How to become
a drone pilot

In Chapter 1, you'll learn all about what it takes to become a drone pilot! You'll learn:

● What drones are and the careers you can have with them  
● What The FAA does and all about the Part 107 Exam
● How to register and label your drone
● The four categories of operations
●  What the Remote Pilot in Command and their crew does
●  Checklists! Pilots love checklists. Especially Pre-Flight Checklists
● The physics of flying of flying your drone! 

In Chapter 2, you'll learn all the rules and the core limitations of flying! You'll learn:

● The core Limitations of flying about speed, height, clouds, visibility
● The rules of flying over crowds of people, over moving cars, and from moving cars!
● The difference between Mean Sea Level and Above Ground Level 
● What special waivers are and how to apply for one
● The rules and best practices of flying at night
● How our eyes work (and how they play tricks on us) 

Chapter 3 is a hefty one! Here, you'll learn all about Controlled Airspace and how to read cool, complex maps that airplane pilots use every single day! In Chapter 3, you'll learn:

● What controlled airspace is and what Air Traffic Controllers do 
● How to read special, intense pilot maps called 'Sectional Charts' 
● The 6 different classes of Airspace and how to find them 
● Extremely dangerous airspace called Special Use Airspace   
● How to find coordinates using longitude and latitude
● How runways and traffic patterns work at airports 
● How to break down tricky test questions from the FAA about Sectional Charts  

Chapter 4 is all about the weather, which is extremely important for all pilots! In Chapter 4, you'll learn:  

● What the best (and worst) kind of weather is to fly your drone in
● Density Altitude, and how the thickness of air can affect your flight
● How weather like wind, clouds, fog, frost, and moisture can impact your drone missions
● Really threatening thunderstorm clouds and severe weather
● How to decode scary weather reports called METAR and TAF Reports that airplane pilots rely on every single day! 

Chapter 5 is all about communicating over the radio! In this chapter, you'll learn:  

● How pilots use their own alphabet and codes to talk to each other in the sky
● How pilots say numbers, directions, and time and introduce themselves to Air Traffic Controllers
● The different frequencies that pilots use to communicate to experts at airports and other pilots in the sky. These frequencies include CTAF, UNICOM, MULTICOM, and ATIS! 

You've learned a lot of the rules! What's next? Chapter 6 is all about the practice steps you can take. Here, you'll learn: 

● How gravity works as it applies to your drone, like its center of gravity and the four principles of aerodynamics, and the phases of how an aircraft performs!
● How the weight of your drone can impact its performance
● What a drone's 'Load Factor' is and how to read a Load Factor Chart!
● What Remote ID is, and how it affects where you can and can't fly! 
● Important paperwork like Declarations of Compliance, Means of Compliance, and Waivers
● How to perform maintenance your drone, just like you would a car

Awesome! You know nearly everything there is to know about the rules of flying a drone in the U.S. Now, it's time to check in with yourself and see how fit you are to fly! In Chapter 7, you'll learn: 

● Unsafe behavior, hazardous attitudes, and soulitions to them
● How pilots use different models and checklists to stay safe, avoid risks, and make better decisions 
● How to avoid hidden hazards to prevent drone accidents!
● How to take care of your mental and physical health 

This curriculum was developed by Tech Kids Unlimited and PaTTAN.