FAA Part 107 sUAS & Drone Certification Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering numbers, regulations, weather, airspace, and acronyms for the FAA Part 107 sUAS exam.

The maximum height you can fly AGL or above a taller building within a 400-foot radius.

400 feet AGL

The maximum speed limit for flying a drone.

100 MPH / 87 Knots

The weight threshold for the lightest drone that must be registered with the FAA.

0.55 lbs

The weight limit for the heaviest legal drone (must weigh strictly less than, not equal to, 55 lbs).

55 lbs

The maximum allowable blood alcohol level for a Remote PIC.

0.04

The minimum time that must pass after consuming alcohol before flying a drone.

8 hours

The maximum time allowed to file an FAA accident report.

10 days

The time limit to notify the FAA if you change your address.

30 days

The required lead time needed when requesting an FAA waiver.

90 days

The time that must pass after a final narcotics conviction before operating a drone.

1 year

The minimum age required for a person to register a drone.

13 years old

The duration for which the FAA Part 107 sUAS certification is valid.

24 months

The 30 minutes before sunrise or after sunset when flying is permitted if equipped with anti-collision lights.

Twilight time

The minimum visibility required while flying, and the distance anti-collision lights must be visible during twilight operations.

3 statute miles

The minimum vertical distance you must maintain below a cloud.

500 feet below a cloud

The minimum horizontal distance you must maintain from a cloud.

2,000 feet horizontally from a cloud

The property damage repair cost threshold that mandates reporting an accident to the FAA.

$500

The Abbreviated Injury Scale level for serious injury that requires filing an FAA accident report.

Level 3 AIS

The MULTICOM radio frequency used for self-announce procedures.

122.9

The recommended distance to operate from a tower to avoid hitting guy wires.

2,000 feet from a tower

Aerodynamic phenomenon that occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack.

Stalls

The factor determining when a craft stalls, which does not change if vehicle weight changes.

Angle of attack

An aerodynamic force that increases during any maneuver.

Load Factor

The Remote Pilot in Control, who is directly responsible for the safe operation of the sUAS.

Remote PIC

A hazardous personality factor defined as taking risks to impress others.

Machismo

A hazardous personality factor defined as doing something without thinking about it.

Impulsivity

A hazardous personality factor defined as thinking accidents won't happen to you.

Invulnerability

A hazardous personality factor defined as feeling helpless or believing you do not control your destiny.

Resignation

A hazardous personality factor defined by the mindset that nobody can tell you what to do.

Anti-authority

The process of managing your crew, which should be integrated into all phases of operation.

Crew Resource Management (CRM)

Geographic coordinate system lines running north-south, visualized like climbing a ladder.

Latitude

Geographic coordinate system lines running east-west, also known as meridians.

Longitude

A pilot weather briefing that contains the weather forecast.

Standard briefing

Common Traffic Advisory Frequency, used by pilots to talk to each other when there is no operating control tower.

CTAF

A base station that broadcasts to pilots when there is no tower, offering non-flight services like fuel and ground transportation.

UNICOM

Radio frequency (122.9 or 122.95) used as CTAF when no specific CTAF frequency is assigned.

MULTICOM

Atmospheric condition with warm air on top of cold air, characterized by fog, haze, low clouds, poor visibility, but smooth air.

Temperature inversion

Air condition characterized by turbulence and showery precipitation.

Moist, unstable air

Air condition characterized by smooth air, poor visibility, and steady precipitation.

Stable air

High altitude conditions where the air is thinner, resulting in decreased lift.

High density altitude

A cloud term meaning a rain cloud.

Nimbus

Symbols on aeronautical charts that mark VFR checkpoints, indicating potential concentrated air traffic.

Red flags (on charts)

Marks measuring minutes between latitude and longitude degrees, where each tick represents one minute and larger ticks represent 5 minutes.

Tick marks (on charts)

Airspace extending from 18,000 feet to 60,000 feet across the entire United States.

Class A Airspace

Controlled airspace surrounding major airports from 0 to 10,000 feet, consisting of multiple layers shaped like an upside-down wedding cake.

Class B Airspace

Airspace surrounding airports with a control tower and radar, usually extending 5 NM radius from 0-4,000 feet and 10 NM radius from 1,200-4,000 feet.

Class C Airspace

Airspace surrounding airports with an operational control tower, extending from 0 to 2,500 feet tailored around flight patterns.

Class D Airspace

Controlled airspace that usually starts at 1,200 feet and extends up to 18,000 feet.

Class E Airspace

Uncontrolled airspace located below Class E airspace.

Class G Airspace

Special use airspace where aircraft operations are entirely prohibited, such as Camp David and the White House.

Prohibited Areas (P-###)

Airspace where operations are not prohibited, but potentially dangerous due to military artillery, missile, or gunnery testing.

Restricted Areas (R-###)

Airspace over domestic and international waters extending 3 NM outward from the US coast.

Warning Areas (W-###)

Airspace defined to separate certain military training activities from IFR traffic.

Military Operations Areas (MOAs)

Airspace depicted on aeronautical charts to inform pilots of areas containing a high volume of pilot training or unusual aerial activity.

Alert Areas (A-###)

Secure Identification Display Area, the specific portion of an airport where an identification badge must be visibly worn.

SIDA