FAA 107 Commercial Applications & Business Operations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A commercial drone operator wants to subcontract a flight to another pilot. Which requirement must the subcontracted pilot meet?
- They must hold a valid Part 107 remote pilot certificate (Correct answer)
- They only need a recreational UAS safety test certificate
- They can fly under the contracting company's certificate as a co-pilot
- Subcontracting drone work is prohibited under Part 107
Correct answer: They must hold a valid Part 107 remote pilot certificate
Any person acting as RPIC for compensation must hold their own valid Part 107 remote pilot certificate.
Question 2: A drone inspection company operates in multiple states. Which of the following is NOT required by the FAA for each state they operate in?
- FAA drone registration (federal, single national registration)
- Part 107 remote pilot certificate for each RPIC
- A separate FAA operating license for each state (Correct answer)
- LAANC authorization where applicable to the specific airspace
Correct answer: A separate FAA operating license for each state
FAA drone registration and Part 107 certification are federal and apply nationwide; there is no state-by-state FAA operating license requirement.
Question 3: Which factor most directly affects the pricing strategy for a commercial drone inspection service compared to traditional manned aviation inspections?
- Drones require more fuel, increasing per-flight costs
- Significantly lower mobilization costs and ability to access hazardous areas safely (Correct answer)
- Drone inspections always require FAA-certified data analysts
- Manned inspections are always more accurate, limiting drone premium pricing
Correct answer: Significantly lower mobilization costs and ability to access hazardous areas safely
Drones offer dramatically lower mobilization costs and allow inspection of dangerous or inaccessible areas, which drives competitive pricing and market differentiation.
Question 4: A client signs a contract requiring drone footage deliverables, but on the shoot day, the airspace authorization is denied. What is the operator's best course of action?
- Fly anyway and seek forgiveness from the FAA afterward
- Inform the client, reschedule, and re-apply for authorization for the new date (Correct answer)
- Use a recreational exemption to complete the flight legally
- Appeal to the local FSDO for an immediate override
Correct answer: Inform the client, reschedule, and re-apply for authorization for the new date
If authorization is denied, the operator must not fly in controlled airspace; rescheduling and reapplying is the proper professional and legal response.
Question 5: What is the minimum recurrency requirement to maintain an active Part 107 remote pilot certificate?
- Annual flight log review submitted to the FAA
- Pass a recurrent knowledge test at an approved testing center every 24 calendar months (Correct answer)
- Complete 10 flight hours every 12 months
- Attend an FAA safety seminar once every two years
Correct answer: Pass a recurrent knowledge test at an approved testing center every 24 calendar months
Remote pilots must pass a recurrent aeronautical knowledge test (or complete an online recurrent training course under updated rules) every 24 calendar months to keep the certificate current.
Question 6: A drone company is considering offering 'drone as a service' to municipalities for traffic monitoring. Which operational challenge is most unique to this commercial application?
- Municipalities are exempt from FAA oversight
- Traffic monitoring requires flying over moving vehicles, which needs a Part 107 waiver (Correct answer)
- Drones cannot transmit live video feeds under current FCC rules
- Local government contracts are prohibited from using Part 107 certified operators
Correct answer: Traffic monitoring requires flying over moving vehicles, which needs a Part 107 waiver
Traffic monitoring over moving vehicles on public roads requires a Part 107 waiver under 107.39, making it more complex than standard drone services.
Question 7: A Part 107 remote pilot discovers mid-flight that a TFR has been activated over the area they are operating. What is the correct action?
- Continue the flight if it was authorized before the TFR was issued
- Immediately land the drone as safely and quickly as possible (Correct answer)
- Climb above the TFR altitude ceiling and continue
- Contact ATC by radio and request a TFR exemption
Correct answer: Immediately land the drone as safely and quickly as possible
A newly issued TFR creates an immediate prohibition; the RPIC must land the drone as soon as safely possible to avoid violating restricted airspace.
FAA 107 Commercial Applications & Business Operations 5
A commercial drone operator wants to subcontract a flight to another pilot.
Which requirement must the subcontracted pilot meet?