Drone Flying Lessons for Individuals, at Your Location
Private, hands-on drone flying lessons for people learning on their own: first-time flyers, hobbyists, future Part 107 pilots, career changers and retirees. An FAA Certified Flight Instructor comes to you, anywhere in the United States, and teaches at your pace.
Courses individuals take most often
Every course below can be taught one-on-one or to a small group of family members or friends at your location. Tell us which one interests you, or describe your goal and we will suggest a starting point.
FAA Part 107 Training
2-day course. In-person preparation for the FAA Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) knowledge test: airspace and sectional charts, weather, regulations, loading and performance, and how to schedule the exam.
Introduction to Drones
Foundations course. The fundamentals of flying: takeoff, landing and maneuvering, how modern flight systems work, and the FAA rules for safe and legal flights, with a path into Part 107 test preparation.
Drone Photography and Videography
1-day course. Camera settings, composition and smooth flight paths for aerial photos and video, taught by working professionals for creative and client projects.
Drone GIS and Mapping
1-day course. Plan and fly automated mapping missions, then turn the images into orthomosaic maps and surface models used in surveying, construction and land management.
See every program on the drone courses page, or request training at a location that suits you.
Who are drone flying lessons for?
Anyone who wants to learn to fly a drone well, whatever the reason. Most of our students come to us as individuals rather than as part of a company or agency. Some fly purely for fun, some want an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate so they can offer paid services or start a side business, some are changing careers, and some are retirees who want a new skill. Lessons are private or in a small group you choose, and an FAA Certified Flight Instructor travels to you in all 50 states.
Request training or call 1.818.255.0406.
Why individuals learn to fly with Drone Universities
The instructor comes to you
Lessons take place at your home, a local park or field, a property you manage, or another suitable site near you, in any state.
Your goals set the plan
A lesson for a nervous first-time flyer looks very different from Part 107 test preparation, so each session is shaped around what you want to do.
Private or small group
Learn one-on-one, or bring a spouse, friend, parent or business partner and train together with full instructor attention.
Teaching since 2014
Drone Universities has trained more than 20,000 students and was the First FAA Compliant Drone School, based in Los Angeles.
FAA Certified Flight Instructors
Lessons are led by instructors who hold FAA flight instructor certificates and teach the current FAA rules.
Beginner drone classes for first-time flyers and hobbyists
If you have never flown before, or you own a drone and do not yet trust yourself with it, beginner drone classes are the quickest way to build real confidence. Learning with an instructor beside you means mistakes happen at low altitude, in open space, with someone who can explain what went wrong and how to correct it.
A typical first lesson covers:
- Pre-flight habits. Battery and propeller checks, compass and GPS status, return-to-home settings, and reading the weather and wind before launching.
- Core stick skills. Smooth takeoffs and landings, hovering in place, orientation when the drone faces you, and flying simple patterns such as squares, circles and figure eights.
- What to do when things go wrong. Loss of GPS, low battery warnings, strong gusts and lost video link, practiced calmly so they are familiar before they happen on your own.
- Where you may fly. How to check the airspace before every flight, why some parks and neighborhoods are off limits, and the basics of no-fly zones and restricted airspace.
Hobbyists often add a session on camera work once the basics feel natural, and many return for Part 107 preparation later. Our list of the top mistakes new drone pilots make is a good read before your first lesson.
Part 107 lessons for paid work or a drone business
Many students want to use a drone to earn money, whether that means occasional real estate photos, roof and property checks, event video, or a full drone business. The FAA treats any flight that supports a business purpose as a Part 107 operation, so the first step is an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.
Private Part 107 lessons focus on the knowledge test and the practical habits a paying client expects: planning a mission, getting airspace authorization, briefing a property owner, and flying a repeatable shot list. We do not promise any level of earnings. What we can do is help you meet the FAA requirements, fly competently, and understand the steps covered in our guide on how to start your own drone business, such as registering each drone, considering insurance and building a portfolio.
Drone classes for adults changing careers
Career changers come to us from construction, real estate, photography, farming, public safety, the military and many other fields. Often the strongest path is to pair a drone with the knowledge you already have, for example a contractor who learns mapping or a photographer who adds aerial work.
Drone classes for adults in this situation usually combine Part 107 preparation with one specialty course, so you leave with both the certificate and a skill you can show. Our instructors can talk through which specialty fits your background, and the FAA Part 107 certification guide explains the certificate in more detail.
Drone flying lessons for retirees
Retirees are some of our most enthusiastic students. Some want to photograph travel, family events or a favorite landscape, some want to volunteer their skills, and some are curious about part-time aerial work. There is no maximum age for an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate; the FAA requires that you be at least 16, read, speak, write and understand English, and be in a physical and mental condition to fly safely.
Private lessons suit retirees well because the pace is yours. We can spend extra time on controller handling, screen visibility in bright sun, or the airspace rules, and we can teach at a park or property close to home.
Private one-on-one and small-group drone lessons in all 50 states
Drone Universities is based at 7222 Canoga Ave., Los Angeles, CA 91303, and our FAA Certified Flight Instructors travel to students in all 50 states. Instead of fitting into a fixed class calendar far from home, you choose a suitable location and we plan the lesson around it. Learn more about in-person drone training at your location.
One-on-one
The instructor works only with you. This is the most common choice for beginners, Part 107 candidates and anyone who wants to move at their own speed.
Small group
Two or more people who know each other, such as a couple, friends or business partners, train together and share the same session.
Your own drone
Tell us what aircraft you fly. Learning on your own drone means every skill transfers directly to the flights you make afterward.
See where we have taught on the course locations page, with state pages such as Texas, Florida and New York. Employers and agencies training several staff members can compare options on drone training for organizations.
How drone flying lessons work
- Request training. Use the request training form or call 1.818.255.0406. Tell us where you are, what you want to learn and whether you already own a drone.
- Plan the lesson. We confirm the course, the date, the location and any preparation, and check that the site is suitable for flying.
- Learn and fly. Your instructor covers the knowledge you need and then supervises hands-on flying, building from simple maneuvers to the tasks you care about.
- Take your next step. Fly on your own with confidence, schedule your Part 107 knowledge test at an FAA knowledge testing center, or add a specialty course.
Part 107 basics: how to become an FAA certified drone pilot
To fly under 14 CFR Part 107, you need an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate. The FAA steps are:
- Create a profile in the FAA IACRA system to receive an FAA Tracking Number (FTN).
- Schedule the Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) knowledge test at an FAA knowledge testing center, such as a PSI testing center, and bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Pass the test: 60 multiple-choice questions, a 2-hour time limit and a passing score of 70 percent. If you do not pass, you may retest after 14 days.
- Complete FAA Form 8710-13 in IACRA. Test results can take up to 48 hours to appear.
- After a TSA security background check, print a temporary certificate from IACRA; the permanent certificate arrives by mail.
Pilots stay current by completing the FAA’s free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months, explained in our Part 107 recurrent training guide. Every drone flown under Part 107 must be registered with the FAA ($5 per drone, valid for 3 years) and must meet the Remote ID requirements.
Key Part 107 operating rules include: drones under 55 pounds; a maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level, or higher only within 400 feet of a structure; keeping the drone within visual line of sight; a top speed of 100 mph; daylight flying, or twilight and night flying with anti-collision lighting and the required night knowledge; at least 3 miles of visibility; and no flying over people who are not participating unless the operation meets the FAA rules for operations over people. Controlled airspace near airports requires FAA authorization, usually through LAANC or FAA DroneZone. Accidents involving serious injury or at least $500 in property damage must be reported to the FAA within 10 days. Full details are on the FAA become a drone pilot page.
Recreational TRUST or Part 107: which do you need?
The FAA separates recreational flying from everything else. Getting paid is not what decides it; the purpose of the flight does. A flight that supports a business, even a free or goodwill flight such as volunteer photos or a quick roof check for a neighbor’s business, falls under Part 107. The FAA’s own advice is simple: when in doubt, fly under Part 107.
Recreational flyer
Flights purely for fun under 49 U.S.C. 44809. Pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), a free online test, and carry proof of passing. Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized community-based organization, keep the drone within visual line of sight, give way to other aircraft, stay at or below 400 feet in uncontrolled airspace, and get authorization before flying in controlled airspace. Register drones of 250 grams (0.55 pounds) or more, and mark them with the registration number.
Part 107 remote pilot
Any flight that is not purely recreational, including real estate photos, inspections, content created for a business and volunteer or goodwill flights. Requires an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate from the knowledge test, registration of every drone regardless of weight, Remote ID, and recurrent training every 24 calendar months.
Registrations are not interchangeable: a drone registered as recreational must be registered again under Part 107 before it is flown for work. Many of our students begin as recreational flyers, take TRUST, and move on to Part 107 once they are confident. Read more on the FAA recreational flyers page and in our article do you need a license to fly a drone.
Request Drone Flying Lessons
Tell us where you are, what you would like to learn and whether you already own a drone. An FAA Certified Flight Instructor will come to you, in any of the 50 states.
