As a drone pilot, you can be at the cutting edge of a rapidly growing industry and make use of your love for flying to start an exciting career. In order to become a drone pilot, it is necessary that you first obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In this article – we’ll discuss how to get started with different kinds of licensure in drone aviation and tips on launching your career as a licensed professional drone operator.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the types and requirements of drone licenses to fly recreationally and/or commercially.
- Prepare for the Aeronautical Knowledge Test, apply for a Remote Pilot Certificate, and stay up-to-date with regulations to become an FAA certified pilot.
- Take advantage of full time employment opportunities or freelance work in the industry while adhering to safety protocols and legal operations.
Understanding Drone Licenses: Types and Requirements
In order to fly drones for commercial purposes, obtaining a remote pilot certificate is essential. This certificate can be acquired by taking the Part 107 knowledge test and registering your drone with the FAA. While it requires an initial fee in order to take the exam, once you pass it you will receive a permanent remote pilot certification. If Flying drones is merely recreational, then no formal license or registration beyond abiding safety regulations are required, but adherence to other FAA rules must still ensue. In any case, acquiring both types of licenses requires careful consideration on behalf of pilots as necessary steps towards attaining permission from authorities need to be fulfilled before being able to operate either recreationally or commercially via this aerial activity.
In order to fly a drone in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) rule (Part 107) – you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA.
Why do I need a Part 107?
If you plan to earn money by flying your drone, you are required to obtain a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
Recreational Drone Flying
For recreational drone flying, the FAA requires a registration form be filled out and a certificate from their TRUST program. This ensures that pilots understand all relevant safety protocols. To these paperwork steps, you must also abide by certain flight restrictions such as not going above 400 feet in controlled airspace or too close to other aircraft while operating your drones. By following these rules set forth by the FAA, recreational drone piloting can safely occur for everyone’s benefit and enjoyment!
Commercial Drone Operations
For those wishing to employ drones for professional purposes, consider commercial drone operations. To become a FAA approved drone pilot, you have to achieve the Part 107 certification, which includes passing an exam containing questions about airspace regulations and how best to manage the risk associated with using them. The requirements for this process involve being 16 or over in age, having physical and mental competency as well as the capability of comprehending English communication skills. With your newly acquired certification you are able to exploit various types of uses such as aerial photography, surveys plus search/rescue missions etc. via drones.
Before we delve deeper, let’s take into account what it entails becoming an FAA certified drone pilot.
Steps to Becoming an FAA Certified Drone Pilot
If you want to become an FAA certified drone pilot, there are three essential steps – taking the Aeronautical Knowledge Test for preparation purposes and submitting your Remote Pilot Certificate application (which is also known as an FAA Airman Certificate). This guide provides plenty of guidance that can help you get through each step in getting your certificate. You will find tips on studying for the test or facts about maintaining certification with regard to flying a drone safely within this industry. With these resources at hand, one could make their way closer to becoming a licensed remote pilot!
Preparing for the Initial Aeronautical Knowledge Test
Success on the Aeronautical Knowledge Test, or Part 107 test, requires a person to dedicate time for study. Allocating about 15-20 hours towards exam prep is suggested in order to cover necessary topics such as airspace classifications and radio communication procedures as well as preflight inspection techniques. Taking an online course like Drone Pilot Ground School may be beneficial since completing it yields over 99% success rate on the test itself. Putting effort into preparation gives one adequate capability to pass this assessment, which then leads them closer to earning their drone pilot certification.
Taking the Knowledge Test
If you feel confident in your ability to pass the knowledge test, all that is left to do is find a testing center. There are 800 designated Part 107 locations throughout America which offer this exam with 60 questions requiring 70% or higher for passing marks. If you don’t make it on the first try, no worries! The FAA mandates a fourteen-day waiting period before reapplying and taking the assessment again, so use this time wisely by revising key concepts and bolstering your understanding of them.
Applying for the Remote Pilot Certificate
After completing the Aeronautical Knowledge Test, you can move on to obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate. This involves submitting your application and taking part in a TSA background check. As soon as this is cleared, you will receive temporary certification which permits commercial flying activities right away.
Your permanent pilot certificate should come within 6-8 weeks after receiving the temporary one. With that all done now you are ready for an exciting journey as a certified drone/remote pilot!
Do you have an existing Part 61 Certificate (i.e. FAA certified pilot – Student Pilot, Recreational Pilot, or Private Pilot)?
If you are already a certified pilot with the FAA and have completed a flight review in the past 24 months, you may be eligible to get your “add on” Part 107 by completing the Part 107 Small UAS Initial online training course (at no cost) by using your existing FAA Tracking Number/Integrated Airman Certificate and Rating Application account or creating an ICRA account.
Once complete, take your completed FAA Form 8710-13, proof of your current review, photo ID and your online course completion certification to one of the below entities to be filed:
- FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
- FAA-designated pilot examiner (DPE)
- Airman certification representative (ASR)
- FAA-certified flight instructor (CFI) .
If you are not a previously certified pilot, then you will have to complete additional requirements:
The below is summarized above but we’ve included it in bullet point form below as well.
- Obtain an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) by creating an integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (ICRA) through the FAA website.
- Schedule an appointment with a FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center.
- Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test, “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small UAG” (typical cost is approximately $175.00).
Maintaining Your Drone Pilot Certification
Staying certified and up-to-date is essential for any drone pilot. To keep your license valid, constant training as well as familiarity with the current regulations and advancements in this field are absolutely necessary.
The importance of ongoing education on flying drones plus knowing about new rules must not be ignored – all these precautions make sure that you remain a safe operator when working with unmanned aircraft.
Recurrent Training and Testing
Certified drone pilots must have current aeronautical knowledge and to maintain their certification, they need to complete recurrent training or pass a knowledge test every two years. Participating in this type of testing is critical for any person operating drones within the National Airspace System as it keeps them informed on changes regarding best practices and regulations related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The recreational UAS safety test helps pilots ensure that these standards are fulfilled when flying with a drone.
Staying Up-to-Date with Regulations
It is essential for any certified drone pilot to stay informed of the most recent regulations in place. To remain up-to-date, one should frequently review FAA website updates and directives. Subscribing to newsletters or notifications from organizations devoted to drones as well as keeping abreast with trustworthy websites, news outlets and industry journals are also recommended ways for staying on top of rules concerning flying a drone responsibly. Maintaining knowledge about current standards keeps pilots safe while using their devices within legal guidelines established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Turning Your Drone License into a Career
Having acquired your commercial drone pilot’s license, there are now countless ways for you to turn this skill into a career. Whether you’re looking for steady employment or undertaking assignments on freelance basis, the prospective opportunities within the vast industry of unmanned aerial vehicles are varied and numerous.
This section examines these abundant job paths available to qualified professional pilots, exploring their unique advantages as well as potential difficulties they may face in doing so.
Full-Time Employment Opportunities
For those who are certified drone pilots, they have the ability to find and take up full-time jobs in a variety of industries. This can include aerial photography, surveying for mapping purposes, aiding with search and rescue efforts or agricultural monitoring roles. Working as either an employee of a specialist service provider or even with governmental organizations is also possible, which will open up exciting career opportunities within this sector.
Drone pilot salaries will vary depending on their field, but could range from around $50k – 100k annually. Offering you both stability through your income while allowing time for furthering skills related to operating drones commercially over extended periods. Employing yourself long-term in the commercial applications arena revolving around these aircrafts offers consistent chances at gaining new experience and advancing one’s abilities across multiple disciplines associated with professional operation involving unmanned crafts alike!
Freelance Work and Entrepreneurship
If you value freedom and autonomy, freelance drone piloting or entrepreneurship could be a great fit for you. As an independent professional in the field of drones, your services may include aerial photography, videography, mapping and inspections – all done on a contract-by-contract basis. Setting up a business of this kind can also bring with it lots of benefits such as having full control over operations while potentially earning more income too. But at the same time creating new challenges to address like finding customers plus dealing with administrative responsibilities from regulations etc. Consider both options carefully so that you decide what’s best based on personal goals and needs.
Challenges and Responsibilities of Drone Pilots
To be a successful drone pilot, there are more than just the simple requirements of obtaining licensure and gaining employment. It also necessitates confronting various complexities associated with this line of work – such as knowledge of the National Airspace System, practicing legal & safe operations involving drones and ensuring you keep abreast with any regulations in place.
The upcoming passages will take us into an exploration on how to face these challenges competently while providing some useful tips for those pursuing success as a professional drone pilot.
Navigating the National Airspace System
Navigating the National Airspace System is a key factor for properly and efficiently using your drone, especially near airports. To successfully pilot in this airspace, you have to become familiar with FAA-designated airspaces like Class A, B, C or D, regulations related to aircraft registration, flight plans ; communication protocols and navigation requirements. By mastering all these aspects of the national airspace system, you’ll be ready to safely operate your drone within it without any problems. Make sure that whatever maneuvers are made comply with its rules as well as laws governing airport operations.
Ensuring Safe and Legal Drone Operations
For drone pilots, ensuring the safety and legality of operations is a must. This means following applicable laws and regulations carefully, maintaining an appropriate distance from people/property, avoiding restricted areas as well as adhering to flight restrictions in order for unmanned aircrafts to fly over open-air gatherings safely. It’s also imperative that one familiarizes themselves with latest loading best practices regarding small drones performance too – by doing this you will make sure your own welfare along with others’ are secured while operating a drone legally.
Tips for Success as a Commercial Drone Pilot
As you go about becoming a renowned drone pilot, it’s essential to focus on key considerations. Building and preserving relationships with fellow pilots, industry professionals and potential customers is vital for success. Keeping connected with the broader aerial community keeps one up-to-date regarding sector advancements as well as realizing new prospects.
Besides that, continuously broadening your knowledge of applicable regulations holds considerable importance if wanting to keep ahead in skillset refinement and legitimate operation respectively. Being proactive when learning will no doubt help immensely in staying competitively superior while also safeguarding those around them, including local law enforcement officers. Lastly, always bearing professional conduct alongside proper security standards is not only going to elevate reputation, but keeping everyone safe at all times by adhering strictly to safety protocols goes without saying. This would include any flying drones too!
Summary
To become a successful drone pilot, one must be committed to safety and professionalism along with being prepared. This guide has provided the necessary information and resources needed for embarking on such an exciting career in this booming industry, which includes obtaining a license as well as understanding how to navigate the National Airspace System appropriately. To make your mark within the ever-growing drone market requires keeping up with trends, networking connections, and continually honing your flying skills, so what are you waiting for?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a drone license the same as a pilot license?
A drone license is distinct from a pilot’s and requires that one pass an in-person, written assessment related to the flying of unmanned aerial vehicles. It should be noted that no other credential or test score replaces this specific requirement for drone pilots.
How hard is it to get FAA drone license?
Getting a license from the FAA to operate drones isn’t as complicated as one might imagine. Following Part 107 protocols makes it quite possible for even those who haven’t studied in some time.
Do drone pilots make money?
Drone pilots can be highly paid professionals. The estimated annual salary for such a position is usually around $85,000, while freelance operators are reported to make between $35 and $150 an hour from their activity with drones. The earnings of those in commercial drone piloting roles typically exceed that of others due to the premium data and images they capture using these unmanned aircrafts. Oftentimes commercial drone pilots offer additional services beyond imagery capture.
Is it worth it to become a drone pilot?
The need for experienced drone operators is rapidly growing, and obtaining the knowledge necessary to become a pilot of these aerial crafts might be very rewarding. There are numerous thrilling possibilities in this arena and those who know how to fly drones have an excellent career outlook.
Do you need an FAA permit to fly a drone?
If you want to fly a drone legally, then according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), you must have obtained a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. This certification is only achieved by successfully passing an aeronautical knowledge exam which confirms that the pilot comprehends all of the regulations and operational requirements concerning unmanned flying drones.
