UA.V.F.K4: Appropriate record keeping.

ACS Area V — Operations Task F: Maintenance and Inspection Procedures References: A-7

Key Concepts

Why record keeping matters for maintenance and inspections

For Part 107 operations, the remote PICRemote Pilot in CommandCloseThe certificated remote pilot responsible for the Part 107 operation. must ensure the small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. is in a condition for safe operation before each flight. Maintenance and inspection records are the practical way to demonstrate how you met that responsibility. The FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.’s maintenance guidance defines small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. maintenance broadly—scheduled and unscheduled overhaul, repair, inspection, modification, replacement, and even system software upgrades—and recommends maintaining your aircraft in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. It also highlights the benefits of recordkeeping and notes that Category 4 operations have specific record retention requirements and owner/operator responsibilities. Know that these records support your preflight determination of airworthiness and, in some cases (Category 4), are required to be retained^[2].

Maintenance records: building a defensible history

• Capture both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. If the manufacturer provides a maintenance program with time-in-service limits (flight hours, cycles, calendar days), follow it and record what you do. If none exists, develop a program and document it so you can show how you keep the aircraft in a safe condition for operation^[2].
• Document who performed the work and by what method. The FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. advises using manufacturer instructions or, if unavailable, qualified personnel familiar with the specific small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. and components. If a repair cannot restore the aircraft or component to its safe operational specification, replace it; complete all required maintenance before each flight. Your records should make that clear^[3].
• Record software and firmware updates. Because “system software upgrades” are part of maintenance, log versions and dates so you can trace changes that affect reliability and performance^[2].
• Category 4 aircraft must meet heightened maintenance standards. Eligible aircraft must have maintenance, preventive maintenance, alterations, and inspections performed using the manufacturer’s current maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICAInstructions for Continued AirworthinessCloseManufacturer instructions for maintaining an aircraft or component in airworthy condition.), or methods acceptable to the Administrator, and be inspected per those instructions using quality parts. Maintain documentation that shows you followed those methods and limitations. Category 4 operations also carry record retention duties referenced in FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. guidance; be prepared to produce these records^[6][2].

Inspection records: preflight and programmatic checks

• Preflight inspection is mandatory. The remote PICRemote Pilot in CommandCloseThe certificated remote pilot responsible for the Part 107 operation. must inspect the small UASSmall Unmanned Aircraft SystemCloseA small drone plus the control and communication links used to operate it. prior to each flight to ensure it is in a condition for safe operation, and should do so using the manufacturer’s procedures or a procedure the owner/operator develops. Build and use a written inspection program and keep records of completion—this supports your compliance with § 107.49 referenced in FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes. guidance^[3].
• Use a comprehensive checklist and document discrepancies and corrective actions. Recommended preflight items include visual condition of components; airframe and control linkages; registration markings for proper display and legibility under part 48, § 48.205; control surfaces and servos; propulsion system; fuel type/quantity if applicable; secure payloads; control link connectivity; GPSGlobal Positioning SystemCloseSatellite navigation used by many drones for position hold, navigation, and return-to-home features. acquisition per manufacturer minimums; adequate power; avionics indications; ground support equipment; command and control checks; flight termination system; and anti-collision light functionality for civil twilight operations. Recording these checks creates a traceable safety barrier and proof of due diligence^[4].

Documenting eligibility for operations over people (Categories 2–4)

• Categories 2 and 3: If the aircraft’s Category 2 or 3 label is damaged, destroyed, or missing, the remote PICRemote Pilot in CommandCloseThe certificated remote pilot responsible for the Part 107 operation. must affix a legible, prominent, durable English label correctly identifying the qualified category before conducting operations over human beings. Treat label verification and replacement as a recorded maintenance/inspection action so you can substantiate eligibility in the field^[1].
• Category 4: The remote PICRemote Pilot in CommandCloseThe certificated remote pilot responsible for the Part 107 operation. must use a small unmanned aircraft eligible for Category 4, with an airworthiness certificate issued under part 21, and operate it in accordance with all operating limitations in the FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.-approved Flight Manual or as specified by the Administrator. Maintenance and inspections must meet § 107.140(c) standards. Keep documentation showing the airworthiness certificate, applicable operating limitations, and the maintenance/inspection actions you performed. Note the restriction on sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation meets § 89.110 or § 89.115(a)^[1][6].

Bottom line for the exam: Record what you maintain and inspect, how and when you did it, and by what procedure. For Category 4, retention and conformity to the manufacturer’s ICAInstructions for Continued AirworthinessCloseManufacturer instructions for maintaining an aircraft or component in airworthy condition. (or FAAFederal Aviation AdministrationCloseThe U.S. aviation regulator responsible for Part 107 rules, airspace, and pilot certification processes.-acceptable methods) are not optional—they are part of maintaining eligibility to operate over people^[6][2].