How to Get a Drone License in New Hampshire (Explained for Beginners) 

How about exploring the Nottingcook Forest in Bow, not far from Manchester? Or perhaps zooming your drone over the Massabesic Cliffs? New Hampshire may be a small state, but its treasures for drone pilots are innumerous. 

Before you plan your first trek, do you have your drone license? The FAA requires a certificate for all pilots, so how do you obtain one in the Granite State?

How to get a Drone License in New Hampshire?

Here’s how to get a drone license in New Hampshire:

• Meet the FAA’s base requirements
• **Obtain an FTN as a new pilot **
• Register at your nearest New Hampshire Knowledge Testing Center
• Prepare for the exam
• Score well on the Part 107 test
• Electronically submit Form 8710-13

However, if becoming a drone pilot was easy, everybody would do it. It’s surprisingly a lot more in-depth than most new pilots realize, which can lead to confusion. 

I’ve been through it, and I’m here to help you through it, too. I’ll explain the nuances of becoming a commercial drone pilot in New Hampshire to expedite the process as much as possible.

Here’s how to obtain a drone license in New Hampshire #

You can select from two paths if you’re interested in becoming a drone pilot in the United States (a US drone license applies in New Hampshire and the rest of the country) under the FAA. 

One option is a recreational license, enabling you to fly for fun only. The other is the Remote Pilot Certificate or commercial drone license, allowing you to use your drone for financial gain. It’s the one most pilots go for.

Obtaining your Remote Pilot Certificate is more difficult than getting the hobbyist license because you have more responsibilities. You have to take and pass the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam, the FAA’s aeronautic knowledge test. 

You also have to follow these steps. 

Meet the FAA’s base requirements #

Besides passing the commercial drone exam, the FAA requires all incoming pilots to be 16 or older and able to write, read, understand, and speak English. You also have to be capable of safe drone operation.

Obtain an FTN as a new pilot #

Yes, that’s all there is to the first step. Continue the process by procuring your own FAA Tracking Number, more commonly known as an FTN.

Quick caveat: you may have an FTN if you partake in any other FAA activities. It carries over across all aeronautic uses and doesn’t expire, so there’s no need to get a new one when you become a commercial drone pilot.

Those completely new to the FAA need an FTN. The FAA uses it to monitor your drone activities and ensure legal operation.

So, what do you need to do to get an FTN? Make an account on the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application website.

IACRA is one of your best resources as a new drone pilot. It has all the information about your drone exam status, such as whether you passed or failed. This website is also how you apply for your commercial license once you reach that stage.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Click this link to the IACRA site, and you’re ready to get started. 

You should see a login box at the top of the page, and below that, a link to register. 

Now you’re onto the first page of registration, which doesn’t require you to type a thing. You just have to click a few boxes. First, choose your appropriate role, with options available like school administrator, aviation safety inspector, recommending instructor, and applicant. 

More than likely, the only role you’ll qualify for is applicant. I recommend reviewing all the options to check off and choosing the appropriate one, as this will affect your IACRA account status. 

After doing that, carefully read over IACRA’s terms of service, then click the agree button when you’re ready to proceed. 

Scroll past the Certificate Information on the User Profile Information page. You can add this information after you’ve passed the Part 107 exam, but until you do, you have no relevant data here.

Start at the Personal Information section, typing your full name, birthdate, and email address in fewer than 50 characters each. IACRA requires you to choose two security questions and provide unique answers, then you can input your new username and password. 

Click Register, then wait for a confirmation message from IACRA. It will appear in your inbox when IACRA sends it.

After you confirm your account and log in, you will have an FTN. Keep it handy; you will use it very soon. 

Register at your nearest New Hampshire Knowledge Testing Center #

When can you get to the part where you take the commercial drone exam? We’re almost there, actually!

Next, you have to set up your appointment at an FAA Knowledge Testing Center. Let me explain those for a moment. 

You see, while the FAA permits you to take the recreational certificate exam anywhere you want since it’s administered online, there’s no such luck with the aeronautic knowledge exam.

You have to take it at an FAA Knowledge Testing Center in person. The great news is you can find Knowledge Testing Centers throughout New Hampshire, from Amherst to Exeter. 

You only need to visit the PSI website. If you’re unfamiliar with PSI, it’s a major testing resource that works with the FAA and other organizations.

Click this link to go there. New users should click the Create an Account button. After you do that, you must input your FTN and full name, then click Continue.

After you’re verified, you can proceed with your PSI registration. The User Registration page requires you to create a unique username and password. You also have to retype your full name and add your email address and preferred language. 

Click Continue, then log into your email. Although it can sometimes take a couple of minutes, PSI will send you an email confirmation. You should see it in your main inbox but check your spam if it’s not in there. 

The email will contain a confirmation link. Once you click it, you can log into PSI.

Keep in mind that beginning in 2024, PSI will require all accounts to have multi-factor authentication, using an authenticator with temporary one-time passwords, such as the Microsoft Authenticator, Chrome Extension Authenticator, or Google Authenticator. 

Once you’re logged in and have MFA set up, it’s time to schedule your exam.

Select the Find a Test Center menu. Input your postal code, select the United States as your country, and pick Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) from the exam dropdown. You can also configure the distance. 

Click the blue Search button, then watch as PSI populates a list of Knowledge Testing Centers according to your parameters.

Choose any that are convenient for you, select a date test and time, and you are ready to get your commercial drone exam done and out of the way. 

Prepare for the exam #

Well, almost ready. You have to study, as that’s what will help you pass. 

Here’s another difference between the commercial and recreational drone exams. The hobbyist cert test is free, but the Part 107 exam is not. You will pay about $165 each time you have to take the test. 

That’s expensive! I mean, you could buy a drone for that price. Maybe not a good one, but still. 

I don’t want you have to pay that fee more than once, which is why I want to recommend you the best study resources on the internet.

These beginner Part 107 courses will help you prep for the aeronautic knowledge exam. The courses are offered by big names in the drone industry, like Pilot Institute and Drone Launch Academy.

You can rest assured you’re learning FAA rules from industry experts, who break down the difficult concepts on the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) test into easy-to-understand lesson plans. 

Some courses offer the material for life so you can brush up on any laws you’re fuzzy on later. You will have access to video lessons and practice quizzes that will help you feel readier for your test. 

Oh, and did I mention the money-back guarantees? Most of these prep courses will offer you a full refund if you fail the Part 107 exam and even give you money toward your next test. That’s how confident they are that you will pass. 

Score well on the Part 107 test #

By the time testing day arrives, you should feel readier than ever since you studied with the best. Staunch your nerves as best you can and stay focused. This is a big day, but you can do it!

Here are some facts about the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam to help you prepare:

• You have two and a half hours to take the exam.
• You must have a form of ID when you arrive at the FAA Knowledge Testing Center. A driver’s license with a photo is preferred but double-check that it’s valid!
• The questions are presented in multiple-choice format.
• You will receive a test booklet, a writing instrument, and scratch paper. 
• You have to answer 60 questions on FAA drone laws. 
• You can bring a calculator or a protractor if you want, but you can also take the test and pass without these tools. 
• You need to score 70 percent to pass. 

My advice? Take your time. The two and a half hours you’re given is more than enough time to get the entire test done, so there’s no need to blitz through it. 

You should feel proud of yourself after leaving the Knowledge Testing Center for getting to this point. After you take the test begins the long, agonizing wait for results. Those will appear on IACRA but can sometimes take weeks.

I have no better tip than to be patient! 

Electronically submit Form 8710-13  #

Hopefully, you received the news you were wishing for and successfully passed the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam. If you did, you’re ready to send in FAA Form 8710-13 and request your license.

Log into IACRA and select the Start New Application option. You have to choose Pilot, then Remote Pilot, then Other Path Information, and Start Application, and voila. 

Fill out the form fields throughout, add your electronic signature, and send that bad boy in. IACRA will process the information, but you don’t get your license immediately. You also have to pass a TSA background check. 

This all happens internally, so you don’t formally have to do anything. 

IACRA will be in touch if you pass, sending you a printable version of your Remote Pilot Certificate through email. The FAA will mail you the permanent version of the license in the weeks to come, but you can use both versions the same. 

I have my drone license in New Hampshire – Now what?  #

Now that you’ve got your New Hampshire commercial drone license, the sky is the limit – literally. 

Why not get yourself current on New Hampshire’s drone laws? Statewide, the New Hampshire State Parks Drone Policy prohibits operation throughout state parks. SB 222 doesn’t let you use your drone to disturb hunting, fishing, and the wildlife in general.

I also recommend drone insurance, a great failsafe for your first year of flying. Oh, and don’t forget to register your drone. 

In two years, get ready to recertify if you wish to continue flying your drone commercially. You used to have to go through everything above all over again, but nowadays, you can take a free, quick online test through the FAA to keep your license current. So much better, wouldn’t you say?