Is Part 107 Worth It? What It Lets You Do
What the certificate legally unlocks, from listing photos to roof inspections, what it costs in money and time, and when a recreational flyer does not need it.
Part 107 is worth it if you want to fly a drone for anything other than fun. That is the line the FAA draws, and it is wider than "getting paid." This post covers what the remote pilot certificate legally opens up, what it costs, and when you can skip it.
What does Part 107 let you do?
The FAA's recreational flyers page says almost all non-recreational drone flying is regulated by Part 107, and that compensation is not what decides it. Its own examples of Part 107 flights:
- taking photos to help sell a property or service;
- roof inspections;
- taking pictures of a high school football game for the school's website;
- goodwill flights, such as surveying coastlines for a nonprofit.
In practice that covers the work most people have in mind: real estate listings, weddings and events, construction progress, roof and insurance inspections, agriculture, news, and video for a business or a monetized channel. Each has its own guide, listed at the end.
What does it cost?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| FAA knowledge test at PSI | $175 plus applicable tax, as listed September 17, 2026 |
| IACRA application and TSA vetting | No separate fee in the FAA's steps |
| Recurrent training every 24 calendar months | Free online course |
| Study materials | From free FAA documents to paid courses |
The certificate itself does not expire, but §107.65 requires the free recurrent training every 24 calendar months to keep using it. The renewal post explains the clock, and the exam cost page covers what a failed attempt adds.
481,760
certificated remote pilots counted by the FAA as of November 2025
How long does it take?
Most of the time goes into studying. After that, the FAA's process is: get an FAA Tracking Number, book and pass the test, apply in IACRA (the result can take up to 48 hours to appear there), then wait for TSA vetting before you can print a temporary certificate. The step-by-step guide walks through each stage.
The test is not a formality. In 2025, 82.96% of candidates passed, according to the FAA, as the pass rate post shows.
What about pay?
We do not quote drone pilot salaries. Published figures vary widely between sources, and we could not find an official occupational survey for drone pilots that we could verify. What the certificate guarantees is legal permission to do paid and business work. What the work pays depends on the market where you fly and on the skills you add, such as photography, mapping or inspection.
Part 107 is the legal minimum, not the whole job. Clients may also ask for insurance, and some places add their own permits. The drone insurance post covers what the FAA does and does not require.
When is Part 107 not worth it?
If every flight is purely for fun, you can fly under the recreational exception instead. That route needs the free TRUST test and its own rules, not a remote pilot certificate. The free decision quiz and the ten real scenarios post help you decide. If even one flight is for a business, a client or a monetized channel, that flight is Part 107.
Guides by type of work
- Real estate photography
- Weddings and events
- Construction
- Roof and insurance inspections
- Agriculture
- News and journalism
- YouTube and social media
The question is not whether you get paid. It is whether the flight is purely for fun.
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