DroneReady Curriculum
FAA Part 107 · Careers

What you can do
with a Part 107.

One certificate unlocks a whole field of commercial drone work — from real estate and inspection to mapping, film, and public safety. Here's where a Part 107 can actually take you.

Where a Part 107 takes you

Every one of these is real, paid commercial drone work that requires the certificate.

Real estate & property photography

Aerial listing photos and video tours — one of the most common ways new Part 107 pilots start earning.

Construction & site mapping

Progress docs, volume/stockpile measurement, and as-built mapping for builders and developers.

Infrastructure inspection

Towers, rooftops, bridges, and solar — inspected closer and safer than putting a person up there.

Agriculture

Crop-health monitoring, stand counts, and field mapping for precision-ag operations.

Surveying & mapping / GIS

Photogrammetry and orthomosaics that feed engineering, land, and GIS workflows.

Film & cinematography

Aerial footage for productions, commercials, events, and creators.

Public safety & SAR

Search-and-rescue support, scene mapping, and situational awareness for agencies.

Insurance adjusting

Roof and property claims documented from the air — faster, safer, better data.

Energy & utilities

Power-line, pipeline, wind, and solar inspection across large, hard-to-reach sites.

Journalism

Aerial news gathering and storytelling for outlets and independent reporters.

What about the money?

Freelance drone work is often cited in the range of ~$50–150/hour depending on the niche, your market, and your deliverables — with mapping, inspection, and surveying typically paying more than basic photo/video. These figures are illustrative, not guarantees: your earnings depend on skill, equipment, clients, and local demand. Many pilots start as a side business and grow it.

For students, Part 107 is a resume-ready, industry-recognized credential — a concrete head start into any of the careers above.

It starts with one exam.

Everything on this page is downstream of passing the Part 107 knowledge test. DroneReady gets you — or your students — ready for it.