Could You Pass the Drone License Test?

The new exam is required nationwide for commercial use of drones.

1 minute read

September 14, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By Elana Eden


Drone

Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock

New federal regulations for commercial drones went into effect in late August, accompanied by a report from the National League of Cities on regulating drones at the local level.

Whereas previously, businesses had to get special exemptions from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly drones, the new rules allow would-be operators to obtain a license from the FAA. The FAA published a study guide for the license exam, which, as Quartz points out, is much more comprehensive than a driving test. 

If you've ever thought about getting into the drone business, try your luck with some sample questions. But be forewarned: The exam covers "everything from the classes of US airspace, aviation-related acronyms, how to act as a pilot, how weather affects aircraft, the physics of flying, Morse code, and, of course, how to fly a drone"—as well as "a deep understanding of cartography."

Monday, August 29, 2016 in Quartz

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