Blog
The Part 107 blog
Plain-English articles on the drone test and the rules behind it. Every fact links to the FAA source it comes from.
The test
- Failed the Part 107 test? What to do nextYou can take it again. Wait 14 calendar days, bring your failed test report and retest. Use the wait to fix the topics your report points to.Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
- How hard is the Part 107 test? Pass rates and what trips people upMost Part 107 tests are passed, but not all, and the share is lower than it was in 2020. Here is what the FAA's numbers say and which parts of the test take real study.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
- How much does Part 107 cost? The test fee and everything elseThe biggest cost is the knowledge test fee, about $175. The FAA's study materials and recurrent training cost nothing, and drone registration is $5 per aircraft.Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
- How to study for the Part 107 test: a simple three-week planLearn what the test covers, study the biggest topics first, practice charts and weather codes early, and finish with timed practice. Here is a plan you can follow with free FAA materials.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
- Part 107 test day: what to bring and what to expectBring a government-issued photo ID and leave your notes at home. Here is the day step by step, from booking to printing your temporary certificate.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
Rules
- Part 107 accident reporting: when and how to report a drone accidentIf a Part 107 flight causes a serious injury, any loss of consciousness or more than $500 of damage to property other than the drone, the remote pilot in command must report it to the FAA within 10 calendar days. Here is how to decide, and how to file.Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
- Part 107 night flying rules: what you need to fly after darkPart 107 allows night flights without a waiver if you meet two conditions. Here is what they are, how civil twilight fits in, and which rules still apply after dark.Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
- Part 107 operations over people: the four categories explainedFlying over people is off limits under Part 107 unless an exception or an operating category applies. Here is a plain-English map of both, and of the extra rules for crowds and cars.Oct 12, 2026 · 5 min read
- Part 107 vs recreational drone flying: do you need a Remote Pilot Certificate?The FAA has two sets of rules for small drones: Part 107 and the recreational exception. Which one you fly under decides whether you need a Remote Pilot Certificate.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
- Part 107 waivers explained: what they cover and how to applyA waiver is FAA permission to fly outside certain Part 107 rules, once you show the flight can still be done safely. Here is what can be waived and how the process works.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
- Remote ID explained: what it is and how drone pilots complyRemote ID turns a drone into a small radio beacon that identifies it and reports its position. Here is who must comply, the three routes to compliance, and what the broadcast contains.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
Airspace and charts
- How to read a sectional chart for the Part 107 testRead a sectional in the same order every time: airspace lines first, then the altitude figures, then airports and obstacles, converting MSL to AGL as you go. Here is that method, one step at a time.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
- Part 107 airspace explained: Classes A to G and when you need permissionUnder Part 107 you need prior ATC authorization in Class B, C and D airspace and in a Class E surface area around an airport. Here is how all six classes fit together, and why most flights in Class E and G need no permission at all.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
- Special use airspace and TFRs: what drone pilots need to knowPart 107 closes prohibited and restricted areas to you without permission and makes you obey temporary flight restrictions. The other special use areas need no Part 107 permission, but each one tells you something about the activity you may meet there.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
- What is LAANC? Part 107 airspace authorization explainedLAANC is the FAA system that lets drone pilots get permission to fly in controlled airspace near airports, often in near real time. Here is how it works, what the facility map numbers mean, and what to do when LAANC can't help.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
Weather
- Density Altitude and Drone Performance: Why Hot, High and Humid Air MattersThin air is harder to fly in. Density altitude puts a number on how thin the air is, and when it's high your drone has less thrust, a slower climb and less room for payload.Oct 12, 2026 · 6 min read
- How to Read a METAR: A Group-by-Group Guide for Drone PilotsA METAR is an airport's latest weather report, written in code. Here is how to read every group, find the ceiling, and check a report against the Part 107 weather rules.Oct 12, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Read a TAF: FM, TEMPO, PROB30 and the Rest, DecodedA TAF is a forecast of the weather at one airport, usually for the next 24 hours. Here is how to read one and use it to pick a safe window for a drone flight.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
Operations
- Aeronautical Decision-Making for Drone Pilots: PAVE, IMSAFE, DECIDE and the Hazardous AttitudesGood judgment can be taught. Here are the FAA's decision-making tools for remote pilots, when each one fits in your day, and how they work together on a real job.Oct 12, 2026 · 7 min read
- Drone Weight and Balance, Center of Gravity and Load Factor, ExplainedEvery payload changes how much your drone weighs and where that weight sits, and every turn multiplies the load on it. Here are the loading ideas behind the Part 107 test, with the numbers worked out.Oct 12, 2026 · 8 min read