FAA Part 107 cheat sheet

Part 107 applies to small unmanned aircraft weighing at least 0.55 lb (250 g) and not more than 55 lb at takeoff, including payload and attached equipment.

Maximum groundspeed is 100 mph (87 knots); maximum altitude is 400 ft AGL, or 400 ft above a structure's uppermost limit when operating within 400 ft of that structure.

Minimum flight visibility is 3 statute miles; cloud clearance is 500 ft below clouds and 2,000 ft horizontally from clouds.

Operations in Class B, C, D, and Class E surface areas require ATC authorization obtained through LAANC or the FAA DroneZone.

The remote PIC must yield right of way to all manned aircraft and may not operate an sUAS carelessly or recklessly.

Operations over people require compliance with Category 1, 2, 3, or 4; sustained flight over moving vehicles requires a waiver or category compliance.

No operation from a moving vehicle unless over a sparsely populated area; no operation while impaired by alcohol (0.04% BAC) or drugs.

Accidents causing serious injury, loss of consciousness, or property damage over $500 must be reported to the FAA within 10 calendar days.

A remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating requires a knowledge test and recurrent training every 24 calendar months.

Class A airspace (18,000 ft MSL to FL600) is IFR-only and off-limits to Part 107 operations.

Sectional chart depiction: Class B is solid blue lines, Class C is solid magenta, Class D is dashed blue, and Class E surface area is dashed magenta.

Class G is uncontrolled airspace; no ATC authorization is needed, but the 400 ft AGL limit and visibility/cloud rules still apply.

LAANC provides near-real-time authorization in grid areas up to published altitudes; requests outside LAANC coverage go through DroneZone.

Prohibited areas (P-) forbid all flight; restricted areas (R-) forbid flight when active; MOAs and warning areas require heightened caution.

TFRs are issued by NOTAM and can close airspace for wildfires, VIP movement, or security events.

A Class E surface area extends from the surface up to the base of the overlying Class E airspace, often 700 or 1,200 ft AGL.

Authorization for controlled airspace is location-specific and does not constitute a blanket clearance to enter other controlled airspace.

Density altitude rises with high temperature, high elevation, low pressure, and high humidity; aircraft performance falls as density altitude rises.

METAR is an observed surface weather report, usually issued hourly; TAF is an airport forecast typically valid 24 to 30 hours.

Part 107 weather minimums are 3 statute miles visibility, 500 ft below clouds, and 2,000 ft horizontal from clouds.

Headwinds increase ground distance flown on upwind legs and reduce it downwind; plan battery reserve for wind instead of relying on tailwinds.

Thunderstorms produce turbulence, wind shear, microbursts, hail, and lightning; avoid them by a wide margin.

Stable air generally produces smooth flight; unstable air produces turbulence and gusty surface winds.

Cold temperatures reduce lithium-polymer battery capacity; high temperatures can cause overheating and voltage sag.

Small UAS are not approved for icing; visible moisture near freezing temperatures is a no-go condition.

Maximum takeoff weight is 55 lb, including payload, battery, and all attached equipment.

High density altitude reduces hover thrust margin, climb rate, and endurance; compute performance before high-and-hot operations.

Added payload decreases endurance, climb performance, and maneuverability; verify the center of gravity stays within manufacturer limits.

Load factor increases with bank angle, and stall speed increases with the square root of load factor.

Lithium-polymer voltage sag under load reduces available power; maintain a reserve above the minimum cell voltage.

An aft center of gravity reduces stability, while a forward center of gravity reduces performance; keep CG within limits.

Use the manufacturer's published performance data and never exceed published operating limits.

Lost link: the aircraft executes a preprogrammed response such as hover, land, or return to home; confirm this setting before flight.

Flyaway: notify ATC and local law enforcement, provide location and altitude, and broadcast warnings if able.

Battery fire: land immediately, move to a safe area, and use a Class D extinguisher or sand on lithium-polymer cells.

Loss of GPS: revert to manual or attitude mode, maintain visual line of sight, and land as soon as practical.

Emergency authority allows deviation from Part 107 only to the extent necessary, with a report to the FAA if requested.

In-flight fire or structural failure: land immediately and do not continue the mission.

Loss of visual contact: do not proceed blindly; use a visual observer or execute a return-to-home.

The remote PIC is directly responsible for the operation and is the final authority on its conduct.

Visual observers extend line-of-sight coverage and scan for traffic, but the remote PIC remains responsible for the operation.

Conduct a crew briefing covering roles, communications, lost-link behavior, emergency actions, and airspace boundaries.

Use standard callouts and confirmations; keep transmissions brief and unambiguous.

Sterile cockpit discipline: avoid non-essential conversation during takeoff, landing, and other critical phases.

Manage workload by automating routine tasks while still monitoring automation; do not let an observer distract the PIC.

Establish in advance who takes control if the remote PIC becomes incapacitated.

Use CTAF or Unicom at non-towered airports to announce position and intentions; common frequencies include 122.7, 122.8, 122.9, and 123.0.

Monitor the airport frequency before and during operations near an airport.

ATC authorization for controlled airspace is separate from radio communication; a radio is not required for Part 107 flight.

Phraseology states facility, aircraft type, location, and intentions, for example: 'Podunk traffic, drone, three miles south, landing.'

Read back ATC clearances and instructions, including altitudes and hold instructions.

The emergency frequency is 121.5 MHz; guard it for distress calls.

Use the ICAO phonetic alphabet (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie) for clear letter-by-letter transmission.

No operation within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or while blood alcohol content is 0.04% or higher.

No operation while using any drug that affects faculties in a way contrary to safety, including many over-the-counter medications.

Report alcohol- or drug-related driving convictions or administrative actions to the FAA within 60 days.

IMSAFE (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion) is evaluated before every flight.

14 CFR 91.17 applies to airmen, and Part 107 remote pilots must not operate while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Fatigue degrades reaction time and judgment similarly to alcohol; do not fly when exhausted.

When in doubt, do not fly; the remote PIC has final authority to cancel the operation.

IMSAFE and PAVE are preflight self-assessment and risk-assessment frameworks.

DECIDE: Detect a change, Estimate its effect, Choose an outcome, Identify actions, Do the action, and Evaluate the result.

Hazardous attitudes include anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, and resignation; each has a specific antidote.

Use a risk matrix to score likelihood and severity, and mitigate high-risk items before launch.

Maintain situational awareness by continuously monitoring the aircraft, airspace, weather, and crew.

Automation is not a substitute for judgment; monitor the aircraft and be ready to take manual control.

Plan contingencies in advance: alternate landing sites, lost-link behavior, and weather change triggers.

The segmented circle indicates traffic pattern direction; the standard traffic pattern is left-hand.

Airport beacon: white and green indicates a lighted land airport, yellow and white a lighted seaplane base, and green a non-lighted land airport.

Runway markings: white threshold bars, yellow centerline, and yellow hold-short lines consisting of two solid and two dashed lines.

Taxiway signs: blue with white letters for taxiways, red with white letters for hold-short instructions, black with yellow letters for location.

Announce on CTAF at 10, 5, and 3 miles out and on downwind, base, and final.

Avoid runway approach and departure paths; LAANC covers most controlled airport airspace.

Wind indicators such as the windsock, tetrahedron, and wind tee show wind direction.

Preflight: registration and markings, battery charge, propellers, airframe, firmware, compass calibration, and control response checks.

The remote PIC determines the sUAS is in a condition for safe operation before each flight.

Inspect propellers for cracks, nicks, and imbalance, and replace any damaged propeller.

Store lithium-polymer batteries at storage voltage, about 3.8 V per cell, and avoid storing them fully charged.

Check firmware and software updates before flight, and recalibrate the compass after travel or work near metal.

Log maintenance and anomalies, and follow the manufacturer's inspection intervals.

No FAA airworthiness certificate is required, but all manufacturer safety directives apply.

Night operations require anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles.

Night is the period from the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight, roughly 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise.

No waiver is required for night operations under Part 107 following the 2021 rule, but lighting and crew readiness are required.

Dark adaptation takes about 30 minutes; use red lighting to preserve night vision.

Night illusions include autokinesis and the black-hole effect; rely on instruments and known visual references.

Check NOTAMs, airport lighting, and obstacle data before a night flight.

Night operations carry higher risk; use a visual observer when possible.