If you're flying commercially in the United States — meaning you're getting paid for your drone work in any form — you need an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. No exceptions, no gray areas. Accepting compensation for drone services without this certification isn't just a technicality; it's a federal violation that carries real consequences.
The good news: the path to certification is clearly defined, the test is passable with focused preparation, and the credential is recognized industry-wide. Most commercial clients in the AEC space will ask to see your Part 107 certificate before a job starts. It's table stakes for professional drone work.
This guide covers everything you need to know — from first registration to the day you receive your certificate — plus the operating rules you'll use every day in the field.
What Is FAA Part 107?
Part 107 refers to Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 107 — the FAA's regulatory framework for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) operating in the National Airspace System. In plain terms, it's the federal rulebook that governs commercial drone operations in the U.S., and it established the Remote Pilot Certificate as the required credential for anyone flying commercially.
Before Part 107 took effect in 2016, the regulatory landscape for commercial drone operations was murky and largely unworkable. Part 107 created a practical, scalable certification pathway that opened the door for the commercial drone industry to grow into what it is today.
The regulation covers drones weighing less than 55 pounds operating within visual line of sight, during daylight hours, in uncontrolled airspace. Operations that fall outside those parameters — flying beyond visual line of sight, flying at night, flying over people — require either a waiver or specific operational permissions.
Who Needs It — and Who Doesn't
The trigger is compensation, not the type of work. If you receive any form of payment, trade, or business benefit for drone operations, you need Part 107. This includes:
- Drone operators charging for aerial photography, videography, or inspection services
- Construction companies using drones for job site documentation (if an employee is the pilot)
- Real estate agents offering aerial photo packages as part of a listing service
- Insurance adjusters conducting roof inspections by drone
- Anyone whose drone footage is used in a commercial product or deliverable
A common misconception: many hobbyists who start getting paid for drone work assume their recreational flying experience exempts them from certification. It doesn't. The moment money changes hands, Part 107 applies — even for a single paid job.
Pure recreational flying is governed separately by the FAA's recreational rules, which require registration and a TRUST safety test — but not a Part 107 certificate. The moment compensation enters the picture, that changes.
How to Get Certified: Step by Step
What to Study — and How Long It Takes
Here's an honest answer that most guides avoid giving: how long you need to study depends heavily on whether you have any existing aviation background.
- Existing aviation knowledge (private pilot, student pilot, military aviation background): 8–12 hours of focused study is typically sufficient. Much of the aeronautical knowledge will already be familiar.
- No aviation background: Plan for 20–30 hours of dedicated preparation. This isn't a test you can cram for overnight — the material genuinely requires time to absorb and apply.
The test covers six primary subject areas:
- Airspace classification — Class A through G, controlled vs. uncontrolled, special use airspace
- Sectional chart reading — interpreting aeronautical charts, symbols, and airspace boundaries
- Weather and meteorology — METARs, TAFs, wind effects, weather hazards
- Aircraft loading and performance — weight, balance, density altitude effects
- Emergency procedures — lost link, flyaways, airspace incursions
- FAA regulations for sUAS — Part 107 rules, waivers, operational requirements
If you have limited study time and need to prioritize, focus on sectional chart reading and airspace classification. Knowing how to navigate controlled airspace is something you'll use on nearly every commercial job. If you're flying anywhere near a major city, regional airport, or urban job site, airspace awareness isn't just a test topic — it's a daily operational requirement. Be comfortable finding the chart legend and using it during the exam; you're allowed to reference it, and it can save you on tricky airspace questions.
Study Resources: Free and Paid
There are solid study options at every budget level. Here's an honest breakdown:
Free resources exist and can work — but they tend to be less organized, harder to navigate, and slower to update when regulations or test content changes. If you're serious about passing on your first attempt and getting into commercial work quickly, a paid course is worth the investment. The $150–200 cost of a good prep course is trivial compared to the $175 retake fee, lost study time, and delayed start on commercial work.
What the Test Is Really Like
The Part 107 knowledge test is 60 questions with a 2-hour time limit. You need a 70% (42 correct) to pass. Most prepared candidates finish in 60–90 minutes.
Here's what study guides often don't tell you: the test is designed to make sure you genuinely understand the material — not just memorize answers. The questions and their answer choices are deliberately constructed to catch shallow knowledge. You'll encounter multiple plausible-sounding options, and choosing correctly requires careful reading and applied reasoning, not just recall.
A few things worth knowing before you sit down:
- Every test is slightly different. Question sets vary between candidates, with some tests heavier on weather questions and others leaning more into airspace. You can't rely on specific question patterns you've seen in practice tests.
- Read every word. The questions often include critical qualifiers — altitude numbers, airspace class, time of day — that change the correct answer entirely. Rushing through questions is where most people make avoidable mistakes.
- You can reference the chart legend during the exam. Sectional chart supplements are provided. If you blank on an airspace symbol or frequency notation, look it up rather than guessing.
- Some questions are basic memorization. Not everything requires deep reasoning — you'll also see straightforward recall questions on regulations, altitude limits, and required documentation.
Candidates who feel underprepared tend to describe the test as hard. Candidates who put in the study time tend to describe it as fair. The questions are well-crafted and require real comprehension — but nothing on the test is obscure or designed to trick you unfairly. Preparation is the entire variable.
Operating Rules You Need to Know
Passing the test gets you the certificate. Actually operating legally requires internalizing the core Part 107 operating rules — you'll apply these on every flight.
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Altitude | 400 ft AGL, or up to 400 ft above a structure if within 400 ft of it |
| Visual Line of Sight | Must maintain unaided VLOS at all times (no binoculars, no FPV goggles as primary) |
| Daylight Operations | Civil twilight to civil twilight; night flight permitted with anti-collision lighting (3 statute miles visibility) |
| Maximum Speed | 100 mph (87 knots) groundspeed |
| Maximum Weight | 55 lbs including payload |
| Right of Way | Yield to all crewed aircraft at all times |
| Operations Over People | Permitted under specific category requirements; standard operations require clear zones |
| Controlled Airspace | Requires FAA authorization (LAANC or DroneZone) before flight |
| Certificate on Person | Physical or digital certificate required during all commercial operations |
| Aircraft Registration | FAA registration number must be displayed on aircraft |
Airspace Basics for Commercial Operators
Understanding controlled airspace isn't just a test topic — for most AEC operators working in developed markets, it's a daily operational reality. Job sites near airports, urban construction projects, and rooftop inspections in metro areas will regularly put you in or near controlled airspace.
The U.S. airspace system is divided into classes, each with different rules and authorization requirements:
- Class G (Uncontrolled): Most rural areas up to 700 or 1,200 ft AGL. No authorization required for Part 107 operations within altitude limits.
- Class E: Controlled airspace that begins at various altitudes. Often requires authorization for surface-level operations near airports.
- Class D: Around smaller airports with control towers. Requires authorization. Surface area typically extends 4–5 nautical miles from the airport.
- Class C: Around busier airports with radar. Requires authorization. Typically 5–10 NM radius with outer shelf.
- Class B: Surrounds the busiest airports (think Tampa, Orlando, Miami). Highly regulated, requires explicit authorization. Vertical dimensions vary.
- Class A: Above 18,000 ft MSL. Not applicable to drone operations.
For most commercial AEC work, LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) handles airspace authorizations automatically through approved apps. In many controlled airspace grids, authorizations are granted instantly. We cover the LAANC process in detail in a dedicated guide — it's a topic that deserves its own article.
Waivers — When and How to Get Them
Part 107 includes provisions for waiving certain standard operating rules when a Remote Pilot can demonstrate that the proposed operation can be conducted safely. Common waiver types include:
- BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight): The most complex and rarely approved waiver. Requires robust safety case and typically extensive operational data. Currently the frontier of commercial drone operations.
- Operations Over Moving Vehicles: For operations over active traffic or construction equipment. Category-based operations have largely replaced formal waivers for some of these scenarios.
- Daylight/Twilight Operations: Night operations are now largely handled through anti-collision lighting requirements rather than formal waivers, simplifying the process significantly.
Waiver applications are submitted through the FAA DroneZone portal. Processing times vary from weeks to months depending on complexity. For most AEC commercial work, standard Part 107 operations without waivers cover the full scope of what you'll need.
Renewal — Every 24 Months
Your Remote Pilot Certificate doesn't expire, but your flight privileges do after 24 calendar months without completing recurrent training. The renewal process is considerably simpler than initial certification:
- Complete the FAA's free online recurrent training course (WINGS program or the ALC-677 online course)
- No testing center visit required — it's entirely online
- No fee
- Takes approximately 1–2 hours
Set a calendar reminder well before your 24-month window closes. Operating commercially with lapsed flight privileges is the same violation as operating without a certificate.