Inapplicability of unmanned aircraft operations

This regulation establishes a clear separation between manned and unmanned aircraft operations. If you fly a drone under Part 107 (the commercial drone rules), those flight hours and operations cannot count toward meeting any requirements in Part 61, which governs pilot certification for manned aircraft.

In practical terms, this means:

• Drone flight time doesn't count toward the flight hours needed for a private, commercial, or ATP certificate
• Operating a drone can't satisfy currency requirements like the 90-day passenger-carrying rule
• Remote pilot certificates and endorsements don't substitute for any manned aircraft ratings or endorsements

This matters because the skills, knowledge, and experience required to fly drones are fundamentally different from piloting manned aircraft. The FAA treats these as separate domains of aviation, each with its own certification pathway. If you want credit toward manned aircraft certificates, you must log actual flight time in aircraft where you're physically aboard.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*