The US drone rules, explained

LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is how most commercial pilots get into controlled airspace near airports. It is a collaboration between the FAA and approved app providers. The pilot picks a location, time and altitude at or below the grid ceiling shown on the FAA's UAS Facility Maps, and in most cases gets an authorization in near real time. Requests above the grid ceiling go through a further coordination process that can take longer, and some airports and airspace are not covered by LAANC at all. Those requests go through FAA DroneZone and can take weeks.

Restricted places. Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are issued for wildfires, VIP movements, disasters and major sporting events, and can pop up with little notice. Stadiums during major events, national security areas, some critical infrastructure and the Washington, DC area have standing restrictions. Check the latest notices before every flight, not the day you quote.

Land versus airspace. The FAA controls the airspace. It does not control who can take off from a piece of land. The National Park Service prohibits launching and landing drones in national parks without permission. State parks, cities and counties can and do regulate take-off and landing on their property, and many require a film or special-use permit for commercial work.

Waivers. A Part 107 waiver lets you do one specific thing the default rules prohibit: fly beyond visual line of sight, operate several drones at once, fly over people outside the categories, or exceed the altitude or speed limits. The FAA handles applications through its online waiver system, and they must show how you will keep the operation as safe as the rule would. Waivers are written for your operation, your aircraft and your procedures, and they carry conditions. Read them.

Part 108. The FAA proposed a new rule for routine beyond visual line-of-sight operations in 2025. As of September 2026 the final rule has not been published, and the FAA has said it hopes to publish by the end of 2026. Until it takes effect, BVLOS work needs a waiver or exemption.

Part 137 dispensing. If a drone dispenses a chemical or "economic poison" (pesticides, fungicides, disinfectants), the operation falls under Part 137, the agricultural aircraft rule, on top of Part 107. The operator needs exemptions and an Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate, and drones of 55 lb or more need an exemption under 44807. States add their own pesticide applicator licensing. Cleaning solutions sprayed on a building may raise the same question, depending on what is in them. DroneLink's exterior cleaning service is coming, and each operation will be checked against FAA and state rules before it flies in the United States.

There is no single federal drone privacy law in the United States. States fill the gap. Many have laws on surveillance, voyeurism, trespass and harassment that apply to drones, and several have drone-specific statutes covering critical infrastructure, correctional facilities, hunting and images of private property. Cities cannot regulate the airspace, but they can regulate land use, take-off and landing on public property, and nuisance.

The practical rule is the same as in Canada: capture the subject property, not the neighbours; do not linger over private yards; tell people what you are doing; and keep only what the job needs.

Accident reporting. A remote pilot must report to the FAA within 10 calendar days any operation that causes serious injury, loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the drone above the FAA's reporting threshold. An operator working for DroneLink logs every occurrence in the project record whether or not it is reportable.