FAA Part 107 is the Federal Aviation Administration’s Small UAS Rule, the regulation that governs commercial drone operations in the United States. If you want to fly a drone for any business purpose, you must pass the Part 107 test and earn a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. I wrote this guide after going through the process myself and comparing notes with hundreds of drone pilots on Reddit, so you get a real picture of what to expect in 2026.
Below I’ll cover exactly what Part 107 is, who needs the certificate, the eligibility rules, the step-by-step process to get certified, what the test actually covers, how much it costs, and how it compares to the free TRUST certificate that recreational flyers use.
Table of Contents
What Is FAA Part 107
FAA Part 107, officially called the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Rule, is the federal regulation that took effect on August 29, 2016, to bring commercial drone operations into the national airspace system. It created a single, clear framework for how civilian pilots can fly small drones (under 55 pounds) for work or hire.
Before Part 107 existed, anyone wanting to fly a drone commercially had to apply for a Section 333 exemption, which was slow and expensive. The rule changed that by introducing a straightforward certification path: pass the FAA’s aeronautical knowledge test, and you can fly for business.
Part 107 covers a wide range of rules, including maximum altitude (400 feet above ground level), visibility requirements, cloud clearance minimums, airspace classes where you can and cannot fly, and operational rules like visual line of sight. It also defines when you need a waiver for special operations like flying at night, over people, or beyond visual line of sight.
The certificate you earn is officially called a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating. It is a real FAA-issued credential, not a “license” in the legal sense, but most pilots call it a Part 107 license anyway because the FAA treats it as a certification.
Who Needs a Part 107 Certificate
You need a Part 107 certificate if you fly a drone for any business purpose or compensation in the United States. The FAA does not care whether you are a full-time commercial operator or a weekend photographer selling a single listing, the rule applies the same way.
Common professions that require Part 107 include real estate photographers, roof and tower inspectors, roofers documenting their own work, agricultural crop surveyors, mapping and surveying professionals, wedding and event videographers, filmmakers, journalists, search and rescue volunteers, and drone delivery pilots. Even if your employer already has a Part 107 pilot on staff, you personally need your own certificate to act as pilot in command.
You do not need Part 107 if you are flying purely for personal recreation and you follow the recreational flyer rules. Recreational flyers only need the free TRUST certificate (The Recreational UAS Safety Test), and they are limited to hobby-style flying under 14 CFR Part 44807.
The tricky edge case is when you use a drone for something that feels personal but actually has a business benefit. If you are a real estate agent flying over your own listing, you are operating commercially under FAA guidance, even if no money changes hands. The FAA looks at the purpose of the flight, not whether you received a check.
Part 107 Eligibility Requirements
The FAA keeps the eligibility rules for Part 107 short and simple. You must be at least 16 years old, be able to read, speak, write, and understand English, be in a physical and mental condition that allows safe operation of a small UAS, and pass the FAA’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security vetting.
You do not need to be a US citizen. Non-citizens and non-resident aliens are eligible as long as they are physically present in the US and can complete the TSA vetting through the IACRA system. There is no upper age limit and no requirement for prior flight experience or a private pilot license.
There is also no formal education requirement. I have seen high school students earn their certificate at 16, and I have met retired airline captains who earned theirs to add drones to an existing aviation career. The only prerequisite is the knowledge test and the application itself.
You will also need a valid government-issued photo ID and the ability to provide a mailing address in the US or a US territory. If you wear corrective lenses, you should plan to have them during the test and the practical portions of your flying career, since the FAA medical questions ask about that directly.
How to Get Your Part 107 Certificate Step by Step
Getting your Part 107 certificate is a five-step process that most people finish in two to six weeks. I broke it down below so you can follow the exact sequence.
Step 1: Create an FAA Tracking Number (FTN)
Go to the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) website and create a profile. Once you verify your email, you will receive an FAA Tracking Number (FTN). Save this number, because you will need it for every future step, including retakes and renewals.
Step 2: Study for the Knowledge Test
Download the official Remote Pilot Study Guide from the FAA website. It is free and covers every question topic that appears on the test. Most pilots also use free YouTube playlists (Matt Kendall and Mike Sytes are community favorites) and free practice tests on sites like King Schools to drill the questions.
Step 3: Schedule the Test at a Knowledge Testing Center
The Part 107 test is administered by PSI testing centers at locations across the country. You schedule it through the PSI website using your FTN, and you pick a date, time, and city. Most centers have appointments within a few days, and the testing fee is paid directly to PSI when you schedule.
Step 4: Pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test
Bring a valid government photo ID, your FTN confirmation, a non-programmable calculator, a magnifying glass, and a pencil. The test has 60 multiple-choice questions and you need 70% to pass. You have two and a half hours, which is more than enough for most pilots.
Step 5: Apply Through IACRA for Your Certificate
After passing, you log back into IACRA and submit FAA Form 8710-13. The TSA vetting runs automatically, and within 7 to 14 days the FAA emails you a temporary Remote Pilot Certificate you can use immediately. Your permanent card arrives by mail shortly after.
Part 107 Test Topics and How Hard It Really Is
The Part 107 knowledge test is not a memory test, it is an application test. The FAA wants to confirm you can read sectional charts, decode METAR weather reports, classify airspace, and apply the rules to real scenarios. The questions come from these main topic areas.
You will be tested on applicable regulations (about 15 to 25% of the test), airspace classification and operating requirements (15 to 25%), weather and weather sources (11 to 16%), sectional charts (10 to 15%), and operations and performance (8 to 14%). Smaller sections cover emergency procedures, crew resource management, radio communications, airport operations, physiology, and loading.
So how hard is it? In my research across the r/drones and r/Part107 communities, the overwhelming consensus is that most people pass on the first try with scores between 80 and 95%. Several pilots reported passing after only 4 to 7 days of focused study using free resources, including one pilot who passed with a 93 after a single weekend.
The hardest section for most people is sectional charts, because they look intimidating the first time you see them. After a few hours of practice identifying airspace classes, reading symbols, and decoding legend information, the chart questions start to feel routine. If you struggle in one area, that is normal, the test is designed to be passed by motivated beginners.
How Much Does Part 107 Certification Cost
The total cost of getting your Part 107 certificate depends on how much you spend on study materials, but the bare minimum is small. Here is a realistic breakdown.
The test itself costs around 175 dollars paid to the PSI testing center. The official FAA Remote Pilot Study Guide is free. Free YouTube courses and free practice tests can carry you through the entire preparation if you want them to.
If you decide to buy a paid online course, prices range from around 50 to 300 dollars depending on the provider. Paid courses add video explanations, study schedules, and customer support, but they are not required to pass. Many commercial pilots never spend a cent beyond the test fee.
Budget an additional 20 to 50 dollars for incidental items like a printed practice test booklet, a non-programmable calculator if you do not already own one, and travel costs to reach the nearest testing center. In total, most pilots spend under 250 dollars, and a thrifty self-studier can finish for just the 175 dollar test fee.
Part 107 vs Recreational TRUST Certificate
The two FAA drone certificates look similar on the surface, but they cover very different use cases. The TRUST certificate is a short, free online test for recreational flyers. It takes about 20 minutes and never expires, but it only allows hobby flying under the recreational rules in 14 CFR Part 44807.
The Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is required for any commercial operation, has a real knowledge test, requires TSA vetting, and must be renewed every 24 months with a free online recurrent training. If there is any money, business benefit, or compensation tied to the flight, you need Part 107. If you are flying purely for fun, TRUST is enough.
You can hold both certificates at the same time. Many pilots earn TRUST first to start flying recreationally, then earn Part 107 when they want to start a drone side business or add drone work to their day job.
Career Opportunities With a Part 107 License
A Part 107 certificate opens up paid drone work across a long list of industries. Common entry-level jobs include real estate photography (typically 150 to 500 dollars per shoot), roof and building inspections (200 to 800 dollars per report), agricultural mapping (50 to 200 dollars per acre), and construction progress documentation (hourly or per-visit rates).
Full-time commercial drone pilots with specialized skills in LiDAR, thermal imaging, or photogrammetry can earn significantly more, and many pilots build six-figure businesses within a few years by stacking recurring clients in the same niche.
Beyond flying, the certificate is also useful for public safety roles. Police, fire, and search and rescue teams use Part 107 pilots for accident reconstruction, scene documentation, and missing person searches, and many departments pay premium rates for pilots who can deploy quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you really need a Part 107 license?
Yes, if you fly a drone for any business purpose, compensation, or direct benefit in the United States. The FAA looks at the purpose of the flight, not whether you received payment. Real estate agents flying over their own listings, roofers documenting their work, and even volunteer search and rescue pilots operating for an organization all need a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. If you only fly for personal recreation under the hobby rules, the free TRUST certificate is enough.
How hard is the Part 107 test?
The Part 107 test is moderate difficulty, not easy, not brutal. It has 60 multiple-choice questions, requires a 70% score, and focuses on sectional charts, airspace, weather, and regulations. Most motivated beginners pass on the first attempt after 4 to 14 days of focused study using free resources. Community data from Reddit shows average first-time scores in the 80 to 90% range.
How much does it cost to get a Part 107 pilot’s license?
The test itself costs around 175 dollars paid to the PSI testing center. The official FAA study guide is free, and free YouTube courses and practice tests are enough to pass. With a thrifty self-study approach, total cost is just the 175 dollar test fee. Adding a paid online course or printed study materials can push the total to between 200 and 500 dollars.
How do I get my FAA Part 107 certificate?
Create an FTN on IACRA, study with the free FAA study guide and free practice tests, schedule the 60-question knowledge test at a PSI testing center, pass with at least 70%, then submit FAA Form 8710-13 on IACRA. The FAA emails a temporary certificate within about 7 to 14 days and mails a permanent card after TSA vetting clears.
How long does it take to get FAA Part 107 certification?
Most people finish the entire process in 2 to 6 weeks. Studying typically takes 4 to 14 days of focused effort, scheduling a test slot usually takes a few days, and the FAA issues your temporary certificate about 7 to 14 days after you submit your IACRA application. The longest part of the timeline is usually the wait for TSA vetting, not the studying.
How much money can I make with a Part 107 license?
Earnings vary widely by niche and region. Real estate photographers typically charge 150 to 500 dollars per shoot, roof inspectors 200 to 800 dollars per report, and agricultural mappers 50 to 200 dollars per acre. Full-time commercial pilots with specialized skills in LiDAR, thermal imaging, or photogrammetry can build six-figure drone businesses, and public safety pilots often earn premium rates for emergency response work.
Final Thoughts on FAA Part 107
FAA Part 107 is the legal path to flying drones for work in the United States, and the test is more achievable than most people expect. The community consensus is clear: free study resources, a few days of focused preparation, and a 175 dollar test fee are all you need to earn your Remote Pilot Certificate.
If you are still on the fence about whether FAA Part 107 is worth it, the easiest next step is to create your FTN on IACRA and download the free study guide today. Once you flip through the first chapter, you will know whether you are ready to commit. The certificate opens doors to paid drone work, public safety roles, and a wide range of commercial opportunities, and you can usually finish the entire process in under a month.