Drones have long transitioned from being a military-only-use to an everyday toy for many. However, operating a drone can be dangerous if not taken seriously. In fact, the FAA has specific flight rules in place and requires a pilot certification in order to fly one under certain circumstances. Drone pilot training has a number of benefits besides learning to initially fly the drone. It allows for technique improvement and learning more advanced drone skills. More importantly, you can feel confident you won’t injure anyone nearby. Obtaining the certificate starts with choosing from one of the 9 best drone pilot training courses reviewed below.
Who Needs to Take a Drone Pilot Training Course?
The FAA requires that anyone who wishes to operate a drone over 120 meters above ground or within 30 meters of people. You also must be over the age of 16 and obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate. Drone pilot training courses will get you in tip-top shape for the certificate exam.
Best Online Drone Pilot Training Courses For FAA Part 107 Training
Below, you will find the 9 best training courses to help you learn how to become a drone pilot and star making money in your new career!
1. Pilot Institute (Best Drone Pilot Training Course)
The Pilot Institute has tons of great courses but something that they make sure their new potential customers know is how their old ones feel. Right on the front of their page you can read reviews from clients of all ages and backgrounds. Before getting into their courses they also have a dedicated FAQ section so you can feel confident when working with them.
They have a specific course dedicated to the Part 107 Drone License. By signing up for this course you can expect:
- A guarantee test pass or a $175 full refund
- 15 hours of instruction by video
- Unlimited practices exams and 20 quizzes (300 questions total)
Interestingly enough they offer a ton of other useful courses worth considering. For instance, those who want to bundle their Part 107 Course with learning the drone business can! Something particularly useful is their Drone Part 107 Night Training Course.
The thought behind their guarantee to pass refund policy comes from the fact that they have a 99.8% passing rate with over 150,000 students enrolled in their courses.
We went through Pilot Institute’s drone pilot course and we can tell you it’s filled with incredible information. It’s loaded with everything you will need to know to pass your FAA Part 107 exam plus so much more. We highly recommend their FAA Part 107 test prep course as well as every other course they offer.
Our Rating: 4.9 out of 5
2. Drone Pilot Ground School (Second Best Drone Pilot Training Course)
Drone Pilot Ground School stands out when it comes to drone pilot training because of the amount of free information they’re willing to give. Their infographic “Do I need my drone license?” makes it easy for students to know whether to pursue a program or not.
They also lay out how long it will take to get certified if you answer yes to the question above. And to take matters further they then offer a step-by-step guide to getting your drone license which brings you right to their program. You can expect to take advantage of the following in their course.
- 120+ knowledge concepts through 70+ video lectures on what the FAA requires to know.
- Bonus lessons on important flight operation knowledge including a pre-flight checklist and important info on how to conduct airspace research.
- Bonus drone usage information. Learn from lawyers, business professionals, and more on how drones are used in legal matters, marketing, and other industries.
Since opening in 2016, Drone Pilot Ground School has had over 35,000 people enroll in their programs. More importantly, 99% of their students who report back to them have passed the exam.
For lifetime access you can expect to pay $299 for this course. If you have a group of friends the price comes down with each person.
Our Rating: 4.7 out of 5
3. ABJ Drone Academy
ABJ has a lot to offer when it comes to drone courses. Their quick online shop makes it convenient and easy to add on packages and other interesting courses aside from their Part 107 test prep course.
Their primary courses offer an online model that allows you to go at your own pace. They cover all the important FAA-required information from weather to radio procedures.
While their Online and Theory course covers all you need to know for the FAA certification, here are some of the interesting specialist courses you can take after.
- Surveying and 3D modeling
- Cell Tower Inspection
- Photography
- Videography
- Thermography Level 1
- And more!
This course typically runs around $500 but can change from time to time. You can also sign up for the ABJ membership which gives you access to 12 different courses saving thousands of dollars for all the material you could ever want.
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
4. DARTdrones Courses
Immediately upon entering the DART Drones website, you are greeted with a plethora of resources and programs for those wanting to get licensed. They work with leading companies around the world in different industries involving drone work.
Some of their backed partners and trusted reviews come from:
Their Part 107 Test Prep is the course that you will want to take in order to get ready for the FAA test. Their online drone pilot training course is one of their most popular options. However, there is a second option to consider and it combines drone pilot school both in-person and online.
While both courses guarantee great benefits like a money-back guarantee, 300 plus study questions, guides, and more, the in-person class has exclusive benefits.
- Class size limitations to 12
- 8 hours with an expert pilot
- Group discussions with other students
- Real practice test questions with a manned pilot
- Hands-on chart study with aeronautical maps
- Locations listed all over the country near major cities
The online drone pilot training costs $250 while the combo in-person drone pilot course costs $670.
Our Rating: 4.4 out of 5
5. Gold Seal UAV Ground School
Gold Seal UAV is a top choice for Part 107 test prep due to its longstanding history of success since 2003. They also have many qualified hands-on staff that specialize in the different courses offered.
Gold Seal UAV offers their students 2 different course options to pursue. One of them is a combination package of the other two courses with many additional benefits. Their claim to fame is that they were the nation’s first 107 Test Prep course. They also claim to be the best Part 107 exam training.
The combo option is called the Full Package Course. It includes their Part 107 Initial Ground School, Part 107 Recurrent Test Prep, and Night Flight Operations. Let’s talk about some of the more specifics you can expect from enrolling with
- Lifetime access to the modules and courses
- 27 Interactive lessons with a large database of FAA questions
- Offering quizzes, flashcards, and review material as different study options
- Guarantee pass or they pay for the test fee
Their combo package allows for you to try their drone pilot training for free or straight out buy the option at $199.
Our Rating: 4.3 out of 5
6. Drone Launch Academy
Drone Launch Academy has a mighty list of instructors and staff ready to take their students through any of their courses listed in their database online. They offer multiple different courses when it comes to the FAA Part 107 Exam giving students the option to approach studying how they like.
You can choose from any of the following and add on important side lessons like Drone Business Foundations.
- FAA Part 107 Exam Study Guide EBook
- FAA Part 107 Exam Study Guide Audiobook
- Part 107 Flash Cards
Their main course is the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Exam Prep Course. Taught by David Young, they are so confident that you will pass your test from this course that if you don’t get it right the first time they will cover your test fees and exam prep. They do in fact have a 99.54% pass rate.
This class in particular offers:
- Over 200 practice questions
- Weekly live office hours
- 75+ pages of downloadable EBook
This course starts at $199 and the other additional study courses come at their own costs ranging from $39-$49.
Our Rating: 4.2 out of 5
7. Dronegenuity
Dronegenuity offers a few high-quality classes that past students have raved about. Their drone pilot training Part 107 Test Prep Course covers all the FAA topics and takes a real deep dive into all their lessons. The course itself is self-paced which makes for convenient learning when you have the time.
Dronegenuity puts a real focus on capitalizing off of your commercial drone so they also offer some important classes having to do with aerial photography and photo editing.
In the Part 107 Test Prep Course, you will cover some of the most important sectors.
- Safety – Understanding the safety components of manned and unmanned drones. The FAA has a hyperfocus on safely operating drones and so does Dronegenuity.
- FAA Drone Laws – Working with the niche jargon of the FAA Drone laws is important in understanding how to comply.
- Flying Drones for Income – Putting an emphasis on real-life practices is an important strategy that Dronegenuity focuses on. This is the best way to apply what you’ve learned.
- Drone Technologies – Understanding the constant development and new features in drone technology is important in staying up to date.
The is one of the best part 107 exam training classes and it starts at $249.
Our Rating: 4.1 out of 5
8. King Schools
King Schools online drone pilot training course offers one of the best drone pilot training programs on the market. This is partially due to the fact that you not only have lifetime access to the course but they automatically update it to keep up with advancements.
They guarantee you a first-time pass on your exam by providing you with comprehensive and easy-to-understand presentations. Through video lessons, King Schools teaches you all you need to know about FAA flying and commercial use.
You can also count on receiving the following:
- Full-screen HD bite-size videos for educational consumption
- Subject matter review by searching through keywords
- Each segment contains follow questions before moving on to the next
- Choose which sections you want to study first
With their segments taking no longer than 15 minutes apiece, King Schools is confident that you will get it right on the first try. If not they offer a money back guarantee like some of the other schools.
Their drone pilot course comes at a more affordable price of $129.00. This competitive pricing puts King Schools in the running for best part 107 exam training schools.
Our Rating: 4.1 out of 5
9. Gleim Aviation
While last on our list, Glem Aviation certainly is not the least when it comes to drone pilot training. Their training for the FAA Remote Pilot Part 107 certificate has a lot to offer its users. For starters with their unlimited studying and immediate feedback addition, students can clearly understand why they got certain things right and wrong.
More importantly, something Gleim Aviation offers that not all other schools have is a simulation of the test using the same figures and illustrations from previous FAA exams.
They offer a few different test kit tools that you can buy with the program. Some may prefer to buy just the book with the online course while others may like the entire Remote Pilot Kit. If you are unsure about their program at all you can take part in their free demo to see how it is run.
They also offer a number of free resources that students can take advantage of right on their website.
Such as:
- All the industries you can get into to make money with drones
- How to apply for the FAA certificate with a step-by-step guide
- The initial testing requirements for Part 107.
This school also offers affordable prices with their packages starting at $59.95.
Our Rating: 4.1 out of 5
Choosing the Right School
Flying a drone recreationally is a lot of fun but many realize early on that flying a drone commercially can make good money. And at the same time, it’s still fun! But some don’t know that in order to fly a drone commercially and outside specific safety limits you must be certified.
The Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification issued by the FAA requires a lot of different knowledge on safety and airspace dynamics. That’s why enrolling in a drone flight school is very important. With the list of the best remote pilot drone schools above, there is a minimal chance you don’t pass the exam on the first try.
In fact, many of these schools are so confident that you will pass, they are offering money-back guarantee policies to reduce your risk. When it comes down to actually choosing the school you want to look at your financial situations and what courses may interest you outside of the exam prep.
No matter what school you choose you can go wrong with this list of the best online drone pilot training courses on the market.