part 107 license advantages?

[Megalodrone]

Hi guys, so I ordered a drone but won't open it for a couple more weeks since my wife is wanting me to wait for my birthday. In the mean time, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the drone (Mavic 2 Pro) and everything else about flying.

I live in a very scenic part of the country with plenty of space to fly around interesting scenery within a short drive. I do not plan on making any money with my drone, but plan on just making it a hobby, and using it to get the family out more. I am 35 and haven't been this excited for a birthday since I was a kid!

If I understand, to use a drone commercially you need to have this license. Again, I'm not planning on using it commercially, but I wonder if it can be a buffer against harassers, just to say you are FAA certified. Plus I could buy one of those cool vests!

My questions is pertaining to an FAA license (is this called a part 107 license?):

1) for a hobbyist, are there any advantages to having one?
2) any disadvantages?

Thanks

 

[brett8883]

Hi guys, so I ordered a drone but won't open it for a couple more weeks since my wife is wanting me to wait for my birthday. In the mean time, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the drone (Mavic 2 Pro) and everything else about flying.

I live in a very scenic part of the country with plenty of space to fly around interesting scenery within a short drive. I do not plan on making any money with my drone, but plan on just making it a hobby, and using it to get the family out more. I am 35 and haven't been this excited for a birthday since I was a kid!

If I understand, to use a drone commercially you need to have this license. Again, I'm not planning on using it commercially, but I wonder if it can be a buffer against harassers, just to say you are FAA certified. Plus I could by one of those cool vests!

My questions is pertaining to an FAA license (is this called a part 107 license?):

1) for a hobbyist, are there any advantages to having one?
2) any disadvantages?

Thanks

In your case it sounds like there are no advantages to getting a 107 cert which is more restrictive. If you are just flying for fun even if you get a 107 you’d be subject to 336 regs anyway.

If you want to do it just for self education or whatever fine but the disadvantage is the cost and time to get one with zero upside.

 

[TR Ganey]

Hi guys, so I ordered a drone but won't open it for a couple more weeks since my wife is wanting me to wait for my birthday. In the mean time, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the drone (Mavic 2 Pro) and everything else about flying.

I live in a very scenic part of the country with plenty of space to fly around interesting scenery within a short drive. I do not plan on making any money with my drone, but plan on just making it a hobby, and using it to get the family out more. I am 35 and haven't been this excited for a birthday since I was a kid!

If I understand, to use a drone commercially you need to have this license. Again, I'm not planning on using it commercially, but I wonder if it can be a buffer against harassers, just to say you are FAA certified. Plus I could by one of those cool vests!

My questions is pertaining to an FAA license (is this called a part 107 license?):

1) for a hobbyist, are there any advantages to having one?
2) any disadvantages?

Thanks

Congrats on your new toy/hobby!

You are on the right track to learn as much as possible as soon as possible about your drone. Watch as many videos as you have time for between now and when you try your first flight. Be sure to read all the horror stories here on the forum of the people who have lost their drone by one means or another. More times than not it is pilot error but not every time. Take it serious and start out slow. You will be amazed at how much fun you can have with it. Keep in mind that as spring time approaches some birds will be very territorial while they are nesting. Be safe and have fun!

 

[Mossiback]

...Again, I'm not planning on using it commercially, but I wonder if it can be a buffer against harassers, just to say you are FAA certified. Plus I could by one of those cool vests!

My questions is pertaining to an FAA license (is this called a part 107 license?):

1) for a hobbyist, are there any advantages to having one?
2) any disadvantages?

Thanks

You can still get a cool vest if you want because after you register with the FAA you will be FAA certified. You will get you a Certificate of Registration card that you can print out, laminate, and flash it to anyone daring to question your validity.

I have been flying almost two years now and have never been approached in a negative manner. My rules for flying when there are people around is to fly high (300 to 400') and do not hover if lower. It seems like a hovering drone is what upsets most so I just keep moving if flying low. People do not know where the camera is or where it is pointing so they just assume a hovering drone is watching and recording them. I don't know what you are flying but if you can get low(er)-noise props then do so.

As to your questions:
1) for a hobbyist, are there any advantages to having one?
• Education gained from studying for and passing the test.
2) any disadvantages?
• Time spent and cost of original and re-certs.

Your first question was "for a hobbyist", but getting your 107 cert would also allow you to:
• be able to legally charge for services, and
• get involved in Search and Rescue (SAR) or do other volunteer work.
Keep in mind that if you do work that requires a 107 then it normally also requires insurance.

 

[AMann]

Not only can you accept money, you cannot get photo contest awards, get YouTube ad money, barter or accept free stuff in exchange for your videos without a 107. But, get it anyways- it will open your eyes to the aviation world and will make you so much more of a safe pilot!

Oh yeah, Happy Birthday!

 

[dawgpilot]

107 can have easier access to airspace since you don't necessarily have to worry about being 5mi from every podunk airport, instead you just are required to stay out of controlled airspace without authorization. Most smaller airfields aren't even in controlled airspace so that is a huge positive if you don't like making phone calls every time you fly.

With a part 107 you also have access to the LAANC electronic authorization system for airspace at many larger airports.

 

[Maviac]

107 can have easier access to airspace since you don't necessarily have to worry about being 5mi from every podunk airport, instead you just are required to stay out of controlled airspace without authorization. Most smaller airfields aren't even in controlled airspace so that is a huge positive if you don't like making phone calls every time you fly.

With a part 107 you also have access to the LAANC electronic authorization system for airspace at many larger airports.

I agree completely. It sounds like he may not have airspace/airport issues but the 107 it makes it a lot easier when traveling to a place with more complex airspace (and for me, means I don't have to drive 40-50 miles to find a place to fly). That's the big advantage even ignoring the commercial aspect.

 

[sar104]

In your case it sounds like there are no advantages to getting a 107 cert which is more restrictive. If you are just flying for fun even if you get a 107 you’d be subject to 336 regs anyway.

If you want to do it just for self education or whatever fine but the disadvantage is the cost and time to get one with zero upside.

Slight correction - if you are Part 107 certified then you can fly recreationally under either 336 or Part 107 rules.

 

[Meta4]

Not only can you accept money, you cannot get photo contest awards, get YouTube ad money, barter or accept free stuff in exchange for your videos without a 107.

Can't enter photo contests?
That's nonsense.

 

[AMann]

Can't enter photo contests?
That's nonsense.

Well, perhaps just entering honorable mention ones...

 

[Meta4]

Well, perhaps just entering honorable mention ones...

No .. there is no restriction on entering photo contests.
To suggest there might be is ridiculous.

In these forums there are always those that want to make hardline, fundamentalist interpretations about what constitutes commercial activity.
And they tend to get rather silly.
Entering a photo in a contest definitely does not make your flying a commercial activity.

 

[AMann]

No .. there is no restriction on entering photo contests.
To suggest there might be is ridiculous.

In these forums there are always those that want to make hardline, fundamentalist interpretations about what constitutes commercial activity.
And they tend to get rather silly.
Entering a photo in a contest definitely does not make your flying a commercial activity.

Its not Ridiculous, most contests use your photograph for advertising purposes, and that could become an issue. Also, I know from personal experience of doing it myself that many photographers take images they wouldn’t normally do in hopes of winning a specific contest with rewards, and it wouldn’t be any different for photos taken with a drone, so it’s definitely a gray area.

Anyways, my main point about getting a 107 wasnt to enter contests, it was for accepting compensation for flying but mostly for safety’s sake. The rest of the examples were probably superfluous.

 

[Meta4]

Its not Ridiculous, most contests use your photograph for advertising purposes, and that could become an issue. Also, I know from personal experience of doing it myself that many photographers take images they wouldn’t normally do in hopes of winning a specific contest with rewards, and it wouldn’t be any different for photos taken with a drone, so it’s definitely a gray area.

Anyways, my main point about getting a 107 wasnt to enter contests, it was for accepting compensation for flying but mostly for safety’s sake. The rest of the examples were probably superfluous.

It was completely ridiculous.
The FAA have no regulations regarding selling photos or submitting them for contests.
They aren't the who-can-sell- photos police and don't care about selling photos, much less entering photos in a contest.

They are an air safety regulator and have regulations about commercial flying.
You can quite legally fly and take all the photos you like without any commercial licence.
If you later enter any in a contest, that does not magically make a past legal recreational photo flight become an illegal commercial flight

It's all about the flying - not about what you might do with a photo at some time in the future or even what the contest organisers might do with one of your entries (in the unlikely event that yours is one of the few out of thousands that they select).

 

[AMann]

It was completely ridiculous.
The FAA have no regulations regarding selling photos or submitting them for contests.
They aren't the who-can-sell- photos police and don't care about selling photos, much less entering photos in a contest.

They are an air safety regulator and have regulations about commercial flying.
You can quite legally fly and take all the photos you like without any commercial licence.
If you later enter any in a contest, that does not magically make a past legal recreational photo flight become an illegal commercial flight

It's all about the flying - not about what you might do with a photo at some time in the future or even what the contest organisers might do with one of your entries (in the unlikely event that yours is one of the few out of thousands that they select).

Well, haven’t won a drone photo contest (yet), but I won some nice Kodak photomicroscopy equipment in a contest after I took photos specifically to try to win it...... I hate liver fluke parasites, but I knew Kodak would like them and I never tried that again! Yuck!!

There’s a difference in what you’re saying about not being able to enter contests and when I said about accepting awards at contest for your photos, isn’t there? All this time I assumed a person just couldn’t except any monetary reward for it.

I do know you can’t fly for donuts!

 

[Meta4]

There’s a difference in what you’re saying about not being able to enter contests and when I said about accepting awards at contest for your photos, isn’t there? All this time I assumed a person just couldn’t except any monetary reward for it.

You could win a $50000 prize in a photo contest and that still doesn't make a past recreational flight somehow change to an illegal commercial flight.

 

[AMann]

You could win a $50000 prize in a photo contest and that still doesn't make a past recreational flight somehow change to an illegal commercial flight.

...and that would be nice, but accepting donuts in exchange for commercial pics can get you in trouble. Go figure!

 

[Megalodrone]

I've been working all day and am just seeing the replies. This is a friendly forum. Thanks everybody!

 

[Megalodrone]

Slight correction - if you are Part 107 certified then you can fly recreationally under either 336 or Part 107 rules.

So there are no more restrictions if I want to just fly for fun being 107 certified as compared to if I weren't? According to the first response above from Brett8883 it sounded like 107 certified pilots were more heavily regulated if flying as a hobbyist.

 

[russellg]

I would get the 107, it only takes a few evenings a week of studying to prepare. Print the FAA study guide and the FAA material, watch Tony Northrup on youtube. Spend some time understanding charts and you should have no problem with the test. You are no more regulated than a hobbyist and you will be safer since you will observe the laws that protect other aircraft and citizens. I will never fly commercially but I am glad I took the time to get my 107.

 

[KAOS Imagery]

For me, the biggest benefit was being able to fly locally where there are many small private airports without having to call each one every time I wanted to fly. And as sar104 mentions, if you are a part 107 pilot, you can still fly under hobbyist rules if you choose to do so. It's all about the intent of the flight before you take off. So in that respect, you get the best of both worlds. There are also rumors that the hobbyist rules will change sometime this year, so they may become more restrictive, who knows...