Hey yall! I'm a photographer and soon to be drone pilot whenever PSI finally lets me finish or even start an exam. I just want to share how ridiculous my experience has been try to get my unmanned aircraft license. And seeking any advice on further action you might have! This is a long one, the things we do to fly drones 
I originally posted this on Reddit, and they said to share it here!
TL;DR: I've driven over 300 miles to testing centers and have had faulty internet or a proctor never showed. Asked PSI for a test voucher for my wasted time, they ghosted me. Now I'm rescheduling again and just paying for it hoping this time actually works. What would you do?
So two weeks ago I drove over an hour to a testing center. Sat there for quite a while waiting for the Procter to show up and get ready. We all get settled and start the test, get a quarter of the way through and the internet goes out. Their IT guy wasn't on site so they just made us all leave an reschedule. Okay, that's just an oopsie.
The following week I rescheduled at a different testing center because that og center has zero availability. So I have to drive even further, about 1 hr 30 min to the center. I was a little weary of making the trip to this center because the reviews were hit or miss. But I have no others close by. I get there, there's a gentleman waiting outside the door for his test. Lights are on, computers on, looks like someone was there recently. We sit there outside in the cold for 30 mins and no one showed. I called psi's customer service and they said they can't contact anyone with that center because their number is just the general customer service line. So another day wasted with zero explanation as to why.
I got put on hold multiple times and they never would get back on the line, so I'd call again and same situation. Eventually I called and said, "look just reschedule my exam I'm going home" so she said okay.
I got home and wrote a very concise email about my situation and how I've wasted time, gas, and over 300 miles of wear on my vehicle. And now I'm going to have to do it again to try and take my test another time.
They said they'd escalate the situation and get back to me. I got a phone call from a random number one day and I was busy with my kids so I couldnt answer. They never left me a message... they sent me a vague email saying "we tried to reach you but could, call us back". So I call back as soon as I can and no one knew what the call was about. They forwarded me to a supervisor and she was super nice and frustrated with my situation so she emailed the high ups and escalated it. Telling them to email me the details asap. 5 days later... nothing.
I literally just asked if they could cover my next test with a voucher for my troubles... that's it. The supervisor I spoke to said that they shouldn't have an issue as that's not an extreme request for my troubles.
They never responded and never put my test in for a reschedule. Finally, I emailed them on Monday and said "this situation has been escalated and you guys have done nothing about it, but at the very least, can I reschedule my test?" And what do you know, the next day I can reschedule. So you guys will ignore all my other emails, but not me saying I'll just pay for another test and reschedule it? That's a good look.
Later in the day I got an email from a generic PSI llc email (no representative listed like the others had) stating that they aren't sure why I need to reschedule and if it was voluntary on my end or not but they'll process it anyway. Then they stated that if the center being closed was the reason, that it could be due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Really? Even if that was the case, you can't call me and cancel my test ahead of time? Even a call on my way there would have saved me some trouble of waiting around. They never canceled me test...
So what would you do? Take it to small claims for the troubles or just let it go. I've wasted at least $80 in gas so that's fun and paid my sister to babysit the kids.. and I've got to do it all over again.
I originally posted this on Reddit, and they said to share it here!TL;DR: I've driven over 300 miles to testing centers and have had faulty internet or a proctor never showed. Asked PSI for a test voucher for my wasted time, they ghosted me. Now I'm rescheduling again and just paying for it hoping this time actually works. What would you do?
So two weeks ago I drove over an hour to a testing center. Sat there for quite a while waiting for the Procter to show up and get ready. We all get settled and start the test, get a quarter of the way through and the internet goes out. Their IT guy wasn't on site so they just made us all leave an reschedule. Okay, that's just an oopsie.
The following week I rescheduled at a different testing center because that og center has zero availability. So I have to drive even further, about 1 hr 30 min to the center. I was a little weary of making the trip to this center because the reviews were hit or miss. But I have no others close by. I get there, there's a gentleman waiting outside the door for his test. Lights are on, computers on, looks like someone was there recently. We sit there outside in the cold for 30 mins and no one showed. I called psi's customer service and they said they can't contact anyone with that center because their number is just the general customer service line. So another day wasted with zero explanation as to why.
I got put on hold multiple times and they never would get back on the line, so I'd call again and same situation. Eventually I called and said, "look just reschedule my exam I'm going home" so she said okay.
I got home and wrote a very concise email about my situation and how I've wasted time, gas, and over 300 miles of wear on my vehicle. And now I'm going to have to do it again to try and take my test another time.
They said they'd escalate the situation and get back to me. I got a phone call from a random number one day and I was busy with my kids so I couldnt answer. They never left me a message... they sent me a vague email saying "we tried to reach you but could, call us back". So I call back as soon as I can and no one knew what the call was about. They forwarded me to a supervisor and she was super nice and frustrated with my situation so she emailed the high ups and escalated it. Telling them to email me the details asap. 5 days later... nothing.
I literally just asked if they could cover my next test with a voucher for my troubles... that's it. The supervisor I spoke to said that they shouldn't have an issue as that's not an extreme request for my troubles.
They never responded and never put my test in for a reschedule. Finally, I emailed them on Monday and said "this situation has been escalated and you guys have done nothing about it, but at the very least, can I reschedule my test?" And what do you know, the next day I can reschedule. So you guys will ignore all my other emails, but not me saying I'll just pay for another test and reschedule it? That's a good look.
Later in the day I got an email from a generic PSI llc email (no representative listed like the others had) stating that they aren't sure why I need to reschedule and if it was voluntary on my end or not but they'll process it anyway. Then they stated that if the center being closed was the reason, that it could be due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Really? Even if that was the case, you can't call me and cancel my test ahead of time? Even a call on my way there would have saved me some trouble of waiting around. They never canceled me test...
So what would you do? Take it to small claims for the troubles or just let it go. I've wasted at least $80 in gas so that's fun and paid my sister to babysit the kids.. and I've got to do it all over again.
. There are some brainseed centers around but only one does the part 107 and they are in DC.. Iām not a dc driver and that 2 hours away lol. Iād happily go to a flight school to take it, but we have none 