S5E03 – Part 107 vs Part 108: Where the Line Is (And When You’ve Quietly Crossed It)

26/11/2025 39 min Temporada 5 Episodio 3

Listen "S5E03 – Part 107 vs Part 108: Where the Line Is (And When You’ve Quietly Crossed It)"

Episode Synopsis

In S5E03 of Sky Commander Academy, we tackle the question that will make or break a lot of future drone programs: When is your operation really just Part 107… and when are you in Part 108/BVLOS territory whether you admit it or not?This episode is your mental “border checkpoint” between today’s rules and tomorrow’s BVLOS framework. We walk through real scenarios, gray areas, and the quiet assumptions that can turn a “no big deal” 107 mission into something that clearly belongs under 108-style approvals.In this episode:🎯 The clean 107 vs 108 split – Simple, repeatable ways to explain the difference to bosses, clients, and safety teams📘 What stays comfortably under 107 – Short-range jobs, visual operations, and risk profiles that don’t need 108-style machinery🚧 The “uh-oh, this is 108” triggers – Distance, duration, complexity, airspace, automation, people, and infrastructure that push you into BVLOS-by-design🧪 Scenario showdown – Rooftop real estate, campus mapping, pipeline patrols, corridor inspections: which ones are truly 107, and which scream 108?🧑‍✈️ Pilot vs program responsibilities – How 107 focuses on you as the RPIC, while 108 starts judging your organization’s safety system📜 Waivers, exemptions, and the 108 mindset – How legacy waivers fit into a world moving toward standardized BVLOS rules🔍 “Is this still 107?” checklist – A quick diagnostic you can use before you say yes to a job or design a new service line🏗️ Designing 107 ops like a future 108 pro – How to build documentation, training, and risk management today that will impress regulators and employers tomorrow🚀 Career positioning – How talking intelligently about 107 vs 108 instantly separates you from pilots who only know “what their drone can do”If you want to keep saying, “It’s just 107, we’re fine,” this episode might make you uncomfortable.If you want to be the person in the room who understands where the real line is—and can design around it—that’s exactly why we made it.Know the edge. Respect the line. Prove you can fly it smart—or don’t fly at all.🌐 SkyCommander.ca🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever serious pilots train.#SkyCommanderAcademy #BVLOS #Part107 #Part108 #DroneRegulations #DroneTraining #UASIntegration #DronePrograms #DroneCareers #MissionReady #FlySmart

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