How to get Part 107 Certified for Drone Wedding Videography

It’s official! I studied SUPER HARD and got the Part 107 Remote Pilot License. And as a wedding videographer, I want to fly my drone to get those epic videography shots of my couples, the venue and the area they’re getting married in! And my couples want this shot too, so this has become the most beneficial license for my business.

This Part 107 license will allow me to SAFELY and LEGALLY fly my drone at all of my wedding gigs, but has opened up even more doors for me to pitch myself to bigger brands and companies as a commercial drone photographer and videographer. 

Freakin cool right?! I’m so stoked.

But let’s get real about this test. I’m gonna share with you my personal journey through all of this, because I think it’s super valuable information, and I promised only the valuable stuff in these blogs!

Start by watching this Youtube video!

The Youtube video informs you the RISKS you take every time you fly your drone without a Part 107 for your business. 

And if you’re like “well I have the DJI Mavic Mini, so stfu!”

Welp, turns out that doesn’t matter if you’re flying it for compensation aka YOU FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER! 

But no shame dude, I’ve felt it in my bones every time I would fly and feel so guilty. My excuse was that I was too busy to sit down and study to get it done, but once I finally PAUSED everything to do this, I quickly found out through the study materials just how important this is. Especially for drone wedding videography!

Why is taking the Part 107 Remote Pilot test so important for drone wedding videography?

The biggest risk you take, especially when you’re doing drone wedding videography, is hurting another person or property. Learning this material not only teaches you how to practice safe flying, but what to do in case someone gets hurt. 

The majority of the test though is all about PREVENTATIVE measures. It teaches you how to look up the sectional charts and airspace maps of the place you plan to fly so you know well ahead of time if you are flying in a)a prohibited area, b)if you need any ATC authorization before flying there and c)the weather reports so you know if it’s even a good day to fly (because no, looking up to see it’s a beautiful sunny and clear day just isn’t enough). 

I will admit though, some of this stuff was SO TEDIOUS to pilots when it came to the Airspace parts, it’s like “okay i’m a wedding videographer so I won’t ever be flying in airport space, or I won’t ever be flying that high or close to an airport” but dude. Like 70% of my test questions were airspace questions, so you just gotta know the stuff, unfortunately. But hey, if you’re a little airplane nerd, you might enjoy yourself so get ready to knock yourself out!

Studying for the Part 107 Remote Pilot Test: 

What study materials work for the Part 107 and what doesn’t.

What worked: Learning from official Part 107 Course Material. 

I was in Drone Launch Academy and watched the Course once through, took all the practice questions at the end of each section and then went back and redid the sections I was still unsure of. 

What worked: Taking the Practice Tests from the app “Prepware Remote Pilot” 

I did about 4-5 practice tests the night before and one more practice test in my car before going into the testing center. The test will be randomized every time you do it so it gives you different answers. After you’re done, it tells you your score and you can click on every question you got right or wrong with notes on what the correct answer is and WHY. Something I found super useful so I wasn’t just memorized test answers. The app is $5 but WORTH IT. 

What didn’t work: Watching Tony Northrup’s Party 107 Drone Youtube Video, or any Youtube Video for that matter

A lot of the comments say, “Oh I watched this only a couple times through and passed!! Thank you so much for making this!” 

Well I call bullshit to that LMAO. Maybe that was true 5 years ago, but they are all outdated to the new 2021 changes and after going through the Drone Launch Academy’s Course, and then watching the youtube videos, I was like, “ummmmmm they just skipped that entire section?!” 

In my opinion, the youtube video is a CRASH COURSE and should not be your only supplement study guide. They’ll tell you a quick answer to something, but not explain it fully, and the test will test you on the HOW and WHY of certain topics that you simply just have to understand to get it right. 

What didn’t work: Listening to Part 107 Drone Study Podcasts

They’ll read you test questions and give you the answers. But all of the questions they ask are the BASIC drone stuff like “How often do you need to retake the test with a Part 107 license? ….. 24 months. What does your blood alcohol level have to be lower than in order to fly a drone?…. 0.04”

Like quick facts kinda stuff, that honestly, wasn’t the most super helpful thing. Studying the maps and sectional charts was period! 

So if you’re ready to get certified… 

Here is a Step by Step Guide to get your Part 107 Drone Remote Pilot License! 

The following copy has been taken from the FAA website! If you’d like to go straight there, CLICK HERE

Step 1:

Obtain an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) by creating an 

Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application

 (IACRA) profile prior to registering for a knowledge test. 

Step 2:

Schedule an appointment with a 

FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center

. Be sure to bring a government-issued photo ID to your test. 

Step 3:

Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test: “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG)”. Knowledge test topic areas include:

• Applicable regulations relating to small unmanned aircraft system rating privileges, limitations, and flight operation
• Airspace classification and operating requirements, and flight restrictions affecting small unmanned aircraft operation
• Aviation weather sources and effects of weather on small unmanned aircraft performance
• Small unmanned aircraft loading and performance
• Emergency procedures
• Crew resource management
• Radio communication procedures
• Determining the performance of small unmanned aircraft
• Physiological effects of drugs and alcohol
• Aeronautical decision-making and judgment
• Airport operations
• Maintenance and preflight inspection procedures
• Operation at night

Step 4:

Complete FAA Form 8710-13 for a remote pilot certificate (FAA Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application) using the electronic FAA 

Integrated Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application system (IACRA)*

1. Login with username and password
2. Click on “Start New Application” and 1) Application Type “Pilot”, 2) Certifications “Remote Pilot”, 3) Other Path Information, 4) Start Application
3. Follow application prompts
4. When prompted, enter the 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID (Note: it may take up to 48 hours from the test date for the knowledge test to appear in IACRA)
5. Sign the application electronically and submit for processing.

Step 5:

A confirmation email will be sent when an applicant has completed the TSA security background check. This email will provide instructions for printing a copy of the temporary remote pilot certificate from IACRA.

Step 6:

A permanent remote pilot certificate will be sent via mail once all other FAA-internal processing is complete.

Step 7:

Have your Remote Pilot Certificate available

 whenever you fly your UAS.

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Want to make your goal more interesting? 

Promise yourself a fun reward if you pass!! For me, I promised myself a brand new 

DJI Mavic Air 2S if I passed the test, which I’m so excited to get now. My drone wedding videography skills are going to A1 with this bad boy!

Here’s a link to this drone to check it out!

Fun right?! So get studying… you can do this! As a girl with a ton of testing anxiety and ADHD, I passed on my first try, so I know you can too! 

Here’s a link to my own Study Guide I made from Practice Test Questions and Course Material that was a little tricky for me! Feel free to review it or use it as a template to make something similar of your own. I know studying is different for everyone! Especially when it comes to drone wedding videography and how this all applies to us!

Want to check out more of the videography gear I use on Wedding days?

Check out this Blog Post of all of my Wedding Videography Gear here!