Soaring high, with no end in sight, as of today, more than 100,000 drone enthusiasts have obtained a Remote Pilot Certificate to fly a drone for commercial and recreational (not qualifying as “model aircraft”) use since the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) small drone rule went into effect on August 29, 2016.
Under Part 107, the person actually flying a drone must have a Remote Pilot Certificate or be directly supervised by someone with a certificate. The majority of drone pilots get certified by studying online materials and then passing an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA approved knowledge testing center. You should have no trouble if you study – the exam success rate is 92 percent.
It’s also important to remember that a Remote Pilot Certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue. Anyone who earned their certificate at the end of August or in September 2016 should review the certification renewal requirements and prepare to take recurrent training or testing.