Getting Your FAA Drone License

This post will describe what I did to get an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.

Who needs a FAA Remote Pilot Certificate? Anyone who uses a drone for “commercial purposes.” This includes taking drone shots of your own home for a real estate listing, or monetizing social media content taken with your drone. The thing that pushed me into getting a license was that I was helping out an actual professional photographer, and I thought he might be interested in including some drone shots in what he provided to his client. It turned out that there was some street construction that kept him from photographing one who side of his subject, so he used photos from my drone to keep the client happy. Yay!

Arkansas River Vibes

What do you need to do to get a license? My quick and dirty synopsis of the process and my recommended study links are below. I already have FAA Commercial Single Engine Land and Rotorcraft license. If I was actually flying regularly and had a current Biennial Flight Review, I could have skipped some of the requirements. But since I’ve been out of the cockpit for so long, I had to go through the whole process.

None of the resources I’ve described cost anything but time. I spent most of two days hanging out in the camper in the rain getting smart on everything the FAA wanted in my short term memory for the $175 exam.

FAA Frequently Asked Questions

Your starting point is the FAA Drone Pilot Frequently Asked Questions page at https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot.

  • FAQ describes creating a profile in the FAA’s “Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application” system so you can get an “FAA Tracking Number,” which is needed before you can sign up to take the test at an FAA testing site.


  • FAQ describes how to apply for the certification after you complete the exam.  In my case, five minutes after I took the test, the FAA already had the exam results, and I was immediately able to create the application.  Immediately after applying, I checked the status and had been granted a temporary certificate.  It may be the case that it happened so fast because I already had a commercial pilot license


  • FAQ lists the “Knowledge Areas” that will be covered on the test. The 60 questions on the exam are taken from a bank of questions.  My experience was that I had multiple questions from each of the knowledge area.   


Remote Pilot Resources for the Exam

Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 107

  • Read.  It’ll make more sense once you’ve reviewed the rest of the material.


Remote Pilot - Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide

  • Read. It’ll make more sense once you’ve reviewed the rest of the material.


Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) Sample Questions

  • Skim these before reviewing the YouTube videos to get a sense of the kind of questions you’ll see.  This is published by the FAA. The sample questions are representative of the test questions.  One of the YouTube videos below walks through many of the questions and guides you through answering them.  Another walks through answering the toughest question.


Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, Remote Pilot, and Private Pilot

  • This booklet will be provided for you in the exam.  


  • All the questions related to VFR sectionals and weather reports will be taken from the charts and weather reports in this book.   Make sure you can decipher each of the weather forecasts.

  • Many of the things you need to know about interpreting the chart are in the Legend on page 1-1.  You don’t need to memorize the legend since you’ll have it at the exam.


Aeronautical Information Manual - AIM 

  • Read these Chapters:


    • Chapter 3 Airspace


    • Chapter 4 Air Traffic Control (Sections 1-3)


    • Chapter 5 Air Traffic Procedures


    • Chapter 7 Safety of Flight (Sections 1,5,6)


    • Chapter 8 Medical Facts for Pilots 


    • Chapter 9 Aeronautical Charts and Related Publications


Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

  • Read these Chapters:


    • Chapter 2 Aeronautical Decision-Making


    • Chapter 11 Aircraft Performance


    • Chapter 14 Airport Operations


    • Chapter 15 Airspace


Aeronautical Chart Users' Guide

  • Review only the sections related to the charts you’re going to see on the test:  VFR Sectionals (Page 11-40).


Operations Over People General Overview | Federal Aviation Administration

  • These rules changed in 2021.  There will be questions about this on the test


FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A

  • Skim


Five Most Helpful YouTube Videos (watch them)

Using Drone Commercially

How to Register Your Drone | Federal Aviation Administration

Apps / Websites to Keep You Out of Trouble

  • AirHub Portal


    • You need to have a FAA Authorized B4UFLY app that can provide Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC)


      • Shows you airspace you can fly in and ceiling for flight

      • Provides link to get LAANC approval (automatic or manual)

      • Shows hazards


      • Provides link to check NOTAMs 


    • I’ve been trying out AirHub Portal, AutoPylot, and Air Control


    • AirHub Portal allows me to overly VFR Sectional for increased situational awareness.


  • 800WxBrief.com

    • Set up an account


    • It’s the best way to get up to dates weather and NOTAMs.  Can set up notifications to receive text if any NOTAMs / TFRs affect are you’re planning to operate.


  • FAA Safety (requires login)


    • Optional online course to help pass Remote Pilot Exam


    • Online exams for required 24 month recertification


  • FAA Drone Zone (requires login)


    • Get authorization for airspace LAANC cannot authorize


    • Request waivers to Part 107 rules


    • Report accidents (serious injury or > $500 damage other than drone)


  • Federal Aviation Administration: NOTAM Search

  • FAA Aeronautical Information Manual


  • TSA / FAA Waiver (requires login)

    • Submit waiver to fly in DC FRZ.  Good luck with that.


  • VFR Map


    • VFR sectional in a web browser


  • SkyVector

    • VFR sectionals in a web browser


    • TFRs


    • NOTAMs


  • Drone Scanner (iOS app)


    • Listens for Remote ID broadcast


    • Verify your Remote ID status and see who else is broadcasting near you


Notes I Took During Preparation and Reviewed Prior to Exam

  • Class E common altitude

    • base generally 1200 AGL

    • if not depicted, starts at 14,500 MSL

  • Class C generally surface to 4000, outer ring 1200 to 4000

  • Class D generally 2500’

    • reverts to Class G when tower closed

  • Low Altitude Airways generally start at 1200 AGL and are Class E

  • Chart Supplement used to be called airport facility directory

  • Standard Day: 15C 59F 29.92

  • LiPo batteries can catch fire

  • report serious accidents, injuries, over $500 to FAA

  • unstable air creates currents and turbulence.  Good visibility, cumulus clouds, showery precipitation

  • stable air creates smooth air, stratus clouds, poor vis.  could have light, continuous precipitation

  • VFR sectional: all readings are true, all numbers are MSL unless in (AGL)

  • Aeronautical Decision-Making

    • Hazards

    • Risk

  • Risk Mgt Process

    • Identify Hazards

      • Five Hazardous Attitudes and Antidote

        • Anti-authority

          • don’t tell me

          • follow the rules

        • Impulsivity

          • do it quickly

          • not so fast … think

        • Invulnerability

          • it won’t happen to me

          • it can 

        • Macho

          • i can do it

          • taking chances foolish

        • Resignation

          • what’s the use

          • i’m not helpless

    • Assess Risks

    • Analyze Controls

    • Make Control Decisions

    • Use Controls

    • Monitor Results

  • DECIDE

    • Detect

    • Estimate

    • Choose a course of action

    • Identify Solutions

    • Do the actions

    • Evaluate effects of the actions

  • Personal Minimums (PAVE) Checklist for Risk Management

    • PIC

    • Aircraft

    • Environment

    • External Pressures

  • IMSAFE

    • Illness

    • Medication

    • Stress

    • Alcohol

    • Fatigue

    • Eating

  • CARE checklist to Review Hazards and Evaluate Risk

    • Consequences

    • Alternatives

    • Reality

    • External Factors

  • TEAM checklist to choose and implement risk controls

    • Transfer

    • Eliminate

    • Accept

    • Mitigate

  • Category 

    • 1 < .55lbs, open air w remote ID

    • 2 .55-55 11 ft lbs, open air w remote ID

    • 3 .55 - 55 25 ft lbs, no open air 

    • 4 up to 55, airworthiness, mx records

    • see also screen cap

  • Over moving vehicles

    • C1, C2, C3

      • closed or restricted site, everyone on notice or

      • no sustained flight

    • C4

      • operated w/i manual

  • 1800wxbrief.com

  • 13 y/o to register drone

  • 16 y/o to get remote pilot license

  • recurrent test 2 yrs

  • inform w/i 30 days of address change for license

  • inform w/i 14 days if registration info changes

  • skyvector.com good source of charts

  • report qualifying accident w/i 10 days through FAA Drone Zone account

  • 87 kts / 100 MPH

  • 3 SM visibility required to operate

  • cloud clearance: 500’ below, 2000’ horizontal

Conclusion

If you have a any questions about the process, drop a comment below and I’ll answer it.

If you need any photos or videos from a drone, drop me a line. If I’m nearby, I’ll provide my standard “friends and family” rate of one meal per job. Happy flying!