State of NJ

FAA Drone Safety Awareness Week Starts Today

September 13, 2021

Safely integrating drones into the National Airspace System is a key priority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and our third-annual Drone Safety Awareness Week helps ensure drone operators understand that they are pilots who must fly safely.

As part of the agency’s education efforts, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson will participate in an Instagram Live event with Keith Rosentreter, owner of Alien Drones YouTube Channel, Eno Umoh, Co-Founder Global Air Drone Academy, and Dawn Zoldi, president of UAS Colorado. They will discuss The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), how to properly register and mark your drone, the importance of joining a community of drone operators, and how drones are used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to inspire young people. The event will take place on Wednesday from 1:00-1:30 p.m. EDT.

The week also will feature drone pilots, recreational flyers, and experts discussing their commitment to safety, and sharing tips and information. Several organizations and FAA Safety Team (FAAST) volunteers are hosting virtual events to engage and educate the public about drone safety. If you are new to the drone community, this is a great opportunity to understand how to fly safely.

Each day of the week is dedicated to a specific educational theme:

  • Monday: Safe Flyers Take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)
  • Tuesday: Register and Mark Your Drone
  • Wednesday: Become a Part of a Flying Community
  • Thursday: New Rules – Remote Identification and Operations Over People
  • Friday:  Public Safety & Public Acceptance
  • Saturday and Sunday: Share the Skies – Get Out and Fly

Please tag your social media stories with #DroneWeek to let us know you’re participating in National Drone Safety Awareness Week.

For additional information, visit faa.gov/go/DroneWeek

All recreational flyers must pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test and provide proof of test passage (the TRUST completion certificate) to the FAA or law enforcement upon request. The FAA’s 2018 Reauthorization Bill (PDF) introduced new requirements for recreational pilots (see P.L. 115-254, Section 349 (PDF) – exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft).

What is a recreational flyer?

A recreational flyer is someone who operates their drone for fun or personal enjoyment purposes only.

How to fly a drone recreationally:

  1. Pass TRUST
  2. If your drone weighs more than .55 lbs, register your drone through the FAA’s DroneZone
  3. Follow safety guidelines on the FAA website or of an existing aeromodelling organization

In June 2021, the FAA announced the following entities as FAA Approved Test Administrators of TRUST (FAA approved TRUST TA):

What is TRUST?

TRUST is The Recreational UAS Safety Test. It provides education and testing for recreational flyers on important safety and regulatory information. If you fly your drone recreationally under the Exception for Recreational Flyers you must pass the test before you fly.

How can I take the TRUST?

You may take the free online test through any of the approved test administrators listed above.

How does the TRUST work?

The FAA provides education and testing content to FAA Approved Test Administrators of TRUST, who in turn provide the content to recreational flyers for free.

The TRUST is divided into two sections:
The first section provides you with the information needed to pass the test.

The second section is a series of multiple choice questions. You cannot fail the test. If you answer a question incorrectly you will be provided with information on why the answer you chose was incorrect and will be prompted to try again.

Upon completion of the TRUST you will receive a completion certificate. The certificate never expires however if you lose your certificate you will need to re-take the test and obtain a new certificate. Neither the test administrator, nor the FAA, will maintain personally identifiable information about the recreational flyer so it is not possible to re-print or re-issue your original certificate.