On October 5, 2018, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was signed into law. It included a requirement for all recreational UAS users to pass a safety and knowledge test in order to operate a recreational model aircraft within the National Airspace System (NAS).
AMA has worked closely with the FAA to ensure that this upcoming test will meet the intent of Congress without placing an undue burden on our hobby. In the spring of 2019, AMA met with important stakeholders and the FAA, chairing a roundtable discussion to lay out the guidelines and administration of the safety and knowledge test. In September 2019, AMA sent a request for information to officially declare our interest in becoming a test administrator. AMA is advocating that the test be available both online and in a written format at fixed locations, such as an AMA site, to ensure that all members are easily able to take the test.
The test will have approximately 25 multiple-choice questions about basic safety guidelines and recreational flying knowledge. If a member misses a question, he or she will be able to go back and reselect an answer until the response is correct. This way, the test is failproof and guarantees that every recreational user will be able to complete and pass the test. It is important for everyone to understand that this test is designed to bring safety awareness to the airspace and not to exclude recreational users from operating in the NAS.
AMA expects to have the test-taking process outlined by the end of 2020 or early 2021 as part of Advisory Circular 91-57C. In the meantime, AMA will continue to work with the FAA and keep its members updated on the process. If you have any questions, contact the Government Affairs team at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.