Fit to Fly
Apply the alcohol and drug rule to its specified flightcrew roles, then use a wider fitness assessment for everyone whose condition can affect the operation.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
- 01Identify the rule, source, or principle behind this idea: The remote PIC, person manipulating the controls, and visual observer may not serve within eight hours after drinking alcohol, while under its influence, or with a blood alcohol concentration of .04 or greater.
- 02Explain the operational effect of this idea: Those three roles also must comply with the applicable drug prohibitions; specified drug convictions, prohibited acts, or refusal to provide a required alcohol test or result can support certificate denial, suspension, or revocation.
- 03Apply the lesson to a new mission and defend a go, modify, or no-go decision.
01 / MISSION
Begin with the operating problem.
The remote PIC slept three hours, has taken an unfamiliar medication, and feels pressure to complete a sunrise shoot.
02 / CORE BRIEF
What the remote pilot needs to know.
The remote PIC, person manipulating the controls, and visual observer may not serve within eight hours after drinking alcohol, while under its influence, or with a blood alcohol concentration of .04 or greater.
Those three roles also must comply with the applicable drug prohibitions; specified drug convictions, prohibited acts, or refusal to provide a required alcohol test or result can support certificate denial, suspension, or revocation.
IMSAFE is Dorian Drone's practical crew screen, not a substitute for §§ 107.17 and 107.27, medical advice, or manufacturer instructions.
03 / PILOT DECISION
Make the call.
Postpone or replace the pilot. Meeting the alcohol clock alone does not establish fitness for safe operation.
04 / FIELD CHECK
Put it into the flight plan.
Apply the regulatory alcohol and drug checks to the remote PIC, control manipulator, and visual observer, then complete an honest broader fitness check for the full crew.
05 / KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Which Part 107 roles are directly subject to the eight-hour alcohol rule through § 107.27?
Reveal the debrief
The remote PIC, the person manipulating the flight controls, and the visual observer.
RELATED FAA REFERENCES
Verify before you fly.
- 14 CFR Part 107 — current eCFR
- FAA — Remote Pilot Airman Certification Standards
- FAA — Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Educational summary only. Current regulation, FAA approval conditions, manufacturer instructions, and site-specific facts control the operation.