Lesson 6: the four categories of operations

Before we take a deeper dive into categories of operations, let’s also define some key terms that will help us understand these rules better. We’ll explore two types of areas where there are people, and two types of ways your drone can fly over them.

First, let’s define ‘open air assemblies’ and ‘closed or restricted-access sites.’ These are areas you might encounter in everyday life.

Open-Air Assembly

Open-Air Assemblies are places where there are lots of people outside, like festivals, concerts, sporting events, parades, protests, and beaches. An open-air assembly is anywhere where there’s a crowd of people outside, in the open air.  

Can you think of an example of an ‘open-air assembly’? 

Closed or Restricted-Access Site

A Closed or Restricted-access Site is a location where only authorized people can enter. They usually have limited or controlled entrances. Closed or Restricted-access Sites have ways to prevent unauthorized access and keep people out. You can't just walk in without permission. The barriers can be physical, like locked doors or gates, or they can have security on site.

Here are some examples of closed or restricted access sites. 

• Construction Sites: These areas are often fenced off and you need special permission to enter. 

• College Campuses: Some buildings or dorms need an ID card to get inside. 

• Restricted Access Locations: Places like government buildings or military bases have security guards or locked doors to keep people out.

Nice! Both places are risky for drone pilots.

Now that we know the difference between Open Air Assemblies and Closed or Restricted Access Sites, let’s define two ways we can fly our drones.  

Sustained Flight

Sustained flight means your drone stays in one area, or over an ‘open-air assembly’. It can hover in one spot, fly back and forth, or circle above the area or group. Sustained flight can include hovering, flying back and forth, and circling, and being over people for an extended period of time. It’s like your drone is ‘parked’ in the air, or has a special interest in one area! 

Transitioning Flight

Transitioning flight is a short journey over an area where flying is just a part of going from point A to point B. It's like passing through without stopping or hovering. Transitioning flight means you're in transit! Maybe you happen to cross people, or an open-air assembly. 

Example: you need to cross a “street” in the air over a road, but there are still people around below you.

You can fly over them with a category drone, in transitioning flight!  Did you know that used to be illegal? Sustained flight is a lot riskier than Transitioning flight.  

Great work! Now, let’s see what this all has to do with our next topic – Categories of Operations. 

We’ve covered the four categories of drones before. Let’s dive deeper into what they are. 

Let’s review a little bit first.

Remember: If your drone weighs less than 0.55 pounds, you don’t need to register it. And, if it’s more than 55 pounds, it’s no longer considered a small drone!

Remember: You need to register a small drone if it weighs between 0.55 pounds and 55 pounds. 

Once your drone is registered, add a sturdy label with its special registration number. 

Remember, there are four categories! We have categories to prevent, or restrict, or make it safer for people to fly drones over crowds of people. Because of categories, we know exactly when we can operate over crowds of people.  

The Categories of Operations are different groups that tell us how and where we can fly drones safely. It’s how the FAA categorizes and sets rules for drones!  Each group has its own set of rules to keep everything safe. And a drone can still hurt someone, even if it’s not close to them. For example, what if your drone failed? How would it react to computer failure, or propellor damage? 

 Each category has certain rules to follow. The FAA categorizes them by different factors like weight, safety, purpose, and flying conditions. Imagine a drone the size of your finger falling from the sky, versus a big, heavy one! Big difference. Each category shows how much risk a small UAS might have for people below, so each has its own rules. The FAA made these rules to keep everyone as safe as they can be.

Non-Category Drones 

If you don’t have a Category 1-4 drone, you can only fly over people when:

Everyone is directly participating in your mission (crew) or everyone is under a covered structure, or inside a vehicle that’s not moving, that can protect them from a falling small drone. (No open-air crowds!)

So without a Category 1-4 drone, you can’t: 

• Fly over people who are not directly part of your drone mission 

• Fly over big crowds in the open air 

With greater flying limitations, we can make sure that bigger drones are still safe to fly.

Before we talk about what these categories are in more detail, let’s define a word we’ll run into that’s quite silly to say out loud: foot-pounds of kinetic energy!  

All you need to know about kinetic energy is this: It tells us how much energy something has when it's moving. For drones, it helps us understand how safe they are to fly, especially around people. Imagine if you throw a ball really hard. The faster and heavier the ball, the more it would hurt if it hits someone. That's because it has a lot of kinetic energy. That's why we care about kinetic energy!

K.E. depends on how heavy and fast something is, especially when it hits something else. If a drone accidentally hits something, we want to make sure that it doesn't cause too much damage. By measuring kinetic energy in foot-pounds, we can set safety rules to keep everyone safe. If a drone is smaller and lighter, it will have less kinetic energy. We can basically think of kinetic energy as an injury limit! 

Wonderful! Let’s check in. How are you doing? 

Now, let’s take our final look and dive deep into the four Categories of Operations. 

• Weight Limit

  • Category 1: Under 0.55 pounds

  • Category 2: Between 0.55 and 55 pounds

  • Category 3: Varies, but it’s stricter than Category 2

  • Category 4: Varies, and includes heavier drones

• Safety Features

  • Category 1: No exposed rotating parts 

  • Category 2: No exposed rotating parts 

  • Category 3: No exposed rotating parts 

  • Category 4: Advanced safety tech, like collision avoidance systems

• Kinetic Energy 

  • Category 1: No limits, Doesn’t need label 

  • Category 2: Less than 11 ft-lbs Needs Category 2 Label 

  • Category 3: Less than 25 ft-lbs, Needs Category 3 Label  

  • Category 4: Needs specific FAA approval

• Typical Uses 

  • Category 1: Recreational flying, hobby drones

  • Category 2: Who knows? 

  • Category 3: Currently for agriculture and inspections

  • Category 4: Long-distance inspections, delivery and mapping

Category 1

• Weighs 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff (including payloads)

• No exposed rotating parts that can hurt someone

• No kinetic energy limits

• No safety test (DOC) needed from the FAA 

Category 1 Drones have to weigh less than 0.55 pounds (or 250 grams) when they take-off, including the drone's entire payload (everything that’s attached to it!) They are not allowed to have exposed rotating parts that can lacerate (cut through) someone’s skin. Here’s a tip: you can always saftey-proof your drone with propeller guards! Category 1 Drones don’t have Kinetic Energy limits! Because they’re so cute and tiny, the FAA doesn't think they’re heavy enough to need one – they wouldn’t hurt someone if they fell! We’ll cover what DOCs are at the end of this class, but basically, it’s a special letter from the FAA that shows that a drone model meets all of their safety standards! And, Category 1 Drones don’t need this letter. And finally, Category 1 drones don’t need special labels on them! Just the regular old label with its registration number. 

So now we know what makes a drone Category 1. But what is it allowed to do? 

Flying over Open-Air Assemblies

Category 1 drones are allowed to fly over open-air assemblies in sustained flight – if the drone has Remote ID, which is legally required for all drones in the U.S. anyways. 

Hold on… Oh no… Remote ID?!  It’s time to peel the onion! Hello again! We’ll dive deeper into what Remote ID is at the end of this course, but let’s give you a quick idea about what it is! Remote ID is like a license plate for your drone. It is an electronic gadget on your drone that helps the FAA know who the drone belongs to and where it is. When you fly your drone, it sends out a signal that broadcasts information like the drone's location and the pilot's info. It helps the FAA monitor your drone and make sure it’s following the rules and not flying where they shouldn't be. If your drone weighs between 0.55 and 55 pounds, it needs a Remote ID! This rule applies to all drone pilots in the United States, whether you’re a pro or a hobbyist. Luckily, because it’s the law, most drones have Remote ID built into them. And if they don’t, you can buy and attach one separately, and add it as a payload. When flying, you always need to have a Remote ID. It always needs to be on and broadcasting your information – from the second you turn your drone on to the second you turn it off. Makes sense, right? And before we get back into what Category 1 Drones are allowed to do, here’s a little review:

What else are you supposed to do when you buy a drone that weighs between 0.55 and 55 pounds? 

Right! You should register it on the FAA Drone Zone. Good work! Now, let’s get back to the show. 

Category 1 drones can fly over open-air assemblies in sustained flight – if the drone has Remote ID, which is legally required for all drones in the United States anyways. 

Flying over Moving Vehicles 

Drones in Category 1 can fly over moving vehicles, but only in transitioning flight. Moving vehicles include all forms of transport: cars, trucks, boats, and bikes! It’s cool if you’re just passing through! Category 1 drones can fly in sustained flight over moving vehicles only if they’re inside restricted areas and everyone there is on notice.Category 1 drones can fly in sustained flight over moving vehicles only if they’re inside restricted areas and everyone there is on notice. P.S. – A notice can be verbal, or having written signs around. “Hey, we’re filming here!” 

Great work! How are you doing? 

Awesome! This stuff is a lot to remember, but you can totally learn this.

Let’s continue and move onto Category 2 Operations. 

You’re Doing Great! 

Category 2

• No exposed rotating parts that can hurt someone

• Limit of 11 ft-lbs. of kinetic energy

• Has no safety defects 

• Needs safety test approval from  the FAA

• Must be labeled as Category 2

• Can fly over people in sustained flight with Remote ID 

• Weighs more than 0.55 pounds on takeoff

Category 2 Drones weigh more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds when they take-off, including the drone's entire payload. And obviously, since these drones are theoretically heavier, they need way more rules! And just like Category 1, Category 2 drones also can’t have exposed rotating parts that can lacerate (cut through) someone’s skin. Unlike Category 1, Category 2 drones have a kinetic energy limit! They can’t cause an injury that’s more than 11 foot-pounds of force (kinetic energy). This helps make sure they don’t hurt people too much if they crash or fall down. They also need extra safety tests and requirements! Unlike Category 1, Category 2 drones need a special letter (DOC) from the FAA that shows the drone model has gone through and passed all the safety tests.  

Did you know that there are literally no drones approved in the US for Category 2 operations? That’s how weird the FAA can be. So basically, this means that only really tiny drones are currently allowed to fly over people.

Remember labeling? It’s not just for your registration number! And finally, just like you need to add a sturdy label with a registration number on every drone, Category 2 drones need to have another special label on them that says which category they’re in. If your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs (everything except Category 1), you need to add another label on your drone so the FAA can see it.

How to Label Your Drone

• The label should have your category number and a registration number.

• Permanent marker, label, or engraving: as long as it's visible during all flights.

• If the label comes off, you must put on a new one before flying over people.

• If you change your drone so it’s in a new category, you need a new label with the new category

Now, let’s see what you’re allowed to do with a Category 2 drone if the FAA ever approves of one, lol.  Category 2 drones can fly over open-air assemblies in sustained flight – if the drone has Remote ID, which is legally required for all drones in the United States anyways. Just like Drones in Category 1. Drones must not fly in sustained flight over vehicles; transit operations only. They can fly  in sustained flight over moving vehicles only if they’re inside restricted areas and people are on notice.

So for Categories 1 and 2: 

• You can only transit over moving vehicles - no sustained flight  

• You can sustain flight over them as long as you’re in a restricted access area, and everyone knows you’re there 

Great work! Let’s move onto Category 3. 

Category 3

• Weighs more than 0.55 pounds on takeoff (including payloads) 

• No exposed rotating parts that can hurt someone

• Limit of 25 ft-lbs. of kinetic energy

• Needs safety test approval (DOC) from  the FAA

• Must be labeled as Category 3

• Has no safety defects 

Category 3 Drones also weigh more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds when they take-off, including the drone's entire payload. But they’re usually heavier than Category 2 drones. Category 3 drones have a kinetic energy limit and can’t cause an injury that’s more than 25 foot-pounds of force (kinetic energy). The impact potential is greater. Because of this larger impact risk, you have more restrictions on where it can be used. It can’t have any safety defects! Just like Category 2, drones in Category 3 need a letter from the FAA that confirms it passed the safety tests. And drone pilots need to attach a label on the drone that says “Category 3.”   

Did you know that  only one drone has been approved to qualify for Category 3 Operations in the U.S.? 

That’s the Ageagle eBee X series 

Oh, the FAA is so funny. Now, let’s talk about things Category 3 drones are allowed to do.

Category 3 drones are not allowed to fly in sustained flight over open-air assemblies. Category 1-2 drones can fly over open-air crowds. Category 3 drones can’t even fly in transit over open-air assemblies. For Category 3 drones, you can only fly in sustained flight only over people who are: 

• Directly participating in your mission (your crew)

• Or over people who are under a covered structure or inside a vehicle that’s not moving, like a parked car. 

• In closed or restricted-access sites, or over moving vehicles, where everyone is on notice.  

Summary

• You can only fly a drone over a moving vehicle, if your drone is Category 1, 2, or 3. 

• Category 1, 2, or 3 drones are not allowed to sustain flight over vehicles; transit operations only.

• Only Category 1 and 2 drones can fly in sustained flight over open-air assemblies. 

• Category 3 drones can only fly over people if they’re part of their crew, on notice at a restricted access site, or covered by something sturdy. 

Even if you have a Category 1-3 drone, you still can’t fly over moving vehicles or from a moving vehicle unless you have a special waiver, and that’s pretty hard to get.

Great work! Let’s move on to Category 4.

Category 4

This is the final category. It’s the most massive, and the one you’re least likely to ever use. Category 4 Drones are so big that they don’t even follow Part 107 rules. Instead, they follow the same rules and requirements that airplanes have to follow. They are the most restricted. These drones are almost treated like regular airplanes, and have to follow those protocols a regular plane would abide by, like keeping records and having a strict maintenance schedule. They still need safety approval, and the FAA has to determine whether or not they can fly over people and moving vehicles on a case-by-case basis.

The only thing that you need to know about Category 4 drones is that they need something called an Airworthiness Certificate. Airworthiness Certificates are special rules for big, advanced drones that are similar to manned aircraft that Part 107 rules don’t cover. They follow Part 21 rules! Remember, Part 107 is just for small drones. 

Which category does not need a category label? 

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

Flying from a Moving Vehicle  

You’re not allowed to fly a drone from a moving vehicle! Not from a car, helicopter, train, plane or boat.   If it’s a land or waterborne vehicle, and you’re operating the drone over a sparsely populated area, that’s okay.

Flying at Night   

Heads up! These rules don’t change at night. We’ll talk about flying at night in the next lesson. 

Non-Category Drones 

If you don’t have a Category 1-4 drone, you can only fly over people if: 

• Everyone is directly participating in your mission (crew) 

• Or everyone is under a covered structure, or inside a vehicle that’s not moving, that can protect them from a falling small drone. (No open-air crowds!) 

It’s important to remember that even if your drone has this category, you still need a waiver to do these special things. So, to over people, to fly over moving vehicles, or to fly at night, your drone needs to be one of these categories, and you need a waiver. If your drone is not classified as a Category 1, 2, 3, or 4 drone, you are not allowed to fly over people, moving vehicles, or at night, in any way – even in ‘transitioning flight’

Great work! I see you’re all a few steps closer to becoming a certified drone pilot.