Part 107 Weather Requirements

By VectorWX. Sources reviewed 2026-10-19.

Part 107 Minimums at a Glance

Use the linked text for the full rule and its conditions. This table summarizes the standard operating limits. An individual authorization or waiver needs its own review. Read the FAA conditions that apply to your operation before you plan the route.

The structure exception applies within a 400-foot radius of a structure and permits no more than 400 feet above its immediate uppermost limit. Review both conditions. This exception does not establish that the airspace is available.

Start with the Operating Environment

Section 107.49(a) requires an assessment of the operating environment. It includes local weather, local airspace and flight restrictions, persons and property on the surface, and other ground hazards. Weather is one part of that assessment. Read the complete section for the other preflight actions.

Write down the flight site, planned route, launch time and expected landing time. Identify the parts of the route where terrain blocks your view. Mark the return path and possible landing areas. These notes help you compare a broad forecast with the place where the aircraft will fly. Keep the observation time beside each weather value.

Open the drone weather hub and find the nearest published city. Check the named sample location before you use its summary. A city-center model cell can be some distance from your launch site. A sheltered car park and an open ridge can have different winds. Treat those differences as questions to resolve at the site.

Check Visibility with Observations and the Flight Site

Read a nearby METAR from the Aviation Weather Center. Check the station, observation time, visibility and reported weather. Use the decoded view if the raw code is unfamiliar. Select stations around the route when the weather varies across the area. A distant airport report can miss a local fog bank or a rain shower.

Compare the report with prominent objects at known distances from the control station. Check the direction in which the aircraft will fly. Haze, smoke and precipitation can reduce the useful view in one direction. A bright display can also make the outside view harder to assess. Pause your screen work and inspect the actual scene.

Section 107.51(c) defines flight visibility from the control station, using objects that can be seen and identified. A forecast grid value is not that observation. Keep the model value and the site assessment distinct in your notes. If the report and the scene disagree, resolve the difference before you launch.

Check Clouds Along the Route

Read the cloud groups in the METAR. Use the airport TAF to look for changes during the flight period. Check the forecast validity period and any change groups. A TAF describes an airport forecast area. It does not describe the exact cloud position beside a building or a hill on your route.

VectorWX shows a model cloud ceiling in the free drone summary. A ceiling helps you inspect the vertical picture. It does not give the horizontal distance from the aircraft to a cloud. Scattered cloud can matter even when there is no limiting ceiling. Look across the route and check terrain that can place the aircraft closer to cloud.

The clearance test in 107.51(d) concerns the aircraft and the cloud. Keep the planned height, terrain height and cloud report reference clear. A cloud ceiling alone cannot establish compliance with both cloud distances. If cloud forms below or beside the planned path, revise the flight plan before you continue.

Check Wind at the Height of the Aircraft

The surface wind describes a different level from the drone-altitude model wind. VectorWX shows the latter at 80 m, about 262 ft AGL. The product does not measure wind at 400 ft. Read the valid time and compare the surface value, gust value and altitude value together.

Use the aircraft manual for wind and temperature limits. Consider the return leg as well as the outbound leg. A downwind departure can make the return difficult. Check for stronger flow above trees and buildings. Use site observations to judge the difference between open ground and the sheltered launch point. A generic app limit cannot replace the aircraft instructions.

The groundspeed limit is not a general wind limit. The preflight assessment still needs to address the conditions of the planned flight. The free VectorWX score reports reasons from the existing planning engine. Read those reasons and use your aircraft limits. PRO provides the hourly altitude wind layer and custom limits.

Check Changes Before Landing

Compare the current report with the forecast for the flight period. Look for showers, fog development, a front or an approaching storm. Check a city page for the surface hourly table and its linked radar. Follow the relevant airport link for current aviation observations. Recheck timestamps after a page has been open for a while.

Check precipitation and temperature against the aircraft and battery instructions. Inspect the aircraft for frost, ice or water before flight. Keep a clear stopping point in the plan if weather starts to change. The checklist has room to record the sources and the decision. It is a record of your assessment; it does not predict that conditions will stay unchanged.

Related Operating Rules

Section 107.31 sets visual line of sight requirements. Satisfying a visibility number does not complete that separate check. Review the full text and maintain the required view of the aircraft during the operation.

Section 107.29 covers night operations and anti-collision lighting, including civil twilight provisions. Check its training and lighting conditions before you plan around sunset. Use the actual flight date and location when checking daylight times.

Section 107.41 covers operations in certain airspace. Use FAA B4UFLY resources and check LAANC information for airspace planning. Check restrictions and NOTAMs before the flight.

Recreational flights have a separate framework under 49 USC 44809 and FAA recreational flyer guidance, including TRUST. Do not treat a Part 107 weather summary as a complete recreational compliance guide. Identify which rules apply to the specific flight.

Make a Record Before Launch

Use the free preflight weather checklist to record the observation time, aircraft limits and route assessment. Mark a check only after you have examined that item. Keep unanswered items visible. Check the Kp page for the source time and the limits of this planetary indicator. Repeat the assessment if the plan or conditions change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Review History

2026-10-19: VectorWX source review and first publication. Linked regulations and FAA guidance support this guide. No individual FAA endorsement is claimed.

Planning aid only. Check conditions at the flight site and use an official briefing. A weather page does not grant flight or airspace approval.