Part 107 Test Cost & Scheduling: The $175 FAA Drone Exam, Explained (2026)

The Part 107 initial knowledge test — officially the Unmanned Aircraft General — Small (UAG) exam — costs $175. You pay this fee directly to PSI Services, the company the FAA contracts to deliver its airman knowledge tests. The fee is collected when you schedule your appointment, not on test day and not by the FAA.

It's worth being precise about who charges what, because this is where a lot of new pilots get confused. The FAA issues the Remote Pilot Certificate and runs IACRA, but it does not charge a fee for the application, the TSA security background check, or the certificate card. The only money that changes hands is the $175 PSI testing fee. That means the all-in mandatory cost to become a certificated remote pilot is exactly $175.

For context, $175 has been the standard FAA knowledge-test fee since PSI took over administration of FAA testing in 2020. Earlier, under the previous testing vendors (CATS and LaserGrade), the fee was lower — commonly cited around $150 — but that figure is no longer current. Because the testing vendor sets the price, you should always confirm the live figure on faa.psiexams.com before you assume it; we believe $175 is accurate as of this writing in May 2026, but vendor pricing can change.

Beyond the mandatory $175, most candidates spend a little on preparation. None of this is required — the FAA publishes free study materials, including the Remote Pilot — Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and an official study guide. But here's what people commonly add:

Registering for the Part 107 test is a two-system process. You set up your identity with the FAA in IACRA, then schedule and pay through PSI. Here is the full sequence:

PSI sets the scheduling policy, and the general rule has been straightforward: you can move or cancel your appointment for free if you give enough notice. Specifics can change, so confirm the live policy when you book.

Failing isn't the end — but it does cost you. Here's exactly how retakes work for the Part 107 / UAG knowledge test:

One of the most reassuring facts about the Part 107 test is its relatively high pass rate. According to FAA airman knowledge testing statistics, the initial Part 107 / UAG test has consistently posted a pass rate in the low-to-mid 80% range in recent reporting years.

In a recent reporting year, FAA testing data put the UAG pass rate at approximately 82.96% across roughly 73,914 test takers. These figures come from FAA-published testing statistics; we cite them as FAA-reported and round-numbered, and you should treat the exact year-over-year values as approximate, since the FAA updates them periodically.

For a one-time $175, the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate unlocks the legal ability to fly drones commercially in the United States — for real estate photography, inspections, mapping, agriculture, film, and dozens of other paid applications. The certificate plus a capable airframe like the DJI Mini 4 Pro (under 250 g, sub-$1K) is everything a brand-new operator needs to start billing for real-estate shoots. There is no annual renewal fee: as long as you complete the free online recurrent training every 24 months, your certificate stays valid.

Compared with most professional licenses, the barrier is low: no medical certificate, no flight hours, no in-person practical exam — just a single 60-question knowledge test. The biggest avoidable cost isn't the $175 itself; it's paying it twice because of an under-prepared first attempt. Solid practice and a clear study plan keep your total spend at exactly $175.