Part 107, explained · Last reviewed October 25, 2026 against the eCFR and faa.gov. UAV Campus is not affiliated with the FAA.
What are the Category 3 rules for flying over people?
The aircraft must be built so it will not cause injury equal to or worse than 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, be on an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance and be labeled. You must not fly over open-air assemblies, and may fly over people only within a closed- or restricted-access site or without sustained flight over them.
Sources: 14 CFR 107.125 · 14 CFR 107.130(a)
What the regulation says
§ 107.125 Category 3 operations: Operating requirements.
To conduct Category 3 operations, a remote pilot in command—
(a) Must use a small unmanned aircraft that— (1) Is eligible for Category 3 operations pursuant to § 107.130(a); (2) Is listed on an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance as eligible for Category 3 operations in accordance with § 107.160; and (3) Is labeled as eligible for Category 3 operations in accordance with § 107.130(b)(1);
Read all of § 107.125
(b) Must not operate the small unmanned aircraft over open-air assemblies of human beings; and
(c) May only operate the small unmanned aircraft above any human being if operation meets one of the following conditions: (1) The operation is within or over a closed- or restricted-access site and all human beings located within the closed- or restricted-access site must be on notice that a small unmanned aircraft may fly over them; or (2) The small unmanned aircraft does not maintain sustained flight over any human being unless that human being is— (i) Directly participating in the operation of the small unmanned aircraft; or (ii) Located under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle that can provide reasonable protection from a falling small unmanned aircraft.
[Amdt. 107-8, 86 FR 4382, Jan. 15, 2021, as amended by 86 FR 62473, Nov. 10, 2021]
§ 107.130 Category 3 operations: Eligibility of small unmanned aircraft and other applicant requirements.
(a) To be eligible for use in Category 3 operations, the small unmanned aircraft must be designed, produced, or modified such that it— (1) Will not cause injury to a human being that is equivalent to or greater than the severity of the injury caused by a transfer of 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object; (2) Does not contain any exposed rotating parts that would lacerate human skin upon impact with a human being; and (3) Does not contain any safety defects.
(b) The applicant for a declaration of compliance for a small unmanned aircraft that is eligible for use in Category 3 operations in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, must meet all of the following requirements for the applicant's small unmanned aircraft to be used in Category 3 operations: (1) Display a label on the small unmanned aircraft indicating eligibility to conduct Category 3 operations. The label must be in English and be legible, prominent, and permanently affixed to the small unmanned aircraft. (2) Have remote pilot operating instructions that apply to the operation of the small unmanned aircraft system. The applicant for a declaration of compliance must make available these instructions upon sale or transfer of the aircraft or use of the aircraft by someone other than the applicant who submitted a declaration of compliance pursuant to § 107.160. Such instructions must address, at a minimum— (i) A system description that includes the required small unmanned aircraft system components, any system limitations, and the declared category or categories of operation; (ii) Modifications that will not change the ability of the small unmanned aircraft system to meet the requirements for the category or categories of operation the small unmanned aircraft system is eligible to conduct; and (iii) Instructions for how to verify and change the mode or configuration of the small unmanned aircraft system, if they are variable. (3) Maintain a product support and notification process. The applicant for a declaration of compliance must maintain product support and notification procedures to notify the public and the FAA of— (i) Any defect or condition that causes the small unmanned aircraft to no longer meet the requirements of this subpart; and (ii) Any identified safety defect that causes the small unmanned aircraft to exceed a low probability of fatality.
AC 107-2A, 8.3.6.7 No Sustained Flight Over People
Sustained flight includes hovering above any person’s head, flying back and forth over a person, or circling above an uninvolved person in such a way that the small unmanned aircraft remains above some part of that person.
Sources: 14 CFR 107.125 (eCFR, current as of 2026-10-21) · 14 CFR 107.130 (eCFR, current as of 2026-10-21) · AC 107-2A, 8.3.6.7 No Sustained Flight Over People
Exam traps
- Category 3 may never be operated over open-air assemblies of human beings, unlike Categories 1, 2 and 4, which can meet 89.110 or 89.115(a).
- Inside a closed- or restricted-access site, all human beings there must be on notice that a small unmanned aircraft may fly over them.
- Outside such a site, no sustained flight over any human being unless that person is directly participating or is under a covered structure or in a stationary vehicle that gives reasonable protection.
- The Category 3 injury threshold is 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, compared with 11 for Category 2.
Try it: practice questions
Similar to the FAA test, not the actual test questions.
Practice question 1
To be eligible for Category 3 operations over people, a small UA must not cause injury equal to or greater than that caused by a transfer of how much kinetic energy from a rigid object?
- A 11 foot-pounds.
- B 0.55 foot-pounds.
- C 25 foot-pounds.
Show the answer
Practice question 2
Your company purchased a Category 3-approved sUAS. Because of time constraints, you have not been able to notify everyone on the construction site that you will be flying. What should you do?
- A ensure that the human beings who are not participating in the operation are under a covered structure or inside a non-moving vehicle.
- B ensure the sUAS is equipped with a parachute
- C make sure the area is closed or restricted-access.
Show the answer
Answer: A. ensure that the human beings who are not participating in the operation are under a covered structure or inside a non-moving vehicle.FAA source: 14 CFR 107.125(c)(2)(ii)
Practice question 3
Can a Category 3 aircraft be flown over an open-air assembly of humans while transiting from point to point?
- A Yes, as long as it meets Remote ID requirements.
- B No, it is not permitted.
- C Yes, it is permitted without limitations.
Show the answer
Answer: B. No, it is not permitted.(According to Part 107 Subpart D, a Category 3 UAS cannot be flown over open air assembly.)
FAA source: 14 CFR 107.125(b)
What counts as sustained flight over a person?
AC 107-2A says sustained flight includes hovering above any person's head, flying back and forth over a person, or circling above an uninvolved person so the aircraft stays above some part of that person.
Source: AC 107-2A, 8.3.6.7