Part 107 as a Stepping Stone in an Aviation Career?

[JaketheGoat]

Hey everyone,

I’m curious to hear from those who have pursued or are pursuing aviation careers—has getting a Part 107 drone certification played any role in your journey? Do you think it adds value when applying for piloting jobs, or is it more of a niche certification?

For those working in commercial aviation, have you seen opportunities where drone experience (surveying, aerial photography, inspections, etc.) is beneficial? Would you recommend Part 107 as a way to gain aviation knowledge for someone looking to get into manned aircraft operations?

I’d love to hear thoughts from those in different aviation fields. Thanks in advance!

 

[Kingairer]

Hey everyone,

I’m curious to hear from those who have pursued or are pursuing aviation careers—has getting a Part 107 drone certification played any role in your journey? Do you think it adds value when applying for piloting jobs, or is it more of a niche certification?

For those working in commercial aviation, have you seen opportunities where drone experience (surveying, aerial photography, inspections, etc.) is beneficial? Would you recommend Part 107 as a way to gain aviation knowledge for someone looking to get into manned aircraft operations?

I’d love to hear thoughts from those in different aviation fields. Thanks in advance!

I think if you are already a certificated pilot, the part 107 certificate is an easy add on. I did it in one evening. So if you want to fly airplanes, I would work on that and then just tack on the 107 later. I figure it wouldnt hurt anything. I do not think it adds any meaningful value to a pilot's resume.

 

[CFI A&P]

From the available FAA Airmen Statistics, there are over 420,000 active UAS drone operators and more than 800,000 active airmen. Surely, there is some benefit to having the UAS certificate in certain markets, but it isn't exactly niche based on those numbers.

Personally, nearly all of my professional aviator friends have UAS certificates, yet only one of my friends is actively working in the field and that is because they were already in the survey business and added a drone division to his existing work.

Source:

https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics

 

[ahw01]

From the available FAA Airmen Statistics, there are over 420,000 active UAS drone operators and more than 800,000 active airmen. Surely, there is some benefit to having the UAS certificate in certain markets, but it isn't exactly niche based on those numbers.

Personally, nearly all of my professional aviator friends have UAS certificates, yet only one of my friends is actively working in the field and that is because they were already in the survey business and added a drone division to his existing work.

Source:

https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics

Yeh don’t forget initial certifications aren’t a great metric, gotta retake the written every 24 months…

 

[Pilot Fighter]

The 107 test covers a lot of material that’s in the PPL written, so there’s some utility in getting your 107. Beyond that, I don’t think anybody sees it as a career stepping stone.

A better path that few pursue is basic ground instructor (BGI) preceding or concurrent with PPL.

 

[CFIT99]

got my drone cert last year...got everything in the afternoon (very easy when already certified)

also no....having it doesn't help you progress career wise as a pilot...other than for your own knowledge.

 

[knot4u]

If you want to fly drones for money videoing real estate, mapping or movies it'd be essential. But that's much different than actually sitting in an airplane. I don't want to toss shade at the drone folks, but don't be this guy...

Man agrees to plead guilty in drone collision with Super Scooper over Palisades Fire

A Culver City man was arrested in a drone collision with a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft over the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.

www.nbclosangeles.com

 

[WacoFan]

If you want to fly drones for money videoing real estate, mapping or movies it'd be essential. But that's much different than actually sitting in an airplane. I don't want to toss shade at the drone folks, but don't be this guy...

Man agrees to plead guilty in drone collision with Super Scooper over Palisades Fire

A Culver City man was arrested in a drone collision with a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft over the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.

www.nbclosangeles.com

There is some interesting stuff going on in agriculture - really small drones that can spray small, weirdly shaped fields that you can't even get a small plane into like a Pawnee, Cessna or the like. Also some interesting software that can analyze a field and geo-map it looking for various nitrogen deficiencies in the crop - I know some guys at the University of Missouri that were working on this - they were doing it from a Piper Cherokee with a camera mounted but drones make it worthwhile. You can basically take images of a field with this special imaging equipment/software, upload it to a GPS in an ag-plane and then lay down customized fertilizer loads - that is the goal at least. Use less fertilizer more effectively, increase yields, etc. Drones make it a lot more cost-efficient and practical.

 

[Sculprit]

There is some interesting stuff going on in agriculture

Real estate, Ag, Adult Videos. The world (drones in this case) is your oyster! Get creative!

 

[Rosstafari]

I got my sUAS rating in an afternoon in CFI school because it was free. That’s the last time I did anything with drones, other than occasionally flying with a guy who wants to show me his vids.

Drone stuff is drone stuff, plane stuff is plane stuff. Focus on the one you actually want to do.

If you’re planning on the pilot track, don’t bother with the sUAS cert until you’ve already got the private done. It changes the requirement from a full checkride to a short test you take online. Then find a CFI who’ll sign you off. Or PM me and I’ll do it for you.