Commercial or recreational exploration with a drone in Wisconsin (and other parts of the country) begins with obtaining a license.
How do I get a drone license in Wisconsin?
Here's how to get your drone certification in Wisconsin.
- Meet the FAA's requirements to become a pilot.
- Get FTN
- Create a PSI account and confirm your testing appointment
- study
- Get a good score on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles General – Small (UAG)
- Send FAA Form 8710-13.
Were there more steps than you thought? In fact, most pilots say this! But don't worry.
With the concise steps and resources I provide, you can easily get your drone certification in Wisconsin.
Here's how to get your drone certification in Wisconsin.
Becoming a licensed drone pilot in Wisconsin can be very exciting. This is especially true if you choose a commercial qualification.
I'm not knocking your recreational license, but a remote pilot certificate (the name for a commercial license) allows you to use your drone to make money.
That being said, this is its biggest selling point.
But the FAA doesn't leave all the responsibility to you. You must first prove that you know the rules. This means passing a test called Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle General (UAG).
Let’s take a look at all the steps required to get licensed in Wisconsin.
Meet the FAA's requirements to become a pilot.
The FAA sets aviation rules for the United States. This means you can set requirements for who can become a commercial drone pilot.
You must have a full understanding of English (writing, reading, speaking, and understanding), be at least 16 years old, and be able to use a drone safely.
Those are the three requirements. However, there are no loopholes, so hopefully you can continue your journey to becoming a commercial drone pilot.
Get your FTN before registering for the exam
You are now ready for the second step: entering the FAA system using your FAA Tracking Number (FTN).
Since you don't have a certificate yet, this is your primary identifier, and even if you do have a certificate, the FAA uses the FTN to verify that you are still flying your drone.
How do I get FTN? You must sign up for IACRA or the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application.
IACRA is an FAA website designed primarily to help you apply for and ultimately obtain a license, but it also includes several educational resources for you to research.
It's free to join, and you'll be glad you did.
Here are the steps you need to follow to create an IACRA account:
- Visit the IACRA website here.
- From the homepage registration The link is under the Username and Password section in the top right.
- Select one or more roles depending on your aviation status. applicant You don't need a Part 107 certificate to enroll in this role, so it might be a good idea to click on it if the other roles are too advanced.
- Review IACRA's Short-Term Terms of Service and Continue We confirm your consent.
- Add your details below. Privacy This section contains your full name (including middle name), email address, gender, and date of birth.
- Take a look at IACRA's security questions and choose two. If you have forgotten your account credentials, IACRA will ask you one of the following questions, so enter an answer you can easily remember.
- Create an IACRA username and password. Your username cannot exceed 50 characters and must be at least 6 characters. Your password must be at least 12 characters long and contain numbers, symbols, and a mix of upper and lower case letters. However, you cannot use angle brackets or ampersands.
- click It is registered.
- IACRA will send you an account confirmation email. Click the link in the email to log in.
- Please review your account information to view your FTN.
Yes, you can skip it. Certificate information You select a section as an applicant, but this is not the case if you select a different role.
Create a PSI account and confirm your testing appointment
The third step to becoming a commercial drone pilot in Wisconsin is making an appointment for a test.
The FAA administers the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam at Knowledge Test Centers, in-person testing facilities across the country.
You will be tested at the Wisconsin Knowledge Testing Center, but you will not be able to secure an appointment without a PSI account.
PSI is a test administration service. We cover millions of exams, not just those for commercial pilots. As with IACRA, you can join PSI for free.
Let's review how.
- Visit PSI’s FAA portal here.
- Click Next. Create an account link.
- Enter your name and FTN and click OK. Continue.
- Once PSI has verified you, proceed with registration. Enter your name, email address, new username and password. Enter your password twice to confirm it and then click Next. Continue.
- Starting in late 2023, PSI will require you to have an authenticator app that supports multi-factor authentication. Download one.
- PSI will email you an account verification message.
- Once you receive the email, log in to PSI and click Next. Find a test center.
- Enter your Wisconsin zip code and select it. USA For the country.
- Select your distance to the knowledge test center from the dropdown.
- Choose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle General – Small (UAG) for test Fall down.
- click Continue.
- Review the list of Wisconsin knowledge testing centers populated by PSI. Choose one and schedule a testing appointment.
study
The information you keep in mind will be the deciding factor in whether you pass or fail the Part 107 exam. It's not just a matter of delaying receiving your remote control certificate.
For each failure, you lose $175. This is the same cost as taking the commercial exam.
That's why it's better to cut to the chase right away. Here are Droneblog's best resources for beginners looking to learn the Part 107 rules:
The course is taught by the largest experts in the drone field, including Pilot Research Institute, Drone Launch Academy, and Altex Academy.
Our instructors, who are current and former FAA pilots, understand the nuances of drone regulations and explain them clearly and concisely.
The modules are short but packed with information, and many build the course around practice quizzes at the end of each module.
Practice quizzes give you a preview of what the actual FAA exam will be like. This is because the questions were asked in past exams.
The pass rate for these courses is over 90%. If many students can pass the FAA exam and become commercial drone pilots, so can you!
Sure, you'll have to pay for the course, but you won't waste a penny. If you don't pass, you can rest assured that with our Part 107 course, you will receive a refund of the $175 you spent on the exam plus the course fee.
Get a good score on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle General – Small (UAG) exam
The time has come to take the commercial drone test to become certified. It's an exciting and anxiety-inducing time, but don't panic. You can leave it blank for you know.
It's a good idea to get a good night's sleep, eat nutritious and filling food, and set off early for your local knowledge test center. This way you don't have to worry about arriving late.
You will also need a valid government-issued photo ID. Don't forget that. Otherwise, you will not be able to take the exam.
The Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) test is presented in a multiple choice format and requires you to answer 60 questions in total.
You can use tools such as protractors and math calculators for 2 hours and 30 minutes. However, these items are not required and will not be provided to you.
One of the items you cannot bring with you when taking the test is a smartphone or other mobile device. It must be kept in a locker.
You must answer 42 questions correctly to get exactly the 70% score that the FAA requires to pass the exam.
You may be eagerly awaiting IACRA to post the results, but it may take days, sometimes weeks. I know it's an agonizing wait. In the meantime, try to keep yourself busy with other things.
If you don't pass, remember that this isn't your only attempt. If you feel down, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, re-enroll, and study harder. You can retake the exam two weeks after your first attempt.
drone launch academy
To help you apply the knowledge you've gathered, you can take a practice test of over 200 questions. DLA culled these questions from actual FAA exams.
Enroll in this course
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
Send FAA Form 8710-13.
Once you achieve a passing score, you can officially request a remote pilot certificate by sending FAA Form 8710-13.
This form is provided by IACRA and is free to access and complete.
Find out below Start a new application menu. Next you need to choose one of the following: Application type.
Make your selection here. pilotand then select remote pilot Under certification part time job. click Other route informationThen Start applicationClick and submit the form.
IACRA sends your information to TSA for a background check.
If you pass, IACRA will issue a confirmation email containing a printable version of your Part 107 license along with instructions for downloading, printing, and using it.
Long story short, this license is a replacement until the FAA mails you an actual Part 107 license.
altitude university
Our online Part 107 preparation course includes over 120 course objectives. Practice tests consisting of actual FAA exam questions are also very important.
Enroll in this course
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
I have a drone license in Wisconsin. What should I do now?
You have completed all training and registration required to obtain your commercial drone license. Although you can fly pretty much freely in Wisconsin (within FAA regulations, of course), there are a few more things you need to do.
For example, you need to register your drone. The FAA requires registration for all commercial drones, which adds an extra $3 for each drone you own.
You will also need to purchase drone insurance, which can be added on top of your existing insurance.
The reason I've always been so passionate about insurance for new pilots is because accidents happen. Insurance is like a safety net that prevents your finances from being depleted in the aftermath.
You should also check Wisconsin state and local drone laws so you know your stuff when flying.
Here are some local laws you should be aware of:
- Greenfield prohibits the use of drones outside of the pilot's line of sight. Additionally, you may not fly autonomous drones or use UAVs within 500 feet of any gathering of more than 100 people, active emergency vehicles, schools during classes or events, or closed municipal facilities.
- Chetek has a municipal law that prevents drone pilots from accessing the Chetek Municipal Airport.
- Outagamie County also bans drones near the airport.
- Green Bay does not allow pilots to fly below 400 feet of famed Lambeau Field during events, including Packers games.
Statewide, 941.292 makes it illegal to weaponize drones, while 942.10 prohibits pilots from violating the privacy of others. Both crimes could result in gross misdemeanor charges.
Oh, and last but not least, there's the matter of renewing your drone license. This is something that needs to be done every two years if you want to continue flying commercially.
You no longer need to take the Part 107 exam. Instead, the FAA offers a free online test for renewal. Learn more here.