Is the Part 107 Test Hard?

Updated 2026-10-17. Independent guide, not affiliated with the FAA.

Short answer: It is passable but not trivial. In 2025, 82.96% of the 73,914 Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) test attempts passed, so about 1 in 6 attempts failed. You need 70% on the 60 scored questions; the 2-hour session also includes 5 unscored validation questions, so you see 65. Most misses come from sectional charts, weather reports and exact rule numbers, and from October 26, 2026 the chart questions use images you have not seen before.

What is the Part 107 pass rate?

The FAA has not published pass rates for the new format that starts October 26, 2026.

What is on the test?

• 60 scored multiple-choice questions plus 5 unscored validation questions (65 shown), 2 hours, 70% to pass (FAA Remote Pilot ACS: faa.gov).
• Areas: regulations, airspace and requirements (including sectional charts), weather, loading and performance, and operations.
• Fee: about $175 at a PSI testing center. A fail means a 14-day wait before you can retest (14 CFR 107.71).

Why do people fail?

1. Sectional charts. Airspace boundaries, Class D ceilings in brackets, part-time towers, obstacle MSL vs AGL. These are the questions people describe as "I knew it but could not find it on the chart".
2. METAR and TAF decoding. One misread group (for example BKN008 as 8,000 ft instead of 800 ft) costs a question.
3. Exact numbers. 400 ft, 87 knots, 3 statute miles, 500 ft below clouds, 2,000 ft horizontal, 14 days, 24 calendar months.
4. Loading. Load factor in turns and center of gravity questions.
5. Memorizing the supplement. Until now many people learned the testing supplement figures. From October 26, 2026 some chart images come from recent sectionals and are not in the supplement (FAA ATCA, September 2026 Special Edition: faa.gov).

How do I know I am ready?

There is no official readiness score. A practical bar many instructors use: score 80% or better on several full, timed 60-question practice tests in a row, and be able to explain why each wrong answer is wrong. Then check charts you have never seen, because that is what the new questions use.

Worked example: the METAR trap

KSFO 161756Z 29012KT 10SM BKN008 OVC015 14/11 A3001

• BKN008 = broken clouds at 800 ft AGL, the ceiling.
• Part 107 requires 500 ft below clouds. At 400 ft AGL you would be 400 ft below the base, so you could not fly at 400 ft. The highest legal altitude here is 300 ft AGL.

Check yourself on unseen charts

The fastest way to answer "is it hard for me?" is to try it. Take the free chart diagnostic: 10 real FAA sectional excerpts, worked explanations, no signup.

FAQ

Is the Part 107 test harder than the TRUST?

Yes. TRUST is a free online course and test for recreational flyers that you can retake right away if you miss a question. Part 107 is a proctored FAA knowledge test at a testing center.

How long should I study?

There is no official number. Take a diagnostic first, then study until you score 80%+ on full timed practice tests.

Did the test get harder on October 26, 2026?

The FAA added image questions from recent sectionals that are not in the testing supplement. The number of questions, time and pass mark did not change in the FAA advisory.

What score do I need?

70%, which is 42 of 60.

Can I take it online?

The initial Part 107 knowledge test is taken in person at an FAA-approved testing center. Recurrent training is online and free.