Tools
Free drone tools
Work through licensing, registration, airspace, exam readiness, mission planning, aircraft choice, and job economics with the source beside the answer.
23 toolsChoose a question
Start where the uncertainty is.
Each tool narrows a real pilot decision and points to the official FAA system, rule, or source that controls the final answer.
Before you fly
What the FAA requires of you, and whether this flight is legal here and now.
- Do I need a license?Answer two questions to see what the FAA requires of you: Part 107 or the free TRUST test, registration, and Remote ID.Replaces: Paid course orientation and confusing FAA flowcharts.
- Do I need to register?Enter the weight and how you fly to see whether you must register, how many registrations you need, and the steps.Replaces: Third-party registration upsells above the FAA's $5 fee.
- Can I fly here?Pin the launch point, describe the mission, and record the live FAA, weather, aircraft, pilot, and ground-permission checks in one packet.Replaces: Treating a green map color as blanket permission to launch.
- Drone TFR trackerEvery active FAA flight restriction, drone-only zones first, with times, radius, and altitude from each NOTAM. Refreshed hourly.Replaces: Scrolling the raw FAA list or finding out about a stadium TFR after takeoff.
- Can I fly over people or moving vehicles?Test aircraft category, crowd, sustained-flight, site, notice, Remote ID, and moving-vehicle conditions against the Part 107 path.Replaces: Treating one aircraft weight or prop guard as automatic permission to fly over anyone.
- Does my drone have Remote ID?Search every FAA-accepted Remote ID declaration by brand, model, or FCC ID, with firmware minimums and the approved broadcast modules.Replaces: Guessing from a spec sheet or an old forum list.
- Why won't my drone take off?Pick what the app shows. Get the cause, the fix, and whether the fix is legal, from DJI warning zones to Remote ID errors and sensor warnings.Replaces: Old unlock guides written before DJI changed its GEO system.
- My drone crashed. Now what?Six questions tell you whether you owe the FAA a report within 10 days, the NTSB a call right now, or neither.Replaces: Forum threads that cite a repealed 300-pound NTSB threshold.
Your drone
Buying, owning, traveling with, and keeping an aircraft supported.
- Drone finderMatch a reviewed aircraft to your mission, experience, budget, weight preference, and DJI supply tolerance.Replaces: Buying the highest-scored drone without checking whether it fits the work.
- Is my drone banned?Pick the aircraft or paste its FCC ID. See what is final, what is only proposed, and what it means for owning, buying, or procuring it.Replaces: Undated 'DJI ban' threads and rumor.
- Is my drone still supported?DJI's end-of-service dates for 140 products, the latest firmware for current drones, and Autel's lifecycle notices, each linked to the maker's own page.Replaces: Finding out at the repair counter.
- Can my drone battery fly?Pick the aircraft to see the watt-hours of every battery the maker sells for it, the FAA airline band, and how to pack it.Replaces: Guessing from forum threads at the security line.
- Which DJI goggles work with my drone?DJI's own compatibility matrix, 14 devices against 17 aircraft, plus the firmware minimums and the pairings where intelligent flight modes are switched off.Replaces: A 2023 DJI PDF that predates Goggles 3, Goggles N3, and RC Motion 3.
- International drone rulesSearch country-by-country travel rules: import traps, registration, permits, commercial rules, official links, and airspace maps.Replaces: Outdated forum posts before an international drone trip.
Part 107 exam
Check your readiness against the current test blueprint.
Paid drone work
Scope, approvals, and economics before you quote a job.
- Commercial requirements checkerBuild the likely requirement stack for paid missions: Part 107, registration, Remote ID, LAANC, waivers, Part 137, and heavy UAS.Replaces: Assuming Part 107 automatically covers every commercial drone job.
- Drone operations plannerBuild a mission brief, assess hazards, print the preflight plan, and keep local flight and maintenance records.Replaces: Scattered notes, generic checklists, and disconnected flight-log spreadsheets.
- Drone job profit calculatorEstimate net hourly pay after platform fees, drive time, editing, insurance, gear reserve, taxes, and reshoot risk.Replaces: Accepting a low-margin drone gig because the gross pay looked fine.
- Drone mapping calculatorEstimate GSD, image footprint, overlap spacing, photo count, route length, batteries, and field time for a nadir grid.Replaces: Guessing mission duration from acreage or the aircraft's published battery maximum.
- Spray-drone acreage calculatorEstimate straight-pass and planned acres per hour, mixture volume, tank loads, battery cycles, spray flow, service stops, and total field time.Replaces: Quoting an agriculture job from one ideal acres-per-hour claim.
- Inspection deliverables builderBuild the shot list, file manifest, field controls, QA checks, package, and qualified-review handoff for roofs, solar arrays, bridges, towers, and facades.Replaces: Sending a client an unlabeled folder of inspection images with no coverage or review record.
Pilots and places
Clubs, chapters, and flying sites, each labeled by source.
- Find a drone communitySearch MultiGP FPV chapters, AMA clubs and flying sites, and FAA-recognized community organizations by location and discipline.Replaces: Digging through old Facebook posts, abandoned directories, and mixed RC listings.
- Find a place to flyExplore source-labeled fixed sites, FRIAs, and flying fields, then verify airspace, access, land-manager rules, and current conditions before launch.Replaces: Treating a generic map pin as permission or flight clearance.
| Question | Free path | When to pay |
|---|---|---|
| Do I need Part 107? | Use the license checker first. | Pay for a course if you want video lessons or instructor support. |
| Do I need to register? | Use the checker, then register directly at FAADroneZone. | Do not pay a third party just to file the basic FAA registration. |
| Can I fly here? | Read the airspace flow, then use B4UFLY or an FAA-approved LAANC app. | Pay only if you need fleet logging, team management, or business features. |
| Can I fly over people or traffic? | Use the people and moving-vehicle decision lab, then verify the aircraft eligibility documents and live mission conditions. | Seek waiver or aviation counsel support only when the standard rule path cannot support the operation. |
| Where can I meet pilots? | Use Places to Fly as a source-labeled directory, then verify the listing and airspace. | Pay only for club dues, field access, or event fees when the source requires it. |
| Is this drone job worth it? | Run the profit calculator before accepting the mission. | Pay for bookkeeping, tax, or legal support once work volume justifies it. |
| What approvals does paid work need? | Use the commercial requirements checker before quoting specialized work. | Pay for professional help when the job involves waivers, public agencies, spraying, or heavy UAS. |
| Am I ready for the exam? | Take the free practice test and drill the free flashcards. | Pay for a pass guarantee if failing would cost you more than the course. |
Free study hub
Five Part 107 modules with flashcards, quizzes, and matching audio.
Paid course comparison
An unranked comparison for pilots who want video lessons, instructor support, or a pass guarantee.
Rule library
Federal rules, state pages, Remote ID, registration, and LAANC.
Common questions
Are Drone Authority tools free?
Yes. The license checker, registration checker, airspace guide, and Part 107 practice test are free to use and do not require a signup.
Do these tools replace official FAA systems?
No. They help you understand what applies to you. For live airspace authorization, use an FAA-approved LAANC app. For registration, use FAADroneZone directly.
Do I need to pay for a Part 107 course?
Not always. Many pilots can start with free study modules, flashcards, practice questions, charts, and the study podcast. A paid course makes sense if you want video lessons, instructor support, or a pass guarantee.
Can these tools tell me whether a drone job is worth taking?
The profit calculator estimates net hourly pay after costs and reserves. It is a planning tool, not tax, legal, or client pricing advice.
Can the mapping calculator build a flight plan?
No. It estimates GSD, overlap spacing, photos, route distance, batteries, and field time for scoping. Build and verify the actual mission in compatible flight-planning software.
Can the spray-drone calculator choose an application rate?
No. It estimates coverage and field time from the values you enter. The current product label, calibrated spray system, operator credentials, FAA approvals, state rules, and field conditions control the operation.
Can the inspection builder diagnose a defect?
No. It builds a structure-specific capture and handoff scope. A qualified roofer, adjuster, thermographer, PV specialist, bridge team leader, tower owner, architect, engineer, or envelope consultant owns the professional conclusion.
Can Drone Authority register my drone for me?
No. The safest path is to register directly with the FAA at FAADroneZone. Drone Authority explains the requirement and points you to the official $5 registration flow.