Adds 133 Air Traffic Facilities To The LAANC System

The FAA has 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.

It directly supports UAS integration into the airspace.

LAANC provides:

• Drone pilots with access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet.
• Awareness of where pilots can and cannot fly.
• Air Traffic Professionals with visibility into where and when drones are operating.

Through the UAS Data Exchange, the capability facilitates the sharing of airspace data between the FAA and companies approved by the FAA to provide LAANC services. The companies are known as UAS Service Suppliers — and the desktop applications and mobile apps to utilize the LAANC capability are provided by the UAS Service Suppliers (USS).

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.

FMI: www.faa.gov