While free resources are great, piecing together study guides from different websites can be overwhelming. I have found the same to be true when trying to learn different programs through the years from Adobe Premiere to Adobe After Effects. Free resources are great if you’re just looking for a video how to do one specific thing, but if you really want to deep dive into something, it’s a huge help if there’s a curated set of videos for you.
If you want a structured, reliable path to passing the exam, I highly recommend the Pilot Institute Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot Course (Part 107 Made Easy). I personally took this course, and it helped me pass the test on my first try.
The course, designed by an FAA Certified Flight Instructor, breaks the extensive material down into 15 hours of short, manageable videos. Instead of just memorizing facts, the lessons actually taught me how to understand the concepts, which was crucial when I was staring at a complex airspace map during the real exam. I really like how the course was broken down into different sections from “Regulation” and “Airport Operations” to “Air Space” and “Weather Theory.” I really appreciated the quizzes in each section that helped me gauge how well I was retaining things. It even helped to go back and take those quizzes after I’d completed the section just to test whether or not I still understood the material.
I watched all the videos and took all the quizzes. They even recommended purchasing a physical copy of the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement, which I did and found very useful. I put in the time and easily passed the test.
It was a $159 investment (don’t feel bad though reaching out to places to see if there are any educational discounts though), but they offer a guarantee: if you fail the FAA exam, they will refund both your test fee and the cost of the course. For student journalists serious about getting licensed quickly and efficiently, this structured approach is absolutely worth the time and money.
