Remote pilot competency in United States

What the rules say

Each line is resolved from published facts of United States. "Not resolved" means the corpus does not answer it in a machine-checkable way — never that the law is silent.

• Competency requiredConditional
• Training requiredConditional
• Examination requiredConditional
• Proof of competency issuedConditional
• Operation-specific qualificationConditional
• Validity periodConditional
• Renewal or recurrent trainingConditional
• Minimum age16 yearsConditional
• Weight-based trigger24.9476 kgConditional

What changes the answer

The published rules distinguish the part 107 and recreational categories of operation.

• other

  Ban duration of 1 year

• time of day

  Waiting period at or above 14 days

• time of day

  Denial period at or below 1 year

• pilot certification

  Pilot age at or above 16 years

The rules behind this answer

• Binding lawNational rule

  Acceptable Methods for Establishing Compliance

  To meet the requirements for Category 2 or Category 3 operations, the means of compliance must consist of test, analysis, or inspection.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Administration of Knowledge Tests

  Knowledge tests prescribed under Part 107 must be administered by persons and in the manner designated by the FAA Administrator.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Aeronautical Knowledge and Safety Test (TRUST)

  The operator must pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test and maintain proof of test passage to be made available upon request.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Applicability of Remote Pilot Certification Subpart

  Establishes that Subpart C of Part 107 contains the requirements for obtaining a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Application Form and Manner

  An applicant for a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating must submit the application in a form and manner acceptable to the FAA Administrator.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Authorization for foreign-registered small UAS operations

  The Administrator may authorize an airman to operate a civil foreign-registered small unmanned aircraft without an FAA-issued remote pilot certificate.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Category 2 Remote Pilot Operating Instructions

  The applicant for a declaration of compliance must provide remote pilot operating instructions that cover system descriptions, allowable modifications, and configuration change instructions, and make them available upon sale, transfer, or use by others.

  Open the requirementOfficial source
• Binding lawNational rule

  Category 3 Remote Pilot Operating Instructions

  The applicant must provide remote pilot operating instructions and make them available upon sale, transfer, or use of the aircraft by another person.

  Open the requirementOfficial source

Official sources

• 14 CFR Part 48 - Registration and Marking Requirements for Small Unmanned Aircraft — Federal Aviation AdministrationOpen
• 49 U.S.C. 44809 - Exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft — Federal Aviation AdministrationOpen

Other drone rules in United States

• Do I need to register my drone in United States?Registration in United States depends on the aircraft and the operation: it applies once the published conditions below are met, each cited to the rule that sets it.
• Do I need Remote ID in United States?Remote identification in United States is tied to the aircraft and the operating category: the published triggers below decide whether a flight must carry or broadcast an electronic identity.
• What is the maximum drone altitude in United States?Drone flights in United States are held to a published general height limit of 121.92 m AGL. The limit is not absolute: the published conditions that change it are cited below.
• Can I fly a drone near an airport in United States?Drone flights near aerodromes in United States are governed by airspace and aerodrome restrictions: whether permission is needed depends on the airspace, distance or aerodrome type published below.
• Can I fly a drone over people in United States?Flight over uninvolved people is treated as a higher-risk operation in United States: it is available only where the published conditions below — class, mass, separation or authorisation — are satisfied.
• Can I fly a drone at night in United States?Night flying in United States is regulated rather than simply allowed or banned: published lighting, category and authorisation conditions below decide whether a given flight may take place after dark.
• Is BVLOS drone flight allowed in United States?BVLOS in United States runs through a defined authorisation pathway rather than an open permission: the published conditions below set out what that pathway requires.
• When does a drone operation need authorisation in United States?Whether an operation in United States needs prior authorisation depends on the operational category, risk class or location: the published triggers below decide it.

All drone laws in United States