FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
The FAA license required to legally fly a drone for commercial purposes in the United States, earned by passing an aeronautical knowledge test and maintained through a recurrent training requirement every twenty-four months.
Why it matters
Flying a drone for a business purpose, including construction site mapping, is federally regulated differently from flying one recreationally, and Part 107 is the specific license that makes commercial drone work legal. It covers real aeronautical knowledge, airspace rules, weather, and operating limitations, not just how to fly the aircraft itself.
On a real project
A construction company hiring a drone operator for site mapping confirms the operator holds a current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate before scheduling any commercial flight over the jobsite.
Who this matters most to
A Drone/UAV Specialist has to hold a current Part 107 certificate to legally perform commercial drone work, and has to complete recurrent training every twenty-four months to keep it valid.
Where this goes wrong
A company has an employee without a Part 107 certificate fly a drone over a jobsite for a progress photo, treating it as a casual task rather than a regulated commercial flight. The flight is a real FAA violation regardless of how harmless the intent was.