I get this question all the time. Mostly when people see me fly my drone downtown Cleveland, Ohio, (and anywhere else). There is still a lot of confusion as to where you are legally allowed to fly.
There are 2 types of drone operators – hobbyists (recreational) and commercial operators (Part 107 license holders, like myself). As a reminder, drones are legally defined as aircraft, so their operations are subject to regulation by the FAA. This regulation applies to both recreational and commercial operations and ALL drone pilots are required to know the type of airspace they plan to fly in.
Commercial drone operators (with Part 107 certification) are required to learn and understand much more about operations within the NAS (National Airspace), and it is a major part of the FAA knowledge test for remote pilot certification. The same goes for the hobbyist drone pilots: as of 2021 they are required to take the TRUST test, preparation for which gives them basic information about the airspace types (see my TRUST test blog post for more information on that)
Types of United States National Airspace (NAS)
When planning a drone flight, you need to determine what type of airspace you are intending to fly in. If it is controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, or certain areas of E) then you will need to get FAA authorization to fly in these areas. Controlled airspace is typically found within 5 miles of an airport that has a control tower in operation.
How can I check what type of airspace I am in?
There are several ways to check what type of airspace you are intending to fly in. The easiest way is with an app that was developed in conjunction with the FAA, called B4UFLY. It provides drone pilots with a status indicator based on their current or planned location in relation to airspace restrictions. Of course, there may be additional restrictions, such as state and local regulations, that may not be shown on the app.
There are a variety of other apps available for drone pilots, including Airmap, UASidekick, and Aloft to name a few, which help determine the airspace type and the ability to request FAA flight authorizations through the app.
Uncontrolled airspace drone flight operations
As the name implies, you won’t need additional FAA authorization if you are in uncontrolled airspace. You are free to fly there, as long as you comply with basic drone operation rules (flying under 400’, not flying over people or traffic, and not interfering with traffic patterns of takeoff and landing areas, if near an airport).
How to get FAA Authorizations to fly in controlled airspace
If you’ve determined that you are going to be flying in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, etc.) you must apply for an airspace authorization for altitudes below the posted UAS Facility Map grid altitudes (this applies to both recreational and commercial drone pilots)
You can get these authorizations through a variety of apps (mentioned above) that are LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) service providers, which were developed in collaboration with the FAA and the industry.
If you are unable to get authorization through the LAANC network, you will have to get authorization through the FAA DroneZone.
You can probably figure out where to go from here with the information and the links I provided, but if you want more detail and are more of a visual learner, I uploaded a video tutorial on getting drone flight authorizations through the LAANC and DroneZone on my V1DroneMedia YouTube channel.
Can I get an FAA Authorization through the DJI Fly Safe Website?
No, getting an FAA Authorization is a separate step from unlocking a DJI Fly Safe No Fly Geo Zone. I explain the difference and give the tutorial on how to unlock the DJI Fly Safe No Fly Zones in my What is DJI Fly Safe blog post.
Can I fly my drone downtown Cleveland?
If you are specifically looking to fly downtown Cleveland (since I am local, I will elaborate on this subject), you will most likely be flying in Class D (controlled) airspace. This controlled airspace exists due to Burke Lakefront airport being located in downtown Cleveland and encompasses a 5 miles radius around the airport. You will need to check the LAANC system to determine if the specific spot you are looking to fly in is within that controlled airspace and if so, you will need to get an FAA authorization to fly there. Simple, right?
Something else to be aware of when flying downtown Cleveland is the fact that there may be TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions) in effect – typically in effect if there is a Cleveland Indians game – TFR prohibits any drone flying during that time.
I have a few spots I tend to fly at often around Cleveland, and you can read my post Where To Fly Drones in Cleveland to learn where that is.
I hope you have a bit more clarity now about flying at your desired location. Comment here or on my YouTube video if you’ve found this helpful, and contact me if you have more questions or have a topic in mind that you’d like to learn more about. Have a safe flight!