Federal Drone Regulations
FAA Part 107, Remote ID, airspace rules, and everything else you need to know about flying drones legally in the United States.
14 CFR Part 107 — Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Part 107 establishes rules for civil small UAS operations. Current framework includes remote pilot certification, visual line of sight operations, airspace restrictions, and four categories of operations over human beings. Recent amendments (2021) added Category 4 operations and clarified nighttime/over-people rules.
Remote Pilot Certification
§ 107.61-107.73: Requires Remote Pilot Certificate with Small UAS Rating. Aeronautical knowledge recency required every 24 calendar months (amended by Amdt. 107-8, January 2021). Knowledge tests cover areas specified in § 107.73.
Operations Over Human Beings
§ 107.100-107.150: Four-category risk-based framework (Category 1-4). Category 1 allows limited operations near people. Categories 2-3 require special airworthiness certification. Category 4 allows operations over unprotected people with specific aircraft and remote pilot requirements. Category labeling required for Category 2/3 aircraft.
Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)
§ 107.31: Remote pilot must maintain VLOS of aircraft at all times during operation. Visual observer may assist but cannot relieve pilot of VLOS duty.
Nighttime Operations
§ 107.29: Night operations prohibited unless remote pilot holds additional authorization. Must comply with lighting requirements if authorized.
Airspace Restrictions
§ 107.41-107.45: No operations in Class B/C/D airspace without ATC authorization. Operations in Class E must comply with ATC clearance. Prohibited/restricted areas require permission from controlling agency.
Safety Event Reporting
§ 107.9: Remote pilot must report any operation meeting reporting criteria within 10 calendar days (amended by Amdt. 107-10, December 2022).
Operations Over Moving Vehicles
§ 107.145: Specific conditions must be met to operate over human beings in moving vehicles, including notice to affected persons.
14 CFR Part 89 — Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft
Mandatory remote identification requirement for all civil unmanned aircraft operations in U.S. airspace since September 16, 2023. Establishes technical standards for remote ID broadcast and FAA-recognized identification areas.
Remote ID Requirement
§ 89.105: After September 16, 2023, no person may operate unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace unless operation meets § 89.110 (standard remote ID) or § 89.115 (alternative remote ID) requirements. Compliance is now mandatory and enforcement has transitioned from advisory to enforcement phase.
Standard Remote ID Aircraft
§ 89.110: Aircraft must be standard remote ID unmanned aircraft manufactured after September 16, 2022. Minimum message elements (§ 89.305) include aircraft identity, location, altitude, velocity, and timestamp. Performance requirements (§ 89.310) specify broadcast range, frequency, and accuracy.
Alternative Remote ID (Broadcast Module)
§ 89.115: Non-standard aircraft may comply using remote ID broadcast module (§ 89.115(a)) or FAA-recognized identification area operations (§ 89.115(b)). Broadcast modules must meet § 89.320 performance requirements.
Production Requirements
§ 89.510-89.520: All standard remote ID aircraft and broadcast modules produced after April 21, 2021 must comply with technical standards. Serial numbers required per ANSI/CTA-2063-A. Declaration of compliance mechanism for manufacturers.
FAA-Recognized Identification Areas
§ 89.201-89.230: Special airspace where operations without remote ID may be authorized. Organizations may apply for establishment of such areas. Duration limited to 2 years with renewal option.
14 CFR Part 48 — Registration of Small Unmanned Aircraft
Establishes registration requirements for small unmanned aircraft. Civil aircraft under 55 pounds must be registered unless exclusively for limited recreational operations under Part 101.
Registration Requirement
§ 48.15: No person may operate eligible small unmanned aircraft unless registered or meets exemption criteria. Registration required for all civil small UAS except those operated exclusively for limited recreational purposes.
Eligibility
§ 48.20: Aircraft must not be registered under foreign laws and must be U.S. citizen owned (individual, corporation, partnership, or government entity per § 48.25).
Certificate of Aircraft Registration
§ 48.100-48.115: Separate certificates for non-recreational operations (§ 48.100) and recreational operations (§ 48.105). One certificate covers all aircraft for same category owned by individual.
Information Maintenance
§ 48.115: Operator must maintain current registration information and notify FAA of changes.
Important Notice
Federal regulations are the baseline. Many states and municipalities impose additional requirements. Always check your specific state's drone laws before flying.