If you want to fly a drone for any commercial purpose in the United States — real estate photography, mapping, inspections, cinematography, agriculture — you need a Remote Pilot Certificate under FAR Part 107. It's commonly called a "drone license," and the FAA has issued more than 400,000 of them since 2016.
This guide walks through eligibility, the knowledge test, fees, timing, and how to keep the certificate current. No fluff — just the rules and the numbers you need.
What is a drone license?
The FAA's Remote Pilot Certificate is the credential that lets you operate a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) — a drone weighing less than 55 pounds — under FAR 107.1. It is the same certificate whether you fly for hire or just want the regulatory clarity that comes with being certificated.
You do not need a Part 107 certificate if you're flying purely as a hobbyist under the recreational exception — but you do need to pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), register your drone if it weighs more than 0.55 lb, and follow the recreational rules. The moment money, content monetization, or business use enters the picture, you need Part 107.
Part 107 vs. Recreational (TRUST)
| Element | Part 107 (Drone License) | Recreational (TRUST) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Commercial / any non-recreational | Hobby / personal enjoyment only |
| Test | 60-question proctored exam | Free online test, ~30 min |
| Cost | $175 testing fee | Free |
| Min. age | 16 | None specified |
| Renewal | Free online recurrent every 24 mo | One-time |
| Operating limits | 400 ft AGL, daylight + civil twilight, VLOS | More restrictive; community-based rules |
Eligibility requirements
Under FAR 107.61, to qualify for an initial Remote Pilot Certificate 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 would not interfere with safe operation of a small UAS
- Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test, or hold a Part 61 pilot certificate (other than student pilot), have completed a flight review in the prior 24 months, and complete the FAA online training course
- Be vetted by the TSA as part of the application process
There is no medical certificate requirement. The disqualifying drug or alcohol convictions in FAR 107.57 and the prohibition on flying impaired in FAR 107.27 still apply.
The Part 107 knowledge test
The initial test — officially the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) — is a 60-question multiple-choice exam administered at any FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center (PSI). You have 2 hours. The passing score is 70%.
Test fee and logistics
- Cost: $175 (paid to PSI at registration)
- Format: Multiple choice, 3 answer options each
- Required ID: Government-issued photo ID with current address, signature, and date of birth
- FTN: You must create an FAA Tracking Number in IACRA before scheduling
- Results: Immediate; printed Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) with embedded code
What's on the test
Per FAR 107.73, the knowledge areas tested include:
- Regulations — applicability of Part 107, operating limitations, waivers, certification, registration
- Airspace classification — Class B, C, D, E, G; controlled vs. uncontrolled; LAANC authorizations
- Aviation weather sources & effects — METARs, TAFs, density altitude, wind, microbursts, thunderstorms
- Loading and performance — weight and balance, payload effects, battery performance
- Emergency procedures — lost link, flyaway, in-flight emergencies
- Crew resource management — visual observers, briefings, communication
- Radio communication procedures — monitoring CTAF, talking to ATC for waivers
- Physiological effects of drugs, alcohol, fatigue, stress on remote PIC performance
- Aeronautical decision-making and judgment
- Airport operations — runway markings, traffic patterns, NOTAMs
- Maintenance and preflight inspection
- Operation at night (added when FAR 107.29 was amended in 2021)
Roughly 15–25% of the questions involve reading a sectional chart. If you've never used one, this is the single highest-leverage thing to study.
How to apply — step by step
- Get an FTN by creating an IACRA account at iacra.faa.gov.
- Schedule the UAG test through PSI Exams; pay $175.
- Study (most candidates need 15–25 hours).
- Pass the test at a PSI testing center; keep your AKTR.
- Apply for the certificate in IACRA using FAA Form 8710-13.
- TSA vetting runs automatically; takes a few days to a few weeks.
- Receive a temporary certificate by email once vetting clears.
- Permanent plastic card arrives by mail in 6–8 weeks.
The full path from "I'd like to be a drone pilot" to holding a temporary certificate is typically 2–6 weeks, gated mostly by your study pace and TSA processing.
Operating rules you'll be tested on
These show up on the test and govern every flight you'll ever make as a remote PIC:
- Maximum altitude: 400 ft AGL, or within 400 ft of a structure
- Maximum groundspeed: 100 mph (87 knots)
- Visibility: 3 statute miles from control station
- Cloud clearance: 500 ft below, 2,000 ft horizontal
- VLOS: Visual line of sight maintained at all times by RPIC or visual observer
- One drone at a time unless waived
- No flight over people unless operating under FAR 107.39 categories or with an Operations Over People waiver
- No flight from a moving vehicle over a populated area
- Night operations allowed if the drone has anti-collision lights visible for 3 statute miles (FAR 107.29)
- Controlled airspace (Class B/C/D/surface E) requires LAANC authorization or DroneZone request
Drone registration
Per FAR 107.13 and 14 CFR Part 48, you must register any drone you operate under Part 107 — including drones under 0.55 lb. Registration costs $5 per drone, valid for 3 years. The registration number must be displayed on the drone's exterior. Drones over 0.55 lb operated under Part 107 also require Remote ID broadcast capability as of the FAA's compliance deadline.
Recurrent training — keeping the certificate current
Under FAR 107.65, to exercise the privileges of your Remote Pilot Certificate you must complete recurrent training every 24 calendar months. As of 2021, this is a free online training course at faasafety.gov — no in-person retest, no fee. The course covers updated regulations, night operations, operations over people, and current safety topics. It takes most pilots 1–2 hours to complete.
Carrying the certificate
FAR 107.7 requires the remote PIC to have the certificate available for inspection by the FAA, NTSB, TSA, or any federal/state/local law enforcement officer. A digital copy on your phone is acceptable.
Cost breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Knowledge test (UAG) | $175 |
| Drone registration (per drone) | $5 / 3 yr |
| Study materials (self-study) | $0–$150 |
| Online prep course (optional) | $100–$300 |
| Recurrent training (every 24 mo) | Free |
| Typical total to certificate | $200–$500 |
Realistic study timeline
- Weekend warrior: 2 weeks of focused study (1–2 hr/day) is enough for most candidates with no aviation background.
- Existing Part 61 pilot: FAR 107.61 lets you skip the proctored test entirely. Take the FAA's free online course "Part 107 small UAS Initial (ALC-451)" and you're done.
- Total beginner who hates regs: Plan on 4–6 weeks. Most failures happen because people skim regulations and never practice sectional chart reading.
How GroundScholar helps with this
The Part 107 test rewards clean recall of specific numbers (cloud clearances, altitude limits, registration fees) and the ability to interpret a sectional chart under time pressure. Both are exactly what adaptive drilling is good at. GroundScholar's Part 107 mode quizzes you on the same knowledge areas the FAA tests, weights questions toward your weak topics, and shows you the live FAR or AIM citation behind every answer — so you're not memorizing trivia, you're learning the rule.
When you're close to test-ready, the mock oral simulator role-plays a knowledge-test review session: you talk through airspace, weather, and emergency scenarios out loud and get a pass-likelihood prediction before you spend $175 at PSI. Every cite is verified against the current regulation, not a 2019 PDF someone scraped.
Ready to start?
A drone license is one of the lowest-friction certificates the FAA issues — no medical, no flight hours, no checkride. The bottleneck is just sitting down with the right material and proving 70% on a 60-question test. Build a study plan, drill sectionals, and book the exam.