107part107drill
← the bank
⚖ Operations · § 107.59OPS-062 · 231 of 261

A law enforcement officer asks a remote pilot to submit to a blood alcohol test at the flight site. The pilot refuses. What is the consequence under 14 CFR Part 107?

AThere is no regulatory consequence if the pilot has not consumed alcohol
BRefusal to submit to a blood alcohol test when requested by a law enforcement officer is grounds for suspension or revocation of the remote pilot certificate
CThe pilot must be offered an alternative test before refusal carries any regulatory penalty

Why →Under 14 CFR § 107.59, a refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test when requested by a law enforcement officer is grounds for suspension or revocation of the remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating. The regulation provides no exception based on the pilot's belief that they have not consumed alcohol. Refusal itself carries the consequence.

The trap →Being confident you are sober does not create a right to refuse under § 107.59. The refusal, not just a positive test result, is independently grounds for certificate action.

Field note →This parallels the manned aviation rule under 14 CFR § 61.16. The FAA treats refusal as seriously as a violation because refusal defeats the enforcement mechanism for the alcohol prohibition entirely.

SOURCE → 14 CFR § 107.59CHECKED JUL 16ACS I.C.K2MED