Drone Launch Academy Review
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The popularity of flying drones not just for leisure but for business has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create the Part 107 regulations. According to these regulations, commercial drone flight will be covered by a set of rules as determined by the FAA and the Department of Transportation (DOT). An important element of the Part 107 regulations is the need to get a remote pilot certificate, or drone license, by passing the Part 107 knowledge test.
There are dozens of resources on how to prepare for the Part 107 knowledge test. One of the most well-known and popular training courses is offered by the Drone Launch Academy. Is it worth it take this training course? Read on for our review.
What does the Drone Launch Academy training course include?
The course covers all the essential subject areas that you will be needing for the Part 107 knowledge test. In cases you did not know yet, there are a lot of topics you need to know including reading aeronautical charts, understanding weather reports, knowing emergency procedures, being familiar with radio communications language, and being able to make sound aeronautical decisions.
The FAA helpfully provides a list of all subject areas you need to study, and the training course offered by Drone Launch Academy closely follows it. Having been around for quite some time, the course has been revised and improved through the years so the content should always stay relevant and up to date.
What resources does the training course provide?
The training course has about 4 hours of HD training videos, a 75+ page e-book, and over 200 practice questions. One nice thing about the Drone Launch Academy training course is that the whole course can be accessed through a mobile device, so you can even be reviewing for the Part 107 knowledge test on your morning commute or over lunch break.
Signing up for the course gives you lifetime access to the training resources, so you can always come back to it in case you forgot something even after you have already earned your drone license. Should you fail the knowledge test, then you won’t need to worry; the training course will still be there to prep you for the next time you take it. You can also use it to study again when the you need to take the test again in two years.
Who teaches the Drone Launch Academy training course?
The chief instructor of the course is an FAA-certified ground instructor with almost 10 years of experience as a private pilot. He is complemented by a legal expert 0n unmanned aircrafts and two experts on meteorology. Some of the instructors are from the US Air Force, so you can rest assured that you are in good hands. The team of instructors of Drone Launch Academy was selected to cover all the relevant areas of the Part 107 knowledge test, and each instructor is more than qualified.
How long does it take to finish the course?
Reading through all the material and watching the videos without taking a break should take just above 5 hours, but this pace is generally not recommended. Taking breaks and setting the pace for about 15 hours of training is probably the best idea. It is not uncommon for trainees to finish the entire course within a day.
How much does the training course cost?
The standard price of the taking the training course is $179, although Drone Launch Academy offers a coupon to our readers to take the course for only $129.
Aside from the regular comprehensive training course, Drone Launch Academy also offers flashcards which you quickly review just before the test. The flashcards costs only $39.
Is there a guarantee that I will pass the knowledge test after taking this course?
Drone Launch Academy is so confident about the quality of their training course that they offer a money back guarantee should you not pass the Part 107 knowledge test on the first take after taking their course. The only condition is that you should have gone over all the materials included in the course and should have obtained at least 75% on one of their sample exams.
Should you fail the Part 107 knowledge test, you only need to send them a proof of your failure and Drone Launch Academy will refund you the training fee. No questions asked.
To put this into context, the fee for taking the Part 107 knowledge test is $150. With the money back guarantee of Drone Launch Academy, you will be able to retake the knowledge test essentially for free, should you fail on the first take.
Is the Drone Launch Academy training course worth it?
If you are interested in getting a drone license, then that means you have the intention of using your drone for commercial purposes. Whether this is for drone photography or as a way of surveying large tracts of land, getting a drone license and preparing for the knowledge test can be considered investments that you make towards your future drone business.
Beyond the cost of the training course, the knowledge that you will gain from it is invaluable in helping you set up a drone business. Having knowledgeable and qualified people guide you through all the essential steps ensures that you will learn everything you need to know, and more than just what you need to pass the knowledge test. Moreover, a lifetime access to the course means that all the knowledge and resources from Drone Launch Academy will always be in your back pocket, ready for when you need it.
To make the deal even sweeter, the money back guarantee by Drone Launch Academy means that you will never waste money in taking the course only to fail afterwards. This is a testament to the quality of the training course, and to the high passing rate of people who have taken the course.
If you have already invested a lot of money into buying a drone and starting a drone business, then the cost of taking this training course should no longer be an issue.
I have had NOTHING but problems using Drone Launch Academy’s web based learning site from day one
I’ve called and left messages and spoke to a woman there once.
Drone Launch Academy has NOT worked for me from day one and I still have NOT gotten the Flash cards to work again. It was explained to me that they have been having problems with the people who host their web site. I DON’T CARE! I was told that they refunded my money. They DID NOT.
I would NOT recommend this as a place to learn nor use.
I concur with the above poster’s issues. The flash cards are broken, support is non-existent, and being a software engineer for 20+ years I can tell you this broken functionality has NOTHING to do with hosting unless they are linking some third party tool for their cards. Regardless I’m not happy.