THE PROAERIAL MEDIA BLOG

Christopher Kabat 3/21/23 Christopher Kabat 3/21/23

The Best Part 107 Drone Pilot Training App: 107ProPilot

The wait is over! The 107ProPilot App is live on the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android. 107ProPilot, from ProAerial Media, offers the only fully video-based training series in a dedicated app, to prepare you for the FAA’s Part 107 Exam. Keep reading to learn about PAM’s latest training offering and how you can start preparing to be a Professional Part 107 Drone Pilot.

Professional Drone Pilot Training At Your Fingertips

Drones — they’re pretty sweet. If you find yourself considering a career change or even looking to make your first career move, becoming a Commercial Drone Pilot may be on your shortlist. Whether you’ve been into drones as a hobbyist for years and you’re ready to take the next step, or your new or current job requires you to obtain a Remote Pilot’s License with an sUAS rating, you may have found yourself searching the internet for “drone pilot training near me”.

If the above sounds familiar, and your search for local drone pilot training on the internet can be a labyrinth of rabbit holes. We know, this author has gone down the majority of them himself. Not to worry though, there’s a new game in town. I’d like to introduce you to the new 107ProPilot Academy from ProAerial Media.

Related Articles:

The First Step

Before I get into the details of the Academy, I want to remind you that the first step in becoming a Professional Drone Pilot is to pass the FAA’s CFR Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Exam. If this is your first time hearing about the Part 107 Exam, check out our article “How To Become A Professional Drone Pilot In Under 8-Weeks” or “The Best Part 107 Drone Pilot Training App: 107ProPilot“, where we cover in more detail what is required and some things you should consider before you “take off” on your new adventure.

“Drone Pilot Training So Close It’s Already In Your Hand”

Introducing the 107ProPilot Academy App

Now available on the Apple App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android, the 107ProPilot App is your first class ticket to the best Part 107 Exam Test-Prep available anywhere. Sure it may not be the first digital drone pilot training course, but it’s the first to be 100% video based training and available as a dedicated app for your mobile device (as well as your computer’s web browser).

107ProPilot offers future Drone Pilots who want to pass their Part 107 Exam comprehensive training at their fingertips from almost anywhere. Prospective pilots can prepare for their exam, chat with other students as well as the instructor, ask questions, and even access weekly Live Q&A sessions where they can get their questions answered by a licensed RPIC (Remote Pilot In Command). You can even use the app to help you log your flight hours!

What’s Included?

The 107ProPilot App’s ProPilot 8-Week Challenge features the following to help you prepare for your Part 107 Exam.

60+ Self-guided Video-based Traning Lessons led by Professional RPIC CFKabat

(Audio files and video transcripts are also available if that suits you better)

Dedicated Mobile App or Web Access
Online or Offline Access to Learning Material
50+ Lesson Quizzes + 3 Full-length Timed Practice Tests
Member Community and Progress Tracking
Free Access to Future Courses (*for Annual and Lifetime Members)
Includes how to prepare for the biennial renewal exam
Access to Pilot Chatter: Weekly Live Q+A with the Instructor (Wednesdays 6 PM Pacific)
Cancel Anytime

Sample Lesson:

107ProPilot Academy Lesson Sample

How Much Does It Cost?

The 107ProPilot App is free to download from either of the App Stores, and has a sampling of course material you can access without even creating an account, so you can see if it’s for you before you buy. And if you create an account, you can then take advantage of a seven day free trial which will allow you to access all the course material before being charged on the 7th day.

If you like what you see, and you’re ready to get started, the 8-Week ProPilot Challenge is available via subscription for $39 per month (billed to your credit card on file with the respective app store), and you can cancel anytime. Additionally, via the ProAerial Media website, special web-only pricing provides an annual membership for $214, or a lifetime membership for $395. Monthly and Annual memberships can be cancelled at any time prior to your renewal date. There’s even an option to purchase access to the Academy as a gift for an aspiring drone pilot you know with a Gift Card from the ProAerial Media Store, which is currently on sale for $107

If you’re asking yourself, “why would I need an annual or lifetime membership to an 8-week course”, great question. Well, the 8-Week Challenge is our first offering. The 107ProPilot App is aleady hard at work developing our next courses; like Beginner and Advanced Flight Training, How To Request Airspace Authorization, Conducting Risk Assessments, and even How To Start Your Own Drone Business to name a few.

Additionally, as you’ll soon learn, you must keep your remote pilot certification up to date by passing the recurrent knowledge exam every 24 months. And yes, it already covers what that process entails. Not to mention, that the rules and regulations around fliying drones commerially are constantly evolving, so you’ll want a resource to keep you up to date and in the know.

The Final Approach

The long and short of it is this — if you’re serious about becoming a commercial drone operator, passing your Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Exam is paramount. Without it, you may only operate a UAV as a hobbyist (which quite frankly can be an expensive hobby). 107ProPilot puts at your fingertips everything you need to know to pass your exam, and allows you to do so at your own pace, at anytime, from anywhere.

So technically, the “best drone pilot training near me” is already in the palm of your hands. It doesn’t get closer than that. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Thanks for reading. Take Flight. Take Pics. Get Clicks.

Christopher Kabat 2/22/23 Christopher Kabat 2/22/23

How To Become a Professional Drone Pilot (in <8 Weeks)

Becoming a professional drone pilot can be a rewarding and exciting career path. Let’s be honest, drones are a hot topic these days and the drone industry is possibly the fastest-growing industry currently to be a part of. With so much upside and upward mobility (pun intended), pursuing a career in this field is an excellent choice. However, in order to become a professional drone pilot, there are several steps you need to take, like passing the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Exam. In this article, we’re going to outline the steps you need to take, what you can expect, and the best way to get started.

However, in order to become a professional drone pilot, there are several steps you need to take, like passing the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Exam. In this article, we’re going to outline the steps you need to take, what you can expect, and the best way to get started.

Related Articles:

DECIDE IF YOU’RE READY

Before you go and sell the dry cleaning business and purchase a new drone, you should first take some time to think about whether making a career change is right for you. It’s not impossible; this author did it at 41 years of age. So, before you dive in head-first, take some time to think about your and your family's needs, the amount of time required to be operating at a professional level, and if you’re up for the challenge. If you’re looking at dipping your toe in the pond as your first career choice, excellent choice. Either way, we want to help you understand what is involved so you can make the very best decision for yourself.

COMMIT TO LEARNING

Okay, now that you’ve put some serious thought into this endeavor, you’ll soon realize the first step in the process (unless you already own a drone) is to prepare for and pass the FAA’s Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Exam. This test covers a wide variety of aeronautical knowledge and is something that you’ll definitely want to prepare for. But you won’t want to stop there. You’ll want to find some sort of continued education or training to keep up with regulatory changes so you’re always in the know.

First, let’s talk about the Part 107 Exam, as it will be your first step in your new career journey. This test is administered by an accredited FAA Testing Provider, and ranges in price slightly, between $150–$175, depending on where you go. You’ll have two hours to answer 60 questions, and need to score a 70% or higher (or 42 questions correct) in order to pass. Once passed, you’ll need to pass a recurrent knowledge exam online every two years.

You will be tested on five UAS operational topics, broken down as follows;

Regulations (15–25%)
Airspace Requirements (8–15%)
Weather (11–16%)
Loading & Performance (7–11%)
Operations (13–18%)

The FAA has further summarized the subject matter of the exam to contain:

Regulations pertaining to small unmanned aircraft systems, including rating privileges, flight operations, and limitations.
Operating requirements, airspace classification, and flight restrictions that impact small unmanned aircraft operations.
Aviation weather sources and the impact of weather on small unmanned aircraft performance.
Small unmanned aircraft loading and performance.
Emergency procedures to follow during a flight.
Crew resource management techniques to enhance flight safety.
Radio communication procedures to facilitate safe and efficient flight operations.
Methods to determine the performance of small unmanned aircraft.
The physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on flight operations.
The importance of aeronautical decision-making and sound judgment when flying small unmanned aircraft.
Best practices for airport operations when using small unmanned aircraft.
Maintenance and pre-flight inspection procedures for small unmanned aircraft.

A few additional requirements to take the Part 107 are;

Be at least 14 years of age.
Have a US government-issued ID.
Able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

While this test does cover some complex subject matter like reading sectional charts, understanding airspace, and micrometeorology, it is fairly straightforward. If you prepare for this test with a course like the 107ProPilot Academy’s 8-Week ProPilot Challenge, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Our 107 Test-Prep Course app is available on the Google Play and Apple App Stores and provides over 6 hours of video-based training, 50+ subject matter quizzes, 3 full-length practice tests, plus weekly Live Q+A with a licensed RPIC. Monthly, Annual, and Lifetime subscriptions are available; learn more here: https://www.flyproaerial.com/107propilot

Sample Lesson:

107ProPilot Academy Sample Lesson

When you’re ready, you can schedule to take your exam at of 700 accredited testing centers across the country here: http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/media/test_centers.pdf

EQUIPMENT

As you embark on your new career as a commercial drone pilot, you’re going to need an aircraft to start logging “stick time” and hone your skills. Now, while it is easy to spend thousands of dollars on an sUAS, I encourage you to slow your roll. As you’re just starting out, look into acquiring a more economical system to practice on. You’d hate to crash your new $5k drone on your first flight. So get some practice on a smaller and more economical system.

Systems like the DJI Mavic Mini Series of drones can be purchased new for between $400–$1000, you could save even more money by looking into a used system on eBay. Here you might not only be able to save some money, but you might be able to find a full setup from someone who has graduated to a more robust system. Just be mindful; if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

A drone isn’t the only thing you’re going to need as part of your gear. There is ancillary equipment (both hardware and software) that you’ll eventually need, but will most likely acquire over time and not all at once. We’ve provided a list of some of the most commonly used items by drone pilots when in the field.

Ancillary Drone Equipment List:

Hardware:

Gear Bags/Cases
Battery Charger for Car
Portable Battery Bank for Charging
Prop Guards
Aviation Anti-Collision Lighting
Landing Pads
Lens Cleaning Supplies
VHF Radio

Software:

Photo Editing Software: Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop
Video Editing Software: Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere
Drone Mapping Software: Litchi, DroneDeploy, Pix4DCapture, or Dronelink
3D Modeling Software: DroneDeploy or Pix4D

PRACTICE

Finally the fun part—get out there and practice! An important part of keeping any skill sharp is practice, and being a drone pilot is no different. Get familiar with your aircraft, and learn what every button and setting does. Test out your emergency procedures. Learn everything you can about your aircraft, its limitations, and your own.

Here’s a list of some common Drone Pilot Practice Exercises:

Take-Off and Landing
Hovering (with and without GPS)
Up, Across, and Down (forward and inverse)
Square Box Pattern (forward and inverse)
Touch and Go
Figure Eights
Follow Me
Point of Interest (PoI)

FINAL THOUGHTS

As you can see now, there’s a bit to consider if you’re thinking of becoming a Part 107 Commercial Drone Operator. We don’t want to scare you away, we want to empower you to make the best decision for yourself. This industry is booming, and becoming a part of it is exciting. Whatever your niche is, there’s more than enough room, and if you’re serious about getting started, check out the 107ProPilot Academy and start studying!

Thanks for reading. Take Flight. Take Pics. Get Clicks.

Christopher Kabat 2/25/21 Christopher Kabat 2/25/21

FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Training Provider Reviews

Out of the three major players in the FAA Part 107 drone pilot training space one clearly stands out as the best. We were so impressed with The Drone U’s sheer amount and quality of their training content, we can’t endorse them enough and hope you find the same level of value that we did.

The UAS or Drone Industry is easily one of the hottest and most exciting industries today. Hardware and technology continue to advance at an amazing rate, creating numerous opportunities for individuals and organizations looking to become professional drone operators and make a real living doing what they love.

The first step is to prepare for and pass your Part 107 Knowledge Exam, and then depending on your level of interest, your piloting and or photography skills. As the exam carries a $150 fee at most knowledge testing centers, it may be best to prepare for it with either in-person or online courses depending on your learning style.

There is a multitude of organizations providing UAV pilot training across the country and online. In this article, we wanted to review some of the major training providers here in the United States in order to help you select the option best suited for your needs and goals.

Before we dive into the different providers and the services they each provide, let us first examine the criteria we used to examine, review, and rate them. For each training provider, we looked at the variety of services offered, the quality level of their services and how they’re delivered. We also looked at two other factors; their level and quality of support and the community each foster; listed in alphabetical order, with a star rating (0–5).

What we looked for:

Variety of Course Offerings
Learning Options
Online courses
In-person training
How we measured quality:
- Training Production Value
- Website UX
- YouTube Channel Content
- Social Media Presence/Activity
Other intangibles:
- Support
- Community

Training Provider Reviews

DART DRONES

Dart Drones was founded in 2014 by Abby Speicher and is based in Salt Lake City Utah. They provide nationally recognized Part 107 Test Prep as well as some additional advanced flight and photo/video training. We should also mention that if you’re a fan of the show “Shark Tank” you may have seen them there. They have over 40 employees across the country providing a combination of hands-on and online courses. They also have their own trusted pilot program called the DARTDrones Wings Program allowing pilots to differentiate themselves and showcase their abilities to prospective clients. DART Drones training curriculum is thorough and was actually developed by the same team that developed the US Navy’s UAS training program. Their Part 107 Online Course retails for $350 making it one of the more expensive ones we looked at. Here’s a link to their course curriculum brochure.

What We Liked: The quality of their training materials and the additional advanced course offerings.

What We Didn’t Like: The prices were a little high we felt, with some near $2000.

Overall Rating - 4.00 Stars

The DRONE U

By far the standout among the training providers we explored. The Drone U, based in Albuquerque New Mexico, was co-founded by Paul Aiken in 2014 and provides the widest selection of Part 107 drone certification and flight operation training with numerous different flight instructors. One of their most unique features is their “Ask DroneU” Video Podcast, where users submit questions and Paul (plus others) answer them live. This team just churns out great content.

What We Liked: Amazing value with their cancel anytime all-access monthly membership for just $47. An almost unreal amount of courses and learning modules, plus bonus training materials and downloads. High production value.

What We Didn’t Like: So much content it can seem overwhelming at first.

Overall Rating - 4.75 Stars

UAV COACH/DRONE PILOT GROUND SCHOOL

UAV Coach and Drone Pilot Ground School were founded by Alan Perlman and are based in Nashville Tennessee. Since 2015, they’ve provided Part 107 online training services (with a money-back guarantee if you don’t pass on your first attempt) to over 30,000 individuals. They do provide good 1:1 student support via phone and email if needed, but as a small team response times could be better. Aside from the Part 107 curriculum, their only other offering is in-person flight training (but in limited locations). At $299, their knowledge exam test-prep is fairly priced in the marketplace, and if you do a little bit of sleuthing you might find a discount for either $50 or $107 off your enrollment fee.

What We Liked: The course curriculum was thorough, and they have a fairly good size online community where you can get additional support, and they provide lifetime access.

What We Didn’t Like: The limited number of additional course offerings is disappointing if you’re hungry for knowledge and they unfortunately only have one trainer, so the lessons can get a bit monotonous.

Overall Rating - 3.0 Stars

In summary, out of the three major players in the FAA Part 107 drone pilot training space one clearly stands out as the best. We were so impressed with The Drone U’s sheer amount and quality of their training content we can’t endorse them enough and hope you find the same level of value that we did.

Disclaimer: No member of ProAerial Media was paid for our opinions by any of the providers we reviewed in this article. We simply tried and tested each’s materials and content (in some instances their free sample content), and are sharing our opinions to help others find the best provider for their needs and learning style. There are other methods available for studying and passing the FAA Part 107 Airman Knowledge Exam or to learn to fly a drone.

Now get started with your studying, and go pass the test and join the ranks of other FAA sUAS certificate holders who either get paid to fly or run their own drone businesses.

ProAerial Media provides aerial drone services for a wide array of industries across the southwest United States. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see our video work, and our Instagram feed to view our photography (@proaerialmedia). If you’re ready to fly, you can always book a flight from the ProAerial Media Website.

Thanks for reading. Take Flight. Take Pics. Get Clicks.