Part 107 PrepRemote pilot study site

The process

From zero to remote pilot certificate

There is no flight test and no training requirement. You prove your knowledge on one computer-based exam, apply online, pass a TSA background check, and a card arrives in the mail. Here is every step, in order, with what each one costs and how long it takes.

  • $175the only required cost, paid to the testing vendor
  • 60 questionsmultiple choice, 2 hours, 70% to pass
  • 16+minimum age, must understand English
  • No flight hoursknowledge test only, no practical exam

  1. Confirm you are eligible

    Under 14 CFR 107.61 you must be at least 16 years old, able to read, speak, write, and understand English, and in a physical and mental condition that lets you operate a drone safely. There is no medical certificate and no citizenship requirement, although the TSA vetting in step 7 applies to everyone.

    Already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate with a current flight review? You skip the knowledge test: complete the FAA's free online initial training (ALC-451 on FAASafety.gov) and go straight to step 6.

  2. Get an FAA Tracking Number (FTN)

    Create an account at iacra.faa.gov, the FAA's Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application. Register as an applicant and the system assigns you an FTN. You will need it to schedule the test, and the test center will need it to report your score.

    Cost: free. Time: 10 minutes.

  3. Study

    This is the step that decides whether you pay $175 once or twice. Work through the five study modules, which follow the FAA's own list of knowledge areas in 107.73, then read the regulations cheat sheet. The FAA's free Remote Pilot Small UAS Study Guide and the Airman Certification Standards (both linked on the resources page) are the official sources.

    Take practice exams until you pass comfortably. Aim for 85 percent or better on full timed exams before you book, because the real pool is larger than any practice bank.

    Cost: free. Time: most people need 15 to 25 hours of study spread over a few weeks.

  4. Schedule the test with PSI

    The FAA contracts with PSI Services to deliver all airman knowledge tests. Create an account on PSI's FAA portal (linked from the FAA's Become a Certificated Remote Pilot page), enter your FTN, and pick the exam called Unmanned Aircraft General, Small (UAG). Choose a test center and time slot. Centers are often at flight schools, community colleges, and commercial testing offices.

    Cost: $175, paid when you schedule. Rescheduling inside 24 hours usually carries a fee.

  5. Take the test

    Bring a government-issued photo ID that matches your IACRA name exactly. Arrive early. Personal items, phones, and notes stay in a locker. The center provides scratch paper, and the test software includes the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement, the booklet of charts and figures that many questions refer to. Learn to read it before test day: you can download the supplement free from the FAA.

    The test is 60 multiple-choice questions with three options each. You have 2 hours, which is more than enough; most people finish in under an hour. Mark questions you are unsure of and come back to them. A passing score is 70 percent, so you may miss 18 questions.

    When you finish, the proctor prints your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) with your score and the codes of any knowledge areas you missed. Keep it. If you fail, you may retest after 14 calendar days.

    Time: 2 hours maximum. Results: immediate.

  6. Apply for the certificate in IACRA

    Log back in to IACRA and start a new application for a Remote Pilot Certificate (FAA Form 8710-13). Enter the 17-digit knowledge test exam ID from your AKTR; IACRA matches it to your passing score automatically. Review, sign electronically, and submit. No examiner or instructor signature is needed.

    Cost: free. Time: 15 minutes. Test scores are valid for 24 calendar months, so do not sit on this.

  7. TSA security vetting and your temporary certificate

    Every applicant is vetted by the Transportation Security Administration. Nothing is required of you. When it clears, IACRA emails you a link to print a temporary remote pilot certificate, valid for up to 120 days. You may fly under Part 107 as soon as you have it.

    Time: typically a few days to a few weeks.

  8. Permanent card arrives by mail

    Your plastic certificate is mailed to the address in IACRA. It has no expiration date. Carry it, or the temporary certificate, whenever you fly, along with your aircraft registration: 107.7 requires you to present them on request to the FAA, NTSB, TSA, or law enforcement. Report any change of address within 30 days (107.77).

    Time: usually several weeks after the temporary certificate.

  9. Register your aircraft and meet Remote ID

    Every aircraft flown under Part 107 must be registered at FAADroneZone regardless of weight: $5 per aircraft, valid 3 years, number marked on the outside of the aircraft. The aircraft must also broadcast Remote ID (standard Remote ID or an add-on broadcast module listed on the registration), unless you only fly it inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area.

    Cost: $5 per aircraft. A Remote ID broadcast module, if your aircraft lacks built-in Remote ID, is a one-time purchase.

  10. Stay current: free training every 24 months

    To keep exercising your privileges you must complete the FAA's free online recurrent training within every 24 calendar months: course ALC-677, Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent on FAASafety.gov (ALC-515 if you are a current Part 61 pilot). It takes about two hours and ends with an open-book quiz. Print the completion certificate and keep it with your card. If you let it lapse, you keep the certificate but may not act as remote PIC until you finish the training.

    Cost: free. Anyone charging you to "renew" your Part 107 is selling something you can do yourself in an afternoon.

Test day checklist

  • Government photo ID, name matching IACRA exactly
  • Your FTN (write it down; the center will ask)
  • PSI confirmation email or number
  • Know the supplement figures: sectional excerpts, load factor chart, METAR and TAF examples
  • Sleep. The regulations questions are pure recall and tired brains swap numbers.
  • Arrive 30 minutes early; late arrivals may forfeit the fee

Common questions

Do I need a license to fly for fun?

No. Recreational flyers take the free TRUST test instead. Part 107 is required the moment a flight is for business, compensation, or any non-recreational purpose, including a free favor for a friend's business.

Is there a drone size limit?

Part 107 covers aircraft under 55 lb at takeoff. Heavier aircraft need a different approval.

How hard is it?

Pass rates for the initial UAG test have run in the low-to-mid 80 percent range in recent FAA reporting. Nearly everyone who fails underestimated charts, airspace, and weather.

Can I fly for money before the card arrives?

Yes, as soon as you have the temporary certificate from IACRA.