Operations guide · 5 min read · Updated September 2026

How to Get an Airspace Authorization Through LAANC

Start practice test

When you actually need an authorization

The trigger is the airspace, not the airport name. Section 107.41 requires authorization in Class B, C and D airspace and within the lateral boundaries of Class E surface areas designated for an airport (E2). A dashed magenta line alone does not settle it: Class E surface extensions (E3/E4) also use dashed magenta and do not by themselves require section 107.41 authorization, so check what the boundary actually is. Class G needs no authorization. Class E beginning at 700 or 1,200 feet AGL does not itself require section 107.41 authorization. Part 107 generally limits altitude to 400 feet AGL, with a structure provision allowing flight within 400 feet horizontally of a structure and up to 400 feet above its uppermost limit.

A common confusion: Class D generally surrounds an airport with an operating control tower, but a non-towered airport can lie within another airport's Class D or Class C airspace. Part-time Class D may revert to Class E or G when the tower closes. Check the actual boundaries and published hours on the sectional chart or the FAA's UAS facility maps rather than judging by the airport's size.

How LAANC works

LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) checks your request against the FAA's UAS facility maps and, if it fits, approves it in near real time with no human review. The facility maps divide the airspace around airports into grid squares, each with a maximum altitude in feet above ground level, from 0 up to 400 feet. LAANC checks:

• Whether your location is in airspace where LAANC is available
• Whether your requested altitude is at or below the ceiling for that grid square
• Whether anything else, such as a temporary flight restriction, rules the flight out

If the request fits, you get an authorization for that area, altitude and time window. If you need to fly above the grid ceiling (up to 400 feet AGL, including 0-foot grids, but not for on-airport operations), you can submit a LAANC further coordination request, which an air traffic manager reviews; it must be submitted at least 72 hours before the operation. LAANC requests can be made up to 90 days ahead. A LAANC authorization is not permission to fly anywhere in the airspace; it covers the specific area, altitude and time you asked for.

Step-by-step: getting your authorization

1. Confirm the airspace. Check the sectional chart or the FAA's facility maps for the class of airspace at your location and the grid ceiling where you plan to fly.
2. Use an FAA-approved LAANC app. The FAA does not offer LAANC through its own app. Requests go through companies the FAA has approved as LAANC service suppliers, and the FAA publishes the current list on its LAANC page. They all connect to the same FAA system.
3. Enter your flight details: the location and area of the operation, the maximum altitude in feet above ground level, and the date and time window.
4. Submit. If the request fits the facility map, approval usually comes back within seconds. Keep the approval where you can show it during the flight.
5. Fly within what was approved. Going higher, outside the area, or outside the time window means flying without the required authorization.

When LAANC is unavailable: the DroneZone fallback

Where LAANC is not available, or your operation needs a process LAANC cannot provide, apply for authorization through FAA DroneZone FAA DroneZone. Above-grid requests at LAANC-enabled locations can usually go through LAANC further coordination instead (see above).

DroneZone requests are reviewed manually by the FAA, are not approved in near real time and should be submitted well ahead of the operation. Do not fly until the authorization is issued. A DroneZone authorization can cover repeated operations at the same location over a longer period, which can make it the better choice for recurring work.

DroneZone is also where you register drones, so you may already have an account.

Common mistakes that cause problems

Common questions

How far in advance do I need to request LAANC authorization?

Near-real-time LAANC approval can be requested shortly before the flight, and LAANC requests can be submitted up to 90 days in advance. Further coordination requests above the grid ceiling must be submitted at least 72 hours before the operation. If LAANC is not available and you need DroneZone instead, apply well ahead of time, because those requests are reviewed manually.

Can I just call the control tower and ask permission to fly?

No. Part 107 requires prior authorization, and the authorized channels are LAANC and FAA DroneZone. A phone call to the tower is not the required authorization and leaves no record you can show.

Do I need a new authorization for every flight?

With LAANC, generally yes: each approval covers a specific area, altitude and time window, so flying on another day needs a new request. Authorizations issued through DroneZone can cover repeated operations over a longer period, which suits recurring work at the same site.

What if I am flying near two airports and both have controlled airspace?

You need authorization for whichever of those volumes you actually enter. You do not need section 107.41 authorization for either volume if you remain outside both. If your flight crosses one, you need authorization for that one; if it crosses both, you need authorization covering both. Check each volume's boundaries, ceilings and hours independently. Either way, still check current NOTAMs, TFRs and other restrictions, including after a LAANC approval, because LAANC's automated checks do not replace your preflight checks.

What happens if I fly without authorization in controlled airspace?

You are violating Part 107. The FAA can impose civil penalties and suspend or revoke your remote pilot certificate. Get authorization before you fly in Class B, C or D airspace or an airport's Class E surface area, however low or brief the flight.

Gear mentioned on this page

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This never affects which products we recommend or what the practice questions say. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Amazon · search results

  FAA VFR sectional charts

  Step one of every authorization is checking the airspace, and the sectional chart is where the test expects you to read it.
  See options on Amazon↗ (opens in a new tab)

Reviewed and updated September 2026.

Spotted a mistake, or have a question this page does not answer? Send feedback, no email needed.

Related guides