Know these and you will pass the exam.
Distilled from the full Part 107 ACS down to the highest-frequency, highest-value facts. If you can recite all 50 from memory without prompts, you are ready for the test.
Operating limits — memorize these word for word
- 1Max groundspeed: 87 knots / 100 mph
§107.51(c) — tailwind can push you over even if airspeed is fine
- 2Max altitude: 400 ft AGL (or +400 ft above a structure within a 400-ft radius)
§107.51(b) — terrain is NOT a structure
- 3Minimum visibility from the control station: 3 statute miles
§107.51(d) — measured at the RP, not the aircraft
- 4Cloud clearance: 500 ft below clouds, 2,000 ft horizontal
§107.51(e) — gives manned IFR traffic time to see-and-avoid
- 5sUAS weight limit: < 55 lb (everything below 55 is sUAS; at 55 you leave Part 107)
§107.1 — includes payload and battery
People & vehicles — Categories 1–4
- 6Cat 1: ≤ 0.55 lb / 250 g + no laceration risk
§107.110 — DJI Mini class. No DOC needed
- 7Cat 2: ≤ 11 ft-lb kinetic energy + no laceration risk + Declaration of Compliance
§107.115/120
- 8Cat 3: ≤ 25 ft-lb + closed/restricted site OR transit + DOC
§107.125/130
- 9Cat 4: Airworthiness certificate + operating limitations
§107.140 — for big delivery/industrial UAS
- 10Moving vehicles: all categories may TRANSIT; sustained flight needs a closed/restricted site
§107.145
Night & lighting (§107.29)
- 11Civil twilight: 30 min BEFORE sunrise to 30 min AFTER sunset (CONUS)
Outside CONUS: see Air Almanac
- 12Anti-collision lighting required during civil twilight AND night
Visible for 3 statute miles, sufficient flash rate
- 13Night ops allowed without waiver if: (1) RP has training covering night AND (2) aircraft has anti-collision lighting
2021 amendment — pre-2021 every night flight needed a waiver
- 14Civil twilight is NOT night — they are two distinct periods (both require anti-collision lighting)
§107.29(d) — night = end of evening civil twilight to start of morning civil twilight
Alcohol, drugs, medical (§107.27 / §91.17)
- 15Bottle-to-throttle: 8 hours minimum
Same as Part 91 — applied through §107.27
- 16BAC limit: 0.04% (and not impaired)
Half the typical driving limit
- 17No flying under the influence of any drug (including OTC) that affects faculties
Includes Benadryl, sleep aids, anything that causes drowsiness
Accident reporting (§107.9)
- 18Trigger (ANY one of three): serious injury OR loss of consciousness OR property damage > $500 (excluding sUAS)
OR not AND — any one triggers
- 19Deadline: 10 calendar days
Submit via FAA DroneZone
- 20NTSB Part 830 also required if anyone is killed or seriously injured — regardless of UAS weight
49 CFR §830.2 — common test trap
Certification (§107.61, §107.65, §107.77)
- 21Minimum age: 16
§107.61(a)
- 22Pass score: 70% (42/60 correct)
FAA Knowledge Test, 2 hours, 3-choice multiple choice
- 23Recurrent training: free online ALC-677 every 24 calendar months
Both Part 107-only and Part 61 pilots use ALC-677
- 24Change of address: notify FAA within 30 days
§107.77
- 25Certificate must be available for inspection by FAA, NTSB, TSA, law enforcement
Paper, PDF, or photo all acceptable
Registration (Part 48)
- 26Fee: $5. Term: 3 years. Number must be externally visible on the aircraft
Since Feb 2019 — no longer acceptable inside battery compartment
- 27All Part 107 aircraft must be registered regardless of weight. Recreational < 0.55 lb is exempt under §44809
Common trap — 0.55 lb exemption is recreational-only
Remote ID (Part 89, effective Sept 16 2023)
- 28Three compliance paths: (1) Standard Remote ID, (2) Broadcast Module, (3) FRIA (FAA-Recognized Identification Area)
Pick one — most modern drones have built-in Standard RID
- 29Broadcast contents: UAS ID, lat/lon/alt, velocity, control-station lat/lon, time, emergency status
Broadcast over Bluetooth/Wi-Fi; received by FAA app
Airspace authorization (§107.41)
- 30Class B, C, D, and Class E surface — ATC authorization required (LAANC or DroneZone)
You CANNOT just call the tower for permission on the radio
- 31Class G — no authorization needed, but all other Part 107 rules apply (400 AGL, VLOS, etc.)
Most rural areas under 1,200 ft AGL
- 32LAANC: instant authorization at/below UAS Facility Map grid altitude. Grid '0' = manual approval required
Free; use Aloft, Airmap, Skyward, etc.
Sectional chart — colors that win exam points
- 33Class B: solid BLUE lines. Class C: solid MAGENTA. Class D: dashed BLUE (ceiling in [brackets] = MSL hundreds)
- 34Class E to surface: dashed MAGENTA line around airport (requires authorization)
Found at non-towered airports with instrument approaches
- 35Class E starting 700 AGL: faded/shaded MAGENTA. Class E starting 1,200 AGL: faded/shaded BLUE
Below the floor of either = Class G (no authorization needed)
- 36Mode C veil: thin solid MAGENTA circle 30 NM around primary Class B airport
Manned aircraft in the veil need a Mode C transponder
- 37MEF (Maximum Elevation Figure): the largest digit = thousands of feet MSL, smaller digit = hundreds
Example: '15' = 1,500 ft MSL — clears all obstacles in that quadrant
Right of way (§107.37)
- 38sUAS YIELDS to ALL other aircraft — manned or unmanned — at all times
Even if they're illegally in your area
- 39Manned ROW order (least to most maneuverable): Balloon > Glider > Airship > Airplane/Rotorcraft
Aircraft in distress always has ROW
Weather — quick decoder
- 40METAR sky: FEW ≤ 2 oktas · SCT 3-4 · BKN 5-7 · OVC 8. Cloud height = hundreds of feet AGL (BKN040 = 4,000 AGL)
Ceiling = lowest BKN or OVC
- 41METAR temp: M = minus (M05/M10 = -5°C / -10°C). Altimeter: A2992 = 29.92 inHg. Visibility: P6SM = > 6 statute miles
- 42AIRMETs: Sierra = mountain obscuration/IFR · Tango = turbulence · Zulu = icing
Active 6-hour windows
- 43Convective SIGMET = tornadoes OR hail ≥ ¾" OR winds ≥ 50 kt OR line/embedded TS
Don't fly if a Convective SIGMET covers your area
- 44Microburst: downdraft up to 6,000 fpm, outflow up to 45 kt, total duration 5–15 min
Devastating to small UAS — avoid all storm cells
- 45Density altitude: hot + high + humid = HIGH DA = degraded performance
Thinner air, less thrust, less lift
Performance & loading
- 46Forward CG: more stable, slower, higher stall, harder flare. Aft CG: less stable, faster, lower stall, harder recovery
Generally forward CG is safer
- 47Load factor in turn = 1 / cos(bank). 30°=1.15G · 45°=1.41G · 60°=2G · 75°=3.86G
Stall speed in turn = Vs × √(load factor) — at 60° bank, stall speed jumps 41%
- 48LiPo in thermal runaway: COOL with copious WATER (Class D agents are for lithium METAL, different chemistry)
Common confusion — water IS the right choice for Li-ion/LiPo
Decision-making models (memorize the acronyms)
- 49Hazardous attitudes (5): Anti-authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Macho, Resignation — each has its own antidote
Match exact wording — "Follow the rules", "Not so fast", "It could happen to me", "Taking chances is foolish", "I'm not helpless"
- 50PAVE: Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures
Pre-flight risk model
- 51IMSAFE: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eating/Emotion
Personal pre-flight checklist
- 52DECIDE: Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, Evaluate
Six-step problem-solving
- 533P: Perceive, Process, Perform
Continuous loop, not one-time
Airport & radio
- 54Standard traffic pattern: LEFT turns. Entry on 45° to downwind at pattern altitude
Right traffic shown as 'RP' near runway in A/FD
- 55Runway number = magnetic heading / 10. Runway 27 ≈ 270°. Opposite end = 27 ↔ 09
- 56CTAF default at non-towered fields: 122.9 (MULTICOM) unless assigned otherwise
Always check chart supplement for the actual frequency
- 57Beacon during DAYTIME at Class B/C/D/E surface = IFR conditions (ceiling < 1,000 ft and/or vis < 3 SM)
Common test trap — beacon at NIGHT is normal
- 58VASI: 'Red over white, you're alright' (on glidepath). 'Red over red, you're dead' (too low). 'White over white, out of sight' (too high)
PAPI uses 4 lights in a row, same colors
TFRs
- 59Stadium TFR (FDC 4/3621): 30,000+ open-air seats · 3 NM lateral / 3,000 AGL · 1 hr before to 1 hr after
MLB, NFL, NCAA D1 football, NASCAR/Indy/Champ Car
- 60Presidential TFR: 10 NM inner (no GA), 30 NM outer, surface to 17,999 MSL
Felony-level enforcement
- 61Wildfire TFR (§91.137): NEVER fly. Even small drones ground all firefighting aircraft
Fines have exceeded $20,000 for single incursions
Night vision (physiology)
- 62Dark adaptation: 30 min. One bright light resets you back to zero
Use red flashlight for chart reading at night
- 63Rods = low-light/peripheral. Cones = color/central. Use OFF-CENTER viewing at night
Center vision (cones) is useless in low light
Common test traps
- 640.55 lb = 250 g — same threshold, just different units. FAA uses both
Part 48 registration threshold
- 65Property damage > $500 EXCLUDES the cost of your own sUAS
If only the drone is damaged, no report needed
- 66MTRs: 4-digit identifier = entirely at or below 1,500 AGL. 3-digit = at least one segment ABOVE 1,500 AGL
AIM 3-5-2 — easy to flip the rule
- 67Civil twilight ≠ night. Two separate periods. Both need anti-collision lighting, but only true night needs the special training
Drill these until they're reflexive
Reading the list is not enough. Take the practice exam, then come back and check which facts you needed to look up.