Is the Part 107 Test Hard? Pass Rates and the Topics That Trip People Up
Short answer: it is a real aviation exam, but most people pass it on the first try. Here is what the numbers say, which topics cause the most wrong answers, and how much study time is actually enough.
- The Part 107 knowledge test is 60 multiple-choice questions with a 2-hour time limit. You need 70 percent (42 correct) to pass
- FAA testing statistics show about 83 percent of test takers passed in 2025, with an average score of about 79 percent (FAA 2025 data, 73,914 tests)
- The questions people miss most involve sectional charts, airspace classes and aviation weather, not drone handling
- If you fail, you wait 14 calendar days and pay the $175 testing fee again, so one focused study pass is worth it
- There is no flight test and no medical exam. The knowledge test is the whole hurdle
What the test actually looks like
You take the test on a computer at a PSI testing center, usually at a local airport or testing office. You get 60 questions, two hours, and a booklet of printed charts and figures to reference. Most people finish with 30 to 45 minutes to spare. Nothing on the test asks you to fly anything, and you can miss 18 questions and still pass.
The questions are drawn from a published FAA bank of topics: regulations, airspace, weather, loading and performance, and operations. About a third of the test leans on reading sectional charts and understanding airspace, which is where most of the difficulty lives.
Why people call it hard
The test is not hard because the material is deep. It is hard because most of it is unfamiliar. If you have never read a sectional chart or a METAR, the first one looks like another language. A few examples of what trips people up:
- Sectional charts. Finding a small airport on the chart, working out whether its airspace is Class D or E, and reading the floor and ceiling numbers printed around it.
- Airspace classes. Knowing where Class E starts at 700 feet versus 1,200 feet, and when Class G means you need no authorization at all.
- METARs and TAFs. Decoding abbreviated weather reports, wind, visibility and cloud layers from a string like KFAR 251150Z 31015G25KT.
- Loading and performance. Center of gravity, density altitude on a hot day, and why a heavy drone loses performance.
None of this requires math beyond arithmetic or any aviation background. It just needs to be taught in plain language and practiced a few times, which is exactly what a ground school is for.
How much study time is enough
Our course material takes most people 1 to 3 hours to read straight through. Give yourself a week or two of casual study on top of that: read a section, take the quiz, and come back to charts and weather a second time. People who fail usually either skipped practice questions entirely or tried to cram the night before.
A good benchmark: when you can pass practice tests comfortably above 80 percent, you are ready. The real test gives you margin, since 70 percent passes.
What happens if you fail
You can retake the test after 14 calendar days, but you pay the full $175 PSI fee again each attempt. That makes the economics simple: a $59 course that gets you through on the first try costs a third of a single retake. Study once, pass once.
Frequently asked questions
What score do I need to pass the Part 107 test?
70 percent. That is 42 correct answers out of 60 questions. Your certificate looks the same whether you score 70 or 100.
How many people pass on the first try?
FAA airman knowledge test statistics in recent years show about 83 percent of test takers passed in 2025, with an average score of about 79 percent (FAA 2025 data, 73,914 tests). Prepared test takers pass. The people who struggle are usually the ones who walked in without studying charts and weather.
Is the Part 107 test harder than a driver's license test?
Yes, noticeably. It covers aviation charts, weather reports and federal regulations rather than common-sense road rules. But it is far easier than a private pilot exam, and there is no flight test attached.
Can I use notes or the internet during the test?
No. The testing center provides a printed supplement with the charts and figures the questions reference, plus scratch paper. Phones and notes stay outside.
Do wrong answers count against me?
No. Only correct answers are scored, so answer every question. An educated guess beats a blank.
Is the recurrent test hard too?
There is no recurrent test anymore. After your initial certificate, you complete free online recurrent training through the FAA every 24 months, and it is untimed with the answers reviewable. See our free recurrent training lesson.
Walk in prepared, walk out certified
47 lessons and 10 quizzes that cover every topic on the knowledge test, including the charts and weather questions that catch people.
Start the full course: $59/year Annual access · study at your own pace on any device