The Remote Pilot Certificate with a Small UAS Rating is the FAA credential that lets you fly a drone commercially in U.S. airspace under 14 CFR Part 107. If you're getting paid to fly — real estate photos, inspections, mapping, cinematography, public safety contracts — you need this certificate. Recreational flyers operate under a different rule set (49 USC §44809 + TRUST), but the moment money or business value enters the picture, Part 107 applies.
This page walks through the full process: who qualifies, what's on the test, how to apply through IACRA, what it costs, and how to stay current. The numbers and rule citations here come from the regulation itself — verify any of them at FAR 107.61, FAR 107.63, and FAR 107.65.
Who needs a Remote Pilot Certificate?
You need one if you intend to operate a small unmanned aircraft (under 55 lbs) for any non-recreational purpose. That includes:
- Aerial photography or videography you sell or use to promote a business
- Real estate listings, even a single shot for a brokerage
- Roof, tower, solar, or pipeline inspections
- Mapping, surveying, and 3D modeling
- Public-safety operations (most agencies use Part 107, some use a COA)
- Agriculture, including spray operations (additional Part 137 may apply)
- Any flight where the data or footage produces business value
If you're flying purely for fun and following the recreational rules, you do not need a Part 107 certificate — but you do need to pass the TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test). Those are two different worlds; don't confuse them.
Eligibility under FAR 107.61
FAR 107.61 lists four eligibility requirements for the Remote Pilot Certificate. To qualify, you must:
- Be at least 16 years of age
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English (with limited medical exceptions)
- Be in a physical and mental condition that would not interfere with safe operation of a small UAS
- Demonstrate aeronautical knowledge by either:
- Passing the initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center, or
- If you already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate (other than student pilot) and have completed a flight review within the past 24 months, completing the FAA's free online training course (ALC-451) on FAASafety.gov
There is no medical certificate requirement. There is no minimum flight-hour requirement. There is no logbook. The Remote Pilot Certificate is fundamentally a knowledge credential — the FAA's bar is that you understand airspace, weather, performance, and the regulations well enough not to hurt anyone.
The Part 107 knowledge test
The Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test is administered by PSI at hundreds of testing centers nationwide.
| Test detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice |
| Time allowed | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70% (42 of 60 correct) |
| Cost | $175 |
| Score validity | 24 calendar months from pass date |
| Format | Computer-based at a PSI center |
What the test actually covers
The FAA publishes an Airman Certification Standards (ACS) document for the UAG. Roughly, the question bank breaks down like this:
- Regulations (~15–25%) — Part 107 limits, waivers, registration, accident reporting
- Airspace classification and operating requirements (~15–25%) — Class B/C/D/E/G, special use, NOTAMs, LAANC
- Weather and weather sources (~11–16%) — METARs, TAFs, stability, microbursts, density altitude
- Loading and performance (~7–11%) — CG, weight effects, performance in heat and altitude
- Operations (~35–45%) — crew responsibilities, ADM, physiology, radio communications, airport operations, maintenance, night operations, emergencies
Night-operation questions were added when the rule was updated in 2021. Sectional chart reading is the single highest-failure topic — expect multiple questions where you must identify airspace, ceilings, or obstacle heights from a chart excerpt.
Booking the test
- Create an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) in IACRA — you'll need this when scheduling.
- Go to faa.psiexams.com and book a UAG appointment at a nearby center.
- Bring a government-issued photo ID on test day. No personal items in the testing room.
- After the test, PSI prints your score report immediately. A pass moves you to the IACRA application step; a fail requires a 14-day wait before retesting.
Applying for the certificate (FAR 107.63)
FAR 107.63 governs how the certificate is actually issued. After you pass the knowledge test:
- Log into IACRA (iacra.faa.gov) and start a new application for a Remote Pilot Certificate.
- Enter your knowledge test exam ID. The system pulls your score from PSI (allow up to 48 hours after testing).
- Sign the application electronically. This kicks off a TSA security background check, which typically clears in days but can take longer.
- Once TSA clears you, the FAA emails a temporary certificate valid for 120 days. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail in 6–8 weeks.
You may operate commercially the moment your temporary certificate is issued. Carry it (digital or paper) any time you fly under Part 107.
Pilots already holding a Part 61 certificate
If you already hold a private, commercial, or ATP certificate and have a current flight review, the path is shorter and free:
- Complete ALC-451 ("Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems") on FAASafety.gov
- Print the completion certificate
- Apply via IACRA, then visit a CFI, FSDO, DPE, or ACR in person to validate your identity and sign the application
This path skips the $175 test entirely, which is one of the genuine advantages of holding a manned-aircraft certificate.
Cost breakdown
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Knowledge test (PSI) | $175 |
| Study materials (self-study) | $0–$150 |
| Online prep course | $50–$300 |
| Drone registration (per aircraft, commercial) | $5 every 3 years |
| Recurrent training (every 24 months) | $0 (free online ALC-677) |
| Total to certificate | ~$175–$475 |
For pilots with a current Part 61 certificate using ALC-451, the cost is effectively $0.
Staying current: FAR 107.65
The Remote Pilot Certificate itself does not expire, but to exercise its privileges you must stay current under FAR 107.65. Within the previous 24 calendar months, you must complete recurrent aeronautical knowledge training.
Since 2021, recurrent training is delivered as a free online course on FAASafety.gov:
- ALC-677 — Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent
- Takes most pilots 1–2 hours
- No proctored test, no fee
- Save the completion certificate; you must present it on FAA request
Flying commercially without current recurrent training is a violation even if your plastic card is in your wallet. Set a calendar reminder for month 22 — don't let it lapse.
Operating limits you'll be tested on
Once certificated, your day-to-day operations are bounded by Part 107's operational rules. The big ones:
- Max altitude: 400 ft AGL (or within 400 ft of a structure)
- Max groundspeed: 87 knots (100 mph)
- Minimum visibility: 3 statute miles from the control station
- Cloud clearance: 500 ft below, 2,000 ft horizontal
- Daylight or civil twilight, plus night operations with anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles
- One remote pilot may not control more than one aircraft at a time
- No operations over people unless your aircraft and operation meet the Category 1–4 rules in Subpart D
- No operations from a moving vehicle over a populated area
- Controlled airspace requires LAANC authorization or a Part 107 airspace waiver
All of these are waivable under FAR 107.200 if you can demonstrate equivalent safety, but waivers take real time and a real safety case.
How GroundScholar helps with this
The Part 107 knowledge test is well-defined, which means it's beatable with focused study — and brutal if you study the wrong things. GroundScholar runs an adaptive drilling engine keyed to the UAG ACS: every question you miss feeds back into your weak areas, and sectional-chart questions get extra weight because that's where most failures happen.
When you're close to test-ready, the AI examiner runs a Part 107 mock oral that mirrors the way the FAA actually frames scenarios — airspace decisions, weather minimums, loading edge cases, and night-ops lighting requirements. Every regulatory citation it gives you is verified against the live FAR, so you're not memorizing yesterday's rule. If you pass our mock at the threshold, our pass-prediction model is calibrated against real first-attempt outcomes.
Ready to start?
The Remote Pilot Certificate is the cheapest, fastest FAA credential to earn — but only if you study the right material. Skip the 14-hour YouTube playlists. Drill the question types the FAA actually asks, in the order the ACS prioritizes them, and walk into PSI knowing you'll pass.