The 55-pound limit that defines a small unmanned aircraft is measured:

At takeoff, with everything on board

For the airframe alone, as sold

At takeoff, without the battery or payload

Mounting a payload off-center, away from the aircraft's center of gravity, will:

Shift the CG and eat into control margin

Improve stability by adding inertia

Have no effect, since the motors compensate

The safest way to know an aircraft's real takeoff weight is:

Weigh it as configured for flight

Read the weight printed on the box

Add up the manufacturer's figures

A forward center of gravity on a fixed-wing small unmanned aircraft results in:

An unstable, tail-heavy aircraft

No change in handling or stability

Part 107 practice questions: Loading and performance

Loading and performance is about 2 percent of the Part 107 test. Five questions on weight, center of gravity, and how density altitude changes what the aircraft can do. Each question below is from VLOSready's bank: checked against its FAA source, reviewed a second time, and solved blind against the answer key.

Updated September 26, 2026. Checked against the sources linked on this page.

1. The 55-pound limit that defines a small unmanned aircraft is measured:
1. At takeoff, with everything on board
2. For the airframe alone, as sold
3. At takeoff, without the battery or payload
Show the answer
A. At takeoff, with everything on board
The definition in 107.3 weighs the aircraft on takeoff, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached; payload, battery and accessories all count.
Source: 14 CFR 107.3 — Definitions
2. Mounting a payload off-center, away from the aircraft's center of gravity, will:
1. Shift the CG and eat into control margin
2. Improve stability by adding inertia
3. Have no effect, since the motors compensate
Show the answer
A. Shift the CG and eat into control margin
A displaced center of gravity means some motors must produce more thrust than others just to keep the aircraft level, consuming control authority and battery before any maneuvering begins.
Source: PHAK Chapter 10 — Weight and balance
3. As altitude increases with temperature held constant, a small unmanned aircraft's performance:
1. Decreases
2. Increases
3. Stays the same
Show the answer
A. Decreases
Thrust and lift depend on air density, which falls with altitude, so the same rotor speed produces less thrust and the aircraft needs more power to do the same work.
Source: PHAK Chapter 11 — Aircraft performance
4. The safest way to know an aircraft's real takeoff weight is:
1. Weigh it as configured for flight
2. Read the weight printed on the box
3. Add up the manufacturer's figures
Show the answer
A. Weigh it as configured for flight
Section 107.3 weighs the aircraft on takeoff including everything on board or attached; a scale on the flight configuration is the only measurement that matches that definition.
Source: 14 CFR 107.3 — Definitions
5. A forward center of gravity on a fixed-wing small unmanned aircraft results in:
1. Nose-heavy but stable handling
2. An unstable, tail-heavy aircraft
3. No change in handling or stability
Show the answer
A. Nose-heavy but stable handling
A forward CG increases stability and nose-heaviness; an aft CG reduces stability and makes stalls harder to recover.
Source: PHAK Chapter 10 — Weight and balance

These are 5 of the practice questions in VLOSready. The full course draws practice exams at the test's real weighting and scores them by content area.

Part 107 practice questions: Loading and performance

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