Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Requirements
14 CFR 107.7 is a broader regulation than its brief mention in Module 1 (regarding carrying your certificate) might suggest. It also creates a duty to make required documents and records available to the FAA on request, and ? separately ? a duty to submit both the aircraft system and relevant personnel to FAA inspection or testing on request. This lesson covers the regulation's full scope; the practical how-to of maintenance recordkeeping itself is covered in depth in Module 10.
Subsection (a): certificate, ID, and document availability
107.7(a) has three parts. The first two ? carrying the certificate and identification, and presenting them to the FAA, NTSB, law enforcement, or TSA upon request ? were covered in Module 1's lesson on certificate privileges and limitations. The third part is easy to overlook: the remote pilot in command must also make available, upon request, any document, record, or report required to be kept under Part 107. This ties directly to maintenance recordkeeping (Module 10) ? whatever records the regulations require you to keep, you must be able to produce them for the FAA when asked.
Subsection (b): aircraft system and personnel inspection/testing
107.7(b) is broader still ? it applies to the remote pilot in command, visual observer, owner, operator, or person manipulating the controls, and requires each of them to allow the FAA Administrator to make any test or inspection of the small unmanned aircraft system, and of relevant personnel, to determine compliance with Part 107. This means the FAA's inspection authority isn't limited to paperwork ? it extends to physically inspecting or testing the aircraft itself and evaluating the people involved in the operation.
Subsections (c) and (d): declaration of compliance access
These subsections apply specifically to persons holding an FAA-accepted declaration of compliance under Subpart D ? the operations-over-people framework covered in Module 13, relevant to Category 2 and Category 3 aircraft. Holders must give the FAA access to the declaration of compliance itself and related documents on request, and must permit inspection of relevant facilities, technical data, and manufactured aircraft, including witnessing any necessary tests.
No specified inspection schedule ? it's "upon request"
Notice that 107.7 does not establish a routine inspection schedule or a specific interval at which the FAA will show up to inspect anything ? the entire regulation operates on an "upon request" basis. There's no calendar requirement to proactively schedule an FAA inspection; the obligation is to comply promptly whenever a request is actually made by the Administrator or another authorized party listed in the rule.
Real-world scenario: an unannounced compliance check
During a commercial inspection job at a public worksite, an FAA representative approaches the remote pilot and asks to review the pilot's certificate, examine the aircraft, and ask a few questions about how the operation is being conducted. Under 107.7, the pilot must present the certificate and ID, make available any required records on file, and allow the Administrator to inspect the aircraft system and ask relevant questions of the personnel present ? none of this is optional or something the pilot can decline, regardless of how the request is initially framed.
| Subsection | Requirement | Applies to | Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a)(1)-(2) | Carry and present certificate/ID | RPIC, owner, controls operator | 14 CFR 107.7(a)(1)-(2) |
| (a)(3) | Make required documents/records available on request | RPIC, owner, controls operator | 14 CFR 107.7(a)(3) |
| (b) | Allow inspection/testing of aircraft system and personnel | RPIC, VO, owner, operator, controls operator | 14 CFR 107.7(b) |
| (c)-(d) | Provide access to declaration of compliance and related inspections | Declaration of compliance holders (Subpart D) | 14 CFR 107.7(c)-(d) |
| Mistake | Why it happens | Correct understanding | Regulation / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| "107.7 is only about carrying my certificate." | Recalling only the part covered in Module 1 | 107.7 also covers document availability and aircraft/personnel inspection duties, a much broader scope. | 14 CFR 107.7 |
| "The FAA has to schedule inspections in advance on a fixed interval." | Assuming a routine inspection cycle like vehicle registration renewals | 107.7 operates on an "upon request" basis with no specified routine schedule. | 14 CFR 107.7 |
| "Only the remote pilot in command is subject to inspection/testing under 107.7(b)." | Assuming the RPIC bears sole responsibility, as with certification | 107.7(b) covers the RPIC, visual observer, owner, operator, and person manipulating the controls. | 14 CFR 107.7(b) |
Does 107.7 require me to keep maintenance records?
107.7(a)(3) requires making available any document, record, or report required to be kept under Part 107 ? what specifically must be kept and how is covered in Module 10's maintenance recordkeeping lesson.
Can I decline an FAA inspection request?
No. Under 107.7(b), the listed individuals must allow the Administrator to inspect or test the aircraft system and relevant personnel upon request ? this is a mandatory duty, not a discretionary courtesy.
Who besides the remote pilot in command is covered by the inspection/testing duty?
107.7(b) covers the visual observer, owner, operator, and person manipulating the controls, in addition to the remote pilot in command.
Test Your Knowledge
Answer the questions below to check your understanding. Every answer can be found in the lesson above.