I'm on an FAA email list I guess, and I got this yesterday:
Latest LAANC Expansion
The FAA recently made it easier for drone pilots to quickly and safely access controlled airspace by adding 133 air traffic facilities to the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) system. LAANC is an automated application and approval system for drone pilots requesting to fly below 400 feet in controlled airspace.
As the FAA continues to modernize the national airspace to accommodate more users, the agency made LAANC accessible for 726 airports and 537 facilities, covering 81 percent of eligible airspace. This expansion is based on feedback from the drone community. LAANC is a collaboration between the FAA and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry which directly supports the safe integration of drones into the nation’s airspace. The service is accessible to all pilots who operate under the FAA’s small drone rule (see www.faa.gov/uas/media/Part_107_Summary.pdf). For more information on LAANC, go to www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/data_exchange
I found those numbers interesting. This is not an FAA that is trying to restrict UAV use, but rather, they seem to be making it easier...IMO. After all, like Air Traffic Control for manned aircraft, this is not a service that we UAV pilots have to directly pay for on a per use basis. Food for thought..
Latest LAANC Expansion
The FAA recently made it easier for drone pilots to quickly and safely access controlled airspace by adding 133 air traffic facilities to the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) system. LAANC is an automated application and approval system for drone pilots requesting to fly below 400 feet in controlled airspace.
As the FAA continues to modernize the national airspace to accommodate more users, the agency made LAANC accessible for 726 airports and 537 facilities, covering 81 percent of eligible airspace. This expansion is based on feedback from the drone community. LAANC is a collaboration between the FAA and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems industry which directly supports the safe integration of drones into the nation’s airspace. The service is accessible to all pilots who operate under the FAA’s small drone rule (see www.faa.gov/uas/media/Part_107_Summary.pdf). For more information on LAANC, go to www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/data_exchange
I found those numbers interesting. This is not an FAA that is trying to restrict UAV use, but rather, they seem to be making it easier...IMO. After all, like Air Traffic Control for manned aircraft, this is not a service that we UAV pilots have to directly pay for on a per use basis. Food for thought..
