Section 107.63 Issuance of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.

Section 107.63 Issuance of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.

An applicant for a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating under this subpart must make the application in a form and manner acceptable to the Administrator.

(a) The application must include either:

(1) Evidence showing that the applicant passed an initial aeronautical knowledge test. If applying using a paper application, this evidence must be an airman knowledge test report showing passage of the knowledge test; or

(2) If a person holds a pilot certificate (other than a student pilot certificate) issued under part 61 of this chapter and meets the flight review requirements specified in §61.56, a certificate of completion of a part 107 initial training course.

(b) If the application is being made pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section:

(1) The application must be submitted to the responsible Flight Standards office, a designated pilot examiner, an airman certification representative for a pilot school, a certificated flight instructor, or other person authorized by the Administrator;

(2) The person accepting the application submission must verify the identity of the applicant in a manner acceptable to the Administrator; and

(3) The person making the application must, by logbook endorsement or other manner acceptable to the Administrator, show the applicant meets the flight review requirements specified in §61.56 of this chapter.

My Commentary on Section 107.63 Issuance of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.

If you want to obtain a temporary certificate immediately, the Part 61 certificated pilot with a flight review should go to an FAA aviation safety inspector, a designated pilot examiner, or an airmen certification representative who has the ability to receiving the 8710 form and ALSO issue a temporary certificate right there.

On an interesting side note, the FAA updated this regulation on March 5, 2018 by a direct rule making which is AFTER it went into effect on August 29, 2016. The FAA has the ability to do updates to regulations when they are slight editorial changes no one will care about.

The FAA’s update said:

64.The authority citation for part 107 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40101 note, 40103(b), 44701(a)(5); Sec. 333 of Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 75.

65.In § 107.63(b)(1), remove the words “a Flight Standards District Office” and add, in their place, the words “the responsible Flight Standards office”.

See what I mean when it is slight editorial changes no one cares about? The FAA occasionally does this.

Advisory Circular 107-2 on Section 107.63 Issuance of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating.

6.4.2 Applicants with Part 61 Certificates. Instead of the process described above, an individual who holds a part 61 pilot certificate, other than a student pilot certificate, and meets the flight review requirements specified in § 61.56 may elect to apply using the following process:

1. Complete the online Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (small UAS) training located within the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) website (https://www.faasafety.gov) and receive a completion certificate.

2. Complete the Remote Pilot Certificate and/or Rating Application for a Remote Pilot Certificate (FAA Form 8710-13).

• Option 1 (Online Application): In almost all cases, the application should be completed online using the electronic FAA IACRA system (https://iacra.faa.gov/iacra/). The applicant must include verification that the applicant completed the online training or passed an initial aeronautical knowledge test. The applicable official document(s) must be uploaded into IACRA either by the applicant or the certifying official.
• Option 2 (Paper): The application may be completed on paper. Using this method, the certificate of completion for the online training must be included with the application. A part 61 pilot, who also meets the requirements of § 61.56, may also take the knowledge test for initial certification. If a part 61 pilot decides to take the knowledge test, the pilot must also include the knowledge test report with their paper application. Please note that the processing time will be increased if a  paper application is used.

3. Contact a certifying official such as the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), an Airman Certification Representative (ACR), or a certificated flight instructor (CFI) to make an appointment to validate the applicant’s identification. The applicant must present the completed FAA Form 8710-13 along with the online training completion certificate or knowledge test report (as applicable) and proof of meeting the flight review requirements specified in § 61.56. The FAA Form 8710-13 application will be signed by the applicant after the certifying official examines the applicant’s photo identification and verifies the applicant’s identity. The FAA representative will then sign the application. The identification presented must include a photograph of the applicant, the applicant’s signature, and the applicant’s actual residential address (if different from the mailing address). This information may be presented in more than one form of identification. Acceptable methods of identification include, but are not limited to U.S. drivers’ licenses, government identification cards, passports, and military identification cards (see Appendix D, Remote Pilot Certification and Applicant Identity Verification). If using paper or IACRA method, an appropriate FSDO representative, a DPE, or an ACR will issue the applicant a Temporary Airman Certificate. Note: A CFI is not authorized to issue a temporary certificate. The applicant can print his or her own Temporary Airman Certificate after receiving an email from the FAA notifying the applicant that it is available. The FSDO signs and mails the application to the Airmen Certification Branch for the issuance of the permanent certificate. Flight instructors may refer to AC 61-141.

FAA’s Discussion on Section 107.63 Issuance of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating from the Final Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule

The NPRM proposed establishing eligibility requirements for a part 107 airman certificate and specifying when a certificate would be issued. The NPRM proposed that an applicant must be: (1) at least 17 years of age; (2) able to read, speak, write and understand the English language; and (3) vetted by the Transportation Security Administration. Additionally, the NPRM proposed that the applicant must pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test and self-certify, at the time of application, that he or she does not have a medical condition that could interfere with the safe operation of a small UAS. As discussed in more detail below, the process for issuance of a remote pilot certificate will be as follows. First, an applicant will have to take and pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test. After taking the knowledge test, the applicant will be provided with an airman knowledge test report showing his or her test results. If the applicant passed the test, the applicant will then fill out an application for a remote pilot certificate using either the FAA’s electronic application process (referred to as the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system) or a paper application. The FAA will then forward the applicant’s information to the TSA for security vetting to determine whether the applicant poses a security risk. Once TSA notifies the FAA that the applicant does not pose a security risk the FAA will issue an electronic temporary remote pilot certificate to an applicant who applied through the IACRA system.128 This temporary certificate (valid for 120 days after receipt) will be issued within 10 business days after receipt of an electronic application, and it will allow the applicant to exercise all the privileges of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating. Once all other FAA internal processing is complete, the FAA will issue the applicant a permanent remote pilot certificate.

Holders of a part 61 pilot certificate other than student pilot who have completed a flight review within the previous 24 months will have the option of a different certification process. These pilot certificate holders will be allowed to substitute completion of an online training course for the small UAS aeronautical knowledge test. Upon completion of the training course, the part 61 pilot certificate holder will then go to one of the following authorized portals: an FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), a designated pilot examiner (DPE), an airman certification representative (ACR) for a pilot school, or a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The certificate holder will provide his or her remote pilot certificate application and supporting documentation to that portal to verify the applicant’s identity, fill out the pertinent portion of the application, and then forward the completed application to the FAA Airman Certification Registry. Because a part 61 pilot certificate holder has already been vetted by TSA, he or she will be issued a temporary remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, valid for 120 days, immediately upon the FAA’s receipt of the completed application via IACRA. Once all other processing is complete, the FAA will issue a permanent remote pilot certificate.

The FAA emphasizes that part 61 pilot certificate holders are not required to use the process discussed in the previous paragraph and can instead apply for a remote pilot certificate by taking the small UAS initial aeronautical knowledge test. Part 61 pilot certificate holders who pass the knowledge test will not be required to submit their application to a FSDO, DPE, ACR, or CFI. Instead these certificate holders may submit their applications via IACRA. Because these certificate holders have already been vetted by TSA, they will be issued a temporary remote pilot certificate, valid for 120 days, upon FAA’s receipt of their application via IACRA regardless of the method they use to qualify for the certificate (i.e. knowledge test or online training course).