The “drone pilot license” people usually mean is the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate under Part 107. The FAA’s process is outlined here: Become a Certificated Remote Pilot.
You must be at least 16 years old, able to read, speak, write, and understand English, and in a condition to operate safely. Then you pass the initial aeronautical knowledge exam and complete the FAA application process.
What the process looks like
- Study for the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft General exam
- Take the test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center
- Apply through IACRA after passing
- Complete TSA vetting and receive the certificate
- Keep knowledge current with recurrent training every 24 calendar months
The FAA also notes that the initial knowledge test typically costs about $175.
Good news: this is not a manned-aircraft pilot license and is far easier to obtain.
Get licensed first
Waiting until you have a live job to start certification will lead to project delays at best, and complete missed opportunities at worst. The test itself is manageable, and preparing for it is not too cumbersome, but you do need to schedule a time to sit for your exam, and should set aside some moderate time to study and digest the materials.
We see a great success rate in people who register for their test a couple of weeks out, and set aside a few hours a week to study, before sitting for the exam.
What matters after you pass
Once you pass you will be legal to start operating under Part 107, but that is not the catch all for legal compliance. You still need airspace awareness, aircraft registration, site judgment, and current recurrent training.