Limited Recreational Unmanned Aircraft Operation Applications

In 2018, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254). § 44809 of Public Law 115-254 allows a person to operate a small unmanned aircraft (sUA) without specific certification or operating authority from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) if the operation adheres to certain limitations. These limitations require the FAA to recognize Community Based Organizations (CBOs), develop and administer an aeronautical knowledge and safety test, establish fixed flying sites, and approve standards and limitations for unmanned aircraft weighing more than 55lbs. Information related to fixed flying sites and CBOs will be collected by the FAA through the DroneZone website at https://faadronezone.faa.gov, while test-administration information will be collected through the FAA's TRUST database. The information collected will be available for review by FAA Flight Standards and Air Traffic personnel. The FAA uses the information collected under Section 44809 Operational Applications to recognize, accept, approve, or deny applications required under § 44089. This includes airspace authorizations though fixed sites, CBO recognition, comprehensive safety guideline review, heavier than 55 pound unmanned aircraft standards and limitations approval, and aeronautical knowledge and safety test administration. Responding to this collection is voluntary. Only those entities that wish to be recognized as a CBO, establish fixed flying sites, or administer the aeronautical knowledge and safety test need to respond. Information collected will be on an as-needed basis, used to review applications, and will be kept as a record.

The latest form for Limited Recreational Unmanned Aircraft Operation Applications expires 2027-09-30 and can be found here.

§ 44809(c)(1) Operations at Fixed Sites – Operating Procedure Required

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Air Transportation

Review document collections for all forms, instructions, and supporting documents - including paper/printable forms.