Services

1. Preapplication Phase

The first step in the preapplication process is an informal preapplication meeting, in which FAA personnel meet with the applicant and identify the resources they can use to become Part 137 certified.

Though the meeting is informal, you will need to be ready to provide:

• Area of operation.
• Location of home base of operations.
• Location of probable satellite sites.
• Type of operation, private or commercial.
• Economic poisons or other dispensing material.
• Operating as individual, corporation, or partnership.
• Previous experience with part 137 operations.
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• Category and class of aircraft (helicopter, airplane, or Unmanned Aircraft
  Systems (UAS)).
• Qualifications and experience of chief supervisor.
• Applicability of parts 61, 91, 107, and 137.
• Disclosure of any previous or pending enforcement action pertaining to the
  applicant, management personnel, or chief supervisor.
• Acknowledge the intent to make petition for an exemption for operating UAS
  under part 137.

For detailed information on the Preapplication phase, see section 2.3 of this document from the FAA. Section 2.3 begins on page 8 of the document.

2. Formal Application Phase

The formal application begins when you submit your application, initiating a formal review of your application. The final decision will be provided in writing.

For detailed information on the Formal Application phase, see section 2.4 of this document from the FAA. Section 2.4 begins on page 10 of the document.

3. Document Compliance Phase

In this phase, FAA personnel conduct a thorough review of all the documents you have submitted to support your application, including:

• Chief supervisor qualifications for commercial agricultural operators;
• Qualifications and currency requirements for pilots to conduct agricultural aircraft operations;
• Previous letters of competency;
• Copy of the aircraft registration certificate, unless otherwise exempted (or to be exempted);
• Copy of the airworthiness certificate, unless otherwise exempted (or to be exempted);
• An appropriate minimum equipment list (MEL) for the aircraft being used, if applicable;
• Aircraft maintenance documents;
• Inspection of the aircraft determining compliance with § 137.31, unless otherwise exempted;
• UAS operational documents, if applicable (such as exemptions, waivers, or COAs); and
• UAS registration number (FA number) and serial number of the unmanned aircraft (UA) if noncertificated)

For detailed information on the Document Compliance phase, see section 2.5 of this document from the FAA. Section 2.5 begins on page 11 of the document.

4. Demonstration and Inspection Phase

In this phase, FAA personnel inspect the applicant’s facilities and aircraft (i.e., sUAS) to ensure compliance with the relevant operating procedures.

For drone operations, the applicant must have received a grant of exemption (covered in the previous section above) before the Demonstration and Inspection phase can begin.

For detailed information on the Demonstration and Inspection phase, see section 2.6 of this document from the FAA. Section 2.6 begins on page 12 of the document.

5. Certification Phase

After the certification team concludes that you have met all the qualifications, you are ready to receive your Part 137 certification. Congratulations! You finally made it.

For detailed information on the Certification phase, see section 2.7 of this document from the FAA. Section 2.7 begins on page 21 of the document.