FAA DroneZone Airspace Authorization

[Mavic Mac]

We've been expressing told "Do not call the tower" many times over. If you do call or not that's your option but I wouldn't suggest it.

If DroneZone doesn't give authorization (see post #18) and LAANC doesn't list the airport and we are advised not to call the tower how does one go about getting authorization or do we just forget about flying ?
LAANC shows a 100' AGL (if I am reading it right) for the area but it is a Class D with surface to 2700' airspace.

Not trying to put you on the spot but if I fly and stay below the 100' AGL would I considered to be "legal" ? The very last thing I want to do is screw up.

Still trying to learn all the nuances of flying legal

 

[sar104]

If DroneZone doesn't give authorization (see post #18) and LAANC doesn't list the airport and we are advised not to call the tower how does one go about getting authorization or do we just forget about flying ?
LAANC shows a 100' AGL (if I am reading it right) for the area but it is a Class D with surface to 2700' airspace.

Not trying to put you on the spot but if I fly and stay below the 100' AGL would I considered to be "legal" ? The very last thing I want to do is screw up.

If LAANC is not available then there is no mechanism to authorize recreational flight. And since it's Class D airspace that requires authorization, how could an unauthorized recreational flight possibly be legal?

 

[BigAl07]

If DroneZone doesn't give authorization (see post #18) and LAANC doesn't list the airport and we are advised not to call the tower how does one go about getting authorization or do we just forget about flying ?
LAANC shows a 100' AGL (if I am reading it right) for the area but it is a Class D with surface to 2700' airspace.

The FAA is in the process of getting everything in order. Just a few months ago there was NO process for hobbyists to get any authorization so it's a lot better than it was. It's just going to take a little more time.

Not trying to put you on the spot but if I fly and stay below the 100' AGL would I considered to be "legal" ? The very last thing I want to do is screw up.

Still trying to learn all the nuances of flying legal

No that's very much NOT legal. Any flight within controlled airspace requires authorization. That 100' isn't a "buffer zone" but the max height that you "might" get authorization. Flying 1' high into controlled airspace is illegal.

 

[Mavic Mac]

@sar104 & @BigAl07

Thank you both for your replies !
I was 99%+ sure it was illegal but just wanted to make sure I was understanding it correctly.

 

[BigAl07]

If DroneZone doesn't give authorization (see post #18) and LAANC doesn't list the airport and we are advised not to call the tower how does one go about getting authorization or do we just forget about flying ?

Here's an "Official" response from an FAA Liaison:

"Unfortunately, the current situation is that you'll have to either operate in Class G (or surface Class E *not* designated for an airport) until LAANC or DroneZone come online or have your location listed as a fixed recreational flying site. "

Those are your only options and if none of those work you simply don't fly until a new option comes along that does allow you to get authorization.

 

[BigAl07]

@sar104 & BigAl07

Thank you both for your replies !
I was 99%+ sure it was illegal but just wanted to make sure I was understanding it correctly.

Your response and attitude about this is/are awesome. Keep it up my friend

 

[JAW]

I'm located 4.3 miles from Coastal Carolina airport (EWN) in New Bern, NC, currently a non-LAANC Class D airport. As I posted in #18, the FAA informed me to expect LAANC by the end of the year.

The airport is frequently used to refuel Marine Corps aircraft as Cherry Point MCAS is about 20 miles away. Yesterday, a loose formation flight of four MV-22 tilt-rotor Ospreys flew over my house at about 200' agl enroute to the airport. As a retired Army helicopter pilot I was in awe of these beautiful aircraft. Their normal approach is up the Neuse River, so in this case they were about 1/2 mile off course which gave me an exceptional view of them, but I can't help but wonder if the non-LAANC status for the airport has to do with its use by tactical Marine aircraft and if it will ever change?

 

[dawgpilot]

As of a couple weeks ago, the email I received from the FAA indicated that authorizations for recreational flights at non-LAANC airports can not be done through DroneZone. This is the reply I received:

I emailed UAShelp with this question:

Can you point me to where I, as a recreational pilot, can complete a
manual request for authorization to fly at an airport not served by LAANC?
Thank you

This is the reply I received:

Thank you for contacting the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Support Center.

At present, you do not have that option. Manual (non-LAANC) authorization requests through DroneZone should be available for recreational flyers later this year. Please monitor Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

The DroneZone site has been recently updated to add a Recreational Airspace Authorization section. If you login to DroneZone you'll see for yourself.

 

[Thomas B]

The DroneZone site has been recently updated to add a Recreational Airspace Authorization section. If you login to DroneZone you'll see for yourself.

Here:

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

 

[JAW]

Here:

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

Well I'll be darn'd. But when I click on "How to Get an Airspace Authoriation" in my Recreational dashboard, I get a "Page Not Found" error. Well, at least it's movement in the right direction.

 

[Mavic Mac]

Well I'll be darn'd. But when I click on "How to Get an Airspace Authoriation" in my Recreational dashboard, I get a "Page Not Found" error. Well, at least it's movement in the right direction.

I ran into the same thing (See Post#10). I submitted an authorization request on 9/2 via DroneZone and not heard a thing. Requested is still listed as 'submitted'
The Class D airspace I was trying for authorization in is a civilian/military and not on LAANC list.

 

[Mavic Mac]

I had also emailed FAA through DroneZone about flight authorization and this is their replay I received this morning

Thank you for contacting the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Support Center.

At present, as a recreational flyer you may not operate in controlled airspace that is not LAANC-enabled. That capability should be available later this year.

SF

Please follow up with any further inquiries at [email protected]. Additional information is also available at Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

We appreciate your feedback. Please select: UAS Safety and Integration Division AUS-400.

This is the same response that @JAW received. So until such time the airport you're requesting recreational flight authorization for is part of LAANC network authorization will not be granted. IMHO based on this information I feel it would be best not to tie up the FAA with requests that almost certainly will not be granted. Hopefully their time frame isn't an optimistic statement and the airports in question do get included.

 

[daveshrews]

I've done around 15 Part 107 flights in the past 6 months that have all required a DroneZone Airspace Authorization because they were either at non-LAANC enabled airports or I needed to fly in 0' zones. I got nearly every request approved within 2-3 business days, including requests near active military installations, and requests within 2000 ft of the runway at busy class C airports.

I have a job this week near a small class D non-LAANC enabled airport (KHYA) in a 0' zone that I applied for two weeks ago, and the authorization is still showing "submitted" on DroneZone (as opposed to "under review"), which means they haven't even looked at it yet. I resubmitted a new application today with slightly different parameters, but I'm not optimistic about hearing back from them this week. Has anyone else had slower than normal approval times lately, or have I just been extremely lucky prior to this?

Thanks!
Dave

 

[Thomas B]

Of note, I applied to renew my 30 day clearance for my 4 square mile favorite practice area through FAAs DroneZone and found out that clearance can be obtained for 2 years via COA.

Email below:


Good morning,

I am processing your Airspace Authorization: 2019-P107-WSA-11948-R. It looks exactly like the last one I processed. I’m curious – how many times/how long do you think you will want to fly this same area? We can get you a signed COA for the next 24 months if you would like. That would save you from having to submit additional requests, and would reduce the number of requests my department will have to process in the future.



Please let me know what you would like as your end date.

Respectfully,

Ian Neville-Neil
FAA, ATO Western Service Area (WSA) Service Center
Unmanned Aerial Systems
AJV-W23 Tactical Operations
Contract Support (NISCIII)
2200 S. 216th St., 5th Floor
Des Moines, WA 98198
Office: (206) 231-2446
FAA Email: [email protected]
Leidos Email: [email protected]
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