanding the airspace and the rules of engagement that is challenging.  If you were to go to Best Buy and get a drone, you’d most likely come home (excited!), open the box, drop the batteries in and take off.  But did you know that in doing so, you could be breaking a slew of FAA rules and regulations?  You might live in controlled airspace and not even realize it.

Do you know where you live from the FAA Perspective?

A great example of this is in Delaware County, which sits largely in Class B airspace due to the Philadelphia airport.  While much of the traffic flies at 3000 feet or higher, that’s not always the case depending on where you are.  If you live in Upper Darby or Lansdowne, the airspace is from the surface to 7000 feet. However if you live in Haverford or Bryn Mawr, the airspace starts at 1500 feet.  From Upper Darby to Bryn Mawr is an entirely different traffic pattern in terms of how high planes will be flying.  It’s not something you can “guess.”  You have to know where the information is and how to interpret it.

Military Operating Areas

You may also live near Military Operating Areas (MOAs), Restricted Zones, National Parks, or any number of other “no fly” or “permission-only” zones.  Flying your drone in restricted areas is not only illegal, it’s dangerous to those on the ground and other traffic in the sky.

The Benefits of hiring a Part 107 Pilot

As Part 107 Certified Pilots, one of our jobs is to make sure your “mission” and vision are in alignment with FAA guidelines.  While we’re ultimately accountable for making the decision about where and how to fly, it’s important I work with the client to best service their needs while remaining compliant.  I can tell you that it would have been impossible to pass the Part 107 Certified Pilot test without the considerable amount of time and energy spent studying the material.

Conclusion

To a degree, Part 107 Pilot Certification is more restrictive, because you are now aware of what you can and can’t do.  There are a lot of rules, but the rules are there to protect the pilot, the client, those on the ground, and others who share the airspace.   Hiring a Part 107 Certified Pilot not only allows the pilot to fly commercial missions, but also gives the client the confidence that the pilot is aware of the FAA rules and regulations while providing services.

In the end, if you partner with Skysavvy Drone, we’ll know where we’re flying and so will you.