Operate A Drone, Start A Drone Program

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2. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
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4. Operate a Drone, Start a Drone Program

In This Section

• Overview
• Getting Started
  • Overview
  • How to Register Your Drone
  • What Kind of Drone Flyer Are You?
  • Where Can I Fly?
  • B4UFLY App
  • Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC)
  • Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
  • Remote ID
  • Aviation Safety Reporting Program (ASRP) for UAS
• Recreational Flyers & Community-Based Organizations
  • Overview
  • The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)
  • TRUST for Industry
  • Recreational Flyer Airspace Authorizations
  • FAA-Recognized CBOs
• Certificated Remote Pilots including Commercial Operators
  • Overview
  • Become a Drone Pilot
  • Operations Over People
  • Part 107 Waiver
  • UAS Facility Maps
  • Part 107 Airspace Authorizations
• Public Safety
  • Overview
  • Operate a Drone, Start a Drone Program
  • Sightings and Reports
  • Public Safety Toolkit
  • FAA Contacts for Law Enforcement
  • Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) Application FAADroneZone (CADZ)
  • UAS in Wildfire Response
• Educational Users
  • Overview
  • UAS Collegiate Training Initiative
  • Youth Drone Initiative
• Drone Events
  • Overview
  • Drone Safety Day
  • Community Engagement
• Critical Infrastructure & Public Venues
  • Overview
  • Airport Safety & Airspace Hazard Mitigation & Enforcement (Section 383)
• Advanced Operations
  • Overview
  • Package Delivery by Drone
  • Emergency Situations
  • Certification
  • NEPA & Drones
  • Upper Class E Traffic Management
  • FAA UAS Traffic Management
• Programs, Partnerships & Opportunities
  • Overview
  • LAANC (UAS Data Exchange)
  • UAS BEYOND
  • Integration Partnership Agreement (IPA) Program
  • Manufacturer's Toolkit
  • Completed Programs and Partnerships
• UAS Research, Development, Demonstration, and Testing
  • Overview
  • Test Sites
  • Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Program
• Resources & Other Topics
  • Overview
  • Hot Topics
  • FAQs
  • Public Records
  • Policy Document Library
  • Information for Foreign Operators
  • Counter UAS
  • Timeline of Drone Integration
• UAS en Español
  • Para Empezar
  • Inscriba Su Dron
  • Restricciones del espacio aéreo
  • Pilotos aficionados y organizaciones comunitarias
  • Glosario
  • Contactenos
• Contact Us
  • Overview
  • How do I report a UAS sighting?

Operate a Drone, Start a Drone Program

Government agencies (including Federal, State, and tribal), law enforcement, and public safety entities have two options for operating drones under 55 pounds.

• Fly under 14 CFR part 107, the small UAS rule. Part 107 allows operations of drones or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) under 55 pounds at or below 400 feet above ground level (AGL) for visual line-of-sight operations only.
• Fly under the statutory requirements for public aircraft (49 U.S.C. §40102(a) and § 40125). Operate with a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) to be able to self-certify UAS and operators for flights performing governmental functions.

Download our Drones in Public Safety: A Guide to Starting Operations (PDF)

Emergency Authorizations & Operations

To support first responders and other entities affiliated with them, the FAA can quickly issue authorizations for natural disaster and other emergency situation response. Read about Waivers and Authorizations Supporting Emergency UAS Operations to learn more.

Last updated: Thursday, June 2, 2022