On Monday August 29, the new Part 107 FAA Rules took effect. The new rules are more simplistic and permissive than the previous requirements for flying a drone commercially, and the new rules should make drone use in the construction industry a bit easier.
Under the new rules, there are four major requirements:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Register the drone online
- Pass an aviation knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center
- Pass Transportation Security Administration review
Restrictions still apply, and without a waiver from certain provisions in the new Part 107 rule, drone operators cannot:
- Fly after dusk or before dawn
- Fly faster than 100 mph
- Fly over people not directly participating in the drone's operation
- Fly above 400 feet
- Fly outside the pilot's visual line of sight
- Fly in controlled airspace
The FAA Part 107 rules provide a less restrictive path for using drones on construction sites, but there are still several considerations for construction industry drone use including use notices, ownership of electronic data and drone insurance, among others.
