Part 107 weather and operations: free practice drills

Weather, loading and performance and operations together are about a third of the FAA Part 107 test: decoding METARs and TAFs, ceilings and visibility, density altitude, fog and thunderstorms, then airport operations, the traffic pattern, radio calls, crew resource management, decision-making and emergencies. The two free drills below are 12 original questions each, then the methods and traps.

~32%
of the real test: BKN / OVC
set the ceiling: °C
METAR temperatures: 2 × 12
free drill questions

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Weather codes from FAA guidance; rules from 14 CFR part 107

Free drills: 12 original Part 107-style questions each, at the real test's pace, then every answer explained. No sign-up.

12
questions
24 min
time limit
Free
every answer explained

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

How do you read a METAR for the Part 107 test?

Left to right in a fixed order: station, day and time in Zulu, wind, visibility, weather, sky condition, temperature and dew point in Celsius, and altimeter setting.

A METAR, group by group
Group	Example	Meaning
Station	KMBK	The airport identifier
Day and time	141753Z	The 14th of the month at 1753 Zulu (UTC)
Wind	21012G20KT	From 210° true at 12 knots, gusting 20
Visibility	6SM	6 statute miles
Weather	BR / -RA / TSRA	Mist / light rain / thunderstorm with rain
Sky	FEW008 BKN014 OVC030	Few at 800, broken at 1,400, overcast at 3,000 feet AGL
Temperature / dew point	18/16	18°C and 16°C
Altimeter	A2998	29.98 inches of mercury

Part 107-style question 1 · METAR
A METAR reads: KMBK 141753Z 21012KT 6SM BR FEW008 BKN014 OVC030 18/16 A2998. What is the ceiling?
1. A1,400 feet AGL
2. B800 feet AGL
3. C3,000 feet AGL
4. D6 statute miles
Worked answer
A: 1,400 feet AGL. The ceiling is the lowest broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) layer. FEW008 is a few clouds and does not count; BKN014 is broken at 1,400 feet AGL.
1. FEW008: few clouds, not a ceiling.
2. BKN014: broken at 1,400 feet.
3. So the ceiling is 1,400 feet AGL.
The trap: Taking the lowest layer (800 feet). Only broken or overcast layers make a ceiling.
Part 107-style question 2 · METAR
A METAR includes the group 18/16 just before the altimeter setting. What does that tell you?
1. ATemperature 18°C, dew point 16°C: the air is close to saturation, so fog or low clouds may form
2. BWind from 180° at 16 knots
3. CVisibility 18 miles with gusts to 16 knots
4. DTemperature 18°F and dew point 16°F: icing is certain
Show the worked answer
A: Temperature 18°C, dew point 16°C: the air is close to saturation, so fog or low clouds may form. The temperature and dew point group is in degrees Celsius. A spread of 2°C means the air is nearly saturated; with mist (BR) already reported, fog or lower clouds are likely.
1. 18/16 is temperature/dew point in °C.
2. Spread: 2°C, which is small.
3. Small spread: fog or low clouds likely.
The trap: Reading the group as Fahrenheit. METARs use Celsius.

More weather and operations practice

Four drills of 12 for weather and for operations, and both in each of eight full mocks, every answer explained.

The Part 107 Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The Part 107 Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the Part 107 Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

What weather topics are on the Part 107 test?

Density altitude and performance, stability and instability, fog, fronts, thunderstorms and microbursts, and how each affects a small drone.

High density altitude (hot, high, humid) means thinner air: less thrust, slower climbs and shorter battery life.
Stable air brings smooth flight, stratus clouds and poor visibility; unstable air brings cumulus clouds, turbulence and good visibility.
A small temperature and dew point spread means fog or low clouds are likely.
Thunderstorms need moisture, unstable air and lifting; a microburst can bring sudden strong downdrafts and wind shifts.
Load factor rises in a steep turn, which raises the stall speed of a fixed-wing drone and the power a multirotor needs.

What airport operations do drone pilots need to know?

Runway numbering, the traffic pattern and its legs, CTAF radio calls, and right of way: a drone always gives way to crewed aircraft.

Runway numbers are the magnetic heading divided by 10; the opposite end is 180° away.
The standard traffic pattern uses left turns: upwind, crosswind, downwind, base and final.
At a non-towered airport, pilots announce position on the CTAF; listen there to know where traffic is.
Radio calls use the phonetic alphabet and number words ("niner" for 9).
Times in aviation are Zulu (UTC); convert with your time zone offset.

Part 107-style question 1 · Airport operations
Aircraft at a non-towered airport are landing on runway 34. On what approximate magnetic heading are they landing, and what is the other end of the runway?
1. A340°; runway 16
2. B034°; runway 16
3. C340°; runway 52
4. D160°; runway 34
Worked answer
A: 340°; runway 16. Runway numbers are the magnetic heading divided by 10, rounded. Runway 34 points about 340°; the other end points 180° away, about 160°, which is runway 16.
1. 34 × 10 = 340°.
2. 340 − 180 = 160°.
3. 160 ÷ 10 = runway 16.
The trap: Adding 180 without wrapping around 360. Headings go from 001° to 360°.
Part 107-style question 2 · Time
A TFR is in effect from 1800Z to 2200Z. Your site is on Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4). Between what local times is the TFR in effect?
1. A2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT
2. B10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. EDT
3. C1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EDT
4. D6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. EDT
Show the worked answer
A: 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. Local time = Zulu (UTC) + the offset. EDT is UTC−4: 1800Z − 4 hours = 1400 (2:00 p.m.), and 2200Z − 4 = 1800 (6:00 p.m.).
1. EDT is UTC−4.
2. 1800 − 4 = 1400, 2:00 p.m.
3. 2200 − 4 = 1800, 6:00 p.m.
The trap: Adding the 4 hours. Local Eastern time is behind Zulu.

What does the Part 107 test ask about crew and decision-making?

Crew resource management, aeronautical decision-making, physiology (fatigue, stress, dehydration, medication), preflight inspection, and what to do after a lost link or flyaway.

Weather questions also connect to the rules: a METAR ceiling plus the 500-foot cloud rule on Part 107 regulations practice gives the highest you may fly. These questions usually describe a situation and ask for the safest choice: brief the visual observer before flight, stop when you are fatigued, land when a battery warning appears, follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule, and plan a lost-link procedure before take-off. Hazardous attitudes (anti-authority, impulsivity, invulnerability, macho, resignation) each have an antidote the test expects you to know.

Where do people lose points on Part 107 weather and operations?

On the ceiling, on Celsius, on Zulu time and on the opposite runway number.

Taking the lowest cloud layer as the ceiling. Only broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) counts.
Reading METAR temperatures as Fahrenheit.
Adding a western time zone offset instead of subtracting it.
Adding 180 to a runway heading without wrapping past 360.
Choosing to keep flying when a crewmember is unsure. The test always prefers the safe, conservative decision.

How is the Part 107 knowledge test scored?

It is 60 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, passed at 70%: 42 right. The score is for the whole test, not each area, and the knowledge test report shows the areas you missed.

The real test, with where each fact comes from
The test	Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG), the initial knowledge test for an FAA Remote Pilot CertificatePublished by the ownerFAA, "Become a Certificated Remote Pilot"
Questions and time	60 multiple-choice questions in 2 hoursPublished by the ownerFAA, "Become a Certificated Remote Pilot"
Passing score	70%, which is 42 of 60Published by the ownerFAA, "Become a Certificated Remote Pilot"
Where and cost	An FAA-approved knowledge testing center run by PSI; the fee is $175SourcedPSI, FAA airman knowledge testing
Who can take it	Age 16 or older, able to read, speak, write and understand English. Book with an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) from IACRAPublished by the owner14 CFR part 107, small unmanned aircraft systems (eCFR)
If you fail	Wait 14 days before you retestPublished by the owner14 CFR 107.71, retesting after failure (eCFR)
Staying current	Free online recurrent training every 24 calendar monthsPublished by the owner14 CFR part 107, small unmanned aircraft systems (eCFR)

Our free drills are 12 questions at the real test's pace (2 minutes a question), and each full mock has all 60 questions weighted like the FAA blueprint. More on the pass mark is on Part 107 passing score.

Frequently asked questions

How much weather is on the Part 107 test?

A small share, about 5% plus about 2% loading and performance in the current blueprint, but METARs are easy points once you know the order.

Are METAR wind directions true or magnetic?

True. Runway numbers and tower-reported winds are magnetic.

Do drones have right of way?

No. A small UAS must yield to all crewed aircraft.

Is this drill the real test?

No. It is Part 107-style practice with original questions. LifeScore is not affiliated with the FAA.

Turn weather and operations into easy points

Eight full Part 107-style mocks, four drills for each area and every answer explained, for one payment.