CertboundWhat does the FAA actually require?
For a first-time applicant, the FAA eligibility list is short. You must be at least 16, read, speak, write and understand English, be in a physical and mental condition to fly safely, and pass the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test.
The PSI UAG bulletin, page 4, sets the test at 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored validation questions, 2 hours and a 70% passing score. The PSI FAA portal FAQ lists the test fee as $175, checked October 21, 2026. That fee is the same whether you take a course or not.
One training course is part of a certification path. ALC-451 is the FAA's no-cost initial course for pilots who already hold a Part 61 certificate (not a student pilot certificate) and have a current flight review. They complete it instead of the UAG test. The course page says it applies only to those pilots.
What can you study for free?
The FAA publishes the core materials at no cost:
- Remote Pilot – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide, FAA-G-8082-22. An 88-page FAA guide from August 2016 with chapters on regulations, airspace, weather, loading, emergency procedures, radio, performance, physiology, decision-making, airport operations and preflight. It predates the 2021 rule changes, so check rules against the current regulation.
- Remote Pilot ACS, FAA-S-ACS-10B, the list of knowledge topics and codes the test draws on.
- 14 CFR Part 107, the rule itself. Certbound's plain-English walk-through cites each section.
- AC 107-2A, the FAA's advisory circular explaining how Part 107 works in practice.
- FAA UAG sample questions, 46 questions published in 2021 without an answer key. Certbound's free practice test adds checked answers and sources.
After you are certificated, the FAA's ALC-677 recurrent course satisfies the 24-calendar-month knowledge recency requirement at no cost. It is for certificate holders and does not replace the initial test.
Our Part 107 study guide turns these into a reading plan by ACS area.
What does a paid Part 107 course add?
A course mostly adds structure. Someone else has chosen the order, split the reading into lessons and explained the hard parts. Depending on the course, you may also get video, a question bank or an instructor to ask. The test, the rules and the FAA reference material underneath are the same ones listed above.
Courses differ, so check the specific one before paying:
- Was it updated for current rules, such as night operation and operations over people, which changed in 2021?
- Does it teach sectional chart reading with unfamiliar charts? From October 26, 2026, the FAA says the UAG includes image-based questions not found in the testing supplement.
- Is it built for the initial UAG test, for the Part 61 path, or for recurrent training? ALC-677 is already free from the FAA.
- What are the refund terms, and how long do you keep access?
A course does not issue the certificate, book the test, or change the passing score. A certificate of completion from a private course does not replace the UAG test for a first-time applicant.
When does self-study make sense?
Self-study fits if you can read a regulation and a chart with a reference open, and you keep a regular schedule without deadlines from someone else. You read the FAA material, practice on questions you have not seen, and look up each miss in the source.
A course may suit you better if you want a set order and explanations from an instructor, learn better by watching than reading, or have an employer paying for training. Either way, the test is the same and so is the material.
| What differs | Self-study, FAA materials only | Self-study with a practice tool | Paid course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required by the FAA | No | No | No |
| Cost beyond the $175 test fee | None | The tool's price | The course's price |
| Lesson order and teaching | You build it from the study guide and ACS | You build it; the tool adds practice | Set by the course |
| Practice questions | 46 FAA samples, no answer key | The tool's question bank | Varies by course |
Where does Certbound fit?
Certbound is a self-study practice tool, not a course. It has no video lessons or instructor. The free practice test on this site works through the FAA's 46 sample questions with Certbound's answers, explanations and sources.
The app has 697 Part 107 questions, each with an explanation and its source. You practice by ACS area and take 60-question, 2-hour mock exams. Lifetime costs $49.99 once for the Part 107 bank, with rule updates included and nothing that renews. Certbound is not affiliated with the FAA and does not promise a pass.
Ready to book? How to get a drone license lists the steps from FTN to certificate, and Part 107 test cost and booking covers PSI scheduling and ID. FAA, eCFR and PSI sources checked October 21, 2026.