Weather
How to read a METAR for the Part 107 test
A METAR is a coded airport weather observation. Read it left to right: station, day and time in UTC, wind, visibility in statute miles, weather phenomena, sky condition, temperature and dew point in Celsius, and altimeter setting in inches of mercury. For Part 107 compare visibility and cloud heights with the 3 SM and 500 ft and 2,000 ft limits.
What does a METAR look like?
This is a constructed example for learning, not a real report: KXYZ 121853Z 27012G20KT 2 1/2SM HZ BKN008 OVC020 18/16 A2992.
| Group | Reads as |
|---|---|
| KXYZ | Station identifier |
| 121853Z | Day 12, 18:53 UTC |
| 27012G20KT | Wind from 270 degrees at 12 knots, gusting 20 |
| 2 1/2SM | Visibility 2.5 statute miles |
| HZ | Haze |
| BKN008 | Broken clouds at 800 ft AGL |
| OVC020 | Overcast at 2,000 ft AGL |
| 18/16 | Temperature 18 C, dew point 16 C |
| A2992 | Altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury |
How do I apply Part 107 minimums?
Visibility must be at least 3 statute miles from the control station, so a report of 2 1/2 SM, haze included, shows conditions below the minimum. Cloud heights are AGL: a cloud layer at 800 ft AGL means the 500 ft below-cloud rule keeps a drone at or below about 300 ft AGL. The ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer. A nearby airport's report does not measure flight visibility at your site, so treat it as a warning, not as proof.
Sources (checked 2026-11-12): 14 CFR 107.51 (eCFR); FAA Aviation Weather Handbook.
What do the sky cover words mean?
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FEW | Few clouds |
| SCT | Scattered |
| BKN | Broken, counts as a ceiling |
| OVC | Overcast, counts as a ceiling |
| CLR or SKC | No clouds reported |
Where do I get current weather?
The Aviation Weather Center publishes METARs, TAFs and pilot reports at aviationweather.gov. See also how to read a TAF.
Sources (checked 2026-11-12): Aviation Weather Center.
Free practice questions on this topic
4 original questions from the Sectional Cue bank. Try each one, then open the answer.
Visibility and haze
1. The METAR for an airport next to a planned job site reports 2 1/2SM HZ. What should the remote pilot conclude?
- Visibility is likely below the 3 SM Part 107 minimum, so the flight should not go as planned
- Haze does not count toward the visibility limit, so the flight can proceed
- The 3 SM minimum applies only above 400 ft AGL, so the flight can proceed
Show answer and explanation
A. Visibility is likely below the 3 SM Part 107 minimum, so the flight should not go as planned
Part 107 requires at least 3 SM flight visibility from the control station, and a nearby report of 2 1/2 SM shows conditions below that. Haze is a visibility restriction like any other and counts fully. The 3 SM minimum applies at all altitudes, not only above 400 ft.
Source: PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 13; 14 CFR 107.51(c)
Ceiling with several layers
2. A METAR reports FEW008 SCT015 BKN030 OVC070. What is the ceiling?
- 800 ft AGL
- 3,000 ft AGL
- 7,000 ft AGL
Show answer and explanation
B. 3,000 ft AGL
The ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer, which is BKN030 at 3,000 ft AGL. The 800 ft layer is FEW and the 1,500 ft layer is scattered, and neither counts as a ceiling. The 7,000 ft overcast is above the lowest broken layer, so it is not the ceiling.
Source: PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 13
Weather sources
3. What can a remote pilot find on aviationweather.gov?
- METARs, TAFs, PIREPs and other aviation weather products
- LAANC airspace authorizations for controlled airspace
- Drone registration certificates for Part 107 operators
Show answer and explanation
A. METARs, TAFs, PIREPs and other aviation weather products
Aviationweather.gov is the Aviation Weather Center website, which publishes METARs, TAFs, pilot reports and other aviation weather products. LAANC authorizations come through FAA-approved service suppliers, not that site. Drone registration is done through FAADroneZone.
Source: PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 13
Flight visibility definition
4. How does 107.51 define flight visibility?
- The prevailing horizontal visibility reported by the nearest automated weather station
- The average slant distance at which prominent objects can be seen and identified from the control station
- The farthest distance at which the drone itself can be seen from the control station
Show answer and explanation
B. The average slant distance at which prominent objects can be seen and identified from the control station
Section 107.51(c) defines flight visibility as the average slant distance from the control station at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day and prominent lighted objects by night. A weather station report is reported visibility, not flight visibility. Visibility is about prominent objects, not how far away the small drone can be seen.
Source: 14 CFR 107.51(c)
Related guides
- How to read a TAF for the Part 107 test
- Weather for drone pilots: what the Part 107 test expects
- Part 107 operating rules: altitude, speed, visibility and clouds
- All Part 107 guides
Study the charts on your phone
Sectional Cue has 1150+ original questions with explanations, 27 FAA figures you can tap to read, and timed 60-question rehearsals. About 152 questions and three chart lessons are free.
Sources
- FAA Aviation Weather Handbook, checked 2026-11-12
- Aviation Weather Center, checked 2026-11-12
- 14 CFR 107.51 (eCFR), checked 2026-11-12
- FAA airman testing supplements (FAA-CT-8080-2H), checked 2026-11-12
How this page was made: written by Certloom Learning from the sources above, with the rules checked against the current regulation text. Practice items are original questions from the app's reviewed bank. Spot an error? certloomlearning@gmail.com.