Part 107 Hazardous Operations: Careless Flying and Dropping Objects Under §107.23

Picture three Part 107 jobs on the same Saturday. A real estate pilot threads a drone between two houses in a gusty wind to get "the shot." A wedding vendor wants a drone to drop rose petals over the couple. A farm client asks if the drone can carry a small bottle of herbicide out to a fence row. Each one runs into the same short rule: 14 CFR § 107.23, Hazardous operation.

It is one of the briefest sections in Part 107, and one of the broadest. This explainer walks through the text, what it reaches in practice, how it connects to § 107.36 on hazardous materials, and how to keep records that show you flew responsibly. It is general information, not legal advice. For the rest of the federal framework, see our federal drone laws overview.

The text of § 107.23

Here is the full section as published in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 14 CFR § 107.23 (checked 21 Oct 2026):

§ 107.23 Hazardous operation.

No person may:

(a) Operate a small unmanned aircraft system in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another; or

(b) Allow an object to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that creates an undue hazard to persons or property.

Two prohibitions, joined by "or." Either one alone is a violation.

Paragraph (a): careless or reckless operation

Paragraph (a) says no person may operate a small UAS "in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another." Part 107 doesn't define "careless" or "reckless" with a checklist, which is exactly why the rule matters. It is the catch-all that applies to the whole flight, even when no specific rule (altitude, airspace, visual line of sight) is broken.

Notice what the text actually ties together: the manner of operation, and endangering "the life or property of another." A few practical takeaways follow from that wording:

• "No person" is broad. The rule isn't limited to the remote pilot in command. Anyone operating the system is covered.
• Danger to others is the trigger. The text speaks to the life or property "of another," so the focus is on people, aircraft and property around the operation, not just your own drone.
• It sits next to RPIC responsibility. Under 14 CFR § 107.19(b), "the remote pilot in command is directly responsible for and is the final authority as to the operation of the small unmanned aircraft system," and under § 107.19(c) the RPIC "must ensure that the small unmanned aircraft will pose no undue hazard to other people, other aircraft, or other property in the event of a loss of control of the small unmanned aircraft for any reason." Planning for a loss of control is part of not being careless.

Back to the real estate pilot. Squeezing between two houses in strong gusts isn't automatically illegal, but it's the kind of decision § 107.23(a) and § 107.19(c) are written for. If a loss of control would put the drone into a neighbor's window or a person on the sidewalk, the safer plan is the legal one: wait for the wind, change the angle, or skip the shot.

Situations that invite a careless-or-reckless question

• Flying over or near people in ways that don't fit the operations-over-people rules. Our § 107.39 operations over people guide covers the categories and how they work.
• Pushing battery margins until the aircraft lands wherever it runs out.
• Flying in wind or weather beyond what the aircraft and pilot can handle.
• Ignoring obvious obstacles, wires or crowds to finish a job on schedule.
• Distracted flying, such as running the controller while also directing a client shoot.

None of these is a separate rule in § 107.23. They are examples of how the general standard gets tested.

Paragraph (b): dropping objects

Paragraph (b) says no person may "allow an object to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that creates an undue hazard to persons or property."

Read that carefully, because it's often misquoted. The text does not say "no dropping objects, period." It prohibits dropping in a manner "that creates an undue hazard to persons or property." That leaves the operator responsible for showing the drop itself doesn't create an undue hazard: what's being dropped, from what height, over what, and with who below.

Some questions a careful operator asks before any drop:

1. What is it? Weight, shape and whether it could injure someone or damage property on landing.
2. Where will it land? Wind drift, release height and the area beneath the release point.
3. Who is under it? Participants, bystanders, vehicles, animals, structures.
4. What if it releases early? A mechanism failure is part of the hazard analysis, not an afterthought.
5. Is it still a Part 107 job? Some dispensing work is governed by a different part of the rules (see below).

Take the wedding petals. Dropping light petals over an open, clear area away from guests is a very different hazard profile than releasing a weighted package over a crowd. The rule asks whether the manner of the drop creates an undue hazard. Your plan should be able to answer that in writing.

When a "drop" is really agricultural work

The farm client's herbicide request is where pilots get into the most trouble. 14 CFR Part 137 governs agricultural aircraft operations. Section 137.3 defines an agricultural aircraft operation as "the operation of an aircraft for the purpose of (1) dispensing any economic poison, (2) dispensing any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control, or (3) engaging in dispensing activities directly affecting agriculture, horticulture, or forest preservation, but not including the dispensing of live insects." If the job fits that definition, § 107.23 is not the only rule you need to think about, and Part 107 alone isn't the full answer.

§ 107.36: hazardous materials (pointer)

The farm example also touches a neighboring section. 14 CFR § 107.36, "Carriage of hazardous material," reads in full: "A small unmanned aircraft may not carry hazardous material. For purposes of this section, the term hazardous material is defined in 49 CFR 171.8." The definition lives in 49 CFR § 171.8. If a payload could fall under that definition, check it there before it ever goes on the aircraft.

Can § 107.23 be waived?

Part 107 lists the sections that can be waived in 14 CFR § 107.205. That list includes sections such as § 107.25 (operation from a moving vehicle or aircraft), § 107.31 (visual line of sight), § 107.39 (operation over people) and § 107.41 (operation in certain airspace). Section 107.23 is not on it. Neither is § 107.36. Plan your operations to comply with both rather than looking for a waiver path.

Show your work: records that support a safe operation

Because § 107.23 is a judgment standard, documentation is your friend. A short record per flight goes a long way:

• Pre-flight notes: wind, weather, obstacles, people in the area, and your go/no-go call.
• Payload notes: what was carried or dropped, its weight, release height and the drop zone.
• Crew and briefing: who was the RPIC, who was a visual observer, and what the briefing covered.
• Flight log data: time, location, altitude and battery state.
• Incidents and near-misses: what happened and what you changed afterward.

Good records also help outside the regulatory side of the business. We explain how detailed drone flight logs and insurance can work together.

Quick checklist for § 107.23

• Could a loss of control right now put a person, aircraft or someone's property at risk? If yes, change the plan (§ 107.19(c)).
• Is anything about this flight careless or reckless "so as to endanger the life or property of another"? (§ 107.23(a))
• If something will be released, does the manner of the drop create "an undue hazard to persons or property"? (§ 107.23(b))
• Does the payload meet the hazardous material definition in 49 CFR § 171.8? (§ 107.36)
• Is this really agricultural dispensing under Part 137?
• Did you write down what you checked?

Short rule, wide reach. If you can explain your plan for each of those questions, you're operating the way § 107.23 expects.