Part 107 requires prior authorization from air traffic control before you fly in Class B, C or D airspace, or in the surface area of Class E airspace around an airport. LAANC is the fastest way to get it, usually in seconds. It is not something you can get by calling the tower. This page walks through the actual process.
The trigger is the airspace class, not the airport name. If your flight enters Class B, Class C or Class D airspace, or Class E airspace that extends down to the surface around an airport (shown on a sectional chart by a dashed magenta line), you need authorization before takeoff. Class G airspace needs none. Class E that begins at 700 or 1,200 feet AGL needs none either, because a drone limited to 400 feet stays below it; only surface-area Class E does.
A common confusion: Class D surrounds airports that have an operating control tower. There is no such thing as non-towered Class D. If an airport has no tower, its airspace is Class E or Class G. When in doubt, check the sectional chart or the FAA's UAS facility maps rather than judging by the airport's size.
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 it does not, you can change the request or apply for authorization through FAA DroneZone instead. A LAANC authorization is not permission to fly anywhere in the airspace; it covers the specific area, altitude and time you asked for.
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.
LAANC is not available everywhere, and it cannot approve more than the facility map allows. If your location is not covered, you need to fly above the grid ceiling, or your operation does not otherwise fit, apply for authorization through FAA DroneZone FAA DroneZone.
DroneZone requests are reviewed by the FAA rather than approved automatically, so they take longer: days to weeks, with no guaranteed turnaround. Apply well before the flight. 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.
- Assuming flying low means you do not need authorization. Inside controlled airspace you need it however low you fly; some grid squares have a ceiling of 0 feet.
- Requesting more than the grid allows. Ceilings can change from one grid square to the next, for example 0 feet near a runway and 400 feet farther out. Check the square where you will actually fly.
- Treating one authorization as covering later flights. A LAANC approval covers the time window you asked for. Flying another day needs a new request.
- Believing you can get authorization by calling the tower. You cannot. The authorized channels are LAANC and FAA DroneZone.
How far in advance do I need to request LAANC authorization?
LAANC can approve a request moments before a flight, and requests can also be made ahead of time. Check that LAANC is available at your location before you travel. If it is not and you need DroneZone instead, apply as early as possible, because those requests take days to weeks.
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 controlled airspace you actually enter. If your flight path stays entirely outside both volumes, you need nothing. If it crosses one, you need authorization for that one. If it crosses both, you need authorization covering both. Check each volume's boundaries and ceilings independently — they may differ in altitude, hours, and availability.
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 controlled airspace, however low or brief the flight.
This page was corrected after review.