UA.V.D.K4: Hazardous attitudes.

ACS Area V — Operations Task D: Aeronautical Decision-Making References: 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-8083-2, 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

Hazardous Attitudes in Part 107 Operations

In Part 107 operations, hazardous attitudes manifest when pilots rationalize bypassing responsibilities or stretching limitations. The remote pilot in command (RPICRemote Pilot in CommandCloseThe certificated remote pilot responsible for the Part 107 operation.) must ensure the aircraft is in the correct category for the operation, properly labeled, and listed on an FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.‑accepted Declaration of Compliance (DOCDeclaration of ComplianceCloseManufacturer compliance document that matters for some Operations Over People categories.). These responsibilities remain unchanged at night, with manufacturers possibly needing to account for the mass of an anti‑collision light for Categories 2 or 3. Ignoring these requirements signals hazardous thinking. ^[1]

Temptations to Poor Judgment: Over People, at Night, and Over Moving Vehicles

• Operations Over People: Categories are mandatory and authorize operations. Except as provided in §§ 107.39(a) and (b) and 107.145, operations over people must comply with § 107.110 (Category 1), §§ 107.115 and 107.120 (Category 2), §§ 107.125 and 107.130 (Category 3), or § 107.140 (Category 4). Any impulse to operate outside these guidelines indicates hazardous attitudes. ^[4]

• Category 1: Requires an aircraft weighing 0.55 pounds or less, including all onboard or attached items, with no exposed rotating parts that could lacerate skin. No sustained flight over open-air assemblies is allowed unless meeting § 89.110 or § 89.115(a). Ignoring weight limits or flying over crowds without Remote IDRemote IdentificationCloseRemote ID broadcast requirements for most drones operating in U.S. airspace. compliance are hazardous mindset traps. ^[3]

• Category 2: Performance-based eligibility requires the aircraft not to cause injury greater than 11 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, have no exposed rotating parts, be free of safety defects, and display a permanent English label indicating Category 2 eligibility. Operating instructions must be followed. Ignoring labeling or instructions is a hazard cue. ^[5]

• Night Operations: Categories and restrictions for operations over people remain unchanged at night. Risk mitigations apply equally day and night, with attention to the added mass of anti-collision lighting. Believing "night is different" for these limits is incorrect. ^[1]

• Over Moving Vehicles: Outside a closed- or restricted-access site, only transit is allowed; no sustained flight. Within such sites, operations are limited by category and participant status, with specific allowances and notification requirements. Rationalizing hovering over a public road is high-risk—"transit only" means exactly that. ^[2]

Preflight Information Discipline: Countering Hazardous Thinking

Good Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADMAeronautical Decision-MakingCloseA structured way to identify risk, choose safer options, and avoid launching when conditions are not acceptable.) relies on current information. When flying near airports, review current airport data (communications, services, closures, construction) from authoritative sources like Aeronautical Charts, the Chart Supplement U.S., NOTAMsNotice to Airmen / Notice to Air MissionsCloseOfficial notice about temporary conditions, hazards, or changes that can affect a flight., and ATISAutomatic Terminal Information ServiceCloseRecorded airport weather and operational information for pilots.. Skipping these checks invites error. ^[7] Aeronautical charts are essential; Sectional charts (scale 1:500,000; 1 inch = 6.86 NMNautical MileCloseA distance unit used in aviation. One nautical mile is about 1.15 statute miles.) provide information on airports, airspace, and topography for planning and in-flight monitoring. Regularly consulting the chart and legend helps counter complacency. ^[6]

Precision Matters: Thresholds and Minima

Aviation safety depends on precise thresholds. For example, Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVSEnhanced Flight Vision SystemCloseA crewed-aircraft system that helps pilots see in low visibility under strict authorization rules.) rules specify operations to 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation (TDZETouchdown Zone ElevationCloseThe highest runway elevation in the touchdown zone, used in instrument procedure minima.) only with specific equipment and operator authorization. While EFVSEnhanced Flight Vision SystemCloseA crewed-aircraft system that helps pilots see in low visibility under strict authorization rules. does not apply to Part 107, it illustrates the importance of exact minima and authorizations in aviation. Remote pilots must respect precise Part 107 thresholds, such as 0.55 pounds for Category 1 and the 11 foot-pound injury limit for Category 2. Any temptation to round, guess, or "eyeball it" indicates a hazardous attitude. ^{[8] [3] [5]}