If you're looking to use your drone for commercial work, you're going to need a Part 107 certificate. This great set of videos will help you learn everything you need to know.
Fraser Almeida is a member of our private group with Mike Kelley, which you're invited to join if you purchase Where Art Meets Architecture 3, where you can interact with Mike Kelley himself. He created the video you see above, which details his process in getting his Part 107 certification. He also provided these great videos to help you study.
1. Drone Study Guide
This is probably the most comprehensive of the lot and should get you well on your way.
2. Remote Pilot 101
Remote Pilot 101 provides some helpful videos on the specifics of aeronautical knowledge.
3. AGL vs MSL
Understanding AGL (above ground level) vs MSL (mean sea level) is a crucial distinction in properly interpreting aeronautical charts.
4. Solutions to Practice Questions
When you're ready to start answering questions, this video will walk you through some practice tests and explain the answers.
5. The FAA Explains the Rules
If you want to hear from the governing body itself, this is the video to watch.
6. Part 61 for Part 107
If you're a Part 61 pilot looking to take the test for Part 107, this podcast addresses that specific exam.
7. Tips From Someone Who Passed the Test
If you want to hear what someone fresh from passing the test has to say, this is the video to watch.
8. Practice Test
Once you're ready to take a practice test, you can do so here.
Passing the Part 107 test definitely takes some work, but it's very doable. If you want to read about one Fstoppers writer's experience, check out Mike Wilkinson's article.
These are some fantastic resources. Thanks, Alex!
I actually just past my test two days ago, and had found the first of these videos, which got me most of the way there.
The greatest challenges I encountered on my test were:
1. The charts and the chart legend in the test booklet are small, and difficult to read. I'm middle-aged and wear prescription reading glasses, and have no problem with ordinary materials, but during my test, I had to stand up, turn around, hold the test booklet in the best window light I could find, and move the book closer and further away trying to get sufficient visual focus to read those tiny fonts on the charts. I wish I'd brought stronger reading glasses and a magnifying glass--no joke.
2. There were a few questions on interpreting the bits of data on those high-altitude military flight paths, and one on "what might you encounter in this military restricted area". I'd forgotten that stuff, thinking it was unlikely to be on my test, so wound up making my best guessed on those.
3. The other questions that took the most time to answer (again, largely because the charts are presented so small), were about things like "if the tower radio is down at this small airport, what frequency might you monitor to know about traffic in and out of ...", or "you've been hired to check the lights on this tall radio tower X miles SW of >some airport<. Can you fly to the top of the tower? Or, what airspace would you be in? Or do you need permission to do so, and if so, from whom"..."
4. Lastly, the Class B airspace I was given to analyze was a damn complicated example of one.
Thanks again for a great resource! This page right here is the link I'll be sharing with colleagues going for their 107 certificates in the near future.
Hahaha Class B always gets your brain going!
Thanks for the write up on my video Alex 😊
awesome article!
We did forget to add Pat Black's resource on crashing drones while running from foreign authorities.
Haha
Still free! and pretty sure i have shots that no one else will ever get
But you failed to get the best shot....that Guamanian officer beating you to the ground to get your drone. THAT would have been the shot to capture :)
bahah! Honestly if i had gotten that shot there is no way I didnt make national news
Though not an hard test, one must study and there are many resources out there for the Part 107 exam. For my experience, I simply watch a few Youtube videos on METARs, TAFs and Sectional, which for me were 60% of the questions in the actual exam. I also used a $5 GooglePlay study app called UAS107 (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uas107.openrobotix.labs&hl=en). Passed on my 1st attempt with a 90%, total cost to become certified, $155. No expensive books or courses.