Anyone can buy a drone. Not everyone can legally fly one for your business. If you are hiring aerial photography for a listing, inspection, or project in Kalamazoo, the single most important question to ask your pilot is whether they hold an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate. The answer determines whether your project is legal, insurable, and protected.
What Part 107 Certification Actually Requires
Part 107 is the FAA's rule for commercial drone operations in the United States. Earning the certificate is not a formality. A pilot must pass a written aeronautical knowledge exam covering airspace classifications, weather, flight restrictions, radio communications, and emergency procedures. The certificate must be renewed, and pilots must follow operational rules on every flight: staying below 400 feet, keeping the aircraft in visual line of sight, and obtaining authorization before flying in controlled airspace such as the areas around Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.
Sanford Aerial Solutions operates every flight under a current Part 107 certificate. Flight planning, airspace checks, and weather review happen before the aircraft ever leaves the ground.
The Legal Risk of Hiring an Unlicensed Operator
When a drone flies for your business purpose, that is a commercial operation under federal law, even if no money changes hands for the flight itself. If the pilot is not certified, the flight is illegal. That creates real exposure for you as the hiring party:
- Liability: If an unlicensed flight damages property or injures someone on your site, insurance carriers can deny coverage tied to an unlawful operation.
- Evidence problems: Photos or video captured during an illegal flight can be challenged or thrown out in disputes, insurance claims, or legal proceedings.
- Enforcement: The FAA can fine both the operator and, in some cases, the party that hired them for knowingly using an uncertified pilot.
A cheap quote from an unlicensed operator is not a bargain. It is a liability you did not ask for.
Insurance and Accountability
A certified commercial pilot carries drone liability coverage and can provide a certificate of insurance on request. This matters for property managers, realtors, and contractors who need documentation that every vendor on site is covered. Sanford Aerial Solutions arranges drone liability coverage for every project, and insurance details are confirmed before scheduling, not after something goes wrong.
How to Verify a Pilot's Credentials
Ask for three things before you book:
- The pilot's Part 107 certificate (they should be able to show it).
- Proof of drone liability insurance for the project.
- An itemized quote in writing before the flight.
If a pilot hesitates on any of these, keep looking. A professional will have all three ready.
Book a Shoot
Every Sanford Aerial Solutions project is flown by an FAA Part 107 certified pilot, quoted item by item before booking, and covered by project liability insurance. Serving Kalamazoo and southwest Michigan, with travel included within 30 miles of Kalamazoo. Call 269-303-8302 or email brent@sanfordaerialsolutions.com to scope your project.
Need aerial photos of your property?
Sanford Aerial Solutions is a Kalamazoo-based drone photography service run by an FAA Part 107 certified pilot. Call, text, or email and we will get your shoot scheduled.