More airspace open for drones

Starting May 23, 2019, more than 100 control towers and airports were added to the hundreds of FAA air traffic facilities and airports that use the Low Altitude Authorization and Capability (LAANC) system.

LAANC expedites the time it takes for a drone pilot to receive authorization to fly under 400′ in controlled airspace. By adding contract towers to the number of LAANC-enabled facilities, drone pilots will have access to more than 400 towers covering nearly 600 airports, FAA officials said.

Contract towers are air traffic control towers that are staffed by employees of private companies rather than by FAA employees.

LAANC provides controllers with visibility into where and when authorized drones are flying near airports and helps ensure that everyone can safely operate within the airspace, FAA officials explain.

“The expansion to more than 100 contract towers means the FAA has further increased drone pilots’ access to controlled airspace safely and efficiently,” officials said in a prepared release.

LAANC is currently used by commercial drone pilots who operate under the FAA’s small drone rule (Part 107). The FAA is upgrading LAANC to eventually allow recreational flyers to use the system. In the future, recreational flyers will be able to obtain authorization from the FAA to fly in controlled airspace. For now, recreational flyers who want to operate in controlled airspace may only do so at fixed sites.