Airworthy PrepThis Part 107 study guide walks through the five knowledge areas of the FAA’s Remote Pilot knowledge test in order of how much each one counts: Regulations 48%, Operations 25%, Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements 20%, Weather 5%, and Loading and Performance 2% (PSI UAG Applicant Information Bulletin, effective September 29, 2025, p. 4). Each area gets its must-know points, a deeper guide and a place to practice, followed by a two-week study plan and how to use practice tests. All as of October 2026.
The FAA also publishes its own free Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide, FAA-G-8082-22, dated August 2016. It is worth reading, but it predates the 2021 rule changes on night flight and operations over people (14 CFR 107.29 and 107.39 were amended in January 2021), so check those topics against the current text of 14 CFR part 107. The FAA’s official list of what the test covers is the Remote Pilot Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-10B (the “ACS”).
Part 107 study guide: the test at a glance
The FAA calls it Unmanned Aircraft General - Small, test code UAG (ATCA, September 2026, p. 6).
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Scored questions | 60 | PSI bulletin, p. 4 |
| Unscored questions | 5 validation questions, not scored; the time limit already allows for them | PSI bulletin, p. 4 |
| Time allowed | 120 minutes | PSI bulletin, p. 4 |
| Passing score | 70% correct (42 of 60) | PSI bulletin, p. 4 |
| Question type | Multiple choice, one correct answer per question | ACS, p. A-1 |
| Authorization to test | No instructor endorsement or written authorization needed | PSI bulletin, p. 4 |
| ID you bring | Must show your photo, signature, date of birth and permanent mailing address | 14 CFR 107.67(b) |
| Retest after failing | Wait 14 calendar days | 14 CFR 107.71 |
Two things to know before you plan. First, the ACS appendix still prints older ranges (Regulations 15 to 25%, Weather 11 to 16%, Loading and Performance 7 to 11%, Operations 35 to 45%; ACS, p. A-1). The PSI bulletin says its percentages come from an industry-wide job task analysis completed in 2025 (p. 4), so study by the bulletin. Second, beginning October 26, 2026, the test includes image-based questions that are not in the testing supplement, using clearer, up-to-date images from the latest sectional charts (FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026, p. 6).
Part 107 test topics in order of weight
| Area | ACS code | Share of questions | About how many of 60 (our rounding) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulations | UA.I | 48% | 29 |
| Operations | UA.V | 25% | 15 |
| Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements | UA.II | 20% | 12 |
| Weather | UA.III | 5% | 3 |
| Loading and Performance | UA.IV | 2% | 1 |
Shares are from the PSI bulletin, p. 4. The bulletin gives only percentages: the question counts are our own estimate (60 times the share, rounded), so treat them as approximate.
1. Regulations: 48%, about 29 questions
The ACS splits this area into six tasks: General, Operating Rules, Remote Pilot Certification, Waivers, Operations Over People, and Remote Identification (ACS, pp. 2 to 8). Must-know points:
- The operating limits. Groundspeed no more than 87 knots (100 mph). Altitude no higher than 400 feet above ground level, unless you stay within a 400-foot radius of a structure and no higher than 400 feet above its top. Flight visibility of at least 3 statute miles from the control station. At least 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds (14 CFR 107.51).
- Right of way. Your drone must yield to all aircraft, airborne vehicles and launch and reentry vehicles (14 CFR 107.37(a)).
- Night and civil twilight. At night you need anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, and you must have completed your initial test or training after April 6, 2021. In civil twilight the lighting rule applies. You may dim the light for safety but never turn it off (14 CFR 107.29).
- Flying over people. Allowed only over people directly participating, people under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle, or under one of the operating categories in subpart D (14 CFR 107.39). The ACS lists Categories 1 to 4 (UA.I.E.K3, p. 7).
- Reporting. Report to the FAA within 10 calendar days any operation involving serious injury, loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the drone, unless repair costs or the property’s fair market value (if a total loss) is $500 or less (14 CFR 107.9).
- Remote ID and recency. After September 16, 2023, you meet the Remote ID rule by flying a standard Remote ID drone or using an alternative: a broadcast module or an FAA-recognized identification area (14 CFR 89.105, 89.110, 89.115). To keep using your certificate you must have passed the initial test or completed recurrent training (or, for part 61 pilots current on a flight review, the training in 107.74) within the previous 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.65).
Go deeper with our breakdown of the regulations on the Part 107 test and the Part 107 rules cheat sheet, then practice on the Regulations topic page.
2. Operations: 25%, about 15 questions
Six tasks again: Radio Communications Procedures, Airport Operations, Emergency Procedures, Aeronautical Decision-Making, Physiology, and Maintenance and Inspection Procedures (ACS, pp. 14 to 19).
- Radio. Know what a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is and how you use it to monitor manned aircraft, how pilots self-announce position and intentions, the phonetic alphabet, and how altitudes, directions, speed and time are spoken (UA.V.A.K2, K3, K7, K8, p. 14).
- Airports. Runway markings and signs, manned aircraft traffic patterns, and where to find airport data: aeronautical charts and Chart Supplements (UA.V.B.K3, K4, K6, p. 15).
- Emergencies. Lithium battery hazards (transport, charging, use and fires), loss of the control link and fly-aways, and loss of GPS (UA.V.C.K2 to K4, p. 16).
- Decision-making. The five hazardous attitudes are anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho and resignation (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 10, p. 53).
- Physiology. The IMSAFE self-check stands for Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Emotion (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 9, p. 49). The ACS also lists night illusions (UA.V.E.K9, p. 18).
- Maintenance. Preflight inspection, record keeping, and who may perform maintenance (UA.V.F.K2, K4, K5, p. 19).
Practice on the Operations topic page.
3. Airspace and charts: 20%, about 12 questions
The ACS tasks are Airspace Classification and Airspace Operational Requirements (ACS, pp. 9 and 10).
- When you need ATC authorization. Before flying in Class B, C or D airspace, or within the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport (14 CFR 107.41).
- Class G. Uncontrolled airspace from the surface up to the base of the overlying Class E. You do not need ATC authorization to fly there (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6).
- Special use airspace and flight restrictions. Prohibited or restricted areas need permission from the using or controlling agency (14 CFR 107.45), and you must comply with the flight restrictions designated by NOTAM in 14 CFR 91.137 to 91.145 and 99.7 (14 CFR 107.47).
- Chart position. Lines of latitude measure degrees north or south of the equator, and the 48 conterminous states lie between 25 and 49 degrees north (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 11, p. 68).
Go deeper with Part 107 airspace classes explained and how to read a sectional chart for Part 107, then practice on the Airspace topic page.
4. Weather: 5%, about 3 questions
The ACS covers Sources of Weather (METARs, TAFs, weather charts, and ASOS and AWOS automated stations) and Effects of Weather on Performance (density altitude, wind, stability, fronts, thunderstorms and microbursts, icing, fog, ceiling and visibility, and more) (ACS, pp. 11 and 12).
- Density altitude. High elevation, low pressure, high temperature and high humidity all raise density altitude, and higher density altitude means lower performance (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 3b, p. 21).
- Reports. Learn to read a METAR and a TAF group by group (UA.III.A.K2 and K3, p. 11).
Go deeper with how to read a METAR and TAF for Part 107, then practice on the Weather topic page.
5. Loading and Performance: 2%, about 1 question
The ACS covers the effects of loading changes, balance, stability and center of gravity, and using performance data (UA.IV.A.K1 and K2, p. 13).
- Load factor. A load factor of 3 means the structure carries three times the aircraft’s weight, spoken as 3 Gs. A higher load factor raises the stalling speed (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 4, p. 30).
- Turns. In a coordinated level turn at 60 degrees of bank, the load factor is 2 Gs (Remote Pilot Study Guide, chapter 4, p. 31).
Go deeper with our Part 107 load factor and density altitude guide, then practice on the Loading and Performance topic page.
How to study for Part 107: a two-week plan
About an hour a day, with time roughly in line with each area’s weight.
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline | Take one full mock test cold. Note your score by area. |
| 2 to 3 | Regulations | Operating limits, right of way, hazardous operations, alcohol and drugs, visual line of sight. |
| 4 to 5 | Regulations | Night and civil twilight, operations over people and the four categories, waivers. |
| 6 | Regulations | Certification, recency, reporting, Remote ID. Answer 30 mixed regulation questions. |
| 7 to 8 | Operations | Radio, airports, emergencies, decision-making, physiology, maintenance. |
| 9 to 10 | Airspace | Airspace classes, ATC authorization, special use airspace, sectional chart reading. |
| 11 | Weather and loading | METAR and TAF decoding, density altitude, load factor. |
| 12 | Full mock | Timed, 2 hours. Look up the source for every miss. |
| 13 | Weak spots | Rework the area with the lowest score. |
| 14 | Final mock | One last timed mock, then light review of your miss list. |
How to use a Part 107 practice test
- Time it like the real thing. Sixty questions in two hours (PSI bulletin, p. 4).
- Score by area, not just overall. A 75% overall can hide a weak Regulations score, and Regulations carries the most questions.
- Look up every miss. Find the section of part 107 or the ACS element that answers it, and write the rule in one line.
- Do not memorize answer patterns. PSI says the questions in its free sample test do not represent the full range of content or difficulty on the real test (PSI bulletin, p. 4).
You can start with our free Part 107 practice test.
Common mistakes
- Studying from the old weights. Material built on the ACS appendix ranges gives Weather and Loading far more time than their current 5% and 2% (PSI bulletin, p. 4).
- Practicing only on the printed supplement. From October 26, 2026, the test can include image-based questions, from the latest sectional charts, that are not in the testing supplement (ATCA, September 2026, p. 6).
How to get your Part 107 license after the test
To be eligible for a Remote Pilot Certificate you must be at least 16, be able to read, speak, write and understand English, have no known physical or mental condition that would interfere with safe operation, and pass the initial knowledge test. A person who holds a part 61 pilot certificate (other than student pilot) and is current on a flight review can complete online training instead (14 CFR 107.61; Advisory Circular 107-2A, para 6.3). After passing, you apply on FAA Form 8710-13; the FAA calls the online application through IACRA (the FAA’s Integrated Airmen Certificate and Rating Application website) the fastest and simplest method (AC 107-2A, para 6.4.1). For every step, from booking the test to receiving your certificate, see how to get a drone license.
Common questions
How long should I study for the Part 107 test?
There is no required course for first-time applicants without a pilot certificate, and the test needs no instructor endorsement (14 CFR 107.61(d); PSI bulletin, p. 4), so you set the pace. The plan above assumes two weeks at about an hour a day.
Is the FAA’s Remote Pilot Study Guide enough on its own?
It is organized around the 12 knowledge areas that 14 CFR 107.73 listed in 2016 (Remote Pilot Study Guide, introduction, p. 1), which makes it a good base. The current 107.73 lists 13, adding operation at night, so pair the guide with the current part 107 for night flight, operations over people and Remote ID.
What happens if I fail?
You wait 14 calendar days before retesting (14 CFR 107.71). No instructor endorsement is needed, but you must give the testing center your failed test report before you retest (PSI bulletin, p. 4).