March 20, 2026 is officially a milestone for us — we both passed the Part 107 exam! I scored 90% and Tony got an insane 98% 🤯
If you’re new to this, the Part 107 is the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate required in the United States if you want to fly a drone commercially (for business, content creation, or any kind of paid work).
It covers everything from airspace rules and weather to flight operations and safety—so it’s not just about flying a drone, it’s about understanding aviation fundamentals.
In this blog, we want to share our experience—from how we studied, what exam day was like, and a few tips if you’re planning to take it too.
📚 How We Studied
We used a combination of paid training from UAV Coach and YouTube practice question videos.
One thing we really liked about UAV Coach is that they provide structured study plans depending on your availability:
- 7-day plan
- 3-week plan
- 6-week plan
This helps a lot because instead of guessing what to study next, everything is already organized for you. It keeps you on track and makes the process feel less overwhelming—especially since the material can get pretty technical.
We initially aimed for the 7-day plan, but realistically, since we were studying after work, it took us about 2 weeks each. Life happens—there are days when other responsibilities pull you away from studying.
That said, 2 weeks is actually a really solid and realistic timeframe if you’re consistent.
After our first week, we felt confident enough to book our exam right away for March 20, 2026 at Acuskill in Colorado Springs.
The second week was focused purely on review and practice questions, which helped reinforce everything we learned.
🤔 Is the Part 107 Exam Hard?
Short answer: Yes… but only if you don’t study.
A lot of people underestimate this exam thinking it’s just common-sense drone rules like:
“Bad weather? Don’t fly.”
But in reality, it covers:
- Sectional charts
- Airspace classifications
- MSL vs AGL
- Decoding METARs & TAFs
- Traffic patterns
- Weight & balance and heading calculations
It’s very much aviation knowledge, not just drone basics.
If you go in unprepared, it will feel overwhelming.
But if you actually study and understand the concepts, it becomes very manageable.
📝 Exam Details
- Number of questions: 65
- Time limit: 2 hours
- Passing score: 70%
- Exam fee: $175 per attempt
- Required IDs: 2 valid IDs
We both finished in about 1 hour, but you do get the full 2 hours if needed.
🏢 At the Testing Center
Our test was at Acuskill in Colorado Springs.
Before entering the testing room:
- We had to store all personal items in a locker (including watches, sweaters, everything)
- We were allowed to bring a calculator
- The staff did a physical check (behind ears, wrists, arms, etc.)
Inside the room, we were given:
- A pen
- Scratch paper
- A calculator (so we ended up with two 😅)
- The Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement Book (this contains the sectional charts and figures used for the exam)
⏱️ During the Exam
We both finished in about an hour. Even though we still had time left, we decided not to overthink it and just submitted.
The moment we walked out of the testing room, we immediately got our results:
- Aby: 90%
- Tony: 98%
Safe to say… we were VERY happy with that 😄
💡 Tips If You’re Taking the Exam
1. Follow a structured study plan
Don’t just jump around topics—this makes a huge difference.
2. Practice with real questions
YouTube practice exams helped us a lot with understanding how questions are asked.
3. Focus on understanding, not memorizing
Especially for charts, weather, and airspace.
4. Don’t rush—but don’t overthink either
Trust your preparation.
5. Book your exam early
Having a set date keeps you accountable and focused.
🚁 Why We Got Certified
We originally got a drone to capture beautiful aerial footage from the places we visit.
Technically, we already had our recreational certification, which would have been enough for personal use.
But we decided to go further and get our Part 107 because:
- We want the option to fly commercially
- We’re hoping to collaborate with brands in the future
- And it just opens up more opportunities overall
Now that we’re certified, that’s one big step out of the way.
✨ What’s Next
We’re really excited to see where this journey takes us.
From capturing travel moments to potentially working with brands… this is just the beginning.
Let’s see where it goes 🚁🔥
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