UA.I.B.K28: ADS-B Out prohibition.

ACS Area I — Regulations Task B: Operating Rules References: 14 CFRCode of Federal RegulationsCloseThe federal rulebook where Part 107, Part 89, Part 48, and other aviation rules live. parts 47, 48, 89, and 107, subpart B; ACAdvisory CircularCloseFAA guidance that explains acceptable ways to comply with rules or understand FAA procedures. 107-2; FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.-H-8083-25; FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.-G-8082-22

Key Concepts

What ADS-B Out Is—and Why It’s Not Your sUAS Solution

Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized.) Out is a surveillance technology embedded in certain transponders. In FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. equipment coding, Mode S entries that include “extended squitter” indicate ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. capability—for example, “E” (Mode S with aircraft ID, pressure‑altitude, and extended squitter) and “L” (Mode S with aircraft ID, pressure‑altitude, extended squitter, and enhanced surveillance) in flight plan Item 10a/10b designators.^[8] These designators exist to inform ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. about manned aircraft surveillance capabilities, not to define equipage for small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it.. For the Part 107 remote pilot, the exam‑relevant takeaway is to recognize that ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out is part of the manned aircraft surveillance ecosystem and is not the identification or tracking solution the FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. uses for routine small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. operations.

Ground Use of Transponders/ADS‑B Applies to Equipped Aircraft, Not Drones

The AIMAeronautical Information ManualCloseFAA operational guidance and glossary material used to understand aviation procedures and terminology. instructs civil and military aircraft that are “equipped” to keep the transponder in altitude‑reporting mode and to keep ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out enabled any time they are on an airport movement area (all defined runways and taxiways). Departures should enable ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. during pushback or taxi; arrivals should maintain ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out through runway exit.^[3] This guidance is directed at aircraft that have such equipment and operate on movement areas subject to ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. surface surveillance. It does not imply that small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. should be fitted with, or operate, ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out equipment. For the test: if a scenario suggests enabling ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. on a small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. to satisfy ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. or identification needs, that is a trap—Part 107 operations are not structured around drone‑mounted ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out.

Practical implication: Small UASUnmanned Aircraft SystemCloseAn unmanned aircraft plus its control station, communication links, and supporting components. typically launch and recover away from movement areas and do not taxi. Your collision‑avoidance duties under Part 107 are fulfilled by see‑and‑avoid techniques and operational limitations, not by broadcasting ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out. Do not plan to use ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. to obtain ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. separation services in basic Part 107 operations; that is not how the FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. integrates small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it..

Remote ID Is the sUAS Identification Framework—Not ADS‑B

When you see “identification” requirements for small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. in FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. materials, they point to Part 89 Remote Identification, not ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized.. For example, the operations‑over‑people framework references §§ 89.110 and 89.115(a) in determining when sustained flight over open‑air assemblies is allowed or prohibited under Categories 1–4.^[7] This shows that, for small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it., the FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. links operational eligibility to Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace. compliance, not to ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. equipage. On the exam, distinguish clearly:

• ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out: a surveillance service associated with transponders and ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. surveillance for manned aircraft.^[8]
• Remote ID: the regulatory identification scheme used to gate small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. operational privileges (e.g., certain Category operations over people and open‑air assemblies reference §§ 89.110 and 89.115(a)).^[7]

Do not conflate ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out with Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace.—they serve different regulatory purposes.

Regulatory Context You Should Recognize

• Part 107 is the operating rule set for small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it..^[5] It does not rely on small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. using ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out to integrate into the NASNational Airspace SystemCloseThe shared U.S. airspace system that drones must operate within..
• Part 89 is the Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace. rule set explicitly referenced in operations‑over‑people decision tables (e.g., §§ 89.110 and 89.115(a)).^[7][5]
• The FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.’s training and reference ecosystem (AIMAeronautical Information ManualCloseFAA operational guidance and glossary material used to understand aviation procedures and terminology., ACSAirman Certification StandardsCloseThe FAA task and knowledge taxonomy used to organize handbook topics and weak-area remediation., UASUnmanned Aircraft SystemCloseAn unmanned aircraft plus its control station, communication links, and supporting components. handbooks) reinforces that surveillance/transponder coding and ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. terminology are ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services.‑facing constructs for crewed aircraft, while Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace. is the compliance pathway for small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. visibility.^[6][8]

Exam tip: When a question contrasts adding ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out or complying with Part 89 to meet a small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. operational requirement, select the Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace. pathway. If a choice suggests using ADS‑BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-BroadcastCloseAircraft broadcast technology. Part 107 drones generally may not use ADS-B Out unless specifically authorized. Out on a drone to obtain routine ATCAir Traffic ControlCloseThe system that manages controlled airspace, traffic flow, and aircraft separation services. services or to meet identification rules, reject it.

Footnotes