Drone Training in California

3,000+ PILOTS TRAINED AND 600+ 5-STAR REVIEWS

Book a Drone Training Class in Los Angeles, CA

Browse Available Dates

Here’s how it works — Choose your preferred class below to browse Steve’s availability and to select a date and time for your training. We’ll ask some additional questions and will then follow-up with you to confirm that your class has been booked.

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: Steve Monroe

Steve Monroe is the Senior Drone Videographer for First Impressions Media of Los Angeles, creating high-quality real estate productions throughout the county. Since earning his FAA Part 107 certificate, he’s been able to replace his full-time income with drone work. A lifelong instructor with a knack for making complex skills understandable, he’s taught everything from swimming to baseball to skiing to snowboarding—and most recently, golf as a PGA-certified coach. Check out his aerial travel adventures on Instagram at @globaldronepro, where he shares his love of flight and photography as he explores the world. He can train you on his DJI Mavic Air 2 or on any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Locations

Training is held at a local park in Glendale, approximately 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Exact location provided during booking.

Book a Drone Training Class in Los Angeles (Inland Empire), CA

Browse Available Dates

Here’s how it works — Choose your preferred class below to browse Jim’s availability and to select a date and time for your training. We’ll ask some additional questions and will then follow-up with you to confirm that your class has been booked.

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: Jim Goede

Jim Goede is a member of the Civil Air Patrol/USAF Auxiliary, actively involved in scaling the use of sUAS in the Civil Air Patrol’s California Wing. He runs aerial imaging company Goede Digital Media, providing aerial services for real estate, insurance, construction and utilities companies. A former high-tech product manager, he has a degree in graphic design, and is a passionate advocate for the sUAS industry. He can train you on his DJI Mavic 3, Mini 4 Pro or on any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Locations

Training is held at a local field in the Inland Empire area near Nuevo, about 70‑75 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Exact location provided during booking.

Book a Drone Training Class in Sacramento, CA

Browse Available Dates

Here’s how it works — Choose your preferred class below to browse James’ availability and to select a date and time for your training. We’ll ask some additional questions and will then follow-up with you to confirm that your class has been booked.

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: James Cross

James Cross holds several FAA certificates including Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Certificated Flight Instructor and Part 107 Remote Pilot as part of his 20-year commercial aviation career. Currently working as a contract drone pilot and professional photographer, James provides aerial & cinematic photography, aerial mapping, construction site inspection and real estate services. Prior to this, James spent 20 years in IT as a Software and Systems Engineer. He welcomes the opportunity to share his knowledge and experience with other aspiring pilots, photographers and business operators and can train you on his DJI Mavic 3 Pro, Mavic 3 Enterprise, Phantom 4 Pro v2 or any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Locations

Training is held at local parks in Cameron Park, about 30 miles east of downtown Sacramento. Exact location provided during booking.

Book a Drone Training Class in San Diego, CA

Browse Available Dates

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: Steve Lewis

Steve Lewis runs aerial imaging company Drone Fly, providing real estate photography, solar surveys (both commercial and residential) and roof inspections. A winner of a 2020 People’s Telly Silver award for his drone cinematography work at The Hermosa Beach Volleyball Tournament, Steve also has experience inspecting transmission and distribution power lines flying a variety of Matrice model drones. He is very passionate about sharing his love of drones and his industry knowledge with others and can train you on his Autel Evo II Pro, DJI Mavic 2 Pro or on any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Location

Training is held at a local park in the Mission Bay area, roughly 7 miles from downtown San Diego. Exact location provided during booking.

Book a Drone Training Class in San Francisco (Oakland), CA

Browse Available Dates

Here’s how it works — Choose your preferred class below to browse Roger’s availability and to select a date and time for your training. We’ll ask some additional questions and will then follow-up with you to confirm that your class has been booked.

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: Roger Apolinar

Roger Apolinar is the Dynamic Aerial Imagery and Drone Production Professor at The Academy of Arts University and the aerial cinematographer to the San Francisco Giants. His aerial service company, APEX^ZERO, focuses on Part 107 Training, pre-flight mission planning & coordination, and aerial imagery. Roger’s passion is cinematic storytelling and building confident and competent sUAS operators. He can train you on his Mavic Pro or on any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Location

Training is held at a local park in Alameda and another in Oakland, both about 8‑10 miles from downtown San Francisco. Exact location provided during booking.

Book a Drone Training Class in San Jose, CA

Browse Available Dates

Here’s how it works — Choose your preferred class below to browse William’s availability and to select a date and time for your training. We’ll ask some additional questions and will then follow-up with you to confirm that your class has been booked.

FLIGHT SKILLS

Learn to fly a drone safely and professionally.

PHOTO & VIDEO

Learn to capture pro-level drone footage.

Additional Booking Options & Support

Book a class for 2 or more people here.
Purchase drone training as a gift here.
To pay by check, purchase order, or for other inquiries:
- Email us at training@uavcoach.com.
- Call us at (888) 626-1490.

Instructor: William Gardner

William Gardner is the technical lead at San Jose-based media production company, Counter LLC, wearing many hats including visual effects, lighting, web development, and (most importantly) drone piloting. While his aerial responsibilities are varied, William is most frequently operating as a cinematographer, applying his understanding of conventional photography to the skies. Prior to working at Counter LLC, William was an adult sailing instructor and program director, where he discovered his passion for teaching. William looks forward to teaching you with his Mavic 2 Pro, or any DJI drone that you bring.

Training Location

Training is held at a local park in Campbell, about 6‑8 miles from downtown San Jose. Exact location provided during booking.

3,000+ PILOTS TRAINED, CUSTOMERS RATE 4.9 OUT OF 5 STARS

My drone training class couldn’t have been better. I can now fly my drone with confidence!! My instructor, Jim Goede, was very thorough and I actually learned more about flying drones than expected. I would recommend UAV to anyone interested in learning how to fly a drone. Thank you again!

Mark R

Roger, my drone flight instructor, was very knowledgeable, easy going, and encouraging during my training. It was my first time ever flying a drone, but he helped me forget my fears and provided a super fun experience. Thanks!

Sabrina W

Steve was a great instructor providing me a wealth of information on safety, preparation, flight planning and new sources of relevant information. In addition, his instruction while I was flying the drone was excellent. Very clear, listened to my responses, supportive when I made mistakes and also showed me features of the controller that I had not known existed.

Robert W

Frequently Asked

Questions

Can I book a group of 4 or more?

Yes — we’re happy to chat with your group about training options. Email training@uavcoach.com or call us at (888) 626-1490

What kind of drone will I get to fly?

Our coaches train with DJI equipment — you’ll be flying either a DJI Mavic, DJI Phantom, or DJI Inspire model. If you have questions about the best professional drone models, we’re happy to help.

Can I bring my own drone?

Yes — many of our students prefer to fly with their own equipment. We’ll ask you to make sure that your firmware is up-to-date, to fully charge your transmitter, phone/tablet and to bring extra batteries. We’ll also ask that you’ve registered your drone through the FAADroneZone portal.

Do I need to be FAA Part 107 certified?

No — our instructors are certified and insured under our company policy, so you don’t have to be. If you’re interested in becoming a certified drone pilot, check out our FAA certification guide. We’d love to help you study!

What about inclement weather?

We won’t make you fly in the rain! We’ll work with you and your local flight instructor to reschedule.

Is this a test prep class for the FAA Part 107 drone exam?

No — this is a hands-on drone flight class. If you want to get FAA-certified, check out our industry-leading Part 107 online test prep and training course.

Can I buy a class for someone as a gift?

Absolutely! Click here to learn more.

What's the difference between Flight Skills and Photo & Video hands-on training?

Flight Skills: Great for beginners. Learn safe, professional drone flying—covering pre-flight checklists, in-air emergencies, and core flight skills to build confidence.

Photo & Video: Great for those with basic flight skills. Learn how to capture high-quality drone shots, from camera settings and ND filters to cinematic movements.

Can I bring a friend, colleague, or family member with me?

Yes! A shared experience with a friend or family member is a great way to learn together and have fun. Our instructors will tailor the experience for your group. You can purchase a group session of 2 people for $485 for 2.5 hours (save $52 per person!) or a group session of 3 people for $575 for 3 hours (save $103 per person!)

Are you insured?

Yes — we hold an insurance policy that covers up to $1 million in liability during the course of your training class. If you bring your own drone to the training, while we would not insure any damage to the drone itself, our liability policy still covers you.

Is this training class right for me?

Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries. If you’re looking to go deep into the DJI Go 4 or DJI Fly app, explore intelligent flight modes and fail-safe settings and to really understand what to do before, during, and after your flight to not only fly safely but to comply with the regulations, then yes, we’d love to see you book time with us.

What's your cancellation policy?

Your flight training is 100% refundable if you cancel at least 3 days before your training date.

training is TAILORED TO YOUR
SKILL LEVEL AND GOALS

DURING A TYPICAL session YOU WILL:

Meet with an expert and friendly instructor in a convenient outdoor location, like a park or athletic field
Learn on a popular DJI drone model provided by the instructor
Have 45-60 minutes of hands-on flying time to master orientation and basic flight maneuvers to build confidence (Flight Skills) or learn how to capture high-quality drone shots, from camera settings and ND filters to cinematic movements (Photo & Video)
Walk through the DJI Go 4 or DJI Fly app
Learn how to handle obstacles such as lost GPS, low battery charge or emergencies
Practice flying under various intelligent flight modes
Capture photo and video at your flight location
Understand best practices of being a safe drone pilot
Ask questions about regulations, software, flight operations management, and more
Sign up with a friend, colleague, or family member to share the experience. Learn together. Have fun together. Save money together!

Does your team need hands-on drone training?

We work with companies and organizations

An engineering team of four from Amgen needed to survey vertical structures. We set up a custom drone training with one of our Los Angeles instructors.

Southeastern Building Corporation wanted to use drones to capture aerial images of their residential and commercial construction projects. Our Nashville drone instructor trained two of their employees.

The Rutherford County GIS Department needed to survey land and infrastructure for things like development projects and flood zones. Our Nashville instructor trained three of their team members.

Fort Valley State University wanted to train 10 graduate students in their Engineering Technology Department to conduct research projects with their DJI Phantom. We built a half-day custom training with two instructors and two drones.

PRICING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS

$ 295

2 hours

$ 485

2.5 hours

$ 575

3 hours

Bring a friend, colleague, or family member to share the experience.
Sign up and save together!

Flying Your Drone In California

Before your training class, it might be helpful to familiarize yourself with the drone laws in California.

If you are flying a drone for fun, you are considered a ‘recreational’ pilot and should be following the Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations rules. You’ll need to complete The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), register your drone, and understand where you can and cannot fly.

If you are flying a drone for ‘commercial’ purposes, you’ll need to get your FAA drone pilot certificate. This takes about 15-20 hours of studying and requires you to pass a 60-question multiple-choice exam. Here’s more information about how to get your drone pilot license.

And for fun, here’s a list of the best places to fly your drone in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. Blue skies and safe flying out there!

Drone Flight Training

At a Glance

Training Sessions from 2-3 Hrs

Individual or small group sessions typically start at 2 hours and go up to 3 hours with a larger group — this lets each student get plenty of hands-on 'stick time.'

FAA-Certified Part 107 Pilots

Our instructors are professional, experienced and friendly. All are FAA-certified as Remote Pilots and many have military and commercial aviation experience.

Flight Ops & Intelligent Flight Modes

Take your knowledge to the next level with flight operations apps, pre-flight and post-flight checklists, intelligent flight modes and more.

DJI Equipment & Software

We use popular DJI models to teach you the ins and outs of both the drone hardware and the flight software — transferable knowledge if you're already flying or plan to fly a DJI system.