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How to Become a Part 107 Drone Pilot

The future is here, drones are flying around and they are getting cheaper and easier to operate. If you are interested in becoming a drone pilot, this article will cover everything you need to know to obtain a drone operator license. Since drones travel fast and could cause lots of harm to property and people, the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA has created rules that all operators must follow. If you are interested in flying drones commercially or for hire, you must also obtain a remote pilot certificate. This article will detail how to earn your part 107 remote pilot certificate from the FAA. What Are the Part 107 Drone requirements? The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, created rules and regulations for the safe operation of drones. They are also called small-UAS, or unmanned aircraft systems. Part 107 refers to the section of the code of federal regulations about drone operation. Commercial operators require a remote pilot certificate from the FAA. The process is simple. This article will cover how to obtain your drone pilot license. Who Needs a Commercial Drone Operator License? If you are flying your drone for recreational or private use, you do not require a license. If you are using the drone to make money or commercially, it requires a part 107 drone operator license. If you are unsure if you need a license for flying your drone, ask these questions. Am I making money from flying this drone? Is someone paying me for the photos or videos provided? The primary difference is whether money is exchanging hands. Regardless of the type of operation, all drone owners are responsible for their drones and following the law. Just like all drivers must follow the rules of the road, even if not driving for hire, all drone pilots must operate within part 107 rules. FLY8MA offers a comprehensive course to help you master everything you need to know to fly drones safely. What Are the Requirements To Be a Licensed Drone Pilot? To obtain your remote pilot certificate, you must: Be 16 years of age or older Speak, read, and write English Be in a mental and physical condition for safe drone operation Study for and pass the aeronautical knowledge exam If you are not currently a pilot, follow the guide below to start obtaining your remote pilot certificate. How to Become a Drone Pilot? Follow this simple guide if you are using a drone for photography, business, commercial-use, or any other reason which requires a license. Follow along with this video for help. How to Get Your Remote Pilot Certificate Online Step 1:Obtain an FTN, or flight tracking number from the FAA. You do this online, using IACRA. Step 2: Study for the aeronautical knowledge exam. It is a 60 question test that covers these subjects: Applicable regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system rating privileges, limitations, and flight operation Airspace classification and operating requirements, and flight restrictions affecting small unmanned aircraft operation Weather and its effect on drones Small unmanned aircraft loading and performance Radio communication procedures performance of small unmanned aircraft Aeronautical decision-making Airport operations Maintenance and preflight FLY8MA has a comprehensive course to help you study and ace your test (our students have a 100% pass rating, and we guarantee you will pass on your first try too). Get started today to earn your remote pilot certificate. You can try the practice test here to see how much you already know! Step 3: Register at one of 800 plus testing centers to take your remote pilot aeronautical knowledge exam. Step 4: Log in to IACRA again to complete FAA Form 8710-13 for a remote pilot certificate (FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application). You will enter your 17-digit knowledge test exam ID and sign the form. This proves you have completed the test and passed. Step 5: A TSA background check is conducted, and you will receive instructions to print out your temporary remote pilot certificate. Step 6: Your permanent remote pilot certificate is sent in the mail. It may take 6-8 weeks. Step 7: Register your drone with the FAA. It is a quick process and costs $5. The registration is valid for three years. Congratulations! You are now a remote pilot. However, you may have noticed, none of these steps involved actually flying a drone. Throughout this process, you should learn and study the best practices for drone operation. There are many videos on youtube and guides online to help you with the type of drone flying you will do. If you are getting paid to fly a drone you want to be a professional and not crash the drone or miss the photo because you don’t know what you are doing! How to Obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate if You Are a Pilot If you are an already licensed part 61 pilot, the process is slightly easier. You do not need to take a part 107 test, just an online course. If you possess a part 61 pilot certificate and have completed a flight review within the 24 calendar months you are eligible. Step 1: Log in, or create an account on the FAAFAASTeam website. Step 2: Take the online training called: “Part 107 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems ALC-451.” The course covers all knowledge areas necessary for safe drone operation Step 3: Log into IACRA Step 4: Complete Form 8710-13 in IACRA. Start a new pilot certificate. Select remote pilot and follow the instructions. Step 5: Take your completed Form 8710-13, a photo ID, proof of your current flight review, and your FAAFAASTeam course certificate to one of these representatives: FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) With an FAA-designated pilot examiner (DPE) An airman certification representative (ACR) Any certificated flight instructor (CFI)* Step 6: The representative will review your application and make you a temporary airman certificate. Your permanent certificate will arrive in the mail after a few weeks. Make sure to always carry your certificate anytime you are operating

Blue Angels Drone Near Miss

2 Comments / Airplane Accidents, UAS / By Jon Kotwicki

On May 12th, at approximately 11:47 AM, the Blue Angels were performing a formation flyover in Detroit to honor first responders and medical staff battling COVID-19. The flyover was appropriately titled the “Detroit America Strong Flyover”. In the total time of four minutes that the Blue Angels were operating over the city of Detroit, an individual in the area decided he wanted to grab some footage of the flyover with his DJI drone. Although all of the footage found in the originally released video could be considered reckless endangerment, there was one shot in particular that left both the pilot and drone community outraged. As the F/A-18 Hornet located on the far right of the image above crosses the frame, it misses the drone by mere feet. Not surprisingly, the original Instagram account which uploaded the footage was deleted shortly after the video went viral. This is not the first time a near-miss incident has occurred (that has found it’s way onto the internet) within recent years: There were at least three rules broken by the operator of the flight above. The first being that the drone operator likely exceed the 400’ AGL altitude limit; a guideline prior to 2018 but now a hard limit. Secondly, operating a drone in a careless or reckless manner, and third, not giving way to manned aircraft. We could write on explaining how reckless and dangerous the decisions made by this operator were, and how he put the lives of multiple parties (both the pilots in tight formation and any bystanders below) at risk. But we imagine that you as a reader of FLY8MA.com, a website for both manned and unmanned aviation education, most likely understand that the actions taken by this individual were reckless. Therefore, let’s focus on the more universal issue at hand; these events keep happening. In a press release by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) on May 21st of this year, researchers stated that their findings of a 30-day monitoring period near Daytona Beach International Airport in Florida, using a DJI AeroScope system capable of detecting and locating nearby DJI drones. “The vast majority of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) detected around Daytona Beach International Airport during a 30-day period in 2019 lacked approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and more than one-third of those drones were flying higher than the law allows”. Members of the public are, knowingly or unknowingly, operating small unmanned aerial systems outside of regulatory boundaries. While this certainly is concerning, the question remains: what’s the damage? In recent years, the FAA has had more than 100 documented cases of recreational drone operations in or around wildfires. There are temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) in place to allow fire suppression aircraft to operate safely. When drones are operating recreationally in or near a wildfire, fire suppression aircraft can’t. This jeopardizes both efforts to contain the fire and potentially puts ground crews at risk. Furthermore, within the US and Canada, we have had three confirmed drone strikes in recent years, spanning a wide category of aircraft. On September 21st, 2017, a U.S. Army Sikorsky Blackhawk was operating approximately 21 miles east of Staten Island, NY when the main rotor made contact with a DJI Phantom 4; creating a 1 and ½ inch dent on one of the blades, cracking the composite fairing and a portion of the window frame, and lodging several components of the drone into the helicopter. The drone operator was flying in an active TFR (temporary flight restriction zone). Only a month later, a Beech King Air A100 operated by SkyJet Aviation collided with a sUAS on approach to land at Jean Lesage Airport near Quebec, Canada. The drone was operating at 1,500 feet; over three times the altitude limit for recreational sUAS operations. On August 10th, 2018, an operator lost sight of a hot air balloon on his monitor and collided with the balloon. The drone operator had been flying the sUAS within five miles of an airport without notifying air traffic control. In all three incidents, regulations were broken; ultimately leading to the accident. Fortunately, no incidents led to loss of life. More incidents have been reported but are unconfirmed. The message is clear. While those operating drones professionally have the knowledge of how to safely operate in areas near manned aircraft, a majority of the general public does not. We therefore need to have a greater emphasis on educating the general public in regard to safe drone operation before a fatal collision occurs. Education will reduce the risk of a midair collision, and therefore reduce the implications that would be caused by such an accident if it were fatal; such as further limiting or restricting sUAS purchase access or flight areas. Let’s work together to increase flight safety in the national airspace system. If you or someone you know is interested in flying a drone, refer them to the Federal Aviation Administration’s “Know before you fly” website (http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/) and let them know that FLY8MA has a course if they are interested in obtaining their Part 107 sUAS certificate!