FAA Part 107 Study Guide and Practice Quiz

Topic 1About the exam

To fly under the FAA Small UAS Rule (14 CFR Part 107) you need a Remote Pilot Certificate. First-time pilots earn it by passing the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center.

Questions

60 multiple choice (three answer options each)

Time allowed

2 hours

Passing score

70 percent

Provided at the test

Testing supplement FAA-CT-8080-2H with charts and figures

Certificate age

At least 16 years old

Retake after failing

After a 14-day wait

Eligibility

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English.
• Be in a physical and mental condition to fly a drone safely.
• Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test.

Steps to your certificate

1. Create a profile in the FAA's IACRA system to get an FAA Tracking Number (FTN).
2. Schedule the UAG knowledge test at an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center.
3. Take the test, bringing government-issued photo ID. You receive a Knowledge Test Report with an exam ID.
4. In IACRA, complete FAA Form 8710-13 for a remote pilot certificate using your exam ID.
5. After a TSA security check, you receive a temporary certificate by email and the permanent card by mail.

Staying current

The certificate itself does not expire. To keep flying under Part 107, complete the FAA's free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months. Keep the certificate with you whenever you fly.

Topic 2Key numbers

Many exam questions test specific limits. Click a card to reveal the answer, and try to answer from memory first.

Show all answers

Topic 3Part 107 rules

Responsibilities of the remote pilot in command

• The remote PIC is directly responsible for, and is the final authority on, the operation.
• Conduct a preflight inspection before every flight, and brief all crew members on the operation.
• A person without a certificate may fly only under direct supervision of a remote PIC who can take control immediately.
• In an in-flight emergency, the remote PIC may deviate from Part 107 as needed to respond, and must send a report to the FAA if requested.
• Make the certificate, registration, and aircraft available for inspection by the FAA or law enforcement on request.

Operating limits

• Keep the drone within visual line of sight of the remote PIC or a visual observer, without binoculars.
• Fly only one drone at a time, and do not act as pilot or observer for more than one operation at once.
• Always yield right of way to crewed aircraft, and never operate in a careless or reckless manner.
• Drop objects only if it creates no undue hazard to people or property.
• Do not fly from a moving aircraft; fly from a moving vehicle only over sparsely populated areas and not while carrying property for hire.
• Do not carry hazardous materials.

Flying over people and at night

Flights over people who are not taking part must meet one of four operational categories based on the drone's risk of injury (for example, Category 1 covers drones of 0.55 lb or less with no exposed rotating parts). Sustained flight over open-air crowds requires Remote ID. Night and civil-twilight flights need anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles and a remote PIC who has completed the current test or training.

Registration and Remote ID

Register each drone flown under Part 107 in FAA DroneZone and mark it with the registration number. Registered drones must broadcast Remote ID, either built in or with a broadcast module, unless flown inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA). Part 107 drones may not use ADS-B Out.

Waivers

Some rules, such as flying beyond visual line of sight or over moving vehicles, can be waived. Apply through FAA DroneZone with a safety case explaining how risks will be controlled.

Topic 4Airspace

Controlled airspace requires authorization before you fly; uncontrolled airspace (Class G) does not. The fastest route to authorization is usually LAANC, which gives near-real-time approval up to the altitudes on the FAA's UAS Facility Maps. Other requests go through FAA DroneZone.

Special use and other airspace

• Prohibited areas (P-): flight is prohibited.
• Restricted areas (R-): hazardous activity such as artillery firing; flight is restricted when active.
• Warning and alert areas: hazardous activity or high volumes of training traffic.
• Military Operations Areas (MOAs): military training; check if active before flying.
• Military Training Routes (IR and VR): low-level, high-speed military flights.
• Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs): short-term limits for wildfires, stadiums, VIP movement, and emergencies. Always check before every flight.

Details such as altitudes, hours, and controlling agencies for special use airspace are listed in the table printed in the sectional chart margin.

Topic 5Reading sectional charts

Sectional charts show airports, airspace, obstacles, and terrain. Many exam questions ask you to read a figure from the testing supplement, so practice with the legend before test day.

• Use the legend. Most answers can be found by matching symbols to the chart legend and margin notes.
• Airspace fractions. A label such as 41/13 means the ceiling is 4,100 ft MSL and the floor is 1,300 ft MSL. "SFC" means the floor is at the surface.
• Obstacles. Towers show two numbers: the height of the top above sea level (MSL) and, in parentheses, its height above ground (AGL).
• Airport data blocks list the name, elevation, runway length, and frequencies. "CT" is the control tower frequency and a circled C marks the CTAF. "PVT" indicates a private airport. Blue symbols mean towered airports; magenta means non-towered.
• Distances are in nautical miles. Use the scale bar on the chart.
• Latitude and longitude. Lines of latitude run east and west and measure degrees north or south of the equator; longitude measures degrees east or west. Each degree is divided into 60 minutes.
• Chart Supplement U.S. (formerly the Airport/Facility Directory) gives more airport detail, such as parachute operations and traffic pattern information.

Sectional charts are revised every 56 days. The FAA's free digital VFR charts are good for practice.

Topic 6Weather

Weather sources

• Flight Service (1800wxbrief.com or 1-800-WX-BRIEF) provides official briefings, NOTAMs (Notices to Air Missions), and TFRs.
• METAR: routine hourly observation at an airport.
• TAF: forecast for about 5 statute miles around an airport, usually covering 24 or 30 hours.
• AWOS and ASOS: automated weather stations that broadcast current conditions.

Decoding a METAR

Cloud cover codes: FEW (few), SCT (scattered), BKN (broken), and OVC (overcast). A ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer. TAFs use the same codes, plus FM (from), TEMPO (temporary), and PROB30 (30 percent probability).

Concepts to know

• Density altitude. High elevation, high temperature, and high humidity all lower air density, raise density altitude, and reduce drone performance and climb.
• Stable air brings stratiform clouds and fog, steady precipitation, smooth air, and fair to poor visibility. Unstable air brings cumulus clouds, showers, turbulence, and usually good visibility.
• Fronts are boundaries between air masses; temperature, humidity, and wind can change quickly across them.
• Thunderstorms need moisture, unstable air, and a lifting force. They pass through cumulus, mature, and dissipating stages. Stay well clear, since gusts and wind shear can extend miles from the storm.
• Wind shear is a sudden change in wind speed or direction over a short distance.
• Structural icing needs visible moisture and a temperature at or below freezing where it strikes the aircraft.
• Fog is likely when the temperature and dew point are close, especially overnight or over water.

Topic 7Airports and radio

• Traffic patterns use left turns unless marked otherwise. Crewed aircraft fly low near the ends of runways, so avoid approach and departure paths.
• Runway numbers are the magnetic heading divided by 10: Runway 27 points about 270° magnetic.
• CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) is where pilots announce positions at airports without an operating tower. Listening on it helps you know about nearby traffic.
• UNICOM is a non-government advisory station at many non-towered airports, often on 122.8.
• MULTICOM (122.9) is used for self-announcing where there is no tower, Flight Service station, or UNICOM.
• ATIS broadcasts recorded airport information at busier airports.

Phonetic alphabet

• A Alfa
• B Bravo
• C Charlie
• D Delta
• E Echo
• F Foxtrot
• G Golf
• H Hotel
• I India
• J Juliett
• K Kilo
• L Lima
• M Mike
• N November
• O Oscar
• P Papa
• Q Quebec
• R Romeo
• S Sierra
• T Tango
• U Uniform
• V Victor
• W Whiskey
• X X-ray
• Y Yankee
• Z Zulu

Numbers are spoken digit by digit, with "niner" for 9 and "tree" for 3 in aviation usage.

Topic 8Loading and performance

• Stay within the manufacturer's weight limits, and keep payloads balanced so the center of gravity stays within limits. An out-of-balance load reduces control and endurance.
• Load factor increases sharply in steep turns: about 2 G at 60° of bank and 5.76 G at 80°. Higher load factors raise stall speed for fixed-wing drones and add stress to the airframe.
• Hot, high, and humid conditions reduce thrust and battery endurance. Cold temperatures reduce battery capacity.
• Heavier payloads shorten flight time and reduce climb performance.

Topic 9Human factors and decision making

Are you fit to fly? IMSAFE

Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion (or Eating).

Risk assessment: PAVE

Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures such as client deadlines.

Decision making: DECIDE

Detect a change, Estimate the need to act, Choose an outcome, Identify actions, Do the action, and Evaluate the result.

Hazardous attitudes and their antidotes

Crew resource management and vision

• Crew Resource Management means using all available people, equipment, and information. Brief roles, phrases, and hand signals with your visual observer before flight.
• Scanning: start at the greatest distance and move inward, scanning about 30° at a time, overlapping the previous area by about 10°, with stops no longer than 2 to 3 seconds.
• Fatigue, dehydration, and stress reduce judgment. Plan breaks during long field days.

Topic 10Preflight and maintenance

• Inspect the aircraft, propellers, motors, batteries, controller, and data link before every flight.
• Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule. If none exists, create your own scheduled maintenance protocol and keep records.
• Handle lithium batteries according to the manufacturer: store them in a cool, dry place, do not charge damaged or swollen packs, and never leave charging batteries unattended.
• Plan for lost link and flyaways: set a safe return-to-home altitude and know the aircraft's failsafe behavior.
• After an incident, check the aircraft thoroughly before flying again, and report qualifying accidents within 10 days.

Topic 11Two-week study plan

Topic 12Practice quiz

The quiz has 51 questions: the FAA sample questions from the original course guide and additional questions written for this course. You get feedback and an explanation after every answer. Chart questions refer to figures in the FAA testing supplement, which you can open in a new tab.

Practice questions are for study only and are not actual test questions. Always confirm rules with current FAA sources.