Part 107: How to Become a Certified Remote Pilot

In this episode, you’ll learn

What the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate is, why it exists, and who needs it. 

The conversation covers the history of Part 107, the legal requirements to fly commercially, what the exam includes, and how to prepare the right way. The hosts explain the full process from start to finish, including registration, TSA vetting, testing requirements, and renewal. 

This episode is designed for anyone who wants to fly drones for their department, business, or personal development and needs a clear understanding of what the certification involves. 

Learn how Red Raven helps pilots and teams get certified quickly through on-site training and the online Part 107 course.

• What Part 107 is and why it exists

• Who legally needs it — commercial, government, and public safety

• The history of Part 107 and why it replaced Section 333 exemptions

• What the exam covers: regulations, airspace, weather, and operations

• The full administrative process: FTN, IACRA, PSI, and TSA vetting

• How Red Raven helps individuals and teams get certified

FAA Part 107 Certification Resources

• Part 107 Online Course: https://www.redravenuas.com/part107

• Blog companion: https://www.redravenuas.com/blog/pass-part-107-exam-2026

• Transcript

  What Is FAA Part 107 and Why Does It Matter?

  Welcome to the Red Raven UAS Podcast. We're going to be tackling what is probably the most crucial starting point for anyone who's serious about professional drone operations.

  For anyone joining us for the first time, Red Raven UAS provides customized drone training, program development, and expert consulting. We work mostly with public safety, utilities, government agencies, and larger enterprise teams. Our core mission is straightforward — we help organizations design, build, and optimize compliant drone programs that are safe, legal, and truly mission-ready.

  That brings us to today's deep dive: the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. For any organization — or even just an individual looking to move beyond the hobby level — this is the foundation.

  What Exactly Is Part 107?

  When people think of a pilot license, they usually picture someone in the cockpit of a 747. But in the UAS world, the Part 107 license is that starting point. Simply put, Part 107 is the regulation that governs all non-recreational drone flying in the United States. If you're flying for any kind of compensation — or even just furthering a business goal or a governmental purpose — you have to be certified. If you don't have it, you're not compliant. You're operating illegally.

  That distinction — compensation or furthering a business goal — is where a lot of people get tripped up. It covers so much more than just a real estate photographer.

  Part 107 came into effect in August of 2016, and its creation was revolutionary. Before that, the rules were handled through individual letters of authorization called Section 333 exemptions. Imagine needing to get individual permission from the FAA for almost every specific flight you wanted to do. It was a bureaucratic maze. Commercial drone operations were technically illegal unless you obtained very specific, very time-consuming permission. Part 107 changed all that. It standardized the rules for everyone, ensured safety, and allowed drones to be integrated into the national airspace based on a single measurable standard. It brought structure to the chaos.

  Who Needs Part 107?

  It applies across the board. In the enterprise world: construction teams using drones for surveying or mapping, engineering firms inspecting bridges or flare stacks, insurance adjusters doing roof assessments after a storm, utility companies flying inspections on power lines or wind farms. The pilots running those missions are operating for a business purpose. They must be certified.

  Since Red Raven works so heavily with public safety, that's another area where the intent isn't profit — but it's still considered commercial in the regulatory sense. Law enforcement, fire departments, EMS agencies — they must have their officers and pilots licensed under Part 107, even though it's public service. The key is that they're operating for a governmental purpose, which falls squarely under the definition of non-recreational flight.

  So whether you're a chief engineer mapping a new facility or a firefighter using a drone to search for a missing person, the requirement is the same.

  The risk of non-compliance is massive. If you don't have certified pilots, you can't get waivers for advanced operations like flying over people. Your whole program is exposed if the FAA decides to audit you. Compliance isn't just a formality — it's the gateway to being truly mission-ready.

  The Certification Process

  Here's the biggest misconception: you do not have to be an expert drone pilot, and you do not fly a drone during the test. The Part 107 exam tests aeronautical knowledge, not hands-on flight proficiency. You are proving that you understand the rules of the road — airspace, weather, regulations — before you go fly a professional mission.

  The FAA's job is to ensure you know the rules. The organization's job is to ensure you're proficient. Passing Part 107 is just permission to operate — it's the starting line, not the finish line. After certification, a responsible organization has to implement a robust internal training program: hands-on skills, standard operating procedures, and drills for their specific missions, whether that's search and rescue or tower inspection. Part 107 is the license to learn, not the end of training.

  What the Test Actually Covers

  It's a 60-question, multiple choice exam, and you need a 70% to pass. The content breaks down into four main areas:

  Regulations — the specific rules of flight. Minimum visibility, maximum altitude, rules for flying over people. The black-and-white stuff.

  Airspace Identification — reading and interpreting aviation maps called sectional charts. The biggest pitfall is confusing the different types of airspace. You need to know exactly where Class D ends and Class G begins, and what permission you need for each. Getting airspace wrong means flying where you shouldn't be — a serious safety violation.

  Weather Interpretation — decoding weather products like METARs and TAFs. A METAR is a current weather observation. A TAF is a forecast. They give you critical information on wind, visibility, and cloud ceilings. Failing to read these could lead you to fly an inspection in unexpected wind shear or miss a warning about incoming fog. This is especially critical when inspecting infrastructure.

  Operational Procedures — aircraft loading and performance, plus the soft skills: aeronautical decision making (ADM) and crew resource management (CRM). ADM is about systematically assessing risk and making smart decisions under pressure — like deciding whether to launch when fog is starting to roll in. CRM is about using all your resources effectively: your crew, your equipment, everything. For a public safety team, CRM is the difference between a successful mission and a catastrophic error. It moves the operation from a hobby flight to a professional, systematic team operation.

  The Administrative Process

  Once you've studied, there's an administrative sequence to navigate. Here's how it works:

  Before you can schedule the test, you need an FTN — an FAA Tracking Number. Think of it as your unique ID with the FAA. You get it through a government portal called IACRA. Once you have your FTN, you can schedule the knowledge test, which is administered by a company called PSI. You take the exam, pass, and then complete your final application back through IACRA. That kicks off a mandatory TSA background check, and only after all those steps are complete does the FAA issue and mail you the physical Part 107 certificate.

  That process — FTN, IACRA, PSI, TSA vetting — is exactly what stops a lot of organizations from getting compliant quickly. The information is out there, but it's scattered across dense FAA manuals and government websites.

  How Red Raven Helps

  At Red Raven, we eliminate that confusion and cut through the jargon. We have tailored solutions for different needs.

  For individuals who prefer to self-study, our on-demand digital course includes a study guide, practice tests, printable lessons, and lifetime access — so you can study at your own pace.

  For larger teams or public safety agencies that need to get up and running fast, we do in-person, on-site training. We combine the knowledge for the exam with customized, hands-on flight training and run teams through drills based on their actual missions.

  In both cases, we walk clients through the entire administrative sequence — FTN registration, scheduling the exam, the IACRA application — and make sure they pass on the first try and are ready to handle all required paperwork immediately. That means their program is compliant and effective from day one.

  Understanding the why behind Part 107 — that it's about safety and professionalism — is just as important as knowing the answers for the test. You start with that foundation of knowledge, and then everything else — operational excellence, advanced waivers, complex missions — falls into place legally and safely.

  Thanks for listening to the Red Raven UAS Podcast. Visit redravenuas.com for consulting, training, and FAA Part 107 certification, and check out the current special pricing on our Part 107 Course.

Ready to stop guessing and start flying?

At Red Raven UAS, we have built the ultimate Part 107 Prep Course for 2026.

• Up-to-Date: Fully updated for the latest Remote ID and Night Ops rules.

• Real Scenarios: We don’t just teach the test; we teach you what you learn relates to real world flying.

• Guarantee: We are so confident in our method that if you don't pass, we refund your course fee.

  (Pass Guarantee terms apply.)

Don’t let the exam slow you down — let’s get you certified.

About Red Raven UAS

Red Raven UAS was built by aviation professionals and real-world UAS operators who know what it takes to get certified and fly professionally. Our Part 107 online course cuts through the confusion of FAA manuals and scattered YouTube videos and gives you a clear, structured path to passing your exam on the first try — guaranteed. Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced drone pilot finally going legit, we give you everything you need: study guide, practice tests, audio lessons, and an AI tutor available anytime. Pass the test, get your certificate, and start flying professionally with confidence.