FAA Waivers & BVLOS
Public safety · FAA

FAA Waivers & BVLOS

Your agency type decides your path. Start there.

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Airspace and authority

Two rulebooks.

Agencies fly under Part 107, a public-aircraft COA, or both. Flying beyond line of sight is a waiver on top.

  1. Part 107Each pilot holds an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate. 400 ft or lower, in line of sight. LAANC for controlled airspace. Fast to start.
  2. Part 91 COAThe agency certifies its own pilots and aircraft. Needs a declaration letter from counsel, a safety case and a Responsible Person. Slower to get, broader once held.
Night flights

Night flight is part of Part 107 now. You need anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles and the night training. No waiver needed.

Over people and moving vehicles

Under Part 107, only within the category rules. The Part 107 PSO bundle waives §107.39 and §107.145 for emergency call-outs. The Part 91 checklist accepts Category 1–4 aircraft, or an ASTM F3322-18 parachute.

Emergencies

The FAA’s Special Governmental Interest process gets public aircraft emergency approvals and TFR access fast.

Three questions

Which path fits?

1. Is your agency a political subdivision (city, county, township, state or tribe)?
2. Is its main job public safety (police, fire, EMS, SAR, emergency management)?
3. Can most flights stay at or below 200 ft, near buildings and terrain?

Answer the questions to see your likely path.

The four paths are below. Match yours with the “fits if” line.

Fits if: Political subdivision + public safety + stays at or below 200 ft

Part 91 public-safety waiver, 200 ft shielded

Fly at or below 200 ft AGL, or within 100 ft of a structure, with ADS-B In. About 87% of applicants pick this version. Typically days, not months, once the package is clean.

Package: counsel’s Public Declaration Letter, FAA Form 7711-2, the initialed checklist and a Concept of Operations. Controlled airspace still needs CAPS or COA authorization.

Fits if: Political subdivision + public safety + needs up to 400 ft

Part 91 public-safety waiver, 400 ft

The 400 ft version of the same waiver. It needs detect-and-avoid. Same package: declaration letter, Form 7711-2, checklist, ConOps.

Fits if: Public safety, but not a political subdivision (independent volunteer fire company, nonprofit SAR, private EMS)

Part 107 PSO shielded waiver

One bundle waives §107.31 (line of sight), §107.39 (over people) and §107.145 (over moving vehicles). BVLOS within one statute mile of the pilot, 200 ft or less in Class G, emergency call-outs only. ADS-B In and Standard Remote ID required. Apply in FAADroneZone with a PSO letter and a ConOps. Expect weeks.

Fits if: Not primarily public safety (utilities, inspection, security, public works)

Standard Part 107 waiver

A full safety case for §107.31 through FAADroneZone. Expect weeks to months. DJI’s Dock 3 waiver templates are the technical core. Part 108 may replace much of this, but it is not law yet.

Township fire districts are usually political subdivisions; independent volunteer companies usually are not. Planning help only. Not legal advice or an FAA authorization.

The paths

What each one asks

Part 91 public-safety waiver (PAO-PSO)

For a political subdivision with a public safety mission. Typically days, not months, once the package is clean.

  • 200 ft shielded version (checklist v14, July 2026): at or below 200 ft AGL, or within 100 ft of a structure, with ADS-B In. About 87% of applicants choose it.
  • 400 ft version: needs detect-and-avoid.
  • Package: counsel’s Public Declaration Letter, FAA Form 7711-2, the initialed checklist, a Concept of Operations.
  • Controlled airspace still needs CAPS or COA authorization.
Part 107 PSO shielded waiver

For volunteer fire companies, nonprofit SAR and private EMS. Expect weeks, through FAADroneZone.

  • Waives §107.31, §107.39 and §107.145 in one bundle.
  • BVLOS within one statute mile of the pilot, 200 ft or less in Class G, emergency call-outs only.
  • ADS-B In and Standard Remote ID; aircraft under 55 lb and 87 knots.
  • Needs a PSO certification letter and a ConOps.
Standard Part 107 waiver

For utilities, inspection firms and security. A full safety case for §107.31. Expect weeks to months. DJI’s Dock 3 waiver templates are the technical core.

Part 108

The FAA and TSA proposed a BVLOS rule on Aug 7, 2025 (Docket FAA-2025-1908). It is not law yet, and nobody holds Part 108 authority. Keep waiver work moving.

DFR beyond line of sight

The ten steps.

The Part 91 public-safety path, as most docked DFR programs run it.

  1. Verify public-aircraft status and public-safety-organization status. Both are required.
  2. Agency counsel signs the Public Declaration Letter on letterhead.
  3. Register for CAPS portal access.
  4. Complete FAA Form 7711-2.
  5. Pick the checklist (200 ft shielded or 400 ft DAA). Initial each provision; the Responsible Person signs.
  6. Write the Concept of Operations: mission, area, people, aircraft, mitigations, emergencies, reporting.
  7. Email the package to the FAA public-safety waiver desk.
  8. Answer FAA questions quickly.
  9. Receive the Certificate of Waiver. Brief every pilot on its provisions.
  10. Apply for airspace authorization for any Class B, C, D or E surface area the dock covers.
Why the FAA accepts shielded operations

Manned aircraft must stay 500 to 1,000 ft above people. A drone at or below 200 ft, or within 100 ft above a structure, is in airspace manned aircraft should not be in. Shielding plus ADS-B In replaces see-and-avoid. Giving way to manned aircraft (§91.111) is never waived.

Ohio airspace

Near the Class D airports around Akron-Canton, Cleveland Hopkins and Burke Lakefront, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo and Dayton, you need CAPS authorizations on top of the certificate. Hospital helipads are the most common hazard within one mile in Ohio cities.

After approval

Report serious injury or substantial damage to the NTSB (49 CFR 830). Email the FAA about any manned-aircraft encounter closer than 500 ft, loss of control or flyaway. Keep monthly flight-hour totals. Start renewals 90 days before expiry.

How we help

We prepare. You sign. The FAA decides.

  1. Pick the pathWe walk the three questions with you and your counsel.
  2. Draft the packageConOps, Form 7711-2 worksheet and checklist attestation, built around your aircraft.
  3. Map the hazardsAirports, helipads and controlled airspace around each launch site.
  4. Dock 3 evidenceRemote ID, ADS-B In, altitude limits and lost-link settings, line by line.

Ohio Drone Repair prepares, it does not certify. Your counsel signs the declaration letter, your Responsible Person signs the checklist, and your agency submits. This page is planning help only. It is not legal advice or an FAA authorization. Verify the current checklist on the FAA Public Safety Toolkit before filing.

Sources: FAA AC 107-2A; FAA Public Safety Small Drone Playbook (2024); 90 FR 38212 (Part 108 NPRM); PERF Roadmap (2020); FAA PAO-PSO 200 ft checklist v14 (July 2026); Part 107 PSO-SO v10 (Aug 2025).

Platforms

Aircraft and sensors

Drone as First ResponderLaunch on the 911 call. Video to crews before units arrive.DFR programs →DJI Dock 3Docked Matrice 4TD that launches, lands and charges itself. Roof or truck.Dock 3 →Pierce AerospaceRemote ID and ADS-B sensors. See drones over your scene and where their pilots are.Pierce →Vantage RoboticsBlue UAS Cleared Trace and Vesper. Made in USA, with EO and LWIR thermal.Vantage →ACSL SOTENNDAA compliant, made in Japan. Swappable cameras, including 640 × 512 radiometric thermal.SOTEN →

Specs and compliance status are the manufacturers’ own; see each page for sources. NDAA & Blue UAS guide.

DJI Dock 3 open on a rooftop (Ohio Drone Repair video)
Contact

Start your waiver

Tell us your agency type and launch sites. We’ll map the path.

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First Responder Owned · Veteran Led

gov@ohiodronerepair.com · 330-598-4170 · Buying on a PO

Ohio Drone Repair is a dba of Ohio UAV Services LLC, 2236 N Cleveland Massillon Rd, Akron, OH. Trademarks belong to their owners. Specs are the manufacturers’ own, under their test conditions; figures are as reported in the sources named. Not legal advice or an FAA authorization. Photos and video are Ohio Drone Repair’s own unless credited.