Read This Before Hiring Drone Operator: A Practical Legal and Safety Checklist

Read This Before Hiring Drone Operator — if you are planning to hire someone to fly a drone for photography, surveying, events, or inspections, the decision affects safety, legal exposure, and the success of your project. This guide lists the questions to ask, documents to verify, contract points to require, and common pitfalls to avoid so you can hire a drone operator with confidence.

Why you must "Read This Before Hiring Drone Operator"

Drone operations intersect with aviation regulations, privacy concerns, and property risk. Hiring an unqualified operator can expose you to fines, litigation, or lost data. The phrase Read This Before Hiring Drone Operator is a reminder to treat drone work like any other regulated service: confirm credentials, insurance, and written terms before flights begin.

Key things to verify before hiring

• Remote pilot certificate: Confirm the operator holds an FAA Part 107 certificate (or equivalent local authorization). Ask for a photo or scan of the certificate and the pilot's government ID.
• Aircraft registration: Make sure each drone to be used is registered and that registration numbers are visible in documentation.
• Insurance: Request proof of liability insurance. Minimum coverage often ranges by project size; ask for policy limits, effective dates, and whether bodily injury and property damage are covered.
• Experience and references: Review a portfolio of recent work, ask for references for similar projects, and check for flight logs or raw files when quality and workflow matter.
• Waivers and authorizations: If the job requires operations beyond standard limitations (night, VLOS waiver, airspace authorizations), confirm these are in place.
• Safety procedures: Ask about preflight checks, emergency protocols, and whether a safety observer will be present for complex operations.

Questions to ask the operator (use this script)

1. Do you hold a current FAA Part 107 certificate? Can you show it?
2. Is the drone registered? Can you provide the registration number?
3. Do you carry general liability and aviation insurance? What are the policy limits?
4. Have you completed flights in the proposed location before? Can you provide references?
5. Will you publish footage publicly (social media, paid platforms)?
6. Do you have any required waivers, airspace authorizations, or NOTAM coordination?

Contract items to include

Always use a written contract. At minimum, include:

• Scope of work: Dates, location, flight windows, deliverables, and acceptance criteria.
• Insurance and indemnity: Require proof of insurance and include indemnity clauses protecting your business from operator negligence.
• Compliance clause: Require adherence to all aviation rules and any local ordinances; specify who secures permits or waivers.
• Data ownership and use: Clarify who owns raw footage, final files, and who may publish or monetize the content.
• Cancellation and force majeure: Address weather delays and rescheduling.

Public posting and monetization — why this matters

Publishing drone footage on public platforms can change how regulators view an operation. If footage is monetized or used commercially, the operator may need commercial authorization regardless of initial intent. Before hiring, ask whether the footage will be uploaded or monetized and make that a contract item.

How regulators use public content and flight data

Regulatory investigations often start from complaints and may use public posts, livestreams, or flight logs as evidence. Confirm the operator keeps unedited flight logs and metadata (timestamps, altitude, GPS) to defend compliance if questioned. Also verify that any livestreaming or screen-sharing of flight telemetry is handled with caution to avoid exposing sensitive information.

Remote ID and identification concerns

Remote ID requirements mean aircraft broadcast identification and location. This helps authorities identify operators and can make compliance easier to verify. Discuss with the operator whether their drones are Remote ID compliant and how that affects privacy and legal exposure for on-site personnel.

Red flags — when to walk away

• No proof of a pilot certificate or registration
• Refusal to provide insurance documentation
• Requests to avoid permits or to misrepresent the scope of the mission
• Unwillingness to include basic contract safeguards
• Excessive secrecy about flight logs or refusal to show sample telemetry

Checklist to hand your procurement or legal team

Include the following as a pre-hire packet:

• Copy of pilot certificate and ID
• Aircraft registration numbers
• Insurance binder and limits
• Proposed flight plan and risk assessment
• Draft contract with indemnity and data-use clauses
• List of required waivers/authorizations

Common FAQs

Do recreational pilots need Part 107 to take paid jobs?

Yes. If an operation is compensated, or the footage is used commercially, the operator usually must hold a commercial pilot certificate such as the FAA Part 107. Confirm the intended use and include it in the contract.

Can an operator’s public videos be used as evidence in an investigation?

Yes. Publicly posted flight video, livestreams, and shared telemetry can be reviewed by authorities following a complaint. Keep operations compliant and retain raw flight logs for defense if needed.

What if a drone collides with property or a person?

Immediately document the incident, notify local authorities, and inform your insurance provider. A clear contract and operator insurance will determine who is financially responsible.

Final takeaway

Read This Before Hiring Drone Operator and use this guide as a minimum standard. Verifying certificates, insurance, waivers, and contract protections is essential to reduce legal and financial risk. When in doubt, require proof in writing and consult legal counsel for complex or high-risk projects.