Part 107 Study Guide (2026)
60
scored questions
+5 unscored
2 hours
time limit
3 choices each
70%
to pass
42 of 60
$175
per attempt
14-day wait to retest
Free practice test
Quick 10 questions or the full 60 on a 2-hour timer. Instant score, no signup.
Part 107 cheat sheet
Every number the test asks, each with its 14 CFR rule. Printable.
Free diagnostic
20 questions across every area; shows which ones to fix first.
How the Part 107 test is weighted today
The knowledge test (FAA code UAG, “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small”) covers five areas. Since September 29, 2025, PSI's bulletin weights them like this. Many study guides still use the older split, which put Operations first and Regulations at 15-25%: if you study by that one, you under-study the area that is now almost half the test.
| Area | Share | ~Qs |
|---|---|---|
| RegulationsAlmost half the test. The single best use of your hours. | 48% | 29 |
| Airspace Classification and Operating RequirementsSectional charts and authorizations. Needs the most practice. | 20% | 12 |
| WeatherAbout 3 questions. Learn the METAR, then move on. | 5% | 3 |
| Loading and PerformanceAbout 1 question. Load factor and density altitude cover it. | 2% | 1 |
| OperationsRadio, airport ops, emergencies, CRM, decision-making, preflight. | 25% | 15 |
Source: PSI “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG)” Applicant Information Bulletin, effective Sep 29, 2025. The topics inside each area are the ones in the Remote Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-10B).
Studying by these weights? The Part 107 Pass drills every area with 470+ explained questions and full 60-question timed exams. $69 once.
Regulations (14 CFR Part 107)
48% · ~29 questionsThis is the backbone of the test and, with the current weighting, nearly half of your score. It asks who may fly commercially, what the certificate requires and the operating limits written into Part 107. Most questions are a number or a rule: learn them with their section and you can reason out the wording.
The remote pilot in command
To fly for compensation or in furtherance of a business you need a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating (107.12). To get it you must be at least 16, read, speak, write and understand English, be in a physical and mental condition to fly safely, and pass the knowledge test (107.61). The remote PIC is directly responsible for, and the final authority on, the operation (107.19). Someone without a certificate may manipulate the controls only under the direct supervision of a remote PIC who can take over immediately.
Operating limits
| Maximum altitude | 400 ft AGLHigher only within a 400 ft radius of a structure, up to 400 ft above its top (107.51) |
| Maximum groundspeed | 87 knots (100 mph)107.51 |
| Visibility from the control station | 3 statute miles107.51 |
| Distance from clouds | 500 ft below · 2,000 ft horizontal107.51 |
| Maximum weight | Under 55 lb at takeoff, payload included107.3 |
| Night and civil twilight | Anti-collision lights visible 3 SMPlus current training (107.29) |
| Drones per pilot | One at a timeUnless waived (107.35) |
| Right of way | Yield to all crewed aircraft107.37 |
Where and over whom
Keep the drone within visual line of sight of the remote PIC or a visual observer, without binoculars (107.31, 107.33). Controlled airspace (Class B, C, D and surface-area E) needs an ATC authorization, usually through LAANC or FAA DroneZone (107.41). No flying from a moving aircraft; from a moving land or water vehicle only over a sparsely populated area (107.25). Flights over people follow the four categories of Subpart D, which depend on the drone's weight, exposed rotating parts and the category it was declared under. Temporary flight restrictions and prohibited or restricted areas apply to drones too (107.45, 107.47).
Paperwork, reporting and Remote ID
| Report an accident to the FAA | Within 10 calendar daysSerious injury, loss of consciousness, or property damage over $500 (107.9) |
| Show your certificate | On request by the FAA or law enforcement107.7 |
| Recurrent training | Every 24 calendar monthsFree online, no test (107.65) |
| Change of address | Tell the FAA within 30 days107.77 |
| Registration | Every drone flown under Part 107Valid 3 years; number marked on the outside (Part 48) |
| Remote ID | Standard Remote ID or a broadcast moduleOr fly inside an FAA-recognized identification area (Part 89) |
| Alcohol | 8 hours bottle-to-throttle · under 0.04% BAC107.27 (applies 91.17) |
In an in-flight emergency the remote PIC may deviate from any Part 107 rule to the extent needed, and must send a report to the FAA if asked (107.21). Most operational limits can be waived through DroneZone; the waivable sections are listed in 107.205.
What to remember for the test
- 400 ft AGL · 87 kt · 3 SM · 500 below / 2,000 horizontal · under 55 lb
- Certificate at 16 (test at 14); recurrent training every 24 calendar months
- Accidents: 10 days, serious injury / unconsciousness / over $500 of damage
- Authorization for B, C, D and surface E; none needed in Class G
- Night OK with 3 SM anti-collision lights and current training
All of these in one printable page: the Part 107 cheat sheet →
Airspace & sectional charts
20% · ~12 questionsAirspace takes the most practice, because the questions come with a sectional chart excerpt from the testing supplement and ask you to read it. You need to recognize each class on the chart, know its floor and ceiling, and know whether flying at a given spot needs an authorization.
October 26, 2026: the FAA adds questions with images from current sectional charts that are not in the supplement. Practice 10 free chart questions or read what changes.
| Class B | Solid blue linesSurface to ~10,000 ft MSL, layered like an upside-down wedding cake. Authorization required |
| Class C | Solid magenta linesSurface to ~4,000 ft above the airport within 5 NM; shelf 1,200-4,000 ft out to 10 NM. Authorization required |
| Class D | Dashed blue linesTowered airport, surface to ~2,500 ft above it; ceiling in brackets, e.g. [25] = 2,500 MSL. Authorization required |
| Class E to the surface | Dashed magenta linesAround some non-towered airports. Authorization required |
| Class E at 700 ft AGL | Faded magenta bandBelow the floor it is Class G: no authorization |
| Class E at 1,200 ft AGL | Faded blue band, or no markingClass G below 1,200 ft AGL |
| Class G | What is leftUncontrolled; no authorization needed |
| Class A | Not charted on sectionals18,000 ft MSL to FL600; not relevant to drones |
Reading the rest of the chart
Airport data blocks give the tower frequency (CT), a star for part-time towers, the elevation and the runway length. Obstacle heights appear twice: bold is the top in feet MSL, the number in parentheses is the height AGL. Special use airspace is labeled by type: Prohibited (P-), Restricted (R-), Warning (W-), Alert (A-) and Military Operations Areas; military training routes appear as IR or VR lines. You may also be asked to read latitude and longitude off the chart grid.
What to remember for the test
- Blue solid = B, magenta solid = C, blue dashed = D, magenta dashed = surface E
- Bold obstacle number = MSL; number in parentheses = AGL
- LAANC gives near-real-time authorization in controlled airspace near airports; DroneZone for the rest
- Check TFRs and NOTAMs before every flight
Weather
5% · ~3 questionsWeather is now a small slice of the test, so learn the few things it reliably asks and move on: decoding a METAR, what makes the air stable or unstable, and the hazards that bring a drone down.
METAR and TAF
A METAR is an observation; a TAF is a forecast for the area around an airport, usually 24 or 30 hours. Both use UTC (Zulu) time. Wind in written reports is from true north, in knots (spoken ATIS winds are magnetic). Visibility is in statute miles. Sky cover: FEW 1-2 oktas, SCT 3-4, BKN 5-7, OVC 8, and the ceiling is the lowest BKN or OVC layer (or vertical visibility, VV). Heights are in hundreds of feet AGL: BKN035 = broken at 3,500 ft. Temperature and dewpoint are in °C; the altimeter setting (A2992) is in inches of mercury.
JFK, 26th at 18:51Z · wind 270° true at 15 knots gusting 25 · 10 SM visibility · ceiling broken at 3,500 ft · 22 °C, dewpoint 14 °C · altimeter 29.92.
Stability, fog and hazards
Stable air gives smooth air, stratus clouds and poor visibility (haze, fog). Unstable air gives cumulus clouds, turbulence, showers and good visibility outside them. When the temperature/dewpoint spread closes to about 3 °C or less, expect fog or low clouds. Thunderstorms grow through cumulus, mature and dissipating stages; the mature stage, with both updrafts and downdrafts, is the most violent. Microbursts and wind shear can push a small drone to the ground in seconds.
What to remember for the test
- METAR = now, TAF = forecast; times in Zulu
- Written wind = true north; ceiling = lowest BKN or OVC
- Spread of 3 °C or less = fog risk
- Stable = smooth, poor visibility; unstable = bumpy, good visibility
- Sources: aviationweather.gov, 1800wxbrief.com, AWOS/ASOS at airports
Loading & performance
2% · ~1 questionExpect about one question. It usually turns on one of three ideas: density altitude, load factor or center of gravity.
- Density altitude rises with heat, height and humidity. High density altitude means thinner air: the props make less thrust, climb is weaker and batteries drain faster. Standard atmosphere is 15 °C (59 °F) and 29.92 inHg at sea level.
- Load factor grows in turns: a level 60° bank doubles it (2 G), and stall speed rises with it on fixed-wing drones.
- Center of gravity must stay inside the manufacturer's limits. An aft CG makes a fixed-wing drone less stable and can make it uncontrollable; extra weight means more power, less endurance and a weaker climb.
Test what you just read
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Operations
25% · ~15 questionsA quarter of the test, spread over six topics that come from manned aviation. None is deep; each has a handful of facts the questions return to.
Airport operations
| Runway number | Magnetic heading ÷ 10Runway 27 ≈ 270° magnetic |
| Traffic pattern | Left turns unless marked otherwiseUsually about 1,000 ft AGL |
| Displaced threshold (arrows) | Taxi, takeoff and rollout; not landing |
| Yellow chevrons | Blast pad / stopwayNot usable for taxi, takeoff or landing |
| Red sign, white text | Mandatory instructione.g. hold short |
| Black sign, yellow text | Where you areLocation sign |
| Yellow sign, black text | Direction or destination |
Radio communication
You rarely transmit as a drone pilot (LAANC coordinates with ATC for you), but the test expects you to understand the radio. At non-towered airports pilots self-announce on the CTAF, often a UNICOM frequency such as 122.8 MHz; 121.5 MHz is the emergency frequency. Traffic is called by clock position (“traffic at 10 o'clock”). Numbers are spoken digit by digit and letters with the phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…). Listening to the CTAF near an airport is how you learn where the traffic is.
Emergency procedures
Know your drone's lost-link behavior (return to home, hover or land) before takeoff and set the return-to-home altitude above every obstacle. A flyaway near an airport may warrant calling ATC. Lithium batteries can swell, overheat or catch fire when damaged or overcharged: land on a low-battery warning and keep a reserve. You may deviate from Part 107 to meet an emergency and must report it if the FAA asks (107.21).
Crew resource management
A visual observer needs no certificate, but must be briefed and able to talk to the remote PIC at all times. Brief the whole crew before flight on the plan, roles, hand signals or radios, and emergency actions. Keep talk to essentials during launch and recovery. The remote PIC keeps final authority even when tasks are delegated.
Aeronautical decision-making & physiology
The test uses the manned-aviation toolkit. IMSAFE checks the pilot (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion). PAVE sorts risks (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures). DECIDE is a decision loop (Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate). Over-the-counter medicines that cause drowsiness count as impairment.
| Anti-authority | “Follow the rules. They are usually right.” |
| Impulsivity | “Not so fast. Think first.” |
| Invulnerability | “It could happen to me.” |
| Macho | “Taking chances is foolish.” |
| Resignation | “I'm not helpless. I can make a difference.” |
The five hazardous attitudes and their antidotes: the test gives you a thought and asks which attitude it is, or which antidote fits.
Maintenance & preflight inspection
Before every flight the remote PIC must check that the drone is in a condition for safe operation (107.15, 107.49): airframe, propellers, motors, battery health, control link, GPS and compass, payload mounting and firmware. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance guidance. Part 107 does not mandate a maintenance log, but keeping one (flight time, repairs, battery cycles) is the documented way to show the drone was cared for.
What to remember for the test
- Runway 27 = 270° magnetic; standard pattern = left turns
- 121.5 = emergency; CTAF at non-towered fields
- Visual observer: no certificate, must be briefed and in contact
- IMSAFE, PAVE, DECIDE and the 5 hazardous attitudes with their antidotes
- Preflight before every flight is the remote PIC's legal duty
A 2-week Part 107 study plan
Hours follow the weighting: two thirds of the plan goes to regulations and airspace. Stretch it to four weeks if you have less than an hour a day.
- Day 1Take the free quick test cold to see where you stand.
- Days 2-4Regulations: learn every number in the cheat sheet with its section. Write them from memory until you get them all right twice.
- Days 5-7Airspace: take any sectional excerpt and name the class, floor and ceiling of each piece around the airport. Read obstacle heights MSL and AGL.
- Day 8Weather and loading: decode METARs out loud; density altitude and load factor.
- Days 9-10Operations: airport signs and markings, radio, emergencies, CRM, IMSAFE/PAVE/DECIDE and the hazardous attitudes.
- Days 11-13Full 60-question timed tests. Review every miss, then retest the weak area.
- Day 14Book PSI once you score 85% or more on two full tests in a row.
Scheduling and test day
- Create an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) in IACRA (iacra.faa.gov).
- Register with PSI, pick a testing center, date and time, and pay the $175 fee.
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Personal notes and electronics stay outside.
- You get the testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-2H) with the chart excerpts and figures, and a calculator or scratch material under PSI's rules.
- Your score report comes at the end. Keep it: it has the Knowledge Test Exam ID you need to apply.
Pace
2 hours for 60 questions is 2 minutes each. Flag the long chart questions and come back.
Elimination
With 3 choices, striking one wrong answer leaves a coin flip at worst.
Read the chart twice
Check whether the question asks MSL or AGL before you answer.
Don't cram that morning
Review the cheat sheet the night before, then sleep.
After you pass
Apply for the certificate in IACRA with your Knowledge Test Exam ID. After a TSA security check you can print a temporary certificate, and the permanent card comes by mail. Register your drone, make sure it broadcasts Remote ID, and put a reminder for your recurrent training 24 calendar months out. For flights in controlled airspace, request LAANC through an approved app before you launch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pass the Part 107 test on the first try?
Study in proportion to the official weights (Regulations 48% and Operations 25% are almost three quarters of the test), practise the sectional chart excerpts in the testing supplement until airspace questions are routine, and take full 60-question timed practice tests until you score 85% or more twice in a row. Then book at PSI. In 2025, 82.96% of 73,914 attempts passed (FAA), so about 1 in 6 failed.
What is the Part 107 pass rate?
82.96% of 73,914 Part 107 (UAG) attempts passed in 2025, with an average score of 79.31% (FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report).
Is anything changing on the Part 107 test in 2026?
Yes. From October 26, 2026, the FAA says the UAG test includes questions with images of current charts that are not in the testing supplement (FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 special edition). Practise on current sectional charts as well as the supplement.
How many questions are on the Part 107 test?
60 scored multiple-choice questions, each with 3 answer choices, plus 5 unscored questions the FAA is trying out (you cannot tell which ones). You have 2 hours and need 70%, which is 42 of the 60 scored questions.
What is on the Part 107 test, and how much is each topic worth?
Since September 29, 2025 the PSI bulletin splits the test into five areas: Regulations 48% (about 29 questions), Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements 20% (about 12), Operations 25% (about 15), Weather 5% (about 3) and Loading and Performance 2% (about 1). Older guides still show the previous split, where Regulations was only 15-25%.
How much does the Part 107 test cost?
$175 per attempt, paid to PSI when you book. The fee is not refunded if you fail, and you must wait 14 days before retaking. There is no FAA fee for the Remote Pilot Certificate itself.
How long should I study for Part 107?
Most people need 15 to 30 hours over two to four weeks; a current manned-aircraft pilot needs less. Spend the hours where the points are: regulations and airspace are two thirds of the test. Book the exam once you score 85% or more on full timed practice tests.
Do I need to know how to read a sectional chart?
Yes. Airspace questions use sectional chart excerpts from the testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-2H): you identify the airspace class, its floor and ceiling, tower frequencies, obstacle heights and whether you need an authorization at a given spot.
How old do you have to be for Part 107?
You can take the knowledge test at 14, but you must be at least 16 to be issued the Remote Pilot Certificate (14 CFR 107.61). You also need to read, speak, write and understand English.
Does the Part 107 certificate expire?
No, but to keep flying under it you must complete the FAA's free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.65). There has been no recurrent test at a testing center since April 2021.
Can I fly at night under Part 107?
Yes, since April 2021, as long as your training is current and the drone has anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles (14 CFR 107.29). The same lighting is required during civil twilight.
Can I bring a calculator or notes to the test?
No notes. The testing center gives you the testing supplement with the charts and figures, scratch paper and a writing instrument, and the testing software has a built-in four-function calculator; a simple calculator of your own is allowed only if the proctor can verify its memory is cleared. Bring current identification with your photo, date of birth, signature and residential address (PSI UAG bulletin).
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