FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot (UAG)OperationsMedium
A drone manufacturer wants to operate a 4-pound sUAS directly over open-air assemblies of people. The aircraft cannot meet the injury-severity or exposed-rotating-parts criteria required for Categories 1 through 3. What must the operator obtain before conducting this Category 4 operation?
- AA certificate of waiver under 107.200 authorizing flight over people.
- BA remote pilot certificate with a night operations endorsement.
- CAn FAA-issued airworthiness certificate for the sUAS, plus compliance with the aircraft's flight manual operating limitations.
- DA letter of authorization from local law enforcement covering the flight area.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. An FAA-issued airworthiness certificate for the sUAS, plus compliance with the aircraft's flight manual operating limitations.
Category 4 operations over people require the sUAS to have an FAA-issued airworthiness certificate (per 14 CFR Part 21) and for the operation to be conducted in accordance with the aircraft's flight manual operating limitations, since the drone cannot meet the injury or design criteria of Categories 1–3.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A 107.200 waiver covers other regulatory deviations but doesn't substitute for the airworthiness certificate requirement.
- B. A night endorsement addresses lighting requirements, not the airworthiness needed for Category 4.
- D. Local law enforcement authorization has no bearing on FAA operations-over-people categories.
Category 4 Operations Over People
A category under 14 CFR Part 107 Subpart D allowing sUAS to fly over people when the aircraft holds an FAA airworthiness certificate and operates within its flight manual limits, rather than meeting weight/injury thresholds.
- Requires an FAA airworthiness certificate
- Must follow the aircraft flight manual operating limitations
- Used when Categories 1-3 criteria aren't met
- Applies to sustained flight over open-air assemblies
Memory trick: Cat 4 = Certified aircraft, not just Categories by weight.