1.1 Applicability and Definitions (Subpart A)

Applicability and Key Definitions

Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 107 (14 CFR Part 107) is the rule set for civil small unmanned aircraft systems (small UAS) operated in the National Airspace System (NAS). On the Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) knowledge test, definitions from Subpart A appear in roughly one in eight questions, so memorize the exact numbers and the role hierarchy. Part 107 covers any operation that is not strictly recreational — commercial photography, mapping, inspection, agriculture, real estate, and even hobby-style flying done for a business.

What "Small Unmanned Aircraft" Means

A small unmanned aircraft weighs less than 55 pounds (24.9 kg) on takeoff, including everything on board or attached. The threshold is takeoff weight, not empty weight — a trap the FAA tests repeatedly.

Worked example: A frame weighs 40 lb empty. You add a 12 lb LiDAR sensor and a 4 lb battery pack. Takeoff weight = 56 lb, which exceeds 55 lb. That aircraft is not eligible under Part 107 and would require a Section 44807 exemption instead.

The System vs. the Aircraft

Do not confuse the aircraft with the small UAS. The system is the aircraft plus its associated elements.

The Three Human Roles

Part 107 recognizes three distinct people, and a single individual can hold all three at once on a simple flight:

• Remote pilot in command (Remote PIC): holds the Remote Pilot Certificate, has final authority and responsibility for the operation, and is the only person who may be held accountable by the FAA.
• Person manipulating the flight controls: the person physically flying. They need not be certificated, but they must be under the direct supervision of the Remote PIC, who must be able to take immediate control.
• Visual observer (VO): an optional crew member who watches the aircraft and surrounding airspace and stays in direct communication with the Remote PIC.

Who Is Exempt From Part 107

Part 107 does not apply to:

1. Recreational flyers meeting every condition of 49 USC 44809 (flown strictly for fun, under a community-based organization's safety guidelines, with a passed TRUST test).
2. Public aircraft operations — government flights (law enforcement, firefighting) conducted under a public COA or, optionally, under Part 107.
3. Air carriers holding separate UAS authority (for example a Part 135 certificate).
4. Operations conducted outside the United States — Part 107 is a domestic rule.

Common trap: A police agency may choose to fly under Part 107, but it is not required to — it can elect a public-aircraft COA. The exam wants you to know that public ops are not automatically Part 107.

Part 107 Never Stands Alone

Even a textbook commercial flight pulls in several other rules at the same time:

• 14 CFR Part 48 — aircraft registration
• 14 CFR Part 89 — Remote Identification (Remote ID)
• 49 USC 44809 — the recreational exception (defines what is NOT Part 107)
• Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) published for the operating area

A tidy mnemonic: a Part 107 drone must be Registered, broadcast its identity, and respect the airspace before the first rotor spins.

Why These Definitions Decide Real Cases

The definitions in Subpart A are not academic — they determine which legal regime you fall under, and a wrong call can void your authority to fly. The clearest dividing line is the commercial vs. recreational test. The FAA does not look at whether money changed hands so much as the purpose of the flight: any flight "in furtherance of a business" is Part 107, even if you charge nothing. Posting drone footage to a monetized social channel, photographing a friend's house that is for sale, or gathering roof imagery for your own contracting company are all commercial and require Part 107 — there is no "small favor" exception.

The Recreational Carve-Out, Precisely

Under 49 USC 44809 a flight is recreational only if it meets all of these: flown strictly for personal enjoyment; within a community-based organization's (CBO) safety guidelines; within visual line of sight or with a visual observer; yielding to and not interfering with manned aircraft; with FAA authorization in controlled airspace; below 400 ft in uncontrolled airspace; with the operator carrying proof of having passed TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test). Miss any single element and the flight defaults back to needing Part 107. The exam likes to present a "hobby" scenario that quietly breaks one condition.

The Direct-Supervision Chain

A frequently misunderstood point is that the person manipulating the controls need not be certificated. A real-estate agent with no certificate can fly the sticks as long as a certificated Remote PIC is present, supervising, and able to take immediate control — for instance, by grabbing the controller or activating a take-over switch. The Remote PIC, not the manipulator, is legally accountable for every aspect of that flight. This is how training flights and crewed operations work.

Reading a Definitions Question

When a question gives you a weight, immediately ask: is that the takeoff weight, and does it include payload? When a question describes equipment, ask: is this the aircraft alone or the whole system? When a scenario describes a flight purpose, ask: commercial or recreational, and does it meet every 44809 condition? These three reflexes will resolve the large majority of Subpart A items. Finally, remember the cross-rule chain: a legal Part 107 flight is simultaneously registered (Part 48), broadcasting Remote ID (Part 89), and respecting the airspace — Subpart A tells you the rule applies, but it never operates alone.