Commercial drone work across Whatcom County follows FAA 14 CFR Part 107: hold a Remote Pilot Certificate, register the aircraft, stay below 400 feet, and keep visual line of sight. The county issues no drone license; controlled airspace near Bellingham International Airport requires LAANC.
Any drone flight for business in Whatcom County, from real estate and berry-field surveys around Lynden and Ferndale to inspections over Bellingham, falls under FAA 14 CFR Part 107. Section 107.12 requires the person at the controls to hold a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating, or to fly under a certificated pilot's direct supervision. Operators register the aircraft, stay below 400 feet, keep visual line of sight, and obtain LAANC authorization in the controlled airspace around Bellingham International Airport. Washington adds no statewide commercial drone license, and the county neither licenses nor grounds a lawful flight. Cities may regulate only takeoff and landing from public property, and the Canadian border remains a hard limit.
The FAA enforces Part 107 with civil penalties reaching tens of thousands of dollars for flying commercially without a Remote Pilot Certificate. Cities can restrict launch and landing from public land; the county adds no separate permit.
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