Part 107 weather, task by task
The weather reports a remote pilot must read and the weather that changes how a drone flies, grouped the way the FAA's Airman Certification Standards group them.
What does the Part 107 test ask about weather?
Weather makes up 11 to 16 percent of the 60-question test. The FAA's Airman Certification Standards list two tasks: sources of weather (internet briefings, METARs, TAFs, weather charts, ASOS and AWOS) and the effects of weather on performance, from density altitude, wind, stability, fronts and thunderstorms to icing, fog, ceiling and visibility.
| UAS Topics | Percentage of Items on Test |
|---|---|
| I. Regulations | 15-25% |
| II. Airspace & Requirements | 15-25% |
| III. Weather | 11-16% |
| IV. Loading & Performance | 7-11% |
| V. Operations | 35-45% |
| Total Number of Questions | 60 |
Source: FAA-S-ACS-10B, Remote Pilot Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airman Certification Standards, p. A-1
The other test areas: regulations, airspace, loading and performance, operations.
Task A. Sources of Weather
Objective
To determine that the applicant is knowledgeable in sources of weather information.
What the FAA lists for this task (5 items)
- UA.III.A.K1 Internet weather briefing and sources of weather available for flight planning purposes.
- UA.III.A.K2 Aviation routine weather reports (METAR).
- UA.III.A.K3 Terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAF).
- UA.III.A.K4 Weather charts.
- UA.III.A.K5 Automated surface observing systems (ASOS) and automated weather observing systems (AWOS).
Source: FAA-S-ACS-10B, Area of Operation III, Task A
Task B. Effects of Weather on Performance
Objective
To determine that the applicant is knowledgeable of the effects of weather on performance.
What the FAA lists for this task (12 items)
- UA.III.B.K1 Weather factors and their effects on performance.
- UA.III.B.K1a a. Density altitude
- UA.III.B.K1b b. Wind and currents
- UA.III.B.K1c c. Atmospheric stability, pressure, and temperature
- UA.III.B.K1d d. Air masses and fronts
- UA.III.B.K1e e. Thunderstorms and microbursts
- UA.III.B.K1f f. Tornadoes
- UA.III.B.K1g g. Icing
- UA.III.B.K1h h. Hail
- UA.III.B.K1i i. Fog
- UA.III.B.K1j j. Ceiling and visibility
- UA.III.B.K1k k. Lightning
Source: FAA-S-ACS-10B, Area of Operation III, Task B
- FAA-H-8083-25C, ch. 4 and 11What is density altitude, and what factors affect aircraft performance?
- FAA-H-8083-28B, ch. 6 and 18What is the temperature and dew point spread, and why does it matter?
- FAA-H-8083-28B, ch. 18What are the types of fog, and how do they form?
- FAA-G-8082-22, ch. 3b and FAA-H-8083-28B, ch. 22What are the three stages of a thunderstorm?
- FAA-H-8083-25C, ch. 12 and FAA-G-8082-22What is the difference between stable and unstable air?
- FAA-G-8082-22, ch. 3b and FAA-H-8083-28B, ch. 20What is structural icing, and when does frost form?
- FAA-H-8083-28B, ch. 11 and FAA-H-8083-25C, ch. 12What happens when a cold front or warm front passes?
- FAA-H-8083-25C, ch. 12 and FAA-G-8082-22, ch. 3bWhat are the cloud types a drone pilot needs to know?
Practice this topic
UAV Campus has 53 practice questions in this topic, each with its FAA source. The free practice test mixes all five topics the way the real test does; the UAV Campus AI Flight Instructor quizzes you on the ones you miss. The questions are similar to the FAA test, not the actual test questions.