FAQ- FAA UAV regulations

Here you can find a list of most questions asked around the current FAA regulations.

What is Part 107?

14 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Part 107 is the Federal Aviation Administration’s rule for operating small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS, also known as drones) in the United States.

What aircrafts fall under Part 107, and will I have to register my WingtraOne?

• Part 107 applies to a small UAS, as any uncrewed aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds, except for those operated solely for recreation or hobby purposes. If you need to fly a heavier UAS, you’ll need to apply for a special exemption from the FAA.
• Every drone operated under Part 107, as well as recreational drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds, must be registered with the FAA. This is easy to do through FAA Drone Zone, the government’s official website for managing drone affairs. A drone registration costs $5 and lasts 3 years. 
• Quick tip:
  • • Create an account and register your drone at dronezone.faa.gov. Select "Fly sUAS under Part 107."
    • Once you've registered, mark your drone (PDF) with your registration number in case it gets lost or stolen.

Are users required to attach something (registration plate, tracker, etc.) to WingtraOne for complying with regulations?

• You will need to mark your drone (PDF) with its registration number so that it is visible on the outside of the drone. 
• Generally, there is no modification required by the FAA. 
• Generally it is not allowed to modify the drone without Wingtra’s explicit consent. 

Will I have to register myself as a UAS operator?

• Anyone flying a drone for commercial purposes—that is, not operating solely for recreation or hobby purposes—must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA to be certified to fly under Part 107.
• Flying commercial drone operations without certification can result in civil penalties with significant fines. In the case of egregious violations, criminal sanctions can be imposed. Don’t fly commercial drones unlicensed!
• To become a Part 107 certified drone pilot, you must:
  • Register online for an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) using the FAA’s IACRA system
  • Create an account in the FAA’s test scheduling system using your FTN and sign up to take your Airmen Knowledge Test
  • Pass your Airmen Knowledge Test ($150 per attempt)
  • Link your test results to your IACRA Application
  • Submit your application for a Remote Pilot Certification using the IACRA system
  • Pass a TSA background check and receive your Remote Pilot Certificate
• (Note: If you already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate, you may be eligible for a different certification process as long as you keep up to date on your crewed aircraft requirements. See the FAA website for more information.)
• You must have your Remote Pilot Certificate on hand during every flight. To maintain a valid certificate, you will need to take free, online recurrent knowledge training from the FAA every 24 months. The FAA also recommends carrying your most recent knowledge training certificate to prove your license is current.

What are the current operational requirements for flying? 

• The pilot in command is required to assess the environment, weather, crew, aircraft, control systems, and airspace before every flight.
• Assuming conditions are conducive to a safe flight, you may only fly if you:
  • Keep the drone within your visual line of sight at all times
  • Fly below 400 feet above ground level (or, if within a 400-foot radius of a structure, no higher than 400 feet above the highest point of the structure)
  • Fly only during official daylight hours, or equip your drone with appropriate anti-collision lights and receive FAA training on night flights
  • Fly at or below 100 miles per hour
  • Have three or more miles of visibility
  • Remain 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally away from clouds
  • Yield right of way to other aircraft, especially crewed aircraft such as helicopters and planes
  • Control only one drone at a time
  • Do NOT fly over people or moving vehicles, unless you meet the FAA’s operating requirements for these missions
  • Do NOT operate the drone from a moving vehicle, unless in a sparsely populated area
  • Operation outside airspace class B, C, D and within boundaries of E
• (Note: This is NOT a comprehensive list. For complete information, check current FAA requirements.)
• If you want to operate outside the above conditions, you may be able to apply for a Part 107 waiver. An assessment must be submitted to demonstrate the risks of the operation acceptable by the FAA.

Will an ADS-B transponder be mandatory to fly WingtraOne? 

• No ADS-B transponder (neither a receiver nor a transmitter) is required as per Part 89 of the final rule on Remote ID by the FAA
  
  • The final rule amends Parts 91 and 107 to prohibit use of ADS-B Out or ATC Transponders on UAS unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, or if flying under a flight plan and in two-way radio communication with ATC.
  • ADS-B Out & ATC transponder authorization is likely for large UAS operating in controlled airspace.
  • Part 89 prohibits the use of ADS-B Out as a means of meeting remote ID requirements.
• There will be a requirement for “remote identification” for operators from 1st September 2023, however the technology to be used will NOT be ADS-B, and the details are still under development. 
  
  

Will positioning lights be mandatory to fly WingtraOne? 

• No. WingtraOne can be operated under Part 107 without positioning lights unless operating at night, which we do not recommend. 
• Generally it is not allowed to modify the drone without Wingtra’s explicit consent.

How do I know where it is OK to fly and where it is not OK to fly?

• Neither the Wingtra Hub or Wingtra Pilot currently tell you about restrictions on the location of the flight operation and is the responsibility of the remote pilot to assess local airspace and any flight restrictions as part of the preflight checklist. 
• The FAA has developed a mobile app called B4UFLY to help recreational UAS or drone operators know whether there are any restrictions or requirements where they want to fly. Additional guidance is also available in the Where Can I Fly? section of the FAA website.

What’s the timeline of the new FAA remote ID regulations? Is there a transition period?

• All operators will be only required to fly a Remote ID aircraft by September 2023. Until then, you are legally permitted to fly without a Remote ID aircraft. 
• Standard ASTM F3411-19 is to be used to develop Remote ID in the US. The standard was published in 2019, and it is currently being updated to reflect the Remote ID final rule.

Is GenII Remote ID ready? How will remote identification be ensured? 

• As per FAA, all drones must be produced with Remote ID by September 2022. 
• Wingtra already took this into consideration and GEN II was preliminarily designed to meet the aforementioned standard from a hardware point of view (Standard Remote ID Broadcast) and Wingtra will make sure to have the complete fleet complying with regulations via software updates once the rule is finalised by the FAA. 
• This will set you up for the future. Along with Remote ID compliance you’ll benefit from the next level of uptime through new features such as predictive maintenance and fail-safe algorithms, improved landing accuracy and PPK capability on every payload.

Will you enable any upgrade for an already sold WingtraOne unit that is not GenII to prepare it to meet new regulations? 

• Operators are required to fly a remote ID aircraft only as of September 2023. Wingtra is cognizant of this and is fully committed to an upgrade plan (for customers who purchased WingtraOne before Aug 2021) around mid 2023 in order to ensure compliance for the complete fleet.

What specific HW we are using for Remote ID / LTE?

The final remote ID rule only accounts for broadcast remote ID (made possible through the GEN II wifi module), whereas the requirement for networked remote ID (using any LTE module with internet) has been removed from it.