Fly business drones under Part 107 with a certificated pilot, registered aircraft and Remote ID

A drone used for site surveys, roof checks or camera-placement planning is a business operation under FAA Part 107: it needs a pilot with a Remote Pilot Certificate, an individually registered and marked aircraft, and Remote ID broadcast for every flight.

Source facts

The FAA’s Part 107 guidance says a small drone under 55 pounds can be flown for work or business by following Part 107, in three steps: learn the rules, pass the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test for a Remote Pilot Certificate, and register the drone. Registration costs $5, is valid for 3 years, and the drone should be marked with its registration number.

Under the Operations Over People rule, effective April 21, 2021, Part 107 pilots may fly at night and over people and moving vehicles without a waiver if they meet its requirements, but airspace authorizations are still required for night operations in controlled airspace under 400 feet. Rules such as visual line of sight and operation over human beings are among those subject to waiver.

The FAA’s Remote ID page says drones that must be registered must comply with Remote ID, using a Standard Remote ID drone, a broadcast module, or an FAA-Recognized Identification Area. Pilots using a broadcast module must be able to see the drone at all times, and Part 107 pilots must register each device separately with its own registration number.

Applicability

Use this for any drone flown for a business purpose, even occasionally. Recreational rules differ; state and local rules on privacy, trespass and property access still apply to where and what a drone records.

DSE recommendation

DSE recommends keeping a drone fleet and pilot register so every work flight uses a certificated pilot and a registered, Remote ID-compliant aircraft. Record each aircraft’s registration number and expiry, Remote ID type and serial, and each pilot’s certificate, and check airspace authorization needs before scheduling a job. Agree with the property owner what may be recorded, and store survey imagery under the same retention and access rules as other site security documents.

Verification

Before each job, confirm the assigned pilot holds a current Remote Pilot Certificate, the aircraft’s registration is valid and marked, and its Remote ID broadcasts. Audit the register twice a year against the FAADroneZone inventory and remove aircraft that are no longer in service.

Official references

FAA — Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators (Part 107). FAA — Remote Identification of Drones. Reviewed October 18, 2026.