Do you need a drone license to fly? A 30-second decision.

The FAA splits every drone flight into one of two buckets, and the dividing line is why you fly — not how big the drone is or how high you go.

Flying strictly for fun or personal enjoyment?You fly under the Exception for Recreational Flyers (49 USC §44809). There's no pilot certificate and no $175 test. You pass the free TRUST test once, follow the recreational rules, and keep proof on you.

Flying for any business or paid purpose — ever?You need a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. And "paid" is broader than people expect: real-estate photos, roof inspections, wedding footage, and even monetized social content all count as commercial. If money touches the flight, it's Part 107.

The test the FAA actually applies is purpose, not payment — a flight can require Part 107 even when zero money changes hands, if it furthers a business, a job, or an organized mission (an unpaid volunteer search-and-rescue flight, photos to help sell your own house, a favor for your employer). The safe rule: the moment a flight serves anything beyond your own personal enjoyment, treat it as Part 107 territory.

TRUSTstands for The Recreational UAS Safety Test. It's a free online course-and-quiz, takes about 30 minutes, and you can't fail it — get a question wrong and it shows you the correct answer before you continue. When you finish, you get a completion certificate. Carry it (paper or digital) any time you fly; the FAA or law enforcement can ask to see it.

TRUST never expires— take it once and you're set. But the certificate isn't the only rule. As a recreational flyer you must also fly within visual line of sight, keep under 400 ft AGL in uncontrolled airspace, yield to crewed aircraft, and follow the safety guidelines of a community-based organization.

TRUST is not a commercial license, and it is not "Part 108." Part 108 is the FAA's upcoming beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) framework — a separate, future rulemaking. TRUST covers recreational flying today; nothing more.

A Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is what you need to fly a drone for work. You earn it by passing the UAG (Unmanned Aircraft General) knowledge test: 60 multiple-choice questions, 70% to pass (42 of 60), 120 minutes, about $175, at a PSI testing center. After you pass, you complete the IACRA application (Form 8710-13), clear a TSA background check, and receive your certificate.

Your certificate itself doesn't expire — but your recencydoes, at the end of the 24th calendar month after your test. You stay current for free with online recurrent training through the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam). Being current is one requirement among several — it doesn't by itself mean you're cleared to fly a given mission; registration, Remote ID, airspace, and aircraft condition all still apply.

Already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate (private or higher, non-student) with a flight review in the last 24 months? You can skip the $175 knowledge test — complete a free FAA Safety Team online transition course instead, then apply via IACRA and TSA vetting.

Registration (14 CFR Part 48):Recreational flyers must register any drone 0.55 lb (250 g) or heavier. Part 107 operators must register regardless of weight — even a sub-250 g drone flown commercially needs registration. It's $5, valid 3 years, done at the FAA DroneZone portal, and the registration number must be displayed on the outside of the aircraft.

Remote ID (14 CFR Part 89): If your drone requires registration, it must broadcast Remote ID in flight — its ID, location, altitude, and takeoff location. You comply three ways: a standard Remote ID drone (built in), a broadcast module you attach, or by flying only at an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). A sub-250 g drone flown commercially under Part 107 must broadcast Remote ID too.

Flying without required Remote ID can trigger FAA certificate action and civil penalties up to $27,500 (49 USC 46301). It's been fully enforced since March 16, 2024.

License or not, whereyou fly is its own question. Most of the country is uncontrolled (Class G) airspace where you're clear to go — but near airports you're in controlled airspace, and both recreational and Part 107 flyers need FAA authorization there.

AeroCopilot answers this live. Type a street address and our airspace checkertells you the airspace class and the LAANC ceiling for that exact spot, drawn from the FAA UAS Facility Map — 378,000 grid cells, color-coded by how high you're pre-approved to fly. Active TFRs (stadiums, VIP movements, wildfires) are overlaid so you don't launch into a temporary no-fly zone. We tell you whether you need authorization; direct in-app LAANC submission is coming — until then we point you to the FAA or your USS to file.

Whichever path is yours, you can start free:

• TRUST prep so you walk into the recreational test ready.
• Part 107 exam prep with Live Context — practice questions built from real, current FAA data (a live UAS Facility Map ceiling, an active TFR, a live METAR becomes the question) — the moment you decide to go commercial.
• Airspace checker + weather minimumsso you know where and when it's safe to fly.
• Registration & Remote ID tracker so your paperwork is in one place.
• An AI Copilot included on every tier — no token caps on paid tiers (daily limits apply on Free) — grounded in official FAA and NWS data; it never fabricates an answer.

No credit card to start. Free means free.