Definition
A free, online aeronautical knowledge and safety test that recreational drone (Unmanned Aircraft System) flyers in the United States are required by the FAA to pass before operating a drone under the recreational rules. The test is administered by FAA-approved test administrators, and on successful completion the flyer receives a completion certificate that must be available (in printed or electronic form) when flying. There is no expiration date, but the certificate must be reissued if lost.
Plain English
A short, free online test that anyone flying a drone for fun in the U.S. has to pass once. After you pass, you get a certificate to keep with you when you fly.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA recreational drone rules, UAS guidance, and discussions about what a recreational drone flyer must do before operating.
Derivation
TRUST is a backronym — the letters spell a memorable everyday word (‘trust’) chosen to suggest the safety and responsibility expected of recreational drone pilots. ‘UAS’ stands for Unmanned Aircraft System, the FAA’s formal term for a drone and its control equipment.
Why Pilots Care
Recreational drone pilots must pass TRUST to follow FAA rules and avoid fines or legal issues during flight operations.
Intuition Check
TRUST does not mean the FAA simply trusts the flyer. Here, TRUST is the name of a required safety test and proof-of-completion requirement for recreational drone flying.
Example Sentence 1
Before taking his new drone to the park, he completed TRUST online and saved the certificate to his phone.
Example Sentence 2
The AIM glossary lists TRUST as the test recreational UAS operators need to understand safe flying practices.