Officially Part 107 Certified! (Drone Pilot)
the_Grinch
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
in Off-Topic
Figured I'd make a separate post to talk about the testing today and preparations one should make if they wish to pursue Part 107 Certification.
Part of my course involved the use of remotepilot101.com to aid in study for the Part 107 exam. The course is pretty good and at the very least the instructor makes it as exciting as the study of flight can be. I will say that not everything they ask on the exam is covered in the course. It was a lot like CISSP where they give you a base and you have to use that to ultimately figure out how to best answer the questions (or commit about 2000 pages of regulations to memory). If you read all of the regs you'll probably have 99% of what you need for the exam, but that is daunting. Exam is 60 questions, you have two hours to complete it and need at least a 70 to pass. Also, not 100% sure this will always be the case, but there is a chance that 3 questions are experimental and don't count against your score. Typically, as I understand it, they will be off the wall questions that seem to have no business being on the test.
A fair warning the images on the test are old and typically not very clear. If you have never seen a sectional chart, they are very difficult to read with all of the stuff that appears now factor in that these images are old and you're going to have some issues. You are allowed to bring a magnify glass and I would recommend that you do so. Also, you have the option of looking in the book or using the image on the computer...use the book. Just about everyone in my class found questions where the image on the screen was incorrect and would not apply to the question. In my case I had that issue and an issue with the computer not loading up the chart at all. The book is 100% correct and they tell you where to look to find the image.
When you finish you are not presented with your score. You'll be prompted to have the proctor enter a password to view the questions you got wrong and once you step out of the room you will get your score.
I scored a 93% on the exam (woo!), but I will say it was a giant cluster. I am use to taking certification exams and I did just as most of you. Got up early so I wouldn't be late and allow myself plenty of time to get there. I was going with a coworker so we were carpooling. I leave my house, stop for a coffee and ended up getting a flat about 20 minutes before the time where I was supposed to meet my coworker. I was in an Applebee's parking lot waiting for him when I realized if I didn't change the tire then I would be stuck when I came back. 15 minutes and the tire was changed, another 10 minutes and he was there. We hit traffic going up, but were still somehow on time. That's when the real fun began.
Testing center wanted us there by 8:30 AM. There were nothing, but problems from the beginning. Two people were somehow on the wrong computer, computers were throwing up errors and not allowing people to take the exam, and one guy completed his exam only for the system to say he only answered one question (thus forcing him to take the exam again). All told I didn't get in to take my test until 11:00 AM (and about a third of the images never loaded on my machine).
Very glad I am able to take the course I am taking and the rest of the week will be laws, plus flying. Most everyone I talked to after had said they saw things not covered in remotepilot101.com and I'd suggest some secondary resources be used. But the basic skills required are covered and if you work on question/answer review you'll be good to go. Feel free to ask any questions!
Part of my course involved the use of remotepilot101.com to aid in study for the Part 107 exam. The course is pretty good and at the very least the instructor makes it as exciting as the study of flight can be. I will say that not everything they ask on the exam is covered in the course. It was a lot like CISSP where they give you a base and you have to use that to ultimately figure out how to best answer the questions (or commit about 2000 pages of regulations to memory). If you read all of the regs you'll probably have 99% of what you need for the exam, but that is daunting. Exam is 60 questions, you have two hours to complete it and need at least a 70 to pass. Also, not 100% sure this will always be the case, but there is a chance that 3 questions are experimental and don't count against your score. Typically, as I understand it, they will be off the wall questions that seem to have no business being on the test.
A fair warning the images on the test are old and typically not very clear. If you have never seen a sectional chart, they are very difficult to read with all of the stuff that appears now factor in that these images are old and you're going to have some issues. You are allowed to bring a magnify glass and I would recommend that you do so. Also, you have the option of looking in the book or using the image on the computer...use the book. Just about everyone in my class found questions where the image on the screen was incorrect and would not apply to the question. In my case I had that issue and an issue with the computer not loading up the chart at all. The book is 100% correct and they tell you where to look to find the image.
When you finish you are not presented with your score. You'll be prompted to have the proctor enter a password to view the questions you got wrong and once you step out of the room you will get your score.
I scored a 93% on the exam (woo!), but I will say it was a giant cluster. I am use to taking certification exams and I did just as most of you. Got up early so I wouldn't be late and allow myself plenty of time to get there. I was going with a coworker so we were carpooling. I leave my house, stop for a coffee and ended up getting a flat about 20 minutes before the time where I was supposed to meet my coworker. I was in an Applebee's parking lot waiting for him when I realized if I didn't change the tire then I would be stuck when I came back. 15 minutes and the tire was changed, another 10 minutes and he was there. We hit traffic going up, but were still somehow on time. That's when the real fun began.
Testing center wanted us there by 8:30 AM. There were nothing, but problems from the beginning. Two people were somehow on the wrong computer, computers were throwing up errors and not allowing people to take the exam, and one guy completed his exam only for the system to say he only answered one question (thus forcing him to take the exam again). All told I didn't get in to take my test until 11:00 AM (and about a third of the images never loaded on my machine).
Very glad I am able to take the course I am taking and the rest of the week will be laws, plus flying. Most everyone I talked to after had said they saw things not covered in remotepilot101.com and I'd suggest some secondary resources be used. But the basic skills required are covered and if you work on question/answer review you'll be good to go. Feel free to ask any questions!
WIP:
PHP
Kotlin
Intro to Discrete Math
Programming Languages
Work stuff
PHP
Kotlin
Intro to Discrete Math
Programming Languages
Work stuff
Comments
-
cyberguypr
Mod Posts: 6,928 Mod
Congrats! I have made zero progress on mine due to the fact that my boss had an aneurysm and I'm temporarily in charge of the team with twice the workload.
What do you mean by looking up in the book? What book is this? -
tech4lyfe
Member Posts: 10 ■□□□□□□□□□
I took this back in january and passed with a 90%. This was my first certification exam ever, I found it a lot easier than what I expected it to be. Most of the test was regulations, I expected way more radio lingo, sectional charts, and weather. I took my test at an actual airport, and it went very smooth for me.
congrats on a 93%, that's great!
I used this book, and found it to be sufficient enough for 90% alone. I also used online practice exams (and practice exams are also included with the book, both in the book and with an online code they give you). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619544687/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 -
UnixGuy
Mod Posts: 4,570 Mod
I'm gonna ask some stupid questions....
What does this certification allow you to do?
Is it for a personal hobby or for work purposes? What kind of work tasks one can do that involve a drone? -
the_Grinch
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
The book tech4lyfe posted was recommended to me by my supervisor and coworker. I didn't end up getting it, but they both used it and found it extremely helpful. My main point is there is a sea of webpages with questions and reading the regulations (I figure there are about 2000 pages worth) would definitely allow you to pass.
UnixGuy - in the US, if you wish to fly a drone commercially or for a public entity, it is best to be Part 107 certified. The FAA doesn't have people out there looking for drones, but should you do something wrong a world of pain would come at you should you be operating without the license (for the purposes stated above). There are advantages to being certified: specifically, a hobbyist has a hard rule of no flying within 5 miles of ANY airport without permission from the airport and control tower. Depending on where you live that could greatly reduce your ability to fly. Where as, depending on the airspace and where it is controlled a licensed drone pilot could fly within those 5 miles without approval (again depending on the airspace). Also, there is a list of things you can NEVER do (fly over people, fly near emergency situations). While getting the Part 107 certifications doesn't allow you to do those things, you'll have a means by which you can submit for and get a waiver to do those things.
Ultimately, I'll be doing work related items and am aiming to start a drone business on the side. It really is a CYA because sooner or later a hobbyist will be flying and cause an accident, then they'll crackdown big time.WIP:
PHP
Kotlin
Intro to Discrete Math
Programming Languages
Work stuff