Frequently Asked Questions

DroneTrust is an FAA-recognised TRUST Administrator and online drone training platform. We have trained more than 30,000 pilots across the US, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands. Our courses are built and delivered by qualified aviation professionals, and our Part 107 Prep Course carries a 100% pass rate guarantee. We are also a CAA Part 141 certified training organisation in New Zealand.

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) is a free online safety test required by the FAA for all recreational drone pilots in the United States. If you fly a drone for fun - not commercially - and your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs (250g), you are required by law to complete TRUST before flying. You must be able to show your TRUST certificate if asked by an FAA official, law enforcement, or airspace manager. DroneTrust is an FAA-approved provider of the TRUST test.

Recreational flying means flying purely for fun, with no payment or business purpose involved. Recreational pilots need to complete FAA TRUST and follow the recreational safety rules. Commercial flying means any operation where you or someone else receives compensation - including photography, inspections, real estate, agriculture, and similar uses. Commercial pilots must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, which requires passing a knowledge exam at an FAA-approved testing centre. DroneTrust offers both the free TRUST course and a Part 107 Prep Course.

Yes.  Drone Trust, as a training administrator, and the course are approved by the FAA.

Most people complete the FAA TRUST course in 30-60 minutes. It's self-paced, fully online, and free. There's no time limit - you can stop and resume at any point. Once you pass, your certificate is issued immediately and stored in your DroneTrust account.

As soon as you have registered. Being an online course, it’s a very quick and seamless process.

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) is completely free. Our other courses, such as the Part 107 Prep Course, have a one-time enrollment fee that’s clearly listed before checkout. All payments are processed securely by credit or debit card.

Yes, all the courses we offer have a test or exam component. The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) course has a series of short knowledge tests within each section. You can repeat these as required. Once you have successfully completed these online, you are awarded the FAA TRUST pilot certificate. You do not have to visit a separate testing center for the FAA TRUST course — it’s completed entirely online.

Within the Part 107 course, there are also short quizzes and tests to prepare you for the FAA administered exam which is taken at an FAA exam center. We will provide you with instructions on how to book this exam.

FAA policy requires that we do not store your personal information unless you choose to opt in for other courses or our newsletter. You will be given the opportunity to opt-in; however, if you choose not to, your details are removed.

The FAA TRUST course is designed for recreational drone pilots and is completely free. It’s hosted by DroneTrust and other FAA-approved providers across the U.S.

The FAA Part 107 Prep Course is more advanced course for professional drone pilots who want to fly commercially in the U.S.

We have built our own course to teach this but unlike other courses, we can’t host the exam portion of this qualification. This has to be done in person at an approved testing center and can’t be completed online.

Our Part 107 Prep Course carries a 100% pass rate guarantee. If you complete the full course and fail the FAA Part 107 exam, we'll refund your course fee. Our course is built around the actual FAA knowledge areas tested in the exam, with practice tests designed to replicate the real exam format and difficulty.

Yes. The FAA allows you to retake the Part 107 Knowledge Test after a 14-day waiting period. There is a fee for each attempt, paid directly to the FAA testing centre. Our course includes extensive practice exams to minimise the chance of needing a retake - and if you do fail after completing our full course, we offer a refund.

After you complete the Part 107 course, the FAA has a separate exam which must be completed at one of their exam centres. The FAA issues the Remote Pilot Certificate. DroneTrust provides the knowledge and practice exams to help you pass the FAA test with confidence. The exams we have embedded in the course are practice exams with no requirement to pass a practical flight test.

The TRUST Test and the 107 Prep Course are our most popular, in addition to our Geofencing and Survey Courses. The 107 Prep Course can also be purchased in parts.

The Recreation UAS Safety Test (TRUST) is a mandatory free online course for the recreational drone pilot

• Privileges: Allows the drone pilot to operate drones greater than 250 grams or 8.8 ounces in the USA for recreational purposes
• Qualification: Upon successful completion of the course, you will have an FAA-approved Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) certificate, which you must be able to produce if asked by an FAA official.

The sUAS Part 107 Exam Preparation Course is an extensive course which incorporates the theory knowledge to enable drone pilots to pass the FAA Part 107
test allowing commercial operations in the USA. Fees apply for this course.

• Privileges. Commercial drone operations
• Qualification: Upon successful completion of the course, you will have an FAA drone pilot certificate to Part 107 standard.

If your drone weighs 0.55 lbs (250g) or more, it must be registered with the FAA before flying outdoors in the US. Registration costs $5 and is valid for three years. Recreational pilots register at faadronezone.faa.gov. Commercial pilots (Part 107) register through the same portal but under a different registration type. Completing TRUST (for recreational) or Part 107 (for commercial) is a separate requirement from registration - you need both.

Yes! You can find them at https://dronetrust.co.nz/