Drone Training in Illinois
Instructor-led FAA Part 107 preparation and professional drone courses, delivered at your site anywhere in Illinois by FAA Certified Flight Instructors.
Drone University Courses
5.00 (20K+ Joined)
FAA Part 107 Training
Prepare yourself for the FAA Part 107 Knowledge Test. Learn to fly, how to understand industry-standard flight systems, and most importantly, safe and legal flying practices. If you do not pass the FAA Part 107 exam after completing our training, we will either refund your training fee or retrain you at no additional cost.
DJI Mini 4K included!
Duration
$2,500
4.79 (5.4K Joined)
Advanced Aerial Inspections and Cinematography
This one-day course teaches you advanced aerial photography and videography. All classes are taught by working professionals. Learn what it takes to get great shots for clients like Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Duration
$1,000
4.96 (2.6K Joined)
This one-day course teaches you all about GIS. You will learn everything you need to successfully collect usable data on your flights. We’ll guide you through planning and flying successful operations, programing flight patterns.
Duration
$1,000
4.87 (1.6K+ Joined)
Drones in Agriculture
Join Drone Universities’ one-day Drones in Agriculture course. Learn precision flights, multispectral imaging, and field methodology to boost crop yield. Sign up now!
Duration
$1,000
4.82 (2.6K Joined)
Drones for Public Safety and Transportation
Learn to use drones for infrastructure inspection and planning. Our one-day course improves public safety and transportation by saving time, money, and resources.
Duration
$1,000
Practical Drone Training for Illinois Teams
Illinois combines busy urban airspace around Chicago with wide stretches of open farmland. A pilot working in the city has to account for two major airports, tall buildings, a municipal drone ordinance and park rules, while an operator downstate may need to cover large fields efficiently and safely in a single morning.
Drone Universities prepares pilots for both settings. Our courses cover the knowledge required for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, then put it into practice with supervised flights, preflight planning and airspace authorization exercises at your own location.
Groups range from a single new pilot to entire departments. Instructors adjust the classroom examples and flight exercises to your team’s experience, so newcomers build a solid foundation while experienced operators refine procedures for the work they already do.
Why Train with Drone Universities in Illinois
Teaching since 2014
Since our founding in 2014, Drone Universities has concentrated on in-person instruction rather than video-only courses.
Instructors who travel
We send instructors to clients in all 50 states, so Illinois businesses and agencies can train where they operate.
Aviation-grade instruction
FAA Certified Flight Instructors teach airspace, weather and risk management with a manned-aviation mindset.
Built around your mission
Flight exercises can focus on mapping, inspection, agriculture, public safety or content production.
Straightforward requests
Submit a request online or call 1.818.255.0406, and we will confirm a course plan with you.
Cities We Serve in Illinois
Instructors are available across Illinois, including:
Chicago
The city and its suburbs, where O'Hare and Midway shape almost every flight plan.
Aurora
The Fox Valley, near the Class D airspace of Aurora Municipal Airport.
Joliet
Will County's logistics and industrial corridor, close to the Class D airspace of Lewis University Airport in Romeoville.
Rockford
Northern Illinois manufacturing and aviation businesses around Chicago Rockford International Airport.
Springfield
State agencies and central Illinois organizations near the Class C airspace of Springfield's Capital Airport.
Peoria
The Illinois River valley and surrounding farm country near General Downing-Peoria International Airport.
Located elsewhere in Illinois? Let us know and we will plan training at your site. Request a course location »
Illinois Industries Using Drones
- Agriculture. Corn and soybean growers use drones for field scouting, stand counts and drainage review. Spray drones involve additional FAA approvals beyond Part 107.
- Logistics and warehousing. Distribution centers in the Joliet area and beyond use drones for roof inspection, yard documentation and facility planning.
- Construction and infrastructure. Contractors and engineering firms use aerial mapping for site progress, volume calculations and bridge or facade inspection.
- Real estate and media. Brokers, agencies and production teams use aerial imagery for listings, campaigns and events, subject to local rules.
- Public safety. Police, fire and emergency management agencies use drones for scene documentation, search support and incident overview, within the limits of Illinois law.
- Utilities and energy. Power, pipeline and renewable energy operators use drones to inspect assets and assess storm damage without putting crews at height.
Each course can be weighted toward the work your team does, from urban inspections to large-acreage field operations.
Illinois Airspace and Flying Notes
- Chicago Class B and Class C airspace. Chicago O’Hare International Airport is the primary airport of the Chicago Class B airspace, and Chicago Midway International Airport has its own Class C airspace. Part 107 flights in these areas require FAA authorization, usually requested through LAANC or FAA DroneZone.
- Other controlled airspace. General Downing-Peoria International and Springfield’s Capital Airport have Class C airspace. Chicago Rockford International, Aurora Municipal and Lewis University Airport in Romeoville have Class D airspace.
- City of Chicago ordinance. Chicago regulates small unmanned aircraft in city airspace under Municipal Code section 10-36-400. Operations authorized by the FAA, including flights under a Part 107 certificate, are not prohibited by that section but must also follow applicable municipal requirements. We review the ordinance during training.
- Chicago Park District. The Park District Code prohibits bringing, launching or landing any flying machine in its parks without a permit. Drone use is handled through a Special Event Permit, which requires an FAA Part 107 certified pilot and drone liability insurance.
- Illinois state sites. Illinois Department of Natural Resources rules require prior authorization from the Department to land aircraft on Department-owned, leased or managed property. Contact the site superintendent before planning any flight at a state park.
Requirements are updated from time to time. Verify current FAA, state, city and property rules, and secure the landowner’s permission, before every flight.
What to Expect from On-Site Training
- Start with a request. Fill out the request form or phone our team with your objectives, number of participants and timing.
- Finalize the schedule. We confirm the course, the instructor and a training site with room for classroom work and, where permitted, flight exercises.
- Train with your team. Your instructor teaches at your facility and supervises hands-on flights in conditions your pilots will recognize.
Request Drone Training Anywhere in Illinois
From a Chicago architecture firm to a central Illinois grain operation, we bring the classroom and the flight line to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly a drone commercially in Chicago?
Yes, if you hold an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate and obtain any required airspace authorization. You also need to follow Chicago’s municipal requirements and, in Chicago parks, obtain a Park District permit.
Do I need permission to fly in a Chicago park?
Yes. The Chicago Park District requires a permit to launch or land a drone on its property, issued through its Special Event Permit process.
How long is the Part 107 training course?
Our FAA Part 107 training is a two-day course that combines classroom instruction with practical exercises.
Do you train agricultural operators?
Yes. We can build flight exercises around field mapping and crop scouting, and explain the additional FAA requirements that apply to spray drones.
What if I do not pass the FAA Part 107 exam?
If you do not pass the FAA Part 107 exam after completing our training, we will either refund your training fee or retrain you at no additional cost.
How do I book training in Illinois?
Complete our training request form or call 1.818.255.0406, and we will plan the course with you.
