Task A. General

UA.I.A.K1 Applicability of 14 CFR part 107 to small unmanned aircraft operations (AC 107-2A 4.1)

This chapter provides guidance regarding the applicability of part 107 to civil small unmanned aircraft operations conducted within the National Airspace System (NAS). However, part 107 does not apply to the following:

1. Limited recreational operations of UAS that occur in accordance with Title 49 of the United States Code (49 U.S.C.) § 448091;
2. Operations conducted outside the United States;
3. Amateur rockets;
4. Moored balloons;
5. Unmanned free balloons;
6. Kites;
7. Public aircraft operations; and
8. Air carrier operations.

UA.I.A.K2 Definitions used in 14 CFR part 107 (AC 107-2A 4.2)

Applicant. A person who submits a declaration of compliance (DOC) to the FAA for review and acceptance. An applicant may be anyone who designs, produces, or modifies a small unmanned aircraft.

Control Station (CS). An interface used by the remote pilot or the person manipulating the controls to control the flightpath of the small unmanned aircraft.

Corrective Lenses. Spectacles or contact lenses.

Declaration of Compliance (DOC). A record submitted to the FAA that certifies the small unmanned aircraft conforms to the Category 2 or Category 3 requirements under part 107 subpart D, as described in Chapter 8, Small Unmanned Aircraft Over People.

Means of Compliance (MOC). The method an applicant uses to show its small UAS would not exceed the applicable injury severity limit upon impact with a human being, does not contain any exposed rotating parts that would cause lacerations, and does not have any safety defects.

Person Manipulating the Controls. A person other than the remote pilot in command (PIC) who is controlling the flight of a small unmanned aircraft under the supervision of the remote PIC.

Remote Pilot in Command (Remote PIC or Remote Pilot). A person who holds a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating and has the final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of a small unmanned aircraft operation conducted under part 107.

Small Unmanned Aircraft. A small unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached to the aircraft, and can be flown without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

Small Unmanned Aircraft System (small UAS). A small unmanned aircraft and its associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the small unmanned aircraft) that are required for the safe and efficient operation of the small unmanned aircraft in the NAS.

Unmanned Aircraft. An aircraft operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft (part 1, § 1.1).

Visual Observer (VO). A person the remote PIC designates as a crewmember who assists the small unmanned aircraft remote PIC and the person manipulating the controls to see and avoid other air traffic or objects aloft or on the ground (part 107, § 107.3).

Voluntary Consensus Standards Body. Voluntary consensus standards bodies are domestic or international organizations that plan, develop, establish, or coordinate voluntary standards using agreed-upon procedures. A voluntary consensus standards body observes principles such as openness, balance of interest, and due process. These bodies may include nonprofit organizations, industry associations, accredited standards developers, professional and technical societies, committees, task forces, or working groups.  

UA.I.A.K3 The ramifications of falsification, reproduction, or alteration of a certificate, rating, authorization, record, or report (14 CFR §107.5)

(a) No person may make or cause to be made—

UA.I.A.K4 Accident reporting (AC 107-2A 4.4) 

The remote PIC of the small unmanned aircraft is required to report an accident to the FAA within 10 days if it meets any of the following thresholds:

1. At least serious injury to any person or any loss of consciousness. A serious injury is an injury that qualifies as Level 3 or higher on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). The AIS is an anatomical scoring system that provides a means of ranking the severity of an injury and is widely used by emergency medical personnel. The FAA currently uses serious injury (AIS Level 3) as an injury threshold in other FAA regulations.

AIS 3 Example: A person requires hospitalization, but the injury can fully heal (including, but not limited to, head trauma, broken bone(s), or laceration(s) to the skin that requires suturing).

2. Damage to any property, other than the small unmanned aircraft, if the cost is greater than $500 to repair or replace the property (whichever is lower).

Example: A small unmanned aircraft damages a property with a fair market value of $200, and it would cost $600 to repair the damage. Because the fair market value is below $500, this accident is not required to be reported. Similarly, if the aircraft causes $200 worth of damage to property with a fair market value of $600, that accident is also not required to be reported because the repair cost is below $500 (§ 107.9).

Submitting the Report (AC 107-2A 4.4.1)

The accident report must be made within 10 calendar-days of the operation that created the injury or damage. The report may be submitted to the appropriate FAA Regional Operations Center (ROC) electronically or by telephone. Electronic reporting can be completed at https://www.faa.gov/uas/. To make a report by phone, see Figure 4-1, FAA Regional Operations Centers Telephone List. Reports may also be made to the responsible Flight Standards office (refer to https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/). The report should include the following information:

1. Small UAS remote PIC’s name and contact information;

2. Small UAS remote PIC’s FAA airman certificate number;

3. Small UAS registration number issued to the aircraft (FAA registration number);

4. Location of the accident;

5. Date of the accident;

6. Local time of the accident;

7. Whether any serious injury or fatality occurred;

8. Property damaged and extent of damage, if any or known; and

9. Description of what happened.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Reporting (AC 107-2A 4.4.2)

In addition to the report submitted to the ROC, and in accordance with the criteria established by the NTSB, certain small unmanned aircraft accidents must also be reported to the NTSB. NTSB’s regulations, codified at 49 CFR part 830, require immediate notification when an aircraft accident occurs. NTSB regulations define an “unmanned aircraft accident” as an occurrence associated with the operation of any public or civil UAS that takes place between the time that the system is activated with the purpose of flight and the time that the system is deactivated at the conclusion of its mission, in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or the aircraft has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 300 pounds or greater and sustains substantial damage. NTSB regulations contain specific definitions for “serious injury” and “substantial damage” (49 CFR part 830, § 830.2). For more information, visit https://www.ntsb.gov.

UA.I.A.K5  Inspection, testing, and demonstration of compliance (14 CFR §107.7)

UA.I.A.K6 Multiple category sUAS (14CFR §107.35)

A person may not manipulate flight controls or act as a remote pilot in command or visual observer in the operation of more than one unmanned aircraft at the same time.

UA.I.A.K7 Record retention (14CFR §107.165)

UA.I.A.K8 Previously manufactured sUAS (AC 107-2A )

5.17.1 After September 16, 2023, most small unmanned aircraft that are registered or required to be registered must comply with remote identification requirements. The serial number of a standard remote identification unmanned aircraft, or of the remote identification broadcast module, if one is installed on the unmanned aircraft, must be listed on the Certificate of Aircraft Registration. The serial number may only be listed on one Certificate of Aircraft Registration at a time. The remote identification broadcast module may be moved from one unmanned aircraft operated under part 107 to another, but the serial number must also be moved from the first aircraft’s Certificate of Aircraft Registration to the second aircraft’s certificate prior to operation. Small unmanned aircraft that are not required to be registered under part 48, such as those where the unmanned aircraft weighs 0.55 pounds or less, must comply with remote identification requirements when operated under any operating part for which registration is required. Remote identification provides data regarding the location and identification of small unmanned aircraft operating in the NAS. It also provides airspace awareness to the FAA, national security agencies, and law enforcement entities, which can be used to distinguish compliant airspace users from those potentially posing a safety or security risk. A list of unmanned aircraft by make and model that are compliant with remote identification will be found at https://www.faa.gov/uas, when developed.

5.17.3 Small unmanned aircraft without remote identification. Small unmanned aircraft that are not standard remote identification unmanned aircraft may operate in one of two ways: the small unmanned aircraft may be equipped with a remote identification broadcast module, or the small unmanned aircraft may be operated within an FAA-recognized identification area (FRIA) (§ 89.115).

5.17.3.1 Unmanned aircraft equipped with remote identification modules may be integrated by the manufacturer (e.g., if a manufacturer upgraded or retrofit the aircraft) or a standalone broadcast module installed by the user secured to the unmanned aircraft prior to takeoff. The remote identification broadcast module broadcasts certain message elements directly from the unmanned aircraft over RF spectrum. These message elements include: the Unmanned Aircraft Identification, the unmanned aircraft’s serial number; latitude, longitude, and geometric altitude of the unmanned aircraft; latitude, longitude, and geometric altitude of the takeoff location; the velocity of the unmanned aircraft (including horizontal and vertical speed and direction); and a time mark. Small unmanned aircraft using a remote identification broadcast module must be operated within VLOS (§ 89.115(a)).

5.17.3.2 A person operating a small unmanned aircraft that is not a standard remote identification unmanned aircraft may also operate within VLOS within a FRIA, regardless of the type of operation conducted (e.g., part 91, 107, or other). You will be able to access a list of FRIAs at https://www.faa.gov/uas when available (§ 89.115).