ADAM-PAUL

Category: Drones

  • Part 107 Study Guide

    Earning your Part 107 drone license can feel overwhelming, but with the right resources, it’s completely manageable. When I prepared for the exam, I realized that success wasn’t just about studying harder—it was about studying smarter. I’ve compiled a study guide filled with essential resources and tips that helped me pass, not only with confidence but with a deeper understanding of aviation regulations, weather, and airspace.

    This guide may seem extensive, but trust me—it’s designed to build a strong foundation. From official FAA materials to lesser-known YouTube channels, each resource serves a purpose. Whether it’s mastering sectional charts, decoding METAR reports, or understanding density altitude, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

    So, if you’re ready to dive into the world of drones and ace the Part 107 exam, let’s get you started.

    It looks like a lot, but it is a lot of links for videos mostly.  

    1. Read Part 107 from the official government website of the Cod Of Federal Regulations This is a very easy to read list of the do’s and don’t under Part 107. Any study guide that does not tell you to read this is a bad study guide.
    2. Read Remote Pilot – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide – This is an official study guide put out by the FAA. Either save it to your computer/phone or print it off and mark it up as you read. But read this cover to cover and comprehend it. It is 88 pages, but this alone could pretty much get you to pass the Part 107 exam. There isn’t a single YouTube video out there that covers all of this.
    3. Read the official FAA ruling on “Operations Over People General Overview“. This details new requirements for flying over other people. There are 4 categories and this can get a little bit confusing. There is a great dedicated Youtube Video from a small channel run by a gentleman named Tim McKay who explains it all crystal clear.
    4. Read the official FAA requirements for Night Operations.  This has changed in the last year. 
    5. By this point you pretty much know everything you need to. But we want to have a thorough understanding of everything not just basic knowledge so we can “just pass” the test. Fog is a topic that will come up on your test. Make sure you understand the characteristics and causes of each of the 6 major types of fog. A great resource for this is Fly8MA.Com Flight Trainings video.
    6. Sectional Charts. You’ve already read about them in the study guide, but practice these. Try to memorize which lines mean what. But if you forget always remember there is a legend in the front of your supplement book that you will have on test day. Some great tools I used for this were:
      1. Altitude Universities FAA Part 107 Study Guide [How To Read A Sectional Chart]. They teach you almost all of what you need to know, but he also teaches you a great “game” you can use to practice.
      2. Fly8MA.Com Flight Trainings – Video on Advanced Sectional Chart Knowledge. You see a lot of lazy videos out there on “5 Tricky questions about sectional charts on the part 107 test”. Well this video will make it so there are no tricky questions!
    7. Understand abbreviations for METAR and TAF reports. Weather.GOV has a chart of this. You certainly do not need to memorize every single one of them. But the major ones regarding precipitation, cloud, winds, max, min, began/begin, end, etc. A great way I learned to read these was to install the Avia Weather app on my Android phone and use that for my weather app for a few weeks. It presents weather in METAR format. It forced me to learn to read them. I would see new abbreviations pretty regularly and then look them up and know them. You can also spend some time using the Aviation Weather Center website. It provides METAR reports and you can decode them to verify your answers.
    8. Understand air masses, fronts & clouds. This too comes directly from the FAA. It is comically old looking, but the information was incredibly helpful. It is 30 pages with tons of pictures. It helped supplement the knowledge from the official study guide on the 3 phases of every storm cloud. I probably have 4-5 questions on this during my test. If you understand weather you almost don’t even need to study much on the effects it has on and aircraft because it all becomes incredibly easy to process.
    9. Density Altitude & Pressure Altitude. This is one I see almost never talked about. Sure enough I had a question for this on my part 107 test.
    10. Know how to talk on a radio. You will basically never have to do this, but I had two questions on radio procedure come up. One was how to contact ATC for authorization via radio (you never ever do this) the other was how something would be properly announced using phonetic alphabet. This video from Fly With the Guys does a great job of digging deeper into this.
    11. Spend the time to understand Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) The video series I watched was 4 parts. Here is part 1. When I initially read through the study guide this didn’t quite click with me, but the videos helped a ton.
    12. Understand Weight & Balance basics for aircraft. A guy named Jeffery Bannish has a pretty great video on this. Understand loads during banked flight. I had multiple questions on this on my test as well.
    13. Lastly. This one is completely optional. It cost me $15. John Peltier of Peltier Photo Courses has a bank of $300 questions he put together into a test that you can take as many times as you like. It picks 60 random questions so you are not taking the same test over and over. When you buy it you can access the test for 2 months. I probably took his test 10 times over the course of the month I was studying. What I would do is take the test once each day. Then review any questions I got wrong and I would spend time to learn the correct answer. As I would learn the correct answer I would absorb additional information. The next day I would take the test again. Get some new questions and repeat the process. After about 4 days I started routinely getting 94-98% on the practice tests.

    Passing the Part 107 exam isn’t just about checking off a requirement—it’s about becoming a more informed, responsible, and skilled drone operator. By using the resources I’ve shared and committing to thorough preparation, you’ll not only pass the test but also gain the confidence to operate safely and professionally in the national airspace. Remember, the effort you put into understanding these concepts will pay off every time you take to the skies. Good luck, and happy flying!

    P.S. If you end up using my study guide and you take the test be sure to comment down below and let me know what your score was!

  • Making your first $1,000 with your new drone.

    You bought your new drone and want to start making money. How do you gain customers?

    Drones have revolutionized the way we see the world—literally. From capturing breathtaking aerial shots to mapping landscapes with pinpoint accuracy, these machines are more than just high-tech toys. For those with a passion for flying and creating, drones offer incredible opportunities to turn a hobby into real income. Whether you’re a seasoned operator or just starting out, earning your first $1,000 with a drone is an exciting milestone—and it’s more attainable than you think.

    In this post, I’ll share practical ways to transform your drone into a money-making tool, drawing from my experience as a commercial drone operator and content creator. So, if you’re ready to take your skills to the next level, let’s dive in. The sky isn’t just the limit—it’s where the opportunity begins.

    Getting Started.

    If you’re brand new to the drone world and short on connections, the hardest part isn’t making money—it’s landing that first client. But here’s a strategy that might surprise you: work for free. Yes, you read that right. The simplest way to earn your first $1,000 with your drone is by starting with no price tag at all.

    Here’s why it works: if your portfolio is filled with recreational shots, it’ll only take you so far. The moment you ask someone to pay for your services, they’ll want proof—something that looks professional. If you don’t have that yet, honesty is your best tool. Let potential clients know you’re new. Show them the work you’ve done, and offer to do a project for free. In exchange, ask for a testimonial, a shout-out, or permission to feature their logo on your website. It removes the pressure from both sides and gives you the chance to build trust—and a portfolio worth paying for.

    Before I ever had a paying client, I worked for free for about six months. Each month, I took on one or two jobs, pouring more time into editing and refining photos than I ever spent flying. Honestly, I wasn’t an expert at drone settings, and my photography knowledge was limited. Drone photography is simpler than traditional photography, but it comes with its own challenges. You have to learn to work within those limitations and still produce images and videos people are willing to pay for.

    During those months, I built a small network of 5-10 clients who were happy to recommend my work. Most of them let me display their logos on my website and use the photos and videos I’d created to promote my services. Suddenly, I wasn’t just showing random shots of horizons—I had real, client-driven content to showcase. And when it came time to land my first paying client, they could see the quality of my work and felt confident hiring me.

    What should I charge?

    I’m not here to tell you what the “right” rate is because it varies—different regions, markets, and even industries have their own standards. But if you’re new to drone content creation, it’s smart to charge a bit less at first. Your rate should reflect your skill level, and here’s a hard truth: most people think they’re better than they really are when starting out.

    If pros in your area charge $150/hour, take a good, honest look at their work. Are they producing professional-grade content for local businesses? If you’re just getting started, you might not be at their level yet—even if you feel your shots are better. Consider setting an introductory rate, maybe $100-$125/hour, until you’ve built up a portfolio of professional jobs.

    What you charge also depends on the type of work you’re doing. For example, my first paid gig was filming hole-by-hole flyovers for a local golf course. I knew I’d need multiple takes to get it right, and charging by the hour felt like I’d be billing them for my inexperience. Instead, I offered a flat rate per hole, which felt fair for the scale of the project.

    Here’s the bottom line—the TL;DR if you will: what you charge is a balance between your current skill level and what your time is worth to you.

    Reach Out to Potential Customers!

    The reality to earning that first $1,000 is that clients are highly unlikely to come looking for you. You are going to have to reach out. In my case I still ping golf courses here and there to offer my services. I always keep my drone in my truck when I travel anywhere because I never want to miss an opportunity to use my drone as a service. Here is a short list of what I have used my drone for at this point:

    • Filmed a firework show for a baseball team.
    • Helped a farmer locate lost livestock after major storms.
    • Helped someone check on their cabin after floods near a river.
    • Created a recruitment video for a D-III college baseball team.
    • Created 18 flyover videos for a local golf course. (Multiple times)
    • Helped a trailer company film a reveal video for a new trailer.
    • Took aerial photos for a major farm for promotional materials.
    • Inspected the roof of a barn that was leaking.
    • Inspected the roof of some homes after major hailstorms.
    • Helped hunter identify game trails on their property during the summer.

    Those are the ones that come to mind. Not all were paid gigs. I included all of them mostly to demonstrate how versatile a drone can be and how there are endless applications which you can use them to make an income.

    There is no denying that the market is saturated and drone operators are everywhere, but what is important to remember is the quality will always rise to the top. If you curate your work carefully. Build great clients who love your work. Then continue to seek out additional clients the money will come sooner than you think. Even if you are working for free in the beginning.