Tell us where you are and where you want to go. Your plan skips what you've already done and shows the next milestones for your level.
Answer question 1 to tailor this plan to your level.
Best if You learn well on your own and want the certificate fast and cheap.
Study with the FAA's free Remote Pilot Study Guide and sample questions, then pass the knowledge test at an FAA approved testing center. Build flying skill on your own drone.
The certificate proves you know the rules, not that you can fly well or deliver usable data. Clients will judge your portfolio.
Best if You want instructor feedback, flight evaluations and a credential enterprise clients recognize.
After Part 107, take AUVSI Trusted Operator training through an accredited provider, or a college drone program. Free vendor academies such as DroneDeploy teach mapping data capture.
No training course replaces the FAA certificate. Check that a provider is accredited and what flight time is included before you pay.
Best if You already work in real estate, roofing, construction, surveying, farming or media.
Earn Part 107 and use the drone in your current job. The FAA lists roof inspections and photos to sell a property as Part 107 flying, so your employer or clients need a certified pilot anyway.
Your employer may already have drone rules, equipment or insurance requirements. Ask before you fly on the job.
Make sure you qualify. To earn the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate you must be at least 16, able to read, speak, write and understand English, and in physical and mental condition to fly safely.
If you want stick time before you go commercial, recreational flyers must pass TRUST, the FAA's free safety test, and carry proof. It does not allow work flights.
The FAA publishes its own Remote Pilot Study Guide, the Airman Certification Standards and sample questions for the Part 107 test. They cover regulations, airspace, weather, loading and performance, and emergency procedures.
This is the FAA certificate you need to fly a drone under 55 pounds for work. You pass the Unmanned Aircraft General Small knowledge test, apply in IACRA and clear a TSA security check.
Every drone you fly for work must be registered under Part 107, whatever its weight, labeled with its number and able to broadcast Remote ID.
Clients hire on proof. Build a small portfolio, then apply to companies that fly drones or pitch local businesses directly.
Your certificate is the start. Flying paid jobs is what builds your skill and portfolio.
There is no BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook page for drone pilots, so this plan shows no official pay or job growth figures. The FAA remote pilot count has no date on the FAA page. The beyond visual line of sight rule was still a proposal in the sources we could confirm; check faa.gov for its current status. State rules, such as pesticide applicator licenses for spraying, are not researched yet. Advice about portfolios, job postings and running a business is practical guidance, not a regulation. Your answers stay in your browser.