Part 107

News, deep dives, and analysis — every Part 107 story, newest first.

Articles

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Sep 27

Last updated

Top-down drone photo of a Main Line estate near Philadelphia showing the gray roof, brick patio and swimming pool surrounded by trees

Part 107 · Industry

Redfin Just Handed Drone Pilots a Client Checklist. Use It

Redfin tells home sellers how to prep for a drone shoot. Here is the checklist pilots should send clients, with photos by Billy Kyle and Ken Dono.

Haye KestelooSep 276 min read

Pilot Institute 90-plus day drone training plan thumbnail with drone graphic

Drone Service Providers

The Drone Industry Is at a Crossroads: What Drone Service Providers Should Do Right Now

I sat down with revenue operations specialist Amy Wiegand to talk through the drone market squeeze, the Part 108 question mark, and the decisions drone service providers should be making today.

Greg ReverdiauSep 14

A DJI Mini 5 Pro hovering head-on at eye level, its forward LiDAR sensor visible above the camera gimbal, against an out-of-focus green lawn and trees.

DOCKET 26-189

FCC Drone Ban Comments Close Tonight. Here's What I Filed

DroneXL filed comments in FCC docket 26-189 today. Read the filing in full, and use the step-by-step guide to submit your own before the window closes.

Haye KestelooSep 2

A commercial drone pilot in a lime high-visibility vest holds a controller with both hands while a DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual hovers directly above him against a deep blue sky.

DOCKET 26-189

FCC Drone Deadline Is Tomorrow. Fewer Than 3,000 Comments Are In.

Fewer than 3,000 comments have been filed in PS Docket 26-189 against nearly half a million certificated remote pilots. The window closes September 2.

Haye KestelooSep 1

UAV EXPO

Pilot Institute Warns Of A Drone Hiring Cliff In Two To Three Years

Greg Reverdiau told Commercial UAV Expo the affordable drone that created this industry is disappearing, and aviation already ran this experiment once.

Haye KestelooSep 1

A DJI Mini 5 Pro hovering above a field of goldenrod

State Law

Washington Commercial Drone Fees Jump 10x to $150 After Jet Tax Repeal

Washington will charge commercial drone operators $150 per aircraft a year from January 2027, up from $15, in the bill that repealed its luxury jet tax.

Haye KestelooAug 25

Close-up of a DJI Mini 5 Pro in flight, its gimbal camera and forward sensors facing the viewer against blurred green trees.

OPERATORS

DJI Ban Hits Home: Drone Pilots Ask Whether Their Businesses Survive

A new Part 107 pilot asked Facebook if the DJI ban killed his drone business before launch. 268 comments show what operators face ahead of September 3.

Haye KestelooAug 20

DOCKET 26-189

Idaho Quadcopter Says The Drone Noose Keeps Tightening. The FCC Notice Answers One Fear

Idaho Quadcopter says tariffs and FCC rules are pushing hobbyists out. The FCC's own notice answers his biggest fear about the drones he already owns.

Haye KestelooAug 16

Part 107

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.