For US Pilots only… If you have a Part 107 Certification, do you need a TRUST Certificate to fly Recreationally?

[LoudThunder]

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This subject has come up in the past but with the "Drone Drought," more of the members are acquiring their Part 107 Certification having never owned a drone and never had a reason to get the TRUST Certificate.

So the question is if a pilot has a current Part 107 Certification, do they also need to have a TRUST Certificate to Fly Recreationally.

The answer is YES! And here it is directly from the proverbial "Horse's Mouth…" Actually, the FAA…

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[mavic3usa]

There is absolutely no reason for anyone to avoid getting TRUST when it's free and you cannot fail it. The only downside is not having it when asked for it (if someone were to believe *all* pilots need a TRUST) but if you think about it, how can anyone hold a part 107 pilot to a "recreational flight" when they have a part 107? There's no way to demand a TRUST when the pilot can claim 100% of their flights are under part 107. The only reason I can think of is when the part 107 pilot applies for LAANC under 44809 with a drone registered under 44809 where you probably cannot officially present a part 107 certificate to cover that flight. Bottom line, get your TRUST to be on the safe side during these particular times.

 

[AliasFlyer]

There is absolutely no reason for anyone to avoid getting TRUST when it's free and you cannot fail it. The only downside is not having it when asked for it (if someone were to believe *all* pilots need a TRUST) but if you think about it, how can anyone hold a part 107 pilot to a "recreational flight" when they have a part 107? There's no way to demand a TRUST when the pilot can claim 100% of their flights are under part 107. The only reason I can think of is when the part 107 pilot applies for LAANC under 44809 with a drone registered under 44809 where you probably cannot officially present a part 107 certificate to cover that flight. Bottom line, get your TRUST to be on the safe side during these particular times.

Forgive me if I'm muddying the waters, but why would a part 107 pilot apply for laanc under 44809?

I don't have 107 and only submit laanc as 44809, but I'm still curious.

 

[mavic3usa]

Forgive me if I'm muddying the waters, but why would a part 107 pilot apply for laanc under 44809?

I don't have 107 and only submit laanc as 44809, but I'm still curious.

I think you just mentioned the situation. The part 107 flyer who intends to fly recreational and has a drone registered at faa.gov as recreational (so the drone still has a recreational registration sticker #) who opens the Air Control app to submit LAANC and they have to choose Commercial or Recreational so you choose Recreational....do not have to do this but they could and if they do, I suspect you need to have a TRUST for this fun operation regardless if you have a part 107 certificate or not. However, I think my point was it is entirely conceivable that a part 107 would never end up doing this so why do they need a TRUST? But I guess FAA says you need it if you fly recreational.

 

[MS Coast]

The part 107 flyer who intends to fly recreational and has a drone registered at faa.gov as recreational (so the drone still has a recreational registration sticker #) who opens the Air Control app to submit LAANC and they have to choose Commercial or Recreational so you choose Recreational..

EDITED FOR MUD REMOVAL.
This is getting muddy. There is no FAA recreational drone registration. People register as a recreational pilot and use their registration number on multiple drones flown exclusively for recreational purposes under 44809.

Any drone flown commercially under Part 107 must have an individual drone registration. A Part 107 rated pilot can't legally fly a drone commercially unless the drone is individually registered. In the situation described, the pilot has no option but to make the flight recreational.

The TRUST requirement is very simple. If it's a recreational flight, the pilot must have the TRUST certificate. That goes for little Timmy who just got a drone for his birthday and the the F-35 pilot and astronaut who has a Part 107 ticket and 10,000 hours of drone flight time.

 

[mavic3usa]

This is getting muddy. There is no FAA recreational drone registration. People can register as a recreational pilot and use their registration number on multiple drones flown exclusively for recreational purposes under 44809.

Of course there is. When I go into faa.gov for my drone registration details, I go thru this:

Recreational Flyer Dashboard​

I don't have a part 107 but I'm pretty sure there is a different dashboard for part 107, no?

When I enter the recreational flyer dashboard, I am required to individually list each and every drone I own (which I intend to register) and those details are stored in the FAA database. At that point, my last step is to take my registration number and attach to same number to each and every drone in my listing. Unlike years ago where the recreational pilot was registered, these days, the drone is registered individually by the one registration number plus the drone's serial number or RID.

blah blah blah

The rest of this I'm not going to address because you repeated what I said in a different way because you refuse to understand what I wrote. But that's ok, you can be right too....just like me. I'll say it again for you.....

There is absolutely no reason for anyone to avoid getting TRUST ..... Bottom line, get your TRUST to be on the safe side.....

 

[MS Coast]

Recreational registration - one number for the person used on one or more drones.
Commercial - unique number for each drone.
TRUST required for all recreational flights. No safe side. No refusals. No fuss about right/wrong, just simple clarity.

 

[mavic3usa]

Recreational registration - one number for the person used on one or more drones.
Commercial - unique number for each drone.
TRUST required for all recreational flights. No safe side. No refusals. No fuss about right/wrong, just simple clarity.

Thank you for agreeing with me.

When I enter the recreational flyer dashboard, I am required to individually list each and every drone I own (which I intend to register) and those details are stored in the FAA database. At that point, my last step is to take my registration number and attach to same number to each and every drone in my listing.

I suspect you need to have a TRUST for this fun operation regardless if you have a part 107 certificate or not.

And just for the record for clarification, the part 107 pilot *must* have a unique registration for each and every drone but as a recreational pilot, it is optional meaning I can have just one number but if I want to have a unique registration for each drone, I go into the portal and create 4 profiles and pay $5 for each profile and get 4 different registration numbers and then attach the correct number to the correct drone. I might want to do that for *personal* reasons so don't ask why only that it can be done. There's no rule against it that I am aware of. This is all about money, nothing else. There is no safety reason or any other reason for it but either: can't bilk the hobby drone pilot for $5 for every single drone and every change to registration *or* since you gave them a license, you *can* bilk the commercial drone pilot for as much as you want as often as you want.

Plenty of people have a few of their personal drones logged into the recreational portal side of the registration database for drone they only fly recreational and then one day when they get their part 107 for the job and fly the job's drone, that drone is the only drone logging into their commercial registration. when they fly their personal drones logged into the recreational registration portal, they need a TRUST.

 

[LoudThunder]

I am required to individually list each and every drone I own (which I intend to register) and those details are stored in the FAA database.

If a drone under 250-grams and it is only flown recreationally, it is NOT required to be registered. Any drone that weighs 250-plus grams is required to be registered whether it is flown under 44809 or Part 107.

If a pilot with both a TRUST and a Part 107 Certification has a drone that weighs less than 250-grams and they only fly it under 44809 recreationally it is not required to be registered. However, if they have a second drone that weighs less than 250-grams and it is flown under Part 107, it must be registered, no matter how little it weighs and it must also meet Remote ID requirements, which usually puts that drone over the 250-gram weight limit anyway…

 

[mavic3usa]

If a drone under 250-grams and it is only flown recreationally, it is NOT required to be registered. Any drone that weighs 250-plus grams is required to be registered whether it is flown under 44809 or Part 107.

If a pilot with both a TRUST and a Part 107 Certification has a drone that weighs less than 250-grams and they only fly it under 44809 recreationally it is not required to be registered. However, if they have a second drone that weighs less than 250-grams and it is flown under Part 107, it must be registered, no matter how little it weighs and it must also meet Remote ID requirements, which usually puts that drone over the 250-gram weight limit anyway…

Thank you; exactly what I have been doing for many years now.

 

[Dmcvey]

As a company with 85 operators, we do not require TRUST. The company issued drone will never be flown recreationally.

 

[LoudThunder]

we do not require TRUST. The company issued drone will never be flown recreationally.

I would ask that you pass this information on to your 85 "operators", some may think that their Part 107 covers them when they are "off-duty" flying their personal drones recreationally.

 

[Dmcvey]

View attachment 184080​

This subject has come up in the past but with the "Drone Drought," more of the members are acquiring their Part 107 Certification having never owned a drone and never had a reason to get the TRUST Certificate.

So the question is if a pilot has a current Part 107 Certification, do they also need to have a TRUST Certificate to Fly Recreationally.

The answer is YES! And here it is directly from the proverbial "Horse's Mouth…" Actually, the FAA…

View attachment 184078​

View attachment 184079

Still muddy.
"When flying recreationally, which rules are you going to comply with"...indicates you can choose which apply.
If you choose 44809 .... meaning you can choose 107 ...you must abide by ALL of 44809.

As a Part 107 holder, there would never be a "recreational" flight. If I were on vacation and flying to the beach, it would be classified as "training".

 

[Prospect62]

As a Part 107 holder, there would never be a "recreational" flight. If I were on vacation and flying to the beach, it would be classified as "training".

First time I've heard that premise and it's...debatable.

There are too many variables to consider all recreational flights "training". I don't see the word "training" in any section of Part 107 or 44809, you're assuming a lot.

 

[Cafguy]

As a company with 85 operators, we do not require TRUST. The company issued drone will never be flown recreationally.

TRUST is a requirement to operate Remote controlled vehicles in My state and YOURS! even if you are flying part 107 flights You need a TRUST card! TRUST has nothing to do with Drones really it applies to the Remote Control operator.
YES you need a trust card anytime you operate an RC vehicle. I need one to fly my planes.

 

[LoudThunder]

As a Part 107 holder, there would never be a "recreational" flight. If I were on vacation and flying to the beach, it would be classified as "training".

If you are in the US and have a Part 107 Certificate and you are on vacation and you want to fly your sub-250 gram drone around to take family or travel photos and your drone does not have internal RID and you forgot your RID Module, then if you also possess a TRUST Certificate, you can legally fly your drone under the rules of 44809. If you never bothered to get a TRUST Certificate and you have no RID capability with your little drone then you Can Not Legally fly.

The Rules of 44809 require you possess a TRUST Certificate to fly under these rules and make no mistake, if you are flying under these rules, then the additional capabilities granted under your Part 107 Certificate do not apply, such as flying up to 400' over that building, tower, etc… for a better view…

I do not understand this reference to "Training" there is no version of a "Learner's Permit" for either a TRUST or Part 107 Certificate. You either have them or you do not…

 

[mavic3usa]

^ @LoudThunder is correct and I am actually surprised how accurate is Perplexity AI on the topic:

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Q: Can a part 107 pilot fly his sub-250g drone for fun without remote ID and without needing TRUST?

A: Yes, but only in a very specific way: a Part 107 pilot can fly a sub‑250 g drone for fun without Remote ID and without TRUST only if that flight is conducted as a recreational 44809 operation, not as a Part 107 operation, and the drone is not required to be registered for that use. Remote ID is still required for any Part 107 operation, regardless of weight.

Remote ID piece​

• Remote ID is required for any drone that is required to be registered with the FAA.
• Under Part 107, every drone used for Part 107 work must be registered, even if it is under 250 g, which in turn triggers the Remote ID requirement for those Part 107 flights.
• For purely recreational flying, a drone under 250 g at takeoff is not required to be registered and therefore is not required to comply with Remote ID, so long as you are actually flying under the recreational exception.

TRUST and “which rules” you are under​

• TRUST is only required when you fly under the recreational exception in 49 USC 44809; it is not a requirement for Part 107 operations.
• As a Part 107 certificate holder, you choose before each flight whether that operation is being conducted under Part 107 or under the recreational exception.
• If you fly that sub‑250 g drone as a recreational 44809 flight (and meet all 44809 conditions), the law says you must have passed TRUST and carry proof, even if you hold Part 107.

Putting it together for your scenario​

• If you label the flight as “for fun, but under Part 107,” then:
  • Remote ID is required, because the aircraft is a Part 107 aircraft and must be registered.
  • TRUST is not required, because you are not flying under the recreational exception.
• If you label the flight as “for fun under 44809 (recreational)” with a sub‑250 g drone that is not required to be registered, then:
  • Remote ID is not required, because the aircraft is not required to be registered for that recreational use.
  • TRUST is required, because all recreational flyers under 44809 must pass TRUST and carry proof, including those who also hold Part 107.

So there is no legal path where a Part 107 pilot is both: (1) exempt from Remote ID because of weight and (2) exempt from TRUST, on the same “for fun” recreational flight. You either fly as Part 107 (RID yes, TRUST no) or as recreational 44809 (RID no for sub‑250 g, TRUST yes).