Drone Flying
101.

This is a beginner's course for drone enthusiasts to get you safely off the ground.

1849+ students have taken this course
2 hours of video content
Everything you need to know to get started with drones
Learn where you can legally fly your drone. Take your first flight.
Find out how to get stunning drone photos and videos.
Discover the basic flight maneuvers and what weather to look out for.

Enroll in this course

$99 $29 (lifetime access)

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Why Pilot Institute

Detailed, short, and easy-to-follow videos

We split the course in short, easy-to-follow videos that you can come back to if needed.

Up-to-date information

Drone regulation changes rapidly. We keep our courses updated and keep you in the loop.

Mobile and Offline Access

You can watch our lessons on mobile phones and even download them for offline access.

From our Students Here is what they are saying about the courses

Greg's attention to detail is excellent. He provides a solid foundation for anyone interested in flying drones as a hobbyist. He covers enough so that even a complete beginner can have the confidence to take their drone out for a launch. The course is not designed to go into great detail on specific aspects of drone flight, photography, or videography - but enough time is spent covering the basics so that a beginner can experiment confidently. Greg responds quickly to any/all questions that may arise as you watch the tutorials.

Carl Meibergen

Concise, clear instruction and good production quality. This course delivered all of the content I needed to feel confident in proceeding to real world application, and exceeded expectations in several areas. I would highly recommend this course for anyone who is a first time drone operator before your first flight to ensure that you are operating legally, safely, and with the basic knowledge needed to enjoy your drone and avoid costly mistakes. The sections on basic photography and videography were a great inclusion making it unnecessary to do a bunch of additional research on those topics. Greg covered the foundational concepts in sufficient depth that I expect to be able to spend quite some time honing my skills within the scope of the knowledge provided before I need to seek more specific instruction.

Laird Bishop

New to drones here and the regulations are really confusing, specially airspace and requesting authorizations by phone calls. This course really helped me to have an idea about the hobby and the current status of the legislation regulating it.

Cleyton Alencar

Let’s meet your instructor Taught by experts, focused on outcomes.

Greg Reverdiau

Drone and Airplane Pilot, Flight Instructor

Hi, I'm Greg or Professor R as my students call me.

I have been an aviation professional since the early 2000s. I currently hold the following FAA certificates: Certified Flight Instructor, Commercial Pilot (for single and multi engine), and UAS Remote Pilot. I have worked for two of the biggest aeronautical universities in the country (managing flight training programs of up to 500 students and 50 aircraft) and in teaching roles as an adjunct professor. I now concentrate on educating the next generation of manned and unmanned pilots by creating online courses.

I truly enjoy teaching both in the classroom and online as well as sharing my knowledge using newer technology. I intend to help bridge the gap between the manned and unmanned aircraft industry to increase safety.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science and a Masters Degree in Aviation Human Factors, both from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL.

When I don't teach, you can find me running in the beautiful mountains surrounding Prescott, AZ.

Join Over 250,000 Happy Pilots

FAQ Have questions? Get the answers below. You can also contact us.

Is this course appropriate for recreational pilots?

This is exactly who this course is designed for!

Will this course help me pass the FAA exam for recreational pilots?

Absolutely. This course covers all you need to know for the exam and so much more. If the FAA exam is like getting a high school diploma, this is getting you ready for a PhD!

Should Part 107 Remote Pilots take this course?

You will probably find this course boring. It covers a lot of basic information that is important to beginners but not necessarily to more advanced pilots.

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4.9/5

(22,043+ ratings)

Description

Flying your drone for the first time can be intimidating for beginners. Am I going to crash? How does the remote control work? How high and how far can I fly? Can I fly at Yosemite or the Grand Canyon? Am I allowed to fly over people? Can I get paid to fly my drone? How high can I fly? How do I take cool pictures or cool videos?

If you’ve ever asked any of these questions, this course is perfect for you. As an aviator of 15 years (Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor), University Professor, and as the author of the Best Selling course on how to become an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot (Commercial license for drones), I will take you through all the necessary steps to complete your first flight successfully. As a future aviator, starting your “career” with good habits is critical.

This course covers the following topics:

(1) Your drone: including the different components, accessories, and best practices.
(2) Basic Regulation: I cover everything you need to know about FAA regulation for hobbyists with several short and easy-to-understand videos.
(3) Airspace: probably the most important and yet most misunderstood area in aviation. I show you how to find airspace information and how to identify the airspace in which you are about to fly, as well as how to request approval if it’s necessary.
(4) Weather Information: knowing about the weather can be the difference between a successful flight and a crash. I teach you the basics of meteorology and how to find aviation weather information.
(5) Your first flight: I show you how to safely complete your first flight, including how to pick a safe area, how to complete a preflight inspection, how to take off, maneuver, and land.
(6) Basic Photography and Videography: in the last two chapters, I cover the basic principles of photography and videography, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, capture modes (A, S, M), frame rate, HDR, ND filters, and many more. This section will help you take your storytelling skills to the next level.

See inside this course

Speed Up Your Learning This course is organized in a logical way and covers everything you need to know to be a proficient recreational drone pilot. Turbocharge your learning.