Hobby rules do not cover a paid wash
Recreational flyers operate under a different, narrower set of rules. The moment someone accepts money to fly — including to wash your hotel or your array — it is commercial. Commercial requires Part 107.
The certificate is not a sticker. It is a knowledge test, recurrent training, and a named pilot in command who can be held to the regulation. We put that PIC on every mission.
What we check before wheels-up
Airspace and NOTAMs. Nearby airports and heliports. Weather against the aircraft envelope. Visual line of sight. A written ops plan and liability coverage. If the airspace or the wind is wrong, we wait. You are not billed for a grounded day.
- Certified remote pilots on every flight
- Airspace and NOTAM checks before wheels-up
- Visual line of sight and a compact ground crew
- Insured operations, documented at completion
- Weather abort authority sits with the pilot in command
What to ask any operator
Ask for the remote pilot certificate, the insurance certificate naming your site, and a one-page flight plan. If the answer is a Facebook video of a garden sprayer on a consumer quad, that is not a vendor. That is a risk transfer onto your roof.
Do I need a waiver for my building?+–
Most daytime, line-of-sight washes do not. Night work, some airport-adjacent sites, and certain airspace need extra authorization. We flag that in the site review.
Can a hobby drone do this cheaper?+–
It can look cheaper until the first incident. Payload, water volume, and legal status are not hobbies. We do not freelance consumer aircraft on your property.
Who is in command on site?+–
The Part 107 remote pilot. If the weather turns or a helicopter enters the area, that pilot aborts. The client does not get a vote that overrides safety.
