#Faa drone license manual
#Faa drone license skin

It’s worth mentioning the DJI Mini or Mini 2 UAVs, as they both fall within the weight limits for this category out of the box. UNPACKING THE FLIGHT CATEGORIES Category 1 ConsiderationsĬategory 1 flights over people are clearly meant for micro-drones as the weight requirements eliminate most prosumer and consumer level drones on the market today.

#Faa drone license manual

The rule also states that the UAV be “ operated in accordance with the operating limitations specified in the approved Flight Manual or as otherwise specified by the Administrator”, and are subject to additional maintenance requirements. In order to comply with Category 4 operations, a pilot must maintain an “Airworthiness Certificate” for their aircraft from the FAA under Part 21. The second prohibits sustained flight over people unless those people are directly participating in the operation or have sufficient protection from a structure or non-moving vehicle. The first being that the operation is being conducted in a closed or restricted-access site with all individuals at the location on notice and aware of the UAS operation.

#Faa drone license skin

The aircraft must not have any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact and must display the category of operation on the aircraft with other registration information, same as the first and second categories.Īdditionally, with Category 3, pilots may not operate a UAV over open-air assemblies of people, and must fall into one of two operational scenarios. In the third category, the FAA has considered larger UAVs and states a UAV operating under Category 3 can not produce greater than 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object.

As with Category 1, the aircraft must not have any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact and must display the category of operation on the aircraft with other registration information. It’s worth noting that the FAA has already announced they will conduct a retrospective on whether to increase the weight limit or do away with the skin-laceration requirement under Category 1, but not categories two or three.įor Category 2 flights over people, the FAA states that the UAV must be designed and fall within the weight limit requirements so as not to cause greater than 11 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object. Additionally, the aircraft must not have any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact and must display the category of operation on the aircraft along with other registration information. 55 pounds (249.4758 grams) at the time of takeoff and for the duration of the flight, and this includes any equipment attached to the aircraft such as lights, prop-guards, memory card, etc.).

Let’s look at each flight category in detail.įor a pilot to comply and fly under the Category 1 rating, the UAV or drone can not weigh more than. The following four categories of flights over people classify each in a manner based on either weight, force of impact, airworthiness, or some combination thereof.