Lesson
M6 Regulations II (over people, night, moving vehicles, waivers, LAANC, accidents)
2:15-3:00 (45 min)
Over people: the default
- Without meeting a category, no flight over people not directly participating, unless under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle
- Four categories open it up, based on injury risk
Categories 1 and 2
- Cat 1: 0.55 lb or less including everything attached, no exposed rotating parts that would lacerate skin
- Cat 2: manufacturer declares compliance; injury below 11 ft-lb of kinetic energy transfer; no exposed lacerating parts; no safety defects
Categories 3 and 4
- Cat 3: below 25 ft-lb; never over open-air assemblies; only over people in a closed or restricted-access site who were notified, or no sustained flight over people
- Cat 4: aircraft has an airworthiness certificate under Part 21
Open-air assemblies
- Sustained flight over them allowed for Cat 1, 2, and 4 only with Remote ID compliance (Part 89)
- Cat 3: never
Night
- Allowed without a waiver since April 2021
- Pilot must have current knowledge (test or recurrent training taken after the rule change)
- Anti-collision light visible 3 SM, flash rate sufficient to avoid collision
- Same light rule during civil twilight (30 min before sunrise, 30 min after sunset)
Moving vehicles
- Never from a moving aircraft without a waiver (107.25 is waivable)
- From a moving land or water vehicle only over a sparsely populated area
- Never carrying another person's property for compensation or hire from a moving vehicle
- Over people in moving vehicles: separate rules by category (107.145)
Authorization vs waiver
- Airspace authorization: permission to fly in controlled airspace (LAANC or DroneZone)
- Waiver: permission to deviate from a waivable rule (107.205)
- Waivable: moving vehicle, night (lighting), VLOS, VO, multiple drones, yielding right of way, over people, airspace, 107.51 limits, moving vehicles over people
Not waivable (memorize the idea)
- Hazmat, careless or reckless, alcohol and drugs, carrying property for hire from a moving vehicle or beyond VLOS
- Apply for waivers through FAADroneZone; FAA aims to decide within 90 days, so apply early
Emergency deviation (107.21)
- In an in-flight emergency, the RPIC may deviate from any rule to the extent necessary
- Written report to the FAA if requested
Accident reporting (107.9, titled "Safety event reporting" on eCFR)
- Within 10 calendar days
- Serious injury, any loss of consciousness, or damage over $500 to property other than the drone (repair or fair market value, whichever is lower)
- File through FAADroneZone (or the nearest Flight Standards District Office)
Part 108
- BVLOS rule, still pending, not on the test
- If asked, one sentence and move on
Drill
Scenario cards (10)
Sort each card into one of four bins:
- Legal as-is
- Legal with airspace authorization (LAANC or DroneZone)
- Needs a waiver (DroneZone, weeks to months)
- Prohibited (no Part 107 waiver can fix it)
Card 1 of 10
Wedding at dusk
During civil twilight, a 1.5 lb drone with no manufacturer Declaration of Compliance hovers over the seated guests for the ceremony shot. It has an anti-collision light visible for 3 SM, and the pilot has current training.
Card 2 of 10
Farmers market
A 0.5 lb drone with fully guarded props and Standard Remote ID crosses over shoppers at an outdoor market on its way to film the vendor tents.
Card 3 of 10
Roof inspection near KARB
A commercial roof inside the Ann Arbor Class D surface area, flown at 150 ft AGL on a weekday afternoon.
Card 4 of 10
Pipeline survey
A 2-mile pipeline corridor flown on an automated route, with the drone well out of sight of the pilot. No visual observers.
Card 5 of 10
Battery delivery
A client asks you to fly a box of spare lithium-ion battery packs across a field to their crew. The shipment counts as hazardous material.
Card 6 of 10
Night solar inspection
A thermal inspection of a solar farm at 2 a.m. in Class G airspace. The drone has an anti-collision light visible for 3 SM, and the pilot completed the updated training.
Card 7 of 10
High wide shot
For a dramatic shot of open farmland, the client wants you at 600 ft AGL with no structures nearby.
Card 8 of 10
Game day
On a Michigan football Saturday, you film tailgating 2 NM from Michigan Stadium at 300 ft AGL, starting 30 minutes before kickoff.
Card 9 of 10
Highway bridge
A Category 2 drone (with a Declaration of Compliance and Remote ID) holds position over a busy open highway to film traffic for 10 minutes.
Card 10 of 10
Film crew
A 3 lb drone with no Declaration of Compliance flies directly over the film crew running the shoot. All of them were briefed and are directly participating. Nobody else is around.
Check for understanding
-
You want to fly over a crowd at an outdoor concert with a Category 3 drone. Possible?
Reveal answer
No. Category 3 cannot operate over open-air assemblies.
-
Your drone hits a parked car causing $700 of damage. Report? By when?
Reveal answer
Yes, to the FAA within 10 calendar days.
-
Flying from a moving boat over open lake water, delivering nothing. Legal?
Reveal answer
Yes, if the area is sparsely populated and you are not carrying property for hire.