Part 107 UAS pilot reported flying a UAS in controlled airspace near a Class B airport which required an FAA waiver. The reporter was not listed on the FAA waiver which had expired.

Date: 2025-11 · Aircraft: DJI Undifferentiated

Anomalies: airspace-violation-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-unauthorized-flight-operations-uas|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

Part 107 UAS pilot reported flying a UAS in controlled airspace near a Class B airport which required an FAA waiver. The reporter was not listed on the FAA waiver which had expired.

Narrative

Summary of Event:I was employed by a Construction company; where part of my responsibilities included operating a drone to map construction sites and capture progress photos and videos. One of our projects was located at Location X; which lies within Class B airspace near ZZZ; approximately 2;600 feet from one of its runways. Because of the location; we were unable to obtain LAANC authorization and instead required an FAA airspace waiver through the FAADroneZone portal.Before I joined the company; a waiver application had been submitted; and approval was granted months later. My former colleague; who originally handled the site flights; shared the waiver approval email with our team. On Day 0; I took over flight operations; assuming the waiver remained valid and that I had been added as an authorized Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC). I began conducting mapping and progress flights every other week; later increasing to weekly operations at my supervisor's request.All flights were limited to 150 ft AGL (per the waiver conditions); remained strictly within the site boundaries; and were conducted under visual line of sight with continuous situational awareness. No safety incidents; loss of control; or airspace conflicts occurred.Several months later; I received a phone call from Person A; regarding my drone operation and the lack of an active LAANC authorization. I was unable to answer at the time because my phone was in use for the drone's camera interface. Shortly after; Person B arrived on site to investigate. I provided my Part 107 certificate; driver's license; and waiver documentation.Upon reviewing the waiver during this interaction; I discovered that it had expired on Day 16; and that my name was not listed as an approved pilot. The waiver was still associated with my former colleague. The following day; I informed my supervisor that I could no longer conduct flights at that location and that a new waiver application would be required. Shortly after; I was suspended from drone operations and later terminated by the company.Contributing Factors:Misunderstanding about the waiver's expiration date and the list of authorized pilots.Assumption that the company's existing waiver covered all licensed Part 107 pilots on the project.Corrective Actions / Lessons Learned:I have reviewed FAA Part 107 regulations and guidance on airspace waivers to ensure full understanding of pilot-specific authorization requirements.I began the process of applying for a new waiver for future operations prior to my dismissal.I will now personally verify the validity; scope; and authorized personnel of any FAA waiver before conducting UAS operations.Safety Impact:No safety hazards; near misses; or operational conflicts occurred.The issue was strictly a regulatory non-compliance (expired waiver and unlisted pilot).

NASA callback

The reporter indicated they have been in communication with the FAA and had no further details to add.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.