After reading, I may still go for the Part 107, but want to ask a question. On the reality side, with UAS being VSOL, does much of the testing really relate to flying drones, other than maybe the ones over 55 pounds. Is it really that important to know sectional maps and such when flying within VSOL. I am guessin quite a few will pounce on me for that. I understand rules, most my life has been spent following or enforcing them, but I look at all these data points in Part 107, and ask myself, with the 400 foot AGL limits, VSOL and such, is the 107 really necessary. Now I am in total agreement if 107 allows you to go outside the boundaries of 400 feet AGL or outside VSOL. then all the items would make sense. I am sure many arguments will be made for 107, and I are those who have take and passed, but my question is generally, in reality is 80% of the questions rooted in needs of a drone pilot. This i not meant to start a firestorm, but just putting it out there to discuss.
The 107 is for making money or for benefitting from the use of your drone. The thing that's important to know is what they consider benefitting. Obviously, posting videos on Youtube as portfolio material for an aerial videography business is considered benefitting because your business benefits (marketing and advertising). But if you just post your recreational drone flights on YouTube, and you start getting subscribers because of it, the FAA considers that benefitting because with enough subscribers, you can make money on YouTube, even if that is not your intention.
The 107 does have some different boundaries. For instance, under 107, if you are hired to survey a structure of any kind, your altitude is 400' above the structure you are surveying. So if you are surveying a 1000' tower, your max altitude in 1400' AGL within 400' of the tower.
Now the reason you need to understand how to read charts has nothing to do with vsol, but is that some structures near airports could put you into controlled airspace. You need to be able to identify if the structure is in an area that you need prior authorization before flying in, or if the area is in a restricted area or no-fly zone. A 500' tower gives you a 900' AGL max altitude, and if you are in a 700' class E airspace, you would be 200' above the 700' altitude and you would need to contact the airport for prior authorization before flying there.
If you record your flights and put them on YouTube, Vimeo, or the such, you might want to get your 107. If you want to fly higher than 400', or want to record structures, mountians, trees, anything higher than 400', then having a 107 protects you. For myself, I got my 107 and I register each of my drones as 107, so I no longer have to worry about grey areas with the FAA.
I hope this explains it for you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.