How to Pass the Part 107 Test on Your First Try

The Part 107 test is 60 questions, 120 minutes, and 70 percent to pass. Most people who fail did not study too little. They studied the wrong things.

This is a beatable test with the right approach. You do not need an aviation degree, prior flight experience, or expensive courses.

What does the Part 107 test actually look like?

You sit at a computer at an FAA-approved PSI testing center. Each question shows three answer choices (A, B, C). You can flag questions and come back to them.

There is no penalty for wrong answers, so answer every question. Even pure guessing gives you a 33 percent chance per question. Leaving an answer blank gives you zero.

The FAA gives you a paper supplement (FAA-CT-8080-2H) at the testing center. It contains the sectional chart excerpts, METAR examples, and other graphics that some questions reference.

You will flip between the screen and the booklet for roughly 15 to 20 questions. Knowing how to find things in the supplement quickly is its own test-day skill. Practice with a downloaded copy before you sit for the real thing.

You get your score immediately when you click Submit. If you pass, you walk out with an Airmen Knowledge Test Report (AKTR), a printed sheet with your score and a test ID number.

Keep that AKTR safe. You need the test ID to apply for your certificate through IACRA (the FAA's online certification system).

What does a 2 to 3 week study plan look like?

Two to three focused weeks is enough for most people with no aviation background. The key is structured review, not grinding practice questions from day one.

• Week 1: Read. The FAA Remote Pilot Study Guide (FAA-G-8082-22) cover to cover. It is free, public domain, and the source document the test is built from. Do not take notes yet. Just read to build a mental map.
• Week 2: Work through the ACS. The Airman Certification Standards is the test blueprint. Go through it topic by topic, and for each knowledge element listed, make sure you can answer it from memory. If it is in the ACS, it can be on the test.
• Week 3: Drill questions daily. Review every explanation, including the questions you got right. The last few days before your test, focus on the domains where your practice scores are lowest.

Where should I spend my study time?

The FAA's ACS assigns approximate exam weights to each domain. Use it to budget your study hours.

Operations is the biggest domain by far. It covers visual line of sight, crew resource management, right of way, preflight procedures, hazardous attitudes, and emergency decision making. If you are short on time, this is where to put your hours.

What are the five concepts most people get wrong?

• AGL vs MSL. Altitude limits in Part 107 are almost always AGL (above ground level), not MSL (above sea level). A hillside at 500 ft MSL still gives you 400 ft of operating space above it.
• Certificate vs currency. Your Remote Pilot Certificate never expires. Your currency (the 24-month recurrent training requirement) does. You can let currency lapse and restore it without retesting.
• The structure exception. When within 400 feet of a structure, you may fly 400 feet above the structure's highest point. This is how tower inspections at 500+ feet AGL are legal under standard Part 107.
• TFR applicability. Temporary Flight Restrictions apply to all aircraft, including drones. There is no altitude floor that exempts you. Flying below 400 feet does not put you below a TFR.
• Visual observer role. A VO can maintain VLOS on behalf of the remote PIC, but the remote PIC stays responsible for safety. The VO does not need a Part 107 certificate.

What does test day look like?

Schedule your test at PSI (faa.psiexams.com). The fee is $175, paid by card at booking.

Bring a government-issued photo ID. Arrive 30 minutes early.

You will store your phone and belongings in a locker. Nothing goes into the testing room with you.

The test center provides scratch paper and a pencil. Use them. Write down the key numbers at the start of the test before you open the first question. It takes 90 seconds and means you are not doing mental math under pressure.