Where Commercial Drone Pilots Can Fly Under Part 107

Quick answer: under Part 107, you can fly up to 400 ft AGL (higher near a structure, capped at 400 ft above it), within visual line of sight, in Class G airspace without authorization. Class B/C/D and controlled Class E need a LAANC authorization first, usually granted in seconds through an FAA-approved app. National parks, active TFRs, and the DC Flight Restricted Zone are off-limits regardless of altitude or authorization.

Figures sourced from faa.gov and the eCFR (14 CFR Part 107, Part 89) as of 2026. Airspace and TFR status changes; check a live LAANC/airspace-awareness app (Aloft, AutoPylot, and others) before every flight, not this page.

The rules that define your ceiling

• 400 ft AGL maximum in standard operation, or up to 400 ft above a structure when flying within 400 ft of it.
• Visual line of sight at all times, plus a 3-statute-mile minimum visibility from the control station.
• Class G airspace needs no authorization. Class B, C, D, and surface Class E need LAANC authorization before you fly.
• Remote ID is required nationwide: a Standard Remote ID drone, a broadcast module, or flying only inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area.

Getting authorization in controlled airspace

LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is how most controlled-airspace requests get approved, usually in seconds to minutes. It runs through FAA-approved apps such as Aloft, AutoPylot, and Airspace Link, checking your request against UAS Facility Maps, TFRs, and NOTAMs automatically. If your request is above the pre-approved altitude for that grid cell, it routes to FAA DroneZone for manual review, which can take days to weeks; plan complex jobs ahead.

Night flight and flying over people

Night operations are allowed without a waiver since the 2021 rule change, as long as you've completed the required training and your aircraft carries anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles. Flying over people is more restrictive: the FAA's four over-people categories are defined by weight and kinetic energy on impact, and very few off-the-shelf drones above 250 g are certified for anything beyond Category 1. In practice, routine over-people work is almost always done with sub-250 g aircraft.

Where you can't fly, no matter what

Some restrictions don't lift with an authorization:

• National parks: launching, landing, or operating a drone anywhere in the National Park System is banned FAA-wide.
• Washington DC: the Flight Restricted Zone inside the 15-mile ring around DCA prohibits drone flight without specific authorization.
• Stadium TFRs: a standing 3 NM restriction around MLB, NFL, NCAA Division I football, and major NASCAR events.
• Wildfire TFRs and security-sensitive federal/military airspace.

Staying current

The Remote Pilot Certificate itself doesn't expire, but you need free recurrent online training every 24 calendar months to keep operating under Part 107. Before any flight near controlled airspace or a TFR, check a live airspace-awareness app rather than relying on memory; the maps and restrictions change.

Once you're certified and flying commercially, the part that isn't in any FAA rule is getting your client a live view of the job: Hover for certified drone operators puts your feed on a private link, no infrastructure to run yourself.