Why Get Your Part 107

A Remote Pilot Certificate isn't just a piece of paper — it's a license to earn. Here's what it unlocks.

$50–$200 Average hourly rate for licensed drone services
$58B Projected size of the U.S. commercial drone market by 2030
350K+ Active Part 107 certified pilots in the U.S. — and growing

Real Career Paths Behind The License

Every one of these is a service licensed pilots get paid for right now.

Real Estate Aerial Photography

$150–$500 / shoot

Photos and video for residential and commercial listings. Agents need them for premium properties, and most can't shoot their own. High-volume, repeatable work.

Side Income Local Market

Construction Progress Documentation

$400–$1,500 / month

Recurring monthly visits to active construction sites, capturing progress shots for general contractors, developers, and investors. Subscription-style revenue.

Recurring Revenue B2B

Roof & Property Inspections

$200–$600 / inspection

Insurance adjusters, roofing companies, and home inspectors hire drone pilots to inspect roofs and structures safely from the air. High demand after storms.

Storm Season B2B

Mapping & Surveying

$1,000–$5,000 / project

Topographic maps, 3D models, and orthomosaic imagery for surveyors, civil engineers, and land developers. Higher technical bar, much higher pay.

Specialized Highest Pay

Wedding & Event Cinematography

$300–$1,200 / event

Couples and event planners pay premium for cinematic aerial coverage. Pairs naturally with existing photo/video work and weekend availability.

Creative Weekend Work

Agricultural Inspections

$200–$800 / flight

Farmers and agronomists use multispectral drones to scout crop health, identify problem areas, and monitor irrigation. Booming in rural markets.

Rural Markets Growing

Public Safety & First Response

$45K–$95K / year

Many police departments, fire departments, and SAR teams hire certified drone operators full-time. Public-sector benefits and pension included.

Government Full-time

YouTube & Content Creation

Variable

Travel vloggers, real estate influencers, and outdoor channels need licensed pilots for B-roll. Even monetized YouTube channels of your own require Part 107.

Personal Brand Scalable

Utility & Infrastructure Inspection

$60K–$110K / year

Power companies, cell tower operators, and pipeline owners hire certified pilots to inspect critical infrastructure. Often W-2 work with travel.

Travel High Salary

Tourism & Hospitality

$300–$2,000 / project

Hotels, resorts, golf courses, and tourism boards need professional aerial content for marketing. Often higher per-project rates than real estate.

Marketing Travel

It's Not Just Paid Work — It's Legal Protection

  • Posting drone footage on a business social media account? You need Part 107.
  • Monetizing a YouTube channel with drone content? You need Part 107.
  • Letting a friend pay you to shoot their wedding venue? You need Part 107.
  • Working in real estate, construction, or insurance? Even one drone shoot for the company means you need Part 107.
  • Selling photos or footage you captured? Yes — you need Part 107.
  • Flying without it for any commercial purpose can mean civil penalties up to $32,666 per violation. The FAA enforces this.
Add-On Course

Once You're Licensed

Turn Your License Into A Real Drone Business

The license gets you in the door. The business side is what actually pays the bills. Drone Business Mastery is the complete playbook I used to build Clearpoint Aerial — available as a separate add-on once you've got your Part 107.

  • LLC formation, EIN, business banking
  • How to price every service correctly
  • Insurance: liability, hull, on-demand options
  • Drone buying guide — what to buy first
  • Marketing & landing your first 10 clients
  • Post-production & client delivery workflows
$9.99 add-on for course buyers
Learn More →