What is it?

What exactly is the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots?

Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots — Transportation, Aviation & Maritime credential from Federal Aviation Administration (FAASafety.gov)

Online course allowing current Part 61 pilots with a flight review to earn a remote pilot certificate without sitting the UAG test. Offered by Federal Aviation Administration (FAASafety.gov), it is designed for candidates who need to demonstrate verified competence in the Transportation, Aviation & Maritime field. The credential is commonly used for career entry, advancement, regulatory compliance, or employer requirements. Candidates should review the official handbook for eligibility, exam format, and scoring before registering.

The path in brief

1. Confirm you meet any eligibility or prerequisites
2. Review the official handbook and study materials
3. Register and pay through the awarding body or authorized provider
4. Schedule and take the exam (test center or online proctoring)
5. Receive your score and, if passed, your credential

Before you book

Who is eligible to sit the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots?

Eligibility varies; many credentials are open to all, while others require coursework, work experience, or sponsorship.

Who it is for: Professionals and candidates seeking to validate Transportation, Aviation & Maritime competence.

The test itself

What is the format of the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots?

The Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots is administered by Federal Aviation Administration (FAASafety.gov) and runs 2 hours and contains 60 questions.

The fine print

What are the retake and renewal rules for the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots?

Proctoring & delivery

Proctored, computer-based delivery (test center or remote online proctoring), varying by exam.

Retake policy

Varies by credential — most bodies permit retakes after a waiting period and full or partial fee.

Score reporting

Scores are reported per the body’s timeline, typically electronically after the exam.

Recertification

Varies; many credentials require renewal every 2–3 years via continuing education or a recertification exam.

What it pays

How much does this credential pay?

No dedicated BLS occupation exists for drone pilots — the closest verified BLS line is Photographers at $42,520 (BLS OOH, May 2024), and commercial drone earnings vary widely by niche.

The salary answer for the Part 107 certificate requires an honest statement up front: the BLS has no occupation called "drone pilot" or "remote pilot," because commercial drone work is classified under the occupations whose duties the operator actually performs — most commonly photography and videography, surveying and mapping, and inspection work in construction and engineering — so no single BLS median applies to a Part 107 holder. The closest verified BLS line to the most common entry use of a drone license is Photographers, which had a median annual wage of $42,520 in May 2024, or $20.44 per hour, in an occupation of 151,200 jobs with 2 percent projected growth from 2024 to 2034; but that figure is a poor proxy for the full Part 107 market, because drone work spans real-estate photography, insurance inspection, agricultural monitoring, construction surveying, and film production, and earnings in those niches range from per-shoot fees in the low hundreds to full-time technical salaries well above the photographer median. The honest framing is that the Part 107 certificate is an eligibility credential, not a wage credential: it is the license that lets you charge money for drone operations, and the income it produces is a function of the niche you build, the region you work in, and whether you operate as a side-income contractor or a full-time employee of a surveying, inspection, or production company. The cost side is what candidates should weigh first: the knowledge test costs about $175, the recurrent training every 24 months is free, and the total path to a certificate — study materials, the test, the TSA vetting, and the equipment you will operate — is small relative to most aviation credentials, which is why Part 107 is the most accessible commercial aviation certificate in the U.S.

Job growth.BLS projects 2% growth for photographers (2024-34); no dedicated projection exists for drone pilots, and the practical outlook for Part 107 work is driven by niche demand in photography, surveying, inspection, and film rather than by any single BLS line.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Photographers

Your schedule

How long should I study for it?

15-30 hours over 2-4 weeks (non-pilot path); ~2 hours for the ALC-451 course (Part 61 pilot path) of focused study

A realistic Part 107 study plan runs 15-30 hours over 2-4 weeks, because the knowledge test is 60 questions in two hours at a 70 percent passing standard, and the largest score gains come from drilling the published knowledge areas — especially airspace classification, sectional-chart reading, and weather products, which are where most candidates lose points — before sitting at a PSI testing center. The FAA Remote Pilot Study Guide and the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement are the scope map: both are free, the supplement contains the charts and figures used on the exam, and the FAA publishes the knowledge areas the test covers — applicable regulations under 14 CFR Part 107, airspace classification and operating requirements, aviation weather sources and effects, small UAS loading and performance, emergency procedures, crew resource management, radio communication procedures, aeronautical decision-making, airport operations, maintenance and preflight inspection, and night operations. The study window should split into a rules-and-airspace phase (week 1), a weather-and-sectionals phase (week 2) that includes decoding METAR reports and reading sectional charts from the supplement, and a practice-and-readiness phase (weeks 3-4) built around timed 60-question practice exams at the 70 percent standard. Candidates with an aviation background should budget the lower end and focus on the Part 107-specific rules; candidates with no aviation background should budget the upper end and add a structured course or question bank, because the sectional-chart and weather content is genuinely unfamiliar. The final week should include at least two timed practice exams scoring 80 percent or higher before booking the ~$175 test, because each attempt costs the full fee and a failed attempt adds a 14-day wait. Existing Part 61 pilots with a current flight review should follow the separate ALC-451 route: complete the free online course on FAASafety.gov and its end-of-course check instead of the knowledge test.

1. Week 15-8 hrs

   Regulations and airspace

   • Study the 14 CFR Part 107 rules: operating limitations, registration, Remote ID, waivers
   • Learn the airspace classes (B, C, D, E, G) and their entry and altitude requirements
   • Drill the Remote Pilot in Command responsibilities and accident-reporting rules
2. Week 26-9 hrs

   Weather and sectional charts

   • Learn to decode METAR and TAF weather products
   • Practise reading sectional charts and identifying airspace symbols
   • Cover loading and performance, emergency procedures, and preflight inspection
3. Weeks 3-46-10 hrs/week

   Practice exams and readiness

   • Take two to four timed 60-question practice exams, aiming for 80%+
   • Re-drill the missed items, prioritising sectionals and weather
   • Create the IACRA FTN, book the PSI test, and confirm the two-form ID rule

What to buy

Which study resources are worth paying for?

Part 107 prep resources split into the free FAA official set, commercial courses and question banks, and the FAASTeam ALC-451 course, and the buying logic is anchored by the free FAA materials because the Remote Pilot Study Guide and the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement are the official sources, the supplement is the actual reference booklet used on the exam, and candidates who use only free FAA materials plus a good question bank can pass without spending anything beyond the ~$175 test fee. Commercial courses and question banks — roughly $150-200 for a one-time course, or lower for subscription question banks — add structured video lessons and large question pools with explanations, which helps candidates with no aviation background who need the sectional-chart and weather content taught systematically; the well-regarded options track the current FAA knowledge areas and Remote ID rules. The FAASTeam ALC-451 course is a different product from the prep courses: it is the free online initial-training course on FAASafety.gov that Part 61 pilots with a current flight review take in place of the knowledge test, and it includes its own open-book end-of-course check, so existing pilots should not pay for a prep course intended for the 60-question test. The footnote that anchors the comparison: prices below are approximate as of mid-2026 and change frequently, we rank nothing by commission, and the ~$175 PSI test fee is separate from any prep purchase and applies per attempt. A cheap readiness check is a free practice exam before buying anything, because a candidate who scores 80 percent or higher on a timed practice test often needs only the free FAA materials, while a candidate in the 60-70 percent range should invest in a structured course or question bank for the chart and weather content.

Prices are approximate as of mid-2026 and change frequently; we rank nothing by commission. The ~$175 PSI knowledge-test fee applies per attempt and is non-refundable on no-show, and the ALC-451 course is the free Part 61-pilot alternative to the knowledge test, not a prep course for it.

What you'll face

What question types will I see?

The Part 107 knowledge test — formally the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam — is 60 multiple-choice questions with a two-hour time limit, a passing score of 70 percent (42 of 60), delivered in person at roughly 700 PSI testing centers, with a 14-day wait after a failed attempt and a fee of about $175 per attempt. The questions cover the FAA’s published knowledge areas: applicable regulations under 14 CFR Part 107, airspace classification and operating requirements, aviation weather sources and effects, small UAS loading and performance, emergency procedures, crew resource management, radio communication procedures, aeronautical decision-making, airport operations, maintenance and preflight inspection, and night operations. Many items are reference-based, meaning the question refers you to a figure or chart in the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement — a sectional chart, an airspace diagram, or a METAR report — and asks you to interpret it, which is why candidates who study without the supplement are at a real disadvantage. The test is proctored and closed-book, with no notes or reference materials permitted beyond the supplement the testing center provides. The test is scored immediately, with the preliminary pass or fail shown on screen and a printed score report issued at the center; a passing score of 70 percent is required, and a failed attempt carries a 14-day waiting period before retaking at the full fee. Because the FAASTeam ALC-451 course is a free online alternative for Part 61 pilots with a current flight review, candidates should confirm which path applies to them before studying for the 60-question test. The samples below illustrate three of the recurring formats — a regulation item, a weather item, and a sectional-chart item. The sample items are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint, not live exam items.

Samples are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint, not live exam items.

Reference

What are the key facts about the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots?

Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots is a training credential; awarded by Federal Aviation Administration (FAASafety.gov); the exam fee is ~$175; typical preparation is 20-40 hours of study; holders typically earn No dedicated SOC; survey/photo-adjacent roles (photographers $42,520).

In short

Is the Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots worth it?

• Part 107 Small UAS Initial Training for Part 61 Pilots is awarded by Federal Aviation Administration (FAASafety.gov).
• Validates job-ready competence in Transportation, Aviation & Maritime.
• Registration is through the awarding body or an authorized test provider.
• Renewal and retake policies vary — confirm before scheduling.

Trust

Where does this information come from?

Everything above is taken from the awarding body's own published material. Fees, question counts and domain weights are revised regularly — check the official page before you pay.

Research confidence: low · Last reviewed 2026-08