FAA Safety Team Holds Second Part 137 Drone Safety Webinar

On the evening of August 6, 2024, the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) presented a second Pro Tips for Part 137 UAS Pilots and Operators webinar. This was a follow up webinar to the first Part 137 drone webinar held in June. The speakers once again included both industry drone pilots and FAA representatives. A recording of the webinar can be viewed here.

The FAASTeam webinar began by discussing recent additions in new and amended 44807 exemptions, which include drone swarming, night operations, and operating without a visual observer. This was followed by a review of the expectations for Part 137 drone operators regarding blanket certificates of authorization (COA). Part 137 drone operators were again reminded they are responsible for seeing and avoiding crewed aircraft and how quickly a crewed ag aircraft can enter an area.

A representative for FAA’s Air Traffic Organization talked about the importance of developing a strong safety culture at Part 137 drone operations. This is especially important because many Part 137 drone operators have no prior experience in aviation. He reminded them about their restrictions within the NAS and how far they must remain from airports and helipads. Reporting requirements were also reviewed for webinar participants.