Commercial drones in Suffolk County require FAA Part 107 certification plus LAANC authorization due to Boston Logan Class B airspace. Boston also requires film permits for commercial aerial work from the Boston Film Office.
Commercial drone operations in Suffolk County require a FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate plus LAANC authorization for Boston's near-universal controlled airspace. Part 107 applies to any business use: real estate photography (extremely constrained in Boston), construction/insurance inspection, news gathering, surveying, and delivery. LAANC grid ceilings near Logan drop to 0-50 feet across most of Boston — much commercial work requires FAA Part 107 waivers (Form 7711-2) which can take 90+ days. Boston requires a Boston Film Office permit for any commercial filming in the public way under Boston Municipal Code §17-13. Special permits needed from Massport for Logan area and from the State Police for Massachusetts State Highway footage. Flights over people require a Category-1 through Category-4 compliance waiver under 14 CFR §107.39. Operations beyond visual line of sight require Part 108 (pending rulemaking) or §107.31 waiver. Commercial operators must maintain insurance — most Boston General Liability policies require $1M+ aviation coverage. Certificate renewal every 24 months. Remote ID broadcast required on all drones over 0.55 lbs since September 2023.
Operating commercially without Part 107: FAA civil penalty up to $32,666 per violation. Boston unpermitted filming: $500-$2,500 under Boston Municipal Code §17-13. Unauthorized airspace incursion near Logan: federal criminal prosecution possible under 49 USC §46306.
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Chelsea, MA
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Chelsea, MA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Suffolk County.
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