The Commercial Drone Pilot: FAA Part 107
Any time a drone flight supports a business, a client, or any kind of compensation, the FAA treats it as a commercial operation. That means the pilot needs a Remote Pilot Certificate under 14 CFR Part 107 — the credential that opens the door to a fast-growing, highly technical career.
What Is Part 107?
Part 107 is the FAA's Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems rule. It covers drones weighing less than 55 pounds flown for anything other than pure recreation — real estate photos, roof inspections, crop mapping, construction progress, news, and more. If you're flying for work, you're flying under Part 107.
Becoming Certified
- Be at least 16 years old and able to read, speak, write, and understand English
- Be in a physical and mental condition to fly safely
- Pass the FAA Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center
- Apply for your Remote Pilot Certificate through IACRA and complete TSA security vetting
- Complete free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months to stay current
Core Operating Rules
- Keep the drone within visual line of sight (VLOS)
- Fly no higher than 400 ft AGL (or within 400 ft of a structure) and no faster than 100 mph
- Get authorization (LAANC or DroneZone) before flying in controlled airspace — Class B, C, D, or surface-area E
- Register the drone with the FAA and meet Remote ID requirements
- Night flights require anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles
- Report serious injuries or property damage over $500 to the FAA within 10 days
Source: 14 CFR Part 107 and FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A. Many rules can be waived with an approved FAA Part 107 waiver.
How Part 107 Came to Be
Before 2016, flying a drone commercially in the U.S. was slow, expensive, and legally murky. Part 107 changed that almost overnight.
The FAA Draws a Line
An FAA policy statement made clear that flying unmanned aircraft for business required FAA authorization — but there was no simple path to get it. Hobby flying was allowed; commercial flying was effectively grounded.
Congress Steps In
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 directed the FAA to integrate drones into the national airspace. Its Section 333 gave the FAA a stopgap: case-by-case exemptions for commercial drone work.
The Section 333 Era
The first commercial exemptions went to film and TV production companies in 2014. Thousands followed, but each operator had to file a lengthy petition, wait months for approval, and use a pilot holding a manned-aircraft pilot certificate. It worked — but it didn't scale.
The Proposed Rule
The FAA released its proposed small UAS rule and received more than 4,500 public comments from pilots, businesses, and industry groups.
Part 107 Is Finalized
The FAA published the final rule, which took effect August 29, 2016. For the first time, a person could become a commercial drone pilot by passing a knowledge test — no manned pilot license and no individual exemption required. The new Remote Pilot Certificate launched a nationwide industry.
Night, People & Remote ID
New rules allowed routine night operations and flights over people and moving vehicles (by category), introduced Remote ID, and replaced the in-person recurrent test with free online recurrent training.
Remote ID & Beyond Visual Line of Sight
Remote ID compliance took effect in 2023, with full enforcement beginning March 2024. In 2025 the FAA proposed Part 108 to normalize beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations — the next big step for drone delivery, long-range inspection, and large-scale mapping. Check the FAA for its current status.
Industries That Hire Drone Pilots
A Part 107 certificate is the starting point. The real career value comes from pairing it with the right sensor and the right industry knowledge. Here's how the major sectors put drones to work.
Agriculture
Multispectral cameras capture light the human eye can't see, producing NDVI and plant-health maps. Farmers spot stress, disease, irrigation problems, and nutrient gaps early — and spray drones apply treatment only where it's needed.
Construction
Photogrammetry turns overlapping photos into 3D site models. Crews measure stockpile volumes, cut-and-fill quantities, and earthwork progress in minutes, and share weekly progress maps with owners and lenders.
Surveying & Mapping
RTK-equipped drones and ground control points produce survey-grade orthomosaics, contour maps, and digital elevation models — covering hundreds of acres in a fraction of the time of a ground crew.
Utilities & Energy
LiDAR maps power-line corridors and vegetation encroachment, while high-zoom cameras inspect insulators, towers, wind turbines, and solar farms — keeping workers off structures and out of harm's way.
Inspection
Thermal cameras reveal heat signatures that point to roof moisture, failed solar cells, electrical hot spots, and building-envelope leaks. Bridges, cell towers, and chimneys are inspected without lifts or scaffolding.
Public Safety
Fire, EMS, law enforcement, and search-and-rescue teams use thermal and zoom cameras to find missing people, size up fires, map accident scenes, and give incident commanders a live view from above.
Real Estate
Aerial photos, video tours, and property-line overlays show homes, land, and commercial properties in context — neighborhood, acreage, views, and access — helping listings stand out and sell.
Film, Media & Events
From commercials and weddings to live sports and news, drones deliver cinematic shots once possible only with helicopters. FPV drones add fast, immersive fly-through footage.
Forestry & Environment
LiDAR measures tree height and canopy density, while multispectral and thermal sensors track forest health, erosion, wildlife, and storm damage — vital across the Blue Ridge and Western NC.
Insurance
Adjusters document roof, hail, wind, and flood damage quickly and safely, often after major storms, with geotagged imagery that speeds up claims.
Telecommunications
Drones inspect cell towers, capture antenna orientation, and build 3D digital twins for engineering and site planning — replacing risky tower climbs.
Delivery & Logistics
Package, medical supply, and warehouse inventory flights are growing fast. This is the sector most shaped by waivers and upcoming BVLOS rules.
Ready to Earn Your Wings?
NC Drones' Part 107 Exam Prep Course walks you through every topic on the FAA knowledge test — airspace, weather, regulations, loading, and more — with lessons, quizzes, and study guides built by a working commercial pilot.