Part 107 vs TRUST
These are not competing options, they are two different doors depending on why you are flying. Here is exactly which one you need.
Researched from published specifications and verified owner reviews · updated 2026
The short answer
TRUST is a free, unfailable recreational knowledge test required for any personal, non-commercial drone flight, while Part 107 is a proctored 60-question exam requiring roughly 70 percent to pass, a fee, and recurrent training every 24 months, required for any flight done for work, a client, or a business.
TRUST and Part 107 are not two versions of the same thing, they gate two entirely different kinds of flying. TRUST is the free, unfailable knowledge test required for purely recreational drone flying, personal enjoyment with no business angle at all. Part 107 is the FAA's real Remote Pilot Certificate, a proctored 60-question exam with a fee and recurrent training requirements, required the moment a flight is done for work, for a client, or in furtherance of a business, including unpaid promotional footage. Most readers need exactly one of these, determined entirely by why they are flying, not by which one sounds more serious.
ASA
ASA Remote Pilot Test Prep
Paperback plus practice software
If the comparison above has you headed toward Part 107 rather than TRUST, the ASA Remote Pilot Test Prep is the study book most flight schools already hand out, organized around the real exam's knowledge areas.
Prices move constantly. We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
That recommendation is for study material, not for the certification itself. TRUST cannot be studied for in any meaningful sense since it walks you through the correct answer before letting you continue; the real decision on this page is which path applies to you at all, and the products above only matter once you have determined Part 107 is the one you need.
What TRUST actually is
The Recreational UAS Safety Test, TRUST, is a free online knowledge and safety test every recreational drone flyer in the United States must complete and carry proof of before flying. It covers basic airspace awareness, safety rules, and the recreational flyer's responsibilities, and it is structured so that answering a question incorrectly simply prompts the correct answer before you move on, meaning there is no pass or fail outcome in the traditional sense. Most people complete it in under an hour. The one real catch: your TRUST certificate cannot be reissued if lost, so save a digital copy the moment you finish rather than relying on being able to retrieve it later.
What Part 107 actually is
The Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is a genuine aeronautical credential, required for any flight done for work, for a client, or in furtherance of a business, which explicitly includes unpaid promotional footage for a business and content that gets monetized after the fact even if the original flight felt casual. Earning it requires passing a proctored 60-question multiple choice exam at an FAA-approved testing center, currently with a testing fee, requiring roughly 70 percent correct to pass. The exam covers airspace classification, weather theory, aircraft loading and performance, regulations, and operating procedures in real depth, well beyond what TRUST covers. Unlike TRUST, Part 107 also requires recurrent training every 24 calendar months to stay current, either through a renewal exam or free FAA-provided online training.
Head-to-head comparison
| Factor | TRUST | Part 107 |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs it | Recreational flyers only | Any flight for work, a client, or a business |
| Format | Online, self-paced | Proctored, in-person, 60 questions |
| Cost | Free | Testing fee, currently around a few hundred dollars, verify at faa.gov/uas |
| Pass criteria | Cannot be failed, answers prompted | Roughly 70 percent correct |
| Recurrency | None, though lost certificates cannot be reissued | Required every 24 calendar months |
| Covers commercial flying | No | Yes |
Choose TRUST if
TRUST covers you if every flight you plan to make is purely for personal enjoyment: photography for yourself, practicing flying skills, or recreational exploration with no client, no business promotion, and no monetized content attached, ever. If that describes all of your flying, TRUST is the only certification you need, and Part 107 would be unnecessary time and expense.
Choose Part 107 if
Part 107 is required the moment any flight serves a business purpose, a paying client, unpaid promotional content for a business you or someone else runs, or footage that later gets monetized. It is also worth pursuing proactively if you suspect your recreational flying might turn into paid work eventually, since the exam requires real study time and it is easier to prepare before you need the certificate urgently for a specific job.
What they share
Both paths exist to establish a baseline of airspace and safety awareness before someone operates an aircraft in shared national airspace, both require the underlying aircraft to comply with Remote ID regardless of which certification the pilot holds, and both ultimately serve the same goal: keeping drone flights safe for other aircraft and people on the ground. Holding Part 107 also satisfies the TRUST requirement automatically, since it is the more rigorous of the two credentials, though the reverse does not apply.
Buying tips
Do not wait until a client offers you a paid job to start studying for Part 107; the exam requires real preparation time, commonly several weeks of study, and testing centers require scheduling in advance. If you are only ever flying recreationally, resist the temptation to pursue Part 107 "just in case," since it comes with a real fee and a recurring 24-month training obligation for a credential you may never need to exercise.
How we chose
We do not fly review units or claim hands-on testing anywhere on this site; this page in particular is researched entirely from current published FAA material rather than any product experience. Never state a specific current exam fee as a locked-in fact; fees and requirements change, so verify everything against current guidance at faa.gov/uas before scheduling anything.
Related reading
For the full recreational rule set beyond TRUST alone, see our TRUST test guide. For what Part 107 specifically permits once earned, read what Part 107 lets you do, and for a study plan, see how to study for Part 107 alongside our full best Part 107 study materials roundup. Anyone building a business around commercial flying should also read starting a drone business.
Reviewed in depth
For how this plays out on a specific aircraft, the DJI Flip review works through a listing that advertises no registration and no Remote ID, and explains exactly which of that survives a commercial flight.
Questions people ask
+ How do I know if I need Part 107 instead of TRUST?
You need Part 107 the moment a flight is for work, for a client, or in furtherance of a business, including unpaid promotional footage or content you monetize later. TRUST only covers purely recreational, personal-enjoyment flying with no commercial angle at all. When in doubt, if any money or business benefit touches the flight, assume Part 107 applies.
+ Can I fail the TRUST test?
No. TRUST is designed so that every question must be answered correctly before you move on, with incorrect answers prompting the correct one before continuing, so there is no scored pass or fail outcome. It is free and takes most people under an hour, but it also cannot be reissued if you lose your certificate, so save a copy immediately after finishing.
+ How hard is the actual Part 107 exam?
It is a real, proctored 60-question multiple choice exam at an FAA-approved testing center, requiring roughly 70 percent correct to pass, currently with a testing fee. It covers airspace classification, weather, loading and performance, regulations, and operating procedures in more depth than most self-taught pilots expect, which is why dedicated study materials matter.
+ Does either certification expire?
TRUST does not expire in the way a license does, though losing your certificate means retaking the test since it cannot be reissued. Part 107 requires recurrent training every 24 calendar months to remain valid, either through a renewal exam or free FAA online training, which is a real ongoing obligation TRUST holders do not have.
+ Can a Part 107 holder fly recreationally without taking TRUST?
Yes. A valid Part 107 certificate covers both commercial and recreational flying, since it is the more rigorous credential. Part 107 holders do not need to separately pass TRUST. The reverse is not true: a TRUST certificate only covers recreational flying and does not permit any commercial operation.
+ What happens if I fly commercially with only TRUST?
Flying for work, a client, or business promotion without a Part 107 certificate is a real regulatory violation with potential FAA enforcement consequences, independent of whether anything goes wrong during the flight itself. Content monetized after the fact, including footage later used in an ad or a paid client delivery, still falls under this requirement even if the original flight seemed casual.
