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If you want to become a remote pilot, you need to know what is in the Remote Pilot Airmen Certification Standards (ACS).
Table of Contents of Article
What Are the Airmen Certification Standards (ACS)?
An ACS is a “comprehensive presentation that integrates the standards for what an applicant needs to know, consider, and do to pass both the knowledge test . . . for a certificate or rating.” There are multiple types of airmen certificates (private, commercial, remote, etc.) that are issued by the FAA, each having its own privileges, and each of these certificates has its own ACS. The ACS is really a standard by which to measure if an applicant is qualified in an objective way. The FAA released a pdf of FAQs on ACS in general.
Here is a video explaining the ACS as it is being implemented generally.
How Do I Use the Remote Pilot Airmen Certification Standards to Study for the Part 107 Exam?
The Remote Pilot Airmen Certification Standards include Areas of Operation and Tasks for the initial issuance of a Remote Pilot Certificate with an sUAS rating. You should study to know the material listed. Each task in the ACS is coded according to a scheme with four elements. For example:
UA.I.B.K10:
UA = Applicable ACS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)
I = Area of Operation (Regulations)
B = Task (Operating Rules)
K10 = Task element Knowledge 10 (Visual line of sight (VLOS) aircraft operations)
The ACS also tells you how the test will be weighted, allowing you to spend your time studying more wisely. Some topics make a large portion of the knowledge exam which means you should master those topics.
I’m a Part 61 pilot. What about those Practical Test Standards (PTS)?
“The ACS is basically an enhanced version of the Practical Test Standards (PTS).” You most likely remember the PTS if you are a manned aircraft pilot. The ACS will replace the PTS, but since this Part 107 exam is brand new, there is no remote pilot PTS. It is just a brand new remote pilot ACS. Unfortunately, if you are taking a knowledge exam, the areas you missed on the exam will be displayed on a printout as a learning statement code (LSC), not an ACS code. “The [FAA] is contracting for a test management services system that will include this capability. In the initial ACS implementation phase, however, applicants, instructors, and evaluators will continue to see PLT codes on the airman knowledge test report.”
Where is the latest ACS for the remote pilot certificate?
Here is the most current remote pilot ACS.