This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced more details about its new recreational drone flyer test, which will be an opportunity to educate recreational flyers about the rules of flying a drone in national airspace. An FAA law passed in 2018 requires recreational drone flyers to pass an online aeronautical knowledge and safety test, and, once completed, to carry with them proof that they have passed the test whenever they operate a drone.
In September 2019, the FAA issued a request for information (RFI) asking the drone community to submit comments and recommendations on how to administer this test. Based on the responses received by the FAA, the organizations listed below have been invited by the FAA to make specific recommendations on the administration of the test:
- Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
- Drone Launch Academy Southeastern University
- Science Applications International Corporation
- DJI
- Horizon Hobby, LLC
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Coach
- King Schools
- Unmanned Safety Institute
- First Person View Freedom Coalition
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Academy of Model Aeronautics
- Drone Racing League
These organizations will assist in developing test administrator requirements. These requirements, and any other associated selection criteria, will be announced by the FAA on FAA.gov. We will keep all the recreational operators out there posted on further developments.