Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
There is currently not a standard for UAS or drones, other than that they must be visible for 3 statute miles.
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First responders and others organizations responding to natural disasters or other emergency situations may be eligible for expedited approval through our Special Governmental Interest (SGI) process.
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A complete list of all Part 107 waivers granted is publicly available on the Section 352 Responses to the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act page. In our webinar The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly FAA experts share some examples of good and bad waiver applications.
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The FAA does not have an approved list of vendors.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
If you are ultimately certified then you are no longer on record with the FAA as having had your most recent application denied or your most recently held FAA airman medical certificate suspended or revoked, etc. Therefore, it is not necessary to maintain airman medical certification thereafter to exercise sport pilot privileges provided you hold a current and valid U.S. driver's license and provided you otherwise qualify.
No, you cannot instruct without the appropriate certificate(s) in your possession. Under 14 CFR 61.3, requirements for certificates, ratings, and authorizations, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember... unless that person has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization... in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization."
You can find information about replacing an airmen certificate on our website.
No, you cannot instruct without the appropriate certificate(s) in your possession. Under 14 CFR 61.3, requirements for certificates, ratings, and authorizations, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember... unless that person has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization... in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization."
You can find information about replacing an airmen certificate on our website.
The approval to operate under the COA, including the provision for night operations, is still restricted to an operation that meets the definition of a governmental function (Title 49 USC 40125(a)2) . If the unmanned aircraft is a component for the training mission, it can be flown under the COA.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The test is valid. Refer to the Department of Transportation's Notice about CBD for more information.
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 our program.
Applicable Regulations:
You can fly every mission as a civil operator under Part 107. You can only fly some missions under your COA as a public aircraft. For daylight missions at a LAANC capable airport, Part 107 may be a better option for you. It's important to understand that if flying under Part 107, you must fully comply with Part 107 (which means a waiver to 107.29 to fly at night, for example). If flying under your COA, you must fully comply with your COA. You can't pick and choose parts of each that suit you. They are mutually exclusive legal frameworks. The crew MUST clearly understand which rules they are flying under before they take off.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
After you have passed the initial aeronautical knowledge test, you will then complete the FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application (known as IACRA) to receive a remote pilot certificate. IACRA is a web-based certification/rating application that ensures you meet the requirements and electronically submits the application to the FAA's Airman Registry. Applications should be validated within 10 days. Applicants will then receive instructions for printing their temporary airman certificate, which is good for 120 days. The FAA will then mail you your permanent Remote Pilot Certificate within that 120 days.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
Waiver processing times will vary depending on the complexity of the request. We encourage applicants to submit waiver requests well in advance of when they need a waiver – 90 days is strongly encouraged. Applicants will be notified via email about the outcome of their waiver processing.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
Response by the Federal Air Surgeon
You should consult your private physician to determine whether you have a medical deficiency that would interfere with the safe performance of sport piloting duties. You may exercise sport pilot privileges provided you are in good health, your medical condition is under control, you adhere to your physician's recommended treatment, and you feel satisfied that you are able to conduct safe flight operations.
Title VIII of Division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) of 2021 (IIJA) provides $25 Billion for the National Aerospace System (NAS). Five billion dollars of the IIJA funds will be administered by FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) will fund much needed FAA facilities upgrades. FAA’s Office of Airports (ARP) will administer the remaining approximately $20 billion in grant funds for airport infrastructure, terminal development, including multimodal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects, and airport owned towers.
The $25 billion comes directly from the U.S. Treasury’s General Fund.
Yes. Five billion dollars is being administered by ATO for improvements to FAA- owned facilities. ARP will administer approximately $20 billion of IIJA funds to airport sponsors. The $20 billion is allocated over 5 years ($4 billion annually). Of the $20 billion, FAA will receive up to $118 million annually for administration of IIJA funds and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) receives $2 million annually for oversight of IIJA funds.
(1) Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) include formula allocations (AIG Allocated) and competitive (FAA Contract Tower Competitive) funds of up to $14.55 billion.
a) Primary Airports share not more than $2.39 billion annually based enplanement and cargo volume.
b) Non-Primary Airports share not more than $500 million annually, based on airport classification in the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS) and the aggregated NPIAS eligible development cost for each classification.
c) AIG provides $20 million annually in competitive grants (FAA Contract Tower Competitive) for sponsor owned contract towers participating in the Federal contract tower program and the contract tower cost share program (FCT). These funds are available to: construct, repair, improve, rehabilitate, modernize, replace, or relocate an airport control tower; acquire and install air traffic control, communications, and related equipment in an airport control tower; and construct a remote tower certified by the FAA including acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, or related equipment. (To date there is no FAA-certified remote tower technology.)
(2) Approximately $4.85 billion ($970 million annually) for competitive Airport Terminal Program (ATP) grants including multi-modal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects. These funds can also be used for projects for relocating, reconstructing, repairing, or improving an airport-owned air traffic control tower (ATCT), whether staffed by FAA or in the FCT program.
AIG Formula Infrastructure Allocations (AIG Allocated): Funds are available to sponsors of airports as defined in 47102 of title 49, United States Code (U.S.C.); that is, airport sponsors meeting statutory and policy requirements under this section and identified in the FAA’s published National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), updated with current year data, and are eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115.
FAA Contract Tower Competitive Infrastructure Funds (FCT Competitive): Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. 47124.
ATP: Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115.
All airports in the NPIAS, except unclassified airports, are eligible. Unclassified airports are not eligible for discretionary funding under IIJA.
AIG Allocated: Yes, but they do not receive an allocation. Only sponsors of airports in categories defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102 receive allocations. Airports must be included in the NPIAS to receive an allocation of AIG funds. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are not included in the NPIAS. While these airport sponsors may be eligible for some AIP discretionary funding under 49 U.S.C. 47115, they are not eligible for AIG Allocated funds under IIJA.
FCT Competitive: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. 47124. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds. These sponsors could compete for FCT Competitive funding if they are accepted into the FCT program.
ATP: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds.