The FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is what lets you fly a drone for money in the United States — real estate, inspections, photography, mapping, anything commercial. Here's the entire process, step by step, with no fluff: from confirming you're eligible to printing your certificate.
Before anything else, make sure you qualify. The bar is low — there's no flight test and no medical exam — but you do have to meet these:
Check the requirements above. If you're 16, speak English, and can fly safely, you're in. No private pilot license or aviation background needed.
Go to IACRA (the FAA's airman application system) at iacra.faa.gov and register. It issues your FAA Tracking Number (FTN) — write it down; you'll need it at the testing center and when you apply.
The test covers regulations, airspace & charts, weather, loading & performance, and operations. Work through a study guide and drill practice questions until you're consistently above 80%. Most people need two to four weeks.
Book the Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) test at an FAA-approved PSI testing center (faa.psiexams.com). The fee is $175, paid to the testing provider. Bring a government photo ID.
60 multiple-choice questions, 120 minutes, 70% to pass (42 correct). You'll walk out with a printout showing your score and a 17-digit exam ID. Don't lose it.
Log back into IACRA and complete FAA Form 8710-13 for a remote pilot certificate, signing in with your FTN and entering your exam ID. Submitting it triggers your TSA security background check.
Once you clear vetting (often within a few days), print your temporary remote pilot certificate from IACRA — you can legally fly commercially right away. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail a few weeks later.
Register each drone at the FAA DroneZone ($5, good for 3 years), mark it with the number, and meet Remote ID. Keep your privileges current with free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months.
The only cost you can't avoid is the $175 test fee. Failing and retaking it costs another $175 — which is why solid prep pays for itself many times over.
The required cost is the $175 FAA knowledge test fee. Drone registration is $5 per aircraft (good for three years) and recurrent training is free. Prep materials are optional.
Most people study two to four weeks, then test. You can print a temporary certificate within a few days of passing, and the permanent card arrives by mail a few weeks later.
Yes for any commercial or non-recreational flying. If you fly purely for fun, you instead pass the free TRUST test — but the moment money is involved, you're under Part 107.
It's very passable with focused study. The trickiest parts are airspace and sectional-chart reading — and with the October 27, 2026 change, chart reading matters even more. See what's changing →
Step 3 is where people stall. The full app makes studying simple — 800 explained questions, a 22-lesson course, and a real exam simulator built for the Oct 27, 2026 format. One-time $39.99, no subscription, 7-day money-back guarantee.