Quick answer: To become a commercial drone pilot in the U.S., you need an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. That means passing a 60-question knowledge test ($175), clearing TSA vetting, and completing free recurrent training every 24 months. Most enterprise pilots then specialize in inspection, mapping, public safety, or agriculture.
Somewhere between your fortieth sunset shot and the first time a neighbor asks you to "take a quick look at my roof," a thought shows up. Could I get paid for this? You can. But the paid side of drones runs on different fuel than the hobby side.
What is enterprise drone work?
Enterprise drone work is flying for businesses and agencies that need data, not footage. Nobody at the utility company cares how cinematic your video is. They care whether the insulator on pole 47 is cracked, and they want a report that says so by Thursday.
The drone gets those answers faster, cheaper, and with fewer people hanging off towers. The pilots who do well get a little obsessive about accuracy, doing it the same way every time, and handing over files the client can actually open.
What kinds of commercial drone jobs are there?
Most enterprise drone jobs fall into five categories, and each one leans on a different payload.
| Job type | What you'd fly | Payload you'll need |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection | Power lines, cell towers, bridges, roofs, solar farms | Zoom and thermal cameras |
| Mapping and surveying | Construction progress, stockpiles, land surveys | Mapping camera or LiDAR |
| Public safety | Police, fire, search and rescue | Thermal plus live video |
| Agriculture | Crop scouting and spraying | Multispectral camera or spray system |
| Delivery | Packages and medical supplies | Cargo systems (still early) |
You don't need all five. The busiest operators we talk to picked one or two and got very good at them. If inspection or public safety is your lane, start with our thermal imaging drones. For everything else, browse enterprise drones.
Do you need a license to fly a drone commercially?
14 CFR Part 107
Yes. Any flight that isn't purely recreational requires an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate under Part 107. You need to be 16 or older, read, speak, write, and understand English, be fit to fly safely, pass the knowledge test, and clear TSA vetting. No medical exam is required (Red Raven UAS).
Part 107 gets you in the door. Once you're inside, clients will ask about your hours, your insurance, your written procedures, and whether you've trained for their kind of work.
How much does it cost to get a Part 107 certificate?
The Part 107 knowledge test costs $175, paid to PSI, the company that runs it. The certificate itself is free (part107drill). The test is 60 multiple-choice questions at an FAA testing center, and airspace, sectional charts, and weather are where most people drop points. Our Part 107 study guide covers the prep.
What is Part 108, and when does it take effect?
PendingStatus as of September 2026
- Proposed ruleAug 2025
- Public commentsClosed
- Final reviewNow
- Final rule publishedFAA target: end of 2026
Part 108 is the FAA's proposed rule for routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight, and it isn't in effect yet. As of September 18, 2026, no final rule had been published (Drone Authority). It's in final review, and the FAA hopes to publish by the end of 2026 (The Flight Brief).
Today, BVLOS takes a case-by-case waiver. Part 108 would expect organizations to show trained people, documented risk controls, and proven technology (USI). So the boring paperwork you start now is the same paperwork that lets you fly further later.
Can you still buy DJI drones in 2026?
Yes, for models that were already authorized. In December 2025 the FCC put all foreign-produced drones on its Covered List, which blocks new foreign models without a waiver, but previously authorized drones remain legal to buy, own, and fly (DroneDeploy). Blue UAS and qualified domestic products are exempt through January 1, 2027, and more models keep getting conditional approval (DroneDJ). Our Covered List explainer has the longer version.
Before you buy, ask about the aircraft's regulatory status, parts and repair availability, and whether your target clients restrict brands. Government and critical-infrastructure clients often do.
How to start as an enterprise drone pilot
- 1Get your Part 107.It's the cheapest door in the building.
- 2Pick a lane.Lots of solar near you? A construction boom? A county talking about a drone program? Start there.
- 3Practice the flying your lane needs,like grid patterns for mapping or slow orbits for inspection. Freestyle is fun. It doesn't bill.
- 4Learn the software.Processing and reporting are where most of the value gets made.
- 5Write a one-page preflight checklist and get insured.A surprising number of pilots show up with neither.
- 6Talk to people doing the work.Enterprise runs on referrals, and the good jobs rarely get posted.
Not sure what to fly once you get there?
Call our team at 888-560-8737 and we'll talk it through. If budget is the holdup, drone financing spreads the cost out.
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