Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
Generally, the FAA's first course of action is to educate operators when they are willing and able to comply. To date, there have been no local entities that are unwilling to come into compliance.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The FAA does not have procedures for building a private-use facility, but you may follow the design standards for public-use airports as a general guideline. You can find these standards in Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5300-13, Airport Design or Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5390-2, Heliport Design. You can also find additional ACs that may be useful on our website.
You must notify us if you establish a new private use facility. Private-use facilities must comply with 14 CFR Part 157, Notice of Construction, Alteration, Activation, and Deactivation. Part 157 applies if you are proposing to construct, alter, activate, or deactivate a civil or joint use (civil/military) facility or alter the status or use of the facility. To notify the FAA, please use the Digital 7480-1 module found on the Airport Data and Information Portal website to submit the proposal. For help with using the Airport Data and Information Portal website, please use the Digital 7480-1 User Guide for assistance.
IMPORTANT: Even if you file a notice with the FAA, you must separately notify your state aviation agency and also comply with any local law, ordinance, or state and federal regulations.
Public education institutions that provide training on the use of unmanned aircraft must operate under 14 CFR Part 107. ALso, if the operating location or mission are not authorized under the 14 CFR part 107 rule, they must request a waiver or authorization from the FAA.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
You must have the validity of the foreign license and medical certificate or endorsement you hold verified by the Civil Aviation Authority that issued those certificates.
The FAA has devised a form entitled Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification (PDF). You must submit this information, along with a copy of the license you wish to have verified, to:
Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
PO Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
For more detailed information you should review the information available at the following links:
Call your local law enforcement. Flying a drone in a reckless manner is a violation of Federal law and FAA regulations and could result in civil fines or criminal action.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
If you have asthma and are planning to undergo an examination with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), start with the Asthma Disposition Table to identify generally what information you should bring to your AME:
- A detailed clinical progress note from your treating physician regarding your history of asthma that addresses history, dates of treatment (including exacerbations leading to hospitalization) over the past 12 months, treatment plan, current medications (dosage, frequency of use, and side effects), prognosis.
- The results of a current pulmonary function test (PFT).
Please note, if your only treatment for asthma is a Short Acting Beta Agonist (SABA) such as albuterol or levalbuterol used only 1-2 times per week, a pulmonary function test is not required, unless deemed necessary by your treating physician. Please ensure your treating physician clearly states the name of all medications and the frequency of use in your detailed clinical progress note.
Operations conducted as a Public Aircraft COA (Part 91) are limited to those operations that meet the definition of a Governmental Function (see 49 USC 40125(a)2). If the community event does not meet this definition, the operation must be conducted under 14 CFR Part 107 and any necessary additional waiver or authorizations from the FAA depending on the operation and airspace.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The FAA does not track non-FAA enforcement actions.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The FAA requires you to update your program registration, LOA, or Operations Specification when the following information changes:
- Company name
- Certificate number
- Telephone number
- Address where your drug and alcohol testing program records are kept
- Type of safety-sensitive functions you or your employees perform
- Whether your safety-sensitive employee count changes from 50 or more to 49 or fewer)
To make changes to your Operations Specification, please contact your FAA Principal Operations Inspector (POI) or Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI). To make changes to your LOA, please contact the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) who issued your LOA and provide the updated information. To change the information on your program registration, please submit your amended registration form to the Drug Abatement Division at drugabatement@faa.gov.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about the program.
Applicable Regulations:
The FAA plans to have test administrators begin offering the test in June of 2021.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
We realize that you may select more employees than necessary to prevent under-testing in the event that someone is excused. However, this practice may lead to a liberal excusal policy, which is not appropriate. Instead of using alternates, the best practice would be to recalculate the number of selections needed following each testing period to ensure that the minimum annual rate is met.
It is important for you to have a consistent policy in place that addresses this issue to ensure that each individual is treated fairly.
For more information regarding best practices for random testing, please visit the Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Web site for a copy of the DOT publication "Best Practices for DOT Random Drug and Alcohol Testing".
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable regulations:
You need a medical certificate before flying solo in an airplane, helicopter, gyroplane, or airship. We suggest you get your medical certificate before beginning flight training. This will alert you to any condition that would prevent you from becoming a pilot before you pay for lessons.
If you are going to pilot a balloon or glider, you don't need a medical certificate. All you need to do is write a statement certifying that you have no medical defect that would make you unable to pilot a balloon or glider.
The remote pilot in command of the small UAS or drone is required to report an accident to the FAA within 10 days if it results in at least serious injury to any person or any loss of consciousness, or if it causes damage to any property (other than the UAS or drone) in excess of $500 to repair or replace the property (whichever is lower).
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The Medical Review Officer (MRO) is required to report medical information they have learned as part of the verification process if, in their reasonable medical judgment, they determine that this information indicates that continued performance of safety-sensitive duties by an employee is likely to pose a significant safety risk. Although it is up to each employer to decide what action, if any, to take based on the information provided by an MRO, the MRO may advise the employer to have the employee evaluated by a physician or occupational medicine physician. If the employee is medically certificated by the FAA, the MRO should report the safety concern to the Federal Air Surgeon.
Employees who have concerns regarding how the use of any medication may affect their performance of safety-sensitive duties and/or their future Department of Transportation drug test results should consult their physicians, an occupational medical physician, or their employer's MRO.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at 202-267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about the program.
Applicable Regulation:
All student pilots must obtain at least a third class airman medical certificate from an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) before the first solo flight, except for gliders and balloons, which do not require a medical certificate.
Third-class, although any class will suffice. Medical certificates are designated as first-class, second-class, or third-class. Generally, first-class is designed for the airline transport pilot; second-class for the commercial pilot; and third-class for the student, recreational and private pilot.
No. Part 107 Operators are responsible for checking to ensure the proposed operation occurs outside all 14 CFR 99.7 TFRs and Special Use Airspace. The UASFMs and 99.7 restrictions are all available on the same website. All other TFRs are posted to the FAA's Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) website.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
Computer testing centers are located in most major metropolitan areas. For a current listing of those in your area, contact your local FSDO. The exams are given at your convenience.
You can download Form 8310-3, Application for Repair Station Certificate and/or Rating on our website.
For additional information please email our Civil Aviation Registry.
You can download Form 8400-3, Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application for flight engineers, flight navigators, aircraft dispatchers, and control tower operators.
For additional information, please email our Civil Aviation Registry.