Inapplicability of Unmanned Aircraft Operations

Regulation Text

§ 61.8 Inapplicability of unmanned aircraft operations.

Any action conducted pursuant to part 107 of this chapter cannot be used to meet the requirements of this part.

The short answer

14 CFR § 61.8 states that any action conducted pursuant to part 107 of the chapter cannot be used to meet the requirements of part 61. In plain terms, drone (small UAS) operations flown under part 107 do not count toward part 61 pilot certification requirements.

Research Notes

CFI Commentary

Highlighted phrases in the regulation text above link to instructor notes at the bottom of this page. Look for the amber or blue highlights — each one flags a gotcha or a pro tip worth knowing.

Common Questions

Can part 107 drone time count toward a part 61 certificate?

No. Part 107 actions cannot satisfy part 61 requirements.

“Any action conducted pursuant to part 107 of this chapter cannot be used to meet the requirements of this part.” (14 CFR § 61.8)

What does “this part” refer to in § 61.8?

“This part” is part 61, which governs certification of pilots, flight instructors, and ground instructors. The section bars carrying any part 107 activity over to meet those part 61 requirements.

Does this affect manned-aircraft training credit?

It keeps the two regimes separate: nothing accomplished under part 107 may be applied toward part 61 manned-pilot certification, per the section's single sentence.

Amendment History

2021-05-26

2020-12-11

2016-12-30

AOA Notes

These notes correspond to the highlighted phrases in the regulation text above. Each one flags something worth knowing — a common misread, a checkride gotcha, or a practical pro tip.

Gotcha: Drone Hours Don't Count Toward Your Pilot Certificate

This comes up more than you'd expect now that recreational and commercial drone flying is widespread. Students sometimes ask if their drone experience counts toward their private pilot requirements. It doesn't — not one minute of it. Part 107 is a completely separate certification framework, and § 61.8 is the explicit wall between the two. Flying a DJI Phantom for 500 hours and getting your Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate doesn't put a single hour toward your private pilot certificate.

↑ back to text

Angle of Attack is an aviation flight-training brand founded by Chris Palmer, a two-time Master Aviation Educator and Gold Seal CFI. We decode the FARs so pilots understand not just the words, but what they mean in the cockpit.

AOA's Decoded pages are plain-English interpretation for training and reference. They are not legal advice and do not replace the official regulation. Always confirm current requirements against the authoritative source before acting.