Law Officer Claims My TRUST DOCUMENT Fake?

[Vic Moss]

I just joined this forum to advice drone pilots that local law officers can possibly consider your TRUST
print out of your registered TRUST document a fake, and can possibly jail you for carrying a fake
FAA Government Document, at least that is what i learned the hard way. I got off with a verbal warning.
I went took the TRUST Test on June 23, 2021 and spent 25 minutes going thru the test and passing and printing out the
certification , took it with me, went up to Hole in the Wall waterfall, and after flying around and taking
some video's, decided to pack up and leave and along came the LAW, asking me what I was up to, explained I
was recreational flying my drone and videoing, showed my TRUST CERTICATION and was informed that possessing
a fake FAA document could get me jail time, tried to explain to no avail, just told to pack up and leave
and accept a verbal warning, so I did. THE END.
QUESTION: Is TRUST a LEGAL DOCUMENT OR NOT.
FYI: I was flying Mavic Air 2. I will provide my TRUST CERT IF YOU NEED VERIFATION.
Thanks pnwhiker

I need you to reach out to me and let me know the specifics of where you are, what LEO was involved, and the officer's name if possible. One of the things I do with the FAA is train police departments on what to do with drone calles.

[email protected].

 

[Vic Moss]

My suggestion for the future would be to never willingly provide anything to law enforcement unless asked to do so. If they want to see your DL, FAA registration, or TRUST certificate then they will ask for it.I

It is actually a requirement of 44809 to show the TRUST completion cert if asked.

This is the wording of the actual requirements, it's not an option if asked. "(7) The operator has passed an aeronautical knowledge and safety test described in subsection (g) and maintains proof of test passage to be made available to the Administrator or law enforcement upon request."

 

[RobertH]

Would someone please post a document of what
this Trust Certificate is to look like.
Thanks.

 

[Vic Moss]

Would someone please post a document of what
this Trust Certificate is to look like.
Thanks.

Front and back. And no, I don't worry about anyone faking it.

 

[KB4MTO]

1) Never volunteer anything to LEO's unless they ask. Had this cop even been aware of TRUST he would have asked for the card. Says right on it to show it if ASKED by a LEO or FAA agent. Does not say to volunteer it if approached.
2) 99.9% of LEO's are ignorant of FAA regulations and especially the new TRUST system.
3) Tell him that the TRUST cert is NOT an ID so you did not present a FAKE document. It's just a printout showing you completed the online training.
4) BEST OPTION: Get your Part107 from which you get an actual physical card.

I second suggestion #4, get your 107 and then you don't have to worry about it. I am going to take the Trust course because the FAA says I have to. But any questions will be answered with my 107. Because if you plan on posting the video on YouTube, then it falls under 107 and you don't have to worry about LEO not knowing the details.

So now on to the really important question; how did the video come out?

 

[Vic Moss]

I second suggestion #4, get your 107 and then you don't have to worry about it. I am going to take the Trust course because the FAA says I have to. But any questions will be answered with my 107. Because if you plan on posting the video on YouTube, then it falls under 107 and you don't have to worry about LEO not knowing the details.

This isn't true. You can post a video or photo to any social media account taken under recreational flights without a 107. There is a very popular YT video that states otherwise, but the FAA person on that video is wrong. He has since learned to go through the appropriate FAA communication approvals before allowing one's self to be recorded.

So now on to the really important question; how did the video come out?

 

[G Randy Brown]

I just joined this forum to advice drone pilots that local law officers can possibly consider your TRUST
print out of your registered TRUST document a fake, and can possibly jail you for carrying a fake
FAA Government Document, at least that is what i learned the hard way. I got off with a verbal warning.
I went took the TRUST Test on June 23, 2021 and spent 25 minutes going thru the test and passing and printing out the
certification , took it with me, went up to Hole in the Wall waterfall, and after flying around and taking
some video's, decided to pack up and leave and along came the LAW, asking me what I was up to, explained I
was recreational flying my drone and videoing, showed my TRUST CERTICATION and was informed that possessing
a fake FAA document could get me jail time, tried to explain to no avail, just told to pack up and leave
and accept a verbal warning, so I did. THE END.
QUESTION: Is TRUST a LEGAL DOCUMENT OR NOT.
FYI: I was flying Mavic Air 2. I will provide my TRUST CERT IF YOU NEED VERIFATION.
Thanks pnwhiker

Seems to me that after passing the test they should an email stating you have passed it (with your name on it).
Since they don't I took a screenshot and printed mine...it definitely looks unofficial and fake ?

 

[pnwhiker]

To all of you who wonder if I checked to see if I would be able to fly my drone in the park at
Hole in the Wall, I contacted the park authority and was told yes as long as I followed FAA GUIDELINES.
Here is the web link and phone number, takes a while to get thru to a human, robots, you know, push 1 and more.
Web Link: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=122
What's Allowed

Can I fly my drone in the park?
Please call 503-695-2261 for park specific information regarding drone use.

Can I metal detect?
No metal detecting is allowed in Gorge Oregon State Parks.

To Desert Sands:
I agree a 2 page pdf doesn't make since they could of put the cert on one page and made foldable,
and so I did a cut and paste and reprinted the cert as a foldable and took it to Office Depot and
got the cert laminated, 2 copies one for my drone back pack, one for my wallet.

Personally I don't blame any law officer for thinking that the TRUST CERT LOOKS FAKE, a piece of
paper any joe bob on a computer can create, and as i been told by many government employees over
the years, Regulatory Rules are Nothing More Than A Revenue Generator, how else are us dead beats
going to have a steady income!
My answer was go live with your in-law's.
Thanks pnwhiker

 

[pnwhiker]

This isn't true. You can post a video or photo to any social media account taken under recreational flights without a 107. There is a very popular YT video that states otherwise, but the FAA person on that video is wrong. He has since learned to go through the appropriate FAA communication approvals before allowing one's self to be recorded.

So now on to the really important question; how did the video come out?
Not to bad considering i was just more of less trying my hand at flying in a semi enclosed area and watching
for hikers on my back side coming up on the site.

 

[pnwhiker]

Seems to me that after passing the test they should an email stating you have passed it (with your name on it).
Since they don't I took a screenshot and printed mine...it definitely looks unofficial and fake ?

FROM THE WORDS OF A GOD COMES WISDOM

 

[Vic Moss]

So now on to the really important question; how did the video come out?

Russ reached out to an FAA official via UASHelp(@)faa.gov and he agreed to go on the air. I communicate with (not for) the FAA communication team frequently, and they weren't happy.

Not to bad considering i was just more of less trying my hand at flying in a semi enclosed area and watching
for hikers on my back side coming up on the site.

 

[Blairsville]

As a retired LEO from a large Florida City, I can attest that officers have no idea what Trust is and possibly never will. When state and federal laws were/are changed, the department would issues bulletins as to what was to be a change/or enforceable law. We were never given any documents about rules the FAA may have liked for us to enforce.

 

[Vic Moss]

As a retired LEO from a large Florida City, I can attest that officers have no idea what Trust is and possibly never will. When state and federal laws were/are changed, the department would issues bulletins as to what was to be a change/or enforceable law. We were never given any documents about rules the FAA may have liked for us to enforce.

This is an ongoing issue for sure.

As a FAASTeam Drone Pro, one of the tasks we have is educating LEO, and it's a never ending task. This Spring I worked with my FAA LEAP (Law Enforcement Assistance Program) Agent and developed an online program for LEAs to use in order to understand what an officer can and cannot do when called out on a drone call. But with only about 200 Drone Pros, and 1000s of LEAs, it's a large task.

With TRUST, I now need to update it.

 

[burma419]

I think the issue here is the Trust Certificate does not look like anything official. It is just a printed piece of paper to show LE if asked.

 

[Slade]

Why not carry it on your smartphone? Your printed copy will always look phony.

 

[pnwhiker]

This isn't true. You can post a video or photo to any social media account taken under recreational flights without a 107. There is a very popular YT video that states otherwise, but the FAA person on that video is wrong. He has since learned to go through the appropriate FAA communication approvals before allowing one's self to be recorded.

The KEY WORD is "INTENT" if your intention is to fly recreationally then no 107 but if your intention is to make any sort of income either via you tube or a web site that has paying adds then a 107 is needed, I believe that is correct. Now me I have a web site that is supported by me only and I receive no income, so I can post my drone videos under recreational use Intent,, which it is, Since the web site was created for recreational use only. Web Link: pnwhiker main .
If you care to watch here is BIG FOOT'S SHADOW I caught a couple years back, it's a time lapse of 500 pics at 10 second
intervals, discovered during Thanksgiving when putting video together. Watch the white rocks and base of uprotted tree
and shadow moves up the bank, real time is approx 40 minutes. I don't know of any bear, elk, deer, cougar that will
move with sun to hide itself. Web Link: pnwhiker video gallery

 

[Vic Moss]

The KEY WORD is "INTENT" if your intention is to fly recreationally then no 107 but if your intention is to make any sort of income either via you tube or a web site that has paying adds then a 107 is needed, I believe that is correct.

Yes, that is correct. "Recreational" would then qualify the intent aspect.

But making money isn't the qualifier. It's a disqualifier, but anything other than "flown strictly for recreational purposes" (44809 language) require 107. So money doesn't have to be involved.

 

[A.O.]

This is an ongoing issue for sure.

As a FAASTeam Drone Pro, one of the tasks we have is educating LEO, and it's a never ending task. This Spring I worked with my FAA LEAP (Law Enforcement Assistance Program) Agent and developed an online program for LEAs to use in order to understand what an officer can and cannot do when called out on a drone call. But with only about 200 Drone Pros, and 1000s of LEAs, it's a large task.

With TRUST, I now need to update it.

I have not seen the "LEAs" acronym before, I take it "Law Enforcement Agent"?

 

[Vic Moss]

I have not seen the "LEAs" acronym before, I take it "Law Enforcement Agent"?

"Agency". Lots of FAA acronyms... ?

 

[Little bird]

I just joined this forum to advice drone pilots that local law officers can possibly consider your TRUST
print out of your registered TRUST document a fake, and can possibly jail you for carrying a fake
FAA Government Document, at least that is what i learned the hard way. I got off with a verbal warning.
I went took the TRUST Test on June 23, 2021 and spent 25 minutes going thru the test and passing and printing out the
certification , took it with me, went up to Hole in the Wall waterfall, and after flying around and taking
some video's, decided to pack up and leave and along came the LAW, asking me what I was up to, explained I
was recreational flying my drone and videoing, showed my TRUST CERTICATION and was informed that possessing
a fake FAA document could get me jail time, tried to explain to no avail, just told to pack up and leave
and accept a verbal warning, so I did. THE END.
QUESTION: Is TRUST a LEGAL DOCUMENT OR NOT.
FYI: I was flying Mavic Air 2. I will provide my TRUST CERT IF YOU NEED VERIFATION.
Thanks pnwhiker

Y

I need you to reach out to me and let me know the specifics of where you are, what LEO was involved, and the officer's name if possible. One of the things I do with the FAA is train police departments on what to do with drone calles.

[email protected].

You are only required to show TRUST, and any other documentation to law enforcement or FAA when asked for.
Apparently this person was not educated about the new TRUST document. (new)
Stay and fly safe.