I messaged my friend at the FAA about whether or not pilots with a 107 certification would have to take this new test coming up in the near future or just the recreational pilots. He told me as it stands right now EVERYONE will have to take this new test. So just a FYI for all of you here

Hi, thanks for sharing this very useful information that you had posted here. This will help our fellow DJI members here in Forum. Thank you for your continued support!

Same in the UK - a PfCO holder who uses their drone for commercial purposes and had to write their own manual as part of passing the course will also have to take this basic online test - it's like a university graduate with a masters degree having to resit a GCSE they took at 16 - nuts!

Doesn't make sense.  I tried to contact the FAA guy near me, but he wasn't available.  I'll keep trying till I get him.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-18 11:29
Doesn't make sense.  I tried to contact the FAA guy near me, but he wasn't available.  I'll keep trying till I get him.

I got my info from Kevin Morris which is the guy that puts on most all of the drone videos on the FAA site and the online live presentations on drones from filling out all the forms for the different things you might need for flying out of line of sight etc.. he said as it stands right now that is the way it is......as it stands right now! but ya go ask your guy

Hey Bob, did he say when the test would be available?

SD_Pilot Posted at 9-18 14:20
Hey Bob, did he say when the test would be available?

No he didn't say. Tomorrow is the last day for people/companies to turn in the info for being a testing place.  From what i have read it will be this year sometime for the testing. FAA doesn't seem to move very fast as you know lol

Thanks for sharing this info. Doesn't make sense, but if we want to fly this is what we have to do.

Glad to hear all you have to do is take new test.
Thus no worries about passing it.

BobB Posted at 9-18 12:08
I got my info from Kevin Morris which is the guy that puts on most all of the drone videos on the FAA site and the online live presentations on drones from filling out all the forms for the different things you might need for flying out of line of sight etc.. he said as it stands right now that is the way it is......as it stands right now! but ya go ask your guy

I just got off the phone with the FAA guy near me in New Jersey.  He stated the new test is for hobbyists, not for part 107 holders.  He couldn't give me an exact date, but he did say it will be implemented soon.  He stated that it needs to be taken BEFORE the purchase/operation of a drone.  
From our conversation, it seems that law enforcement, should be more educated in the requirements and regulations, regarding sUAS operation, rather than winging it the way they've been doing so far.
So, we'll see how this pans out.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-23 06:19
I just got off the phone with the FAA guy near me in New Jersey.  He stated the new test is for hobbyists, not for part 107 holders.  He couldn't give me an exact date, but he did say it will be implemented soon.  He stated that it needs to be taken BEFORE the purchase/operation of a drone.  
From our conversation, it seems that law enforcement, should be more educated in the requirements and regulations, regarding sUAS operation, rather than winging it the way they've been doing so far.
So, we'll see how this pans out.

lol well i guess we will see when it happens. They should have done this from the get go. Test before purchasing that is.

lol, this is gonna be a cluster F.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-23 06:19
I just got off the phone with the FAA guy near me in New Jersey.  He stated the new test is for hobbyists, not for part 107 holders.  He couldn't give me an exact date, but he did say it will be implemented soon.  He stated that it needs to be taken BEFORE the purchase/operation of a drone.  
From our conversation, it seems that law enforcement, should be more educated in the requirements and regulations, regarding sUAS operation, rather than winging it the way they've been doing so far.
So, we'll see how this pans out.

You were misinformed or misunderstood, because there's not going to be a requirement to take the test before purchasing a drone. Other than that, the information you were given doesn't contradict what was said before, since each 107 pilot is also potentially a recreational flier; it's the intent of each flight that determines which rules are applicable.

BobB Posted at 9-23 06:54
lol well i guess we will see when it happens. They should have done this from the get go. Test before purchasing that is.

There isn't going to be any pre-purchase requirement, nor would it make sense to do so even if the FAA had the authority for such a thing (which it doesn't). Drones are often purchased (e.g., as gifts) by people who never intend to fly them.

Gimpy Posted at 9-23 07:33
There isn't going to be any pre-purchase requirement, nor would it make sense to do so even if the FAA had the authority for such a thing (which it doesn't). Drones are often purchased (e.g., as gifts) by people who never intend to fly them.

Hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion but like they say opinions are like @$$holes

BobB Posted at 9-23 07:56
Hey everyone is entitled to their own opinion but like they say opinions are like @$$holes

Well, fortunately the FAA isn't primarily staffed with them.

Gimpy Posted at 9-23 08:03
Well, fortunately the FAA isn't primarily staffed with them.

I just think if they would have done something like this it would have kept the idiots from buying them but they would just find another way/loophole etc....

BobB Posted at 9-23 08:04
I just think if they would have done something like this it would have kept the idiots from buying them but they would just find another way/loophole etc....

It might be a better world if there were a reliable way to distinguish "idiots" from those who aren't, but the truth is that everybody thinks it's the OTHER guy who's the "idiot".

Gimpy Posted at 9-23 08:12
It might be a better world if there were a reliable way to distinguish "idiots" from those who aren't, but the truth is that everybody thinks it's the OTHER guy who's the "idiot".

You know what i am saying

BobB Posted at 9-23 06:54
lol well i guess we will see when it happens. They should have done this from the get go. Test before purchasing that is.

I do agree.  I know people react slowly to new industries.  Unfortunately, with any type of business industry or organization, it is not a common practice to actually pause any type of progress, in order to properly fix/address any existing or potential issues.  Time is money, though more time and money is wasted by not preparing or handling any type of progress appropriately.

Gimpy Posted at 9-23 07:27
You were misinformed or misunderstood, because there's not going to be a requirement to take the test before purchasing a drone. Other than that, the information you were given doesn't contradict what was said before, since each 107 pilot is also potentially a recreational flier; it's the intent of each flight that determines which rules are applicable.

Whatever man.  I've been pretty well informed by this FAA agent about many things in the past.  What he said was what he said.  If it changes, then so be it, but for now, he's working within the official agency that makes all the regulations.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-24 04:21
I do agree.  I know people react slowly to new industries.  Unfortunately, with any type of business industry or organization, it is not a common practice to actually pause any type of progress, in order to properly fix/address any existing or potential issues.  Time is money, though more time and money is wasted by not preparing or handling any type of progress appropriately.

When i bought my DJI Mavic Pros (i have 2) back in May of 2017 i think it was i got them up and flying and thought to myself "man you could do a lot of damage with this thing if i was a terrorist of similar". There are many dams in Missouri, power plants, sports stadiums etc. So i soon found out about the FAA part 107 so i could possibly make some coin off of flying and photographing or videos for whomever which i did for a few people but now i have a different gig anyway i studied for the exam and passed it first time for a 86% or thereabouts. I felt back then the FAA will put many restrictions on flying these drones and if you didn't have a 107 then you were out of luck on a lot of things.
IF they do make people take a test before purchasing then what i had in mind wasn't that far off back then. I hope i am making sense lol So we shall see what happens in the near future. I think the FAA wants to get this testing rolling soon.

BobB Posted at 9-24 05:18
When i bought my DJI Mavic Pros (i have 2) back in May of 2017 i think it was i got them up and flying and thought to myself "man you could do a lot of damage with this thing if i was a terrorist of similar". There are many dams in Missouri, power plants, sports stadiums etc. So i soon found out about the FAA part 107 so i could possibly make some coin off of flying and photographing or videos for whomever which i did for a few people but now i have a different gig anyway i studied for the exam and passed it first time for a 86% or thereabouts. I felt back then the FAA will put many restrictions on flying these drones and if you didn't have a 107 then you were out of luck on a lot of things.
IF they do make people take a test before purchasing then what i had in mind wasn't that far off back then. I hope i am making sense lol So we shall see what happens in the near future. I think the FAA wants to get this testing rolling soon.

No worries, you make perfect sense.  So far, dealing with this FAA office by me and going off of other people's experiences, the FAA doesn't want to hinder the sUAS/drone industry.  They just want to make sure things stay regulated properly, just in case any situation goes south, whether deliberately or an honest mishap.  model planes and drones are a total different can of worms, when compared to RC cars.  I feel that they (FAA) are making up for the lack of direct regulations, so I feel they will get this test thing up and running as soon as possible.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-24 04:25
Whatever man.  I've been pretty well informed by this FAA agent about many things in the past.  What he said was what he said.  If it changes, then so be it, but for now, he's working within the official agency that makes all the regulations.

There is no "change"; you're the only one (publicly) claiming that the FAA will prohibit people from even buying a drone until after they've taken a test. Again, the FAA has no authority to regulate such sales, nor would it have a reason to try.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but misinformation like what you wrote tends to be read and taken at face value, then repeated with conviction by others if it isn't challenged. I'm sure the FAA person you spoke with is competent and knowledgeable, but I'll bet that if you contact him again and ask him for clarification / confirmation specifically regarding the buying part that you'll stop insisting that it's true.

Gimpy Posted at 9-24 06:03
There is no "change"; you're the only one (publicly) claiming that the FAA will prohibit people from even buying a drone until after they've taken a test. Again, the FAA has no authority to regulate such sales, nor would it have a reason to try.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but misinformation like what you wrote tends to be read and taken at face value, then repeated with conviction if it isn't challenged. I'm sure the FAA person you spoke with is competent and knowledgeable, but I'll bet that if you contact him again and ask him for clarification / confirmation specifically regarding the buying part that you'll stop insisting that it's true.

I agree - no aviation authority has the power to control consumer sales. Until the drone is turned on and takes off in public, navigable US airspace the FAA has absolutely no jurisdiction. You can even fly the drone inside your own home today without registering it and they can't legally stop that so how can they enforce restrictions on the sale of a product?

Some people buy drones to use only as hand held gimbals and never actually fly them. Not to mention that there are a larger number of second hand drone sales on places like Ebay - are the FAA going to regulate Ebay and FaceBook market place now?

They may enforce more controls over the seller providing technical support and awareness to the buyer but the notion that a buyer will need to produce an FAA certified RC pilot licence to purchase a drone is misleading, unfounded and frankly absurd. Being caught flying a drone in public airspace without the certificate is where you will get it in the neck - not at point of sale.

Hey, at least I take the step and actually contact my local FAA office for guidance.  Again, not my words and things may change.  How bout my 'down voters' actually do some of your own footwork and contact the FAA themselves and find out what's going on?

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-25 04:59
Hey, at least I take the step and actually contact my local FAA office for guidance.  Again, not my words and things may change.  How bout my 'down voters' actually do some of your own footwork and contact the FAA themselves and find out what's going on?

Again, there will be no "change" because a pre-purchase test was never part of the plan in the first place. How about you provide the contact information for the person at the FAA who you claim said otherwise so we can contact him for ourselves? If I contact him and he confirms what you said, I'll gladly post that here.

Okay.  I stand corrected.  Not afraid to admit I was wrong.  I confirmed with that local FAA office and they stated that the upcoming test, will NOT be at the point of purchase, but of course, for registering your drone before operation, in regulated airspace.  I made sure to specifically ask that question.  Like what most expect, if you are, for instance flying in your living room, they wouldn't regulate that NOR the point of sale.
The only info, so far, is that the test name is BATT and will likely comprise of 24 questions, not applicable to current part 107 holders.  It's still not set in stone, but so far, that's what it is.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-25 06:40
Okay.  I stand corrected.  Not afraid to admit I was wrong.  I confirmed with that local FAA office and they stated that the upcoming test, will NOT be at the point of purchase, but of course, for registering your drone before operation, in regulated airspace.  I made sure to specifically ask that question.  Like what most expect, if you are, for instance flying in your living room, they wouldn't regulate that NOR the point of sale.
The only info, so far, is that the test name is BATT and will likely comprise of 24 questions, not applicable to current part 107 holders.  It's still not set in stone, but so far, that's what it is.

Thanks for the update!

BobB Posted at 9-25 06:43
Thanks for the update!

No problem.

Neo Supreme Posted at 9-25 06:40
Okay.  I stand corrected.  Not afraid to admit I was wrong.  I confirmed with that local FAA office and they stated that the upcoming test, will NOT be at the point of purchase, but of course, for registering your drone before operation, in regulated airspace.  I made sure to specifically ask that question.  Like what most expect, if you are, for instance flying in your living room, they wouldn't regulate that NOR the point of sale.
The only info, so far, is that the test name is BATT and will likely comprise of 24 questions, not applicable to current part 107 holders.  It's still not set in stone, but so far, that's what it is.

That makes sense - thanks for the update