Professional Drone Operation Education: FAA's Demands and Providers of Expert Drone Pilot Instruction
Navigating Drone Pilot Training: What You Need to Start Earning Cash With Your Quadcopter
Get the lowdown on what the FAA demands before letting you bring home the bacon with your drone, and just how much practice it takes to get your wings!
This guide covers the FAA's requirements, offers some flying tips, and dives into unique skillsets for drone pilots. So buckle up, because we're about to take flight!
Ready to take practical drone flight training for yourself or your team? Check out our classes offered across the US, tailored to your skill level and goals – Find Out More**.
The Three Flavors of Drone Pilot Training
When people chat about drone pilot training, they may be referring to three different training avenues, each of which we'll delve into below.
The initial and most widespread area of training is all about acing the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge Test, also known as the Part 107 Test.
In a nutshell, passing this test is the FAA's only condition for becoming a commercial drone pilot. There's zero flight training or proof of hands-on piloting necessary, although this training is certainly beneficial for commercial pilots and aids both in attracting clients and ensuring safer flight experiences.
The second type of training concentrates on basic flying skills and more advanced techniques.
Lastly, there's industry- or skill-specific training, focusing on training for specific situations, like inspecting a transmission tower, or unique skillsets, like aerial videography.
Want to hop between sections? Go right ahead:
- Drone Pilot Training: Prepping for the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge Test
- Drone Pilot Training: General Flight Training
- Drone Pilot Training: Skill-Specific Training
Drone Pilot Training: Gearing Up for the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge Test
As we've already mentioned, preparing for the FAA's Part 107 test is all about self-study.
But while it's non-fly training, it's still a thorough process that demands some serious prep work. Most pilots we've trained over the years estimate it takes around 15 to 20 hours of study time to be ready to take the test.
Do I Require this Type of Drone Pilot Training?
The FAA's knowledge test is exclusively for commercial drone pilots.
If you use your drone for work or business, congrats—you're now legally deemed a commercial drone pilot. On the flip side, if you fly solely for recreation, then you're considered a hobbyist pilot and don't need to tack on the exam to your schedule (for now, anyway—the FAA is planning to require hobbyist pilots to take a similar test in 2020).
Getting Ready for the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge Test
While the FAA's knowledge test to obtain a remote pilot airman's certificate doesn't require flying practice, it's still a rigorous task that needs a good dose of preparation. To pass, you'll need to demonstrate a solid understanding of safe drone operation.
If you're looking for some study support, check out our curriculum and self-paced course right this way – Dive In. We've helped over 20,000 drone pilots achieve their Part 107 certification, with over 99% of our students acing it on their first try. That's cause for celebration, if you ask us!
Here's a rundown of some of the topics covered on the test:
- Radio communication
- Chart and map reading
- Weather
- Drone performance
- Aeronautics
Check out this detailed guide for more insights: [A Guide to the Remote Pilot Airman Certificate: How to Succeed in the Hardest Part of Becoming a Commercial Drone Pilot].
Drone Pilot Training: Taking Off – Mastering the Basics of Flying
Piloting skills are essential if you're serious about flying a drone. But learning the ropes can sometimes feel like a catch-22, with pilots fretting about crashing their new drone because they haven't learned how to fly yet, all while not knowing where to start to learn how to fly because they don't want to crash!
Start with a Simulator
One way to kickstart your flight training is by testing the waters on a drone simulator. These tools let you fine-tune your basic flying skills without the pressure of potentially crashing your drone. They're also usually budget-friendly or even free!
Most pilots begin by clocked-in hours on a simulator, then move on to practicing on an inexpensive mini drone. As your skills improve, you can alternate between the virtual world and real-life practice until you feel confident.
Drone Pilot Training: Landing the Gig – Skill-Specific Training
Once you've nailed the basics and obtained your Part 107 certification, you might still require additional training to be ready for the drone job of your dreams. This training focuses on mastering specific skills based on the work you plan to tackle as a pilot.
Some areas where pilots may seek extra training include:
- Specific inspection scenarios: Each inspection scenario where a drone pilot may work could potentially need its own training. For instance, inspecting a transmission tower necessitates knowing how to avoid guy wires and keeping a safe distance from the tower (in case of magnetic interference with your signal), while inspecting the inside of a boiler requires a special drone, like the Elios 2.
- Public safety: Different public safety applications might require their unique kind of drone pilot training. For example, flying a drone outfitted with a thermal camera to collect information about an ongoing wildfire will differ from using a drone for a Search & Rescue scenario, such as locating a missing individual in wooded areas – and these are just a couple of examples for public safety drone applications.
- Aerial videography: Aerial videography is one of the most popular ways for drone pilots to make money, but there are numerous distinct skills required for different types of aerial videography. For example, piloting a big rig drone on a film set is quite different from directing a drone above a wedding ceremony to capture aerial stills.
If you'd like to accelerate your skillset in aerial videography, check out the Drone Cinematography Masterclass. Stewart and Alina are exceptional instructors, offering one of the highest quality online training courses we've ever seen, complete with stunning cinematic footage within the course.
[Plus, our readers get a $50 discount on their course –Claim Yours].
- To become a commercial drone pilot, the first and most widespread area of training is needed, which involves acing the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge Test, or Part 107 Test.
- Passing the Part 107 Test is the only condition set by the FAA for commercial drone pilots, requiring no flight training or proof of hands-on piloting.
- Though flight training is not necessary, self-study for the Part 107 Test demands around 15 to 20 hours of study time to be well-prepared for the test.
- This test is crucial for commercial drone pilots, covering topics like radio communication, chart and map reading, weather, drone performance, and aeronautics.
- Once you have obtained your Part 107 certification, you may still require additional training to be ready for specific drone jobs, like aerial videography or specialized inspections.
- For those interested in advancing their skills in aerial videography, the Drone Cinematography Masterclass, taught by excellent instructors Stewart and Alina, is a recommended training course to accelerate your skillset and earn a discount as a reader.
