Part 107 requires at least 3 statute miles of flight visibility from your control station, and your drone must stay at least 500 ft below clouds and 2,000 ft horizontally from them. Those are the weather minimums in 14 CFR 107.51. The test also expects you to decode METARs (current airport weather) and TAFs (airport forecasts), which use a compact code for wind, visibility, clouds and temperature.
The minimums in plain English
- Visibility: 3 statute miles, measured as the average distance you can see and identify prominent objects from where you're flying.
- Cloud clearance: 500 ft below the cloud and 2,000 ft horizontally.
- Practical effect: with a cloud base 600 ft above you, your maximum altitude is 100 ft. Under an overcast layer at 400 ft, there's no legal altitude to fly at.
These limits can be waived only with a Part 107 waiver. See Part 107 waivers.
How to read a METAR
Example:
METAR KJFK 121651Z 31015G25KT 10SM FEW040 BKN250 18/06 A3002
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| KJFK | Station: John F. Kennedy International |
| 121651Z | 12th day of the month, 16:51 UTC (Zulu) |
| 31015G25KT | Wind from 310 degrees true at 15 knots, gusting 25 |
| 10SM | Visibility 10 statute miles |
| FEW040 | Few clouds at 4,000 ft above ground |
| BKN250 | Broken clouds at 25,000 ft |
| 18/06 | Temperature 18 °C, dew point 6 °C |
| A3002 | Altimeter setting 30.02 inches of mercury |
Things to know for the test:
- Cloud heights are in hundreds of feet AGL. BKN008 means broken clouds at 800 ft.
- Ceiling is the lowest broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) layer. FEW and SCT (scattered) aren't ceilings.
- Wind direction in a METAR is from true north and tells you where the wind comes from.
- Temperature and dew point close together mean fog or low clouds are likely.
- Weather codes: RA rain, SN snow, BR mist, FG fog, TS thunderstorm, with "-" for light and "+" for heavy.
How to read a TAF
A TAF is a forecast, usually for 24 or 30 hours around an airport, using the same codes. It adds change groups:
- FM1800: from 18:00 UTC, conditions change to what follows.
- TEMPO: temporary changes expected during a time window.
- PROB30: a 30% chance of the conditions listed.
Other weather the test covers
- Density altitude: heat, humidity and high elevation reduce lift and battery performance.
- Thunderstorms and wind shear: stay well away. Gust fronts can arrive miles ahead of a storm.
- Fronts, fog and stability: know which conditions bring low clouds and poor visibility.
Our Part 107 study guide covers the rest.
Using it on real flights
- Check the METAR and TAF for the nearest airport on the National Weather Service's Aviation Weather Center.
- Compare gusts with your drone's wind limit. See flying a drone in wind.
- Look at the sky where you are. Airport weather can be miles away.
- Watch temperature: cold shortens battery life. See flying in cold weather.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Test coming up? Try the Part 107 practice test.
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