Part 107 flying for pleasure

[Mark Anderson]

Hi Guys

Bought a spark a while back and registered with FAA so all my drones are covered for leisure. Recently passed my Part 107 and bought P4P. Haven't completed the commercial registration for it yet. I live in north suburbs of Chicago and city ordnance says you can fly for leisure.

Also, from what I understand, if I am within 5 miles of airport as a leisure flyer, I can call ATC, but if I'm commercial, I need authorization, which can take 90 days. Or did i misinterpret this? If not, it seems flying non-commercial is less restrictive in some cases (IF you are not doing commercial work)

Not quite sure what to do as far as registration numbers go. Should I switch registration stickers from commercial to leisure when not doing commercial work?

What do you guys do

Regards

mark

 

[B_Dawson]

Hey Mark,

I have mine registered as commercial. Just because they are registered commercial doesn't mean you can't use them recreationally if that's how you choose to operate on any particular (recreation only) mission. But having them registered this way allows you to operate commercially anytime you need to.

For commercial operations it has more to do with the class of airspace and not just being within 5 miles of an airport. If you are in anything but class G airspace you will need an authorization or airspace waiver. Although the rules say you can fly with "ATC Permission", the way you have to get said permission is through the FAA DroneZone and not contacting them directly.

If you are in class G airspace, even within 5 miles of an airport, you can legally fly without giving notice. Keep in mind you have to stay alert and cognizant of other air traffic and always give way to manned aircraft.

If you are flying in controlled airspace, then you're right, it's usually easier and way more lenient if flying recreationally. You just have to notify ATC. They don't even have to approve the operation. As long as they don't say its unsafe then you're good to go. For commercial airspace authorizations there is currently a 5 month wait.

A few weeks ago I needed to fly under part 107 at an RC airfield that was within class D airspace. I didn't have enough notice to get an authorization so I had to find another location to use. It's crazy that anyone can fly at this RC field, except people who need to fly under part 107, without 5 months notice.

Hope this helps!

 

[MapMaker53]

The insanity is that recreational fliers are more easily allowed to fly in areas where Part 107 commercial fliers who have greater knowledge and awareness of potential dangers are not. What is the FAA thinking!????? Reminds me of when my mom needed in-home care. State Law prohibited the professional in-home care service person from handing my bed-ridden mom any of her pills, but any non-professional caretaker was allowed to do that.

 

[BigAl07]

Hobby Registration - Only Fly 336/Hobby flights
Commercial Registration - Fly any Civil Flights (commercial, SAR, Hobby...)

Hobby Registration - Registering as a hobby operator and the same # goes on any aircraft flown strictly for hobby
Commercial Registration - You are registering the specific aircraft and each one gets a unique registration number regardless of intent of the flight.

 

[Rodger]

The insanity is that recreational fliers are more easily allowed to fly in areas where Part 107 commercial fliers who have greater knowledge and awareness of potential dangers are not. What is the FAA thinking!????? Reminds me of when my mom needed in-home care. State Law prohibited the professional in-home care service person from handing my bed-ridden mom any of her pills, but any non-professional caretaker was allowed to do that.

I know, we are the responsible ones. On my way home today, here is a guy flying a Phantom in the middle of the 2 lane back street with low lying tree limbs over him at about 15'. BRILLIANT!!

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hey Mark,

I have mine registered as commercial. Just because they are registered commercial doesn't mean you can't use them recreationally if that's how you choose to operate on any particular (recreation only) mission. But having them registered this way allows you to operate commercially anytime you need to.

For commercial operations it has more to do with the class of airspace and not just being within 5 miles of an airport. If you are in anything but class G airspace you will need an authorization or airspace waiver. Although the rules say you can fly with "ATC Permission", the way you have to get said permission is through the FAA DroneZone and not contacting them directly.

If you are in class G airspace, even within 5 miles of an airport, you can legally fly without giving notice. Keep in mind you have to stay alert and cognizant of other air traffic and always give way to manned aircraft.

If you are flying in controlled airspace, then you're right, it's usually easier and way more lenient if flying recreationally. You just have to notify ATC. They don't even have to approve the operation. As long as they don't say its unsafe then you're good to go. For commercial airspace authorizations there is currently a 5 month wait.

A few weeks ago I needed to fly under part 107 at an RC airfield that was within class D airspace. I didn't have enough notice to get an authorization so I had to find another location to use. It's crazy that anyone can fly at this RC field, except people who need to fly under part 107, without 5 months notice.

Hope this helps!

thanks for detailed reply. I know they are rolling out LAANCE, but that's only at a handful of airports right now.. I thought this was the place to get electornic authroization

 

[B_Dawson]

thanks for detailed reply. I know they are rolling out LAANCE, but that's only at a handful of airports right now.. I thought this was the place to get electornic authroization

Yeah, LAANC is only available at a limited number of airports right now for the testing phase. Hopefully it will open up nationwide soon.

For now you'll have to go here (FAADroneZone) and request the authorization.

 

[BigAl07]

Yeah, LAANC is only available at a limited number of airports right now for the testing phase. Hopefully it will open up nationwide soon.

For now you'll have to go here (FAADroneZone) and request the authorization.

Unfortunately we are seeing "hints" here and there it's not rolling out as quickly as had been estimated. I got this earlier this week directly from AirMap:

Beginning in April, the LAANC prototype will expand into a national beta. By the end of the year, more than 500 towered airports across the United States will begin offering LAANC authorization.

LAANC Digital Airspace Authorization Makes its Debut for Third Party Developers

 

[MapMaker53]

I'm perfectly fine with a Beta version in the meantime if it covers airports "nation-wide" beginning in April. That would be sweet.