Is it just me........

[C2CDrones]

Does anyone else think its weird that you don't have to physically show any proficiency with an actual drone to get your Part 107? Someone who has very little experience flying drones can go take a test and most likely pass it with a day or two of studying and BAM they are now good to go to fly commercially. Just something I have been thinking about.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Does anyone else think its weird that you don't have to physically show any proficiency with an actual drone to get your Part 107? Someone who has very little experience flying drones can go take a test and most likely pass it with a day or two of studying and BAM they are now good to go to fly commercially. Just something I have been thinking about.

A day or two? I don't think so.

 

[C2CDrones]

A day or two? I don't think so.

It's not impossible in my opinion. A good memory and two hard days of studying and it can be done. But that is besides the point, you could be the worlds worse pilot in the world but still hold a 107 because you passed a written exam.

 

[Droning on and on...]

I don't know... Given the restrictions p107 pilots still have to abide, they really mostly just present a risk to themselves and their equipment from inexperience.

 

[Anthony Ivory]

The hardest part for most people is to keep following the rules after they pass

 

[MS Coast]

Does anyone else think its weird that you don't have to physically show any proficiency with an actual drone to get your Part 107? Someone who has very little experience flying drones can go take a test and most likely pass it with a day or two of studying and BAM they are now good to go to fly commercially. Just something I have been thinking about.

Yep. I think it's absurd that I, and all other Part 107 pilots, are licensed to fly an aircraft weighing more than my lawnmower at 99 mph at night over most of the country without ever having demonstrated to an examiner that we even know how to switch on the controller.

 

[AnzacJack]

It is an odd that no flight test is required. In Australia, the equivalent qualification does require a demonstration of flight proficiency. Maybe its just the numbers in the US that are applying and FAA taking the easy option.

 

[Cafguy]

If you are working alone I can kinda see your point a lot of companies in L.A. will make you show flight proficiency to get hired I think most people willing to spend the money to take the exam are probably proficient enough after all we are flying gps controlled drones and not Cessnas.

 

[LoudThunder]

Does anyone else think its weird that you don't have to physically show any proficiency with an actual drone to get your Part 107?

I think it is just that the FAA is coming to grips with a Drone is no longer considered a toy. There is probably still a group of FAA old timey stuff shirts that think, how hard is it to operate a "kids Toy?" And they just might think this "Drone Trend" is just a passing fad, like bell bottom pants and VWs painted up with flowers…

What they really dread is the advent of flying cars or even personal flying suits…

Stay tuned for the next episode of "The Jetsons…"

 

[LoudThunder]

I think most people willing to spend the money to take the exam are probably proficient enough after all we are flying gps controlled drones

You are right that most are probably proficient, but I respond to every New Pilot Check in and some have noted that they anxiously await the arrival of their first drone and that they have already acquired their Part 107...

 

[LoudThunder]

I think it's absurd that I, and all other Part 107 pilots, are licensed to fly an aircraft weighing more than my lawnmower at 99 mph at night over most of the country without ever having demonstrated to an examiner that we even know how to switch on the controller.

This is what scares me… And because it is classified under FAA's 14 CFR Part 103 ultralight category, no license or certification is required to fly it…

 

[Cafguy]

I always thought that it would be a good idea to have people show their TRUST card to purchase a drone. This way at least they show a little interest in safety A producer we worked with bought his son a phantom before the weekend was out the kid had flown the drone miles away from line of site and judging by the flight logs this drone went down somewhere over the 5 freeway. no reports of any fatal car accidents at that time so I assume its in billions of tiny pieces on the roadway

 

[Droning on and on...]

I think the concern is a bit overblown, judging by actual reality.

For the number of drones out there, in particular flown by drooling idiots with an adolescent male's idea of "fun", the actual incidence of harm to others or property is extremely low.

Magically so. Boggles, but it is what is

 

[Dronecation]

Does anyone else think its weird that you don't have to physically show any proficiency with an actual drone to get your Part 107? Someone who has very little experience flying drones can go take a test and most likely pass it with a day or two of studying and BAM they are now good to go to fly commercially. Just something I have been thinking about.

In Canada, one doesn't need a part 107 or similar to do work with a drone. I think that the part 107 is beauracracy at its worst.

 

[kyelite]

A day or two? I don't think so.

I'm a pretty good test taker and I agree a day or two would leave the tester woefully underprepared. I personally studied for a little over 2 weeks to pass.

 

[LoudThunder]

the tester woefully underprepared

I totally agre with @kyelite that the tester woefully underprepared,

But, on the other hand, I believe that a day or two of study should do you nicely… If you pass, Hoorah… If you don't, you'll know what you should have studied and you get to do it again… LoL…

I took my time over two months doing the Pilot Institutes lessons… I aced my exam, but as they say, your license that you get with a 70% is the same color as my license, but I know the rules and regulations that govern flying a drone. A person who scores a 70% barely knows a drone flies…

I come from a military background and a person's qualifications, skills, and knowledge are big factors on whether they get the job… Becoming a remote Pilot In Charge (rPIC) is not a training position, it is the job…

No employer wants to pay a fine or have to deal with the FAA for an Airspace intrusion infraction, they want to know that you have the knowledge to research the airspace, know the limitations of the airspace, and how to get the authorizations necessary to fly in a controlled airspace…

We have had several opportunities to advise a Part 107 Licensed "pilot" who wrote in to complain about being harassed while flying their drone while on vacation… First off, they flew from private property without permission, next they flew in Controlled airspace without an FAA Authorization in a Zero Altitude quadrant, and if that was not bad enough, they were flying in an area where the municipality had specific rules, regulations, and laws governing the flying of a drone and even the prohibition of drone flying…

So, go ahead, take the exam without any real study or preparation and then try to convince us that you are a good pilot, that you are knowledgeable and you will be a safe pilot and we will ask why you scored so low…