FAA 107 Commercial Drone Pilot Exam Material

criteria for a small unmanned aircraft

- Weigh less than 55 pounds (25 kg), including everything that is onboard or otherwise attached to the aircraft

- Operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft

Exclusions to 14 CFR part 107

Unmanned Aircraft not required to follow Part 107:

1.) Model aircraft that meet the criteria in 14 CFR part 101.41 (describes circumstances in which model aircraft can be operated safely in the NAS). For more information, see AC 91-57 (as amended).

2.) Amateur rockets

3.) Moored balloons or

4.) unmanned free balloons

5.) Kites

6.) Operations conducted outside the United States

7.)Public aircraft operations

8.) Air carrier operations

What is the purpose of 14 CFR part 101 ?

Regulations for hobby or recreational use of unmanned aircraft.

Does aircraft that meets requirements for part 101 need to be in compliance with part 107?

No

Which aircraft must be registered with the FAA prior to operating in NAS?

- Greater than 0.55 lbs

- Operated under Part 107

How old must you be to register an unmanned aircraft?

13 years of age

Which registration requirements must you satisfy for commercial operations?

Part 47 (Aircraft Registration) or Part 48 (Registration and Marking Requirements for Small Unmanned Aircraft)

When do you need a Foreign Aircraft Permit?

If the civil aircraft is:

1.) Registered in a foreign country

2.) Owned, controlled or operated by someone who is not a U.S. citizen or foreign resident

The registration marking on your UAS must be..

1.) A unique identifier number

2.) Legible and Durable

3.) Visible or Accessible

What does the acronym "PIC" stand for?

PIC = Pilot in Command

You are operating a 1280 g (2.8lb) quadcopter for your own enjoyment. Is this small UAS operation subject to 14 CFR part 107?

No, this small UAS operation is not subject to part 107 because of RECREATIONAL USE.

You have accepted football tickets in exchange for using your small UAS to videotape the field before and after the game. Is this small UAS operation subject to 14 CFR part 107?

Yes. Accepting compensation (the tickets) makes the venture a commercial venture.

You plan to operate a 33lb small UAS to capture aerial imagery over real estate for use in sales listings. Is this small UAS operation subject to 14 CFR part 107?

Yes. this is a commercial venture.

Define the "Remote PIC"

A person who holds a current remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating and has the final authority and responsibility for the operation and safety of the small UAS

Define the "Person manipulating the controls"

A person controlling the small UAS under direct supervision of the Remote PIC

Define the "Visual observer"

A person acting as a flight crewmember to help see and avoid air traffic or other objects in the sky, overhead, or on the ground

Responsibilities of the Remote PIC

1.) Be designated before each flight (but can change during the flight)

2.) Ensure that the operation:

-Poses no undue hazard to people, aircraft, or property in the event of a loss of control of the aircraft for any reason

-Complies with all applicable regulations of part 107

3.) Operate the small unmanned aircraft to ensure compliance with all applicable provisions

A non-certificated person may operate the small UAS under part 107 if:

1.) He/ She is directly supervised by the Remote PIC

2.) The Remote PIC has the ability to immediately take direct control of the small UAS

What is the role of the "Visual Observer"?

to alert the rest of the crew about potential hazards during operations involving a small UAS. Visual observers must be positioned to see the UAS continuously and be able to effectively communicate to remote PIC.

What are some tools that you can use to improve your situational awareness and risk based aeronautical decision making (ADM)?

GPS, weather briefing, ATC requirements, FAA, landowners, local pilots

define crew resoruse management (CRM)?

The effective use of all available resources—human, hardware, and information—prior to and during flight to ensure a successful outcome of the operation. The Remote PIC must integrate crew resource management techniques into all phases of the small UAS operation.

1.) delegation

2.) recognizing and addressing hazardous attitudes

3.) establish effective team communication procedures

The 5 hazardous attitudes

Anti-Authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Machoism, Resignation

Who is responsible for ensuring that there are enough crewmembers for a given small UAS operation?

Remote Pilot in Command (Remote PIC)

Whose sole task during a small UAS operation is to watch the small UAS and report potential hazards to the rest of the crew?

Visual observer

Which crewmember must hold a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating?

Remote Pilot in Command (Remote PIC)

Who is ultimately responsible for preventing a hazardous situation before an accident occurs?

Remote Pilot in Command (Remote PIC)

Which crew member is required to be under the direct supervision of the Remote PIC when operating a small UAS?

Person manipulating the controls

Should you fly a UAS with pending maintenance problems?

No. Complete all required maintenance before each flight—preferably in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or, in lieu of that, within known industry best practices.

What are the 4 elements of Preflight Inspection?

1.) Assessing the Operating Environment (weather, location of people, flight restrictions, etc.)

2.) Informing crew members of their operation and roles

3.) Inspect the UAS to ensure it is in safe operation

4.) Maintain documents required in the event of an on-site FAA inspection

In the event of an on-site inspection, what documents are required?

1.) Pilot Certificate

2.) Aircraft Registration

3.) Necessary waivers, authorizations, and exemptions

4.) Other documentation related to the operation

Factors that may require a reduction in weight prior to flight

High density altitude conditions, srface, slope, wind, obstacles, runway area length

Common performance deficiencies of an overloaded aircraft

- reduced rate of climb

- lower maximum altitude

- Shorter distance

- Reduced maneuverability

Is a small UAS allowed to carry hazardous material?

No!

Are spare lithium batteries allowed to be carried as cargo on a small UAS

No. They are considered as hazardous material if thy are not in use.

What are some of the dangers of wind when flying a UAS?

1.) obstructions on the ground can make turbulence for low flying UAS

2.) High winds may make it difficult to maintain geographical position and may consume more battery power

what is a convective current?

Uneven heating that creates small areas of local air circulation and thereby creates bumpy turbulent air.

Which of the following source of information should you consult first when determining what maintenance should be performed on a small UAS or its components?

Manufacturer guidance

How often is the Remote PIC required to inspect the small UAS to ensure that it is in a condition for safe operation?

Before each flight

When loading cameras or other equipment on a small UAS, mount the items in a manner that:

Does not adversely affect the center of gravity.

Which of the following considerations is most relevant to a Remote PIC when evaluating unmanned aircraft performance?

Current weather conditions

During what time of the day is operation of small UAS prohibited?

night time (between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight)

what is evening civil twilight?

30 minutes after sunset

What is morning civil twilight?

30 minutes before sunrise

when operating UAS during civil twilight, what must it be equipped with?

anti-collision lights that are capable of being visible for at least 3 statute miles from the control station.

Define VLOS

Visual Line of Sight: Any flight crewmember is capable of seeing the aircraft with vision unaided by any device other than corrective lenses

What are the distance limitations for an unmanned flight?

- within 3 miles from the control station

- 500 feet below a cloud and 2000 horizontal feet from a cloud

- 400 above ground level unless flown within a 400 foot radius of a structureand is not flown higher than 400 feet above the structure's uppermost limit

Can vision aids be used momentraily for situational awareness during unmanned flight?

Yes

what is the speed limit of a UAS?

87 knots or 100 mph

What is the "see and avoid" rule?

The remote PIC has a responsibility to remain clear of and yield right-of-way to all other aircraft, manned or unmanned, and avoid other potential hazards that may affect the Remote PIC's operation of the aircraft.

what is a NOTAM and why is it important?

NOTAM = Notice to Airmen.

These are important because these they contain Temporary Flight Restrictions that could be pertinent to UAS.

Why should Remote PICs should request ATC authorization as soon as possible prior to any operation in Class B, C and D airspace and within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport?

Because ATC has no established timeline for when they can give approval. Thus, arragements should be made as soon as possible.

Why is frequency interference something to be considered with small UAS?

radio interference of

You may not operate a small unmanned aircraft directly over another person unless that person is:

1.) Directly involved in the operation (such as a visual observer or other crewmember)

OR

2.) Within a safe cover, such as inside a stationary vehicle or a protective structure that would protect a person from harm if the small unmanned aircraft were to crash into that structure

What are the rules of transporting another person's property?

- less than 55 lbs

- intrastate

- No items may be dropped from UAS iin a dnagerous manner

- don't operate from moving land vehicle or water born vessel

how far in advance of use must an application for a certificate of waiver be used?

90 days

Scenario 1: A professional wildlife photographer operates a small UAS from a moving truck to capture aerial images of migrating birds in remote wetlands. The driver of the truck does not serve any crewmember role in the operation.

Compliant with part 107 (sparsely populated region)

Scenario 2: Power company employees use a small UAS to inspect a long stretch of high voltage powerlines. Due to muddy conditions, their vehicle must stay beside the road and the crew uses binoculars to maintain visual line of sight with the aircraft.

Not compliant with part 107 (excessive use of binoculars)

Scenario 3: Personnel at an outdoor concert venue use a small UAS to drop promotional t-shirts and CDs over the audience.

Not compliant with part 107

What is a lost link?

Lost link is an interruption or loss of the control link between the control station and the unmanned aircraft, preventing control of the aircraft. As a result, the unmanned aircraft performs pre-set lost link procedures.

Define flight termination

The intentional and deliberate process of performing controlled flight to the ground. Flight termination may be part of lost link procedures, or it may be a contingency that you elect to use if further flight of the aircraft cannot be safely achieved, or if other potential hazards exist that require immediate discontinuation of flight.

Flight termination points must be...

-Be located within power-off glide distance of the aircraft during all phases of flight

-Be based on the assumption of an unrecoverable system failure

-Take into consideration altitude, winds, and other factors

Flyaway

An emergency situation resulting from a lost link where no flight termination can be successfully controlled.

How long does the Remote PIC have to report a UAS accident to the FAA

10 days

What threshold must be met in order to have an UAS accident that must be reported to the FAA?

- Serious injury

- Damage to property greater than $500

(Which action should you take?) During your preflight inspection, you discover a small nick in the casing of your small UAS battery.

Follow the manufacturer's guidance.

(Which action should you take?) You are part of a news crew, operating a small UAS to cover a breaking story. You experience a flyaway during landing. The unmanned aircraft strikes a vehicle, causing approximately $800 worth of damage.

Within 10 days

A stable air mass is most likely to have which characteristic?

poor surface visibility

What are characteristics of a moist, unstable air mass?

Turbulence and showery precipitation

Who holds the responsibility to ensure all crewmembers who are participating in the operation are not impaired by drugs or alcohol?

Remote Pilot in Command

You are a Remote Pilot in Command for a co-op energy service provider. You plan to use your unmanned aircraft to inspect powerlines in the remote area 15 hours away from your home office. After the drive, fatigue impacts your abilities to complete your assignment on time.

Fatigue can be recognized:

As being in an impaired state.

The most comprehensive information on a given airport is provided by:

The Chart Supplements U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility Directory)

How do you find out if an MOA is still active?

Visit the Flight Service online portal