Guide · Part 107 pilots
LAANC Authorization: How It Works & Affects Your Quote
LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is how Part 107 pilots get near-instant airspace authorization in controlled airspace. Knowing how it affects your job — and your quote — is part of pricing well.
Ready to put this into a quote? Rotor Rate does the math.
How to fly near an airport — step by step
Follow this every time you have a Part 107 job inside controlled airspace.
Confirm the airport's airspace class
Open B4UFLY, the FAA UAS Facility Map, or your LAANC app and tap the airport. Towered fields are usually Class B, C, or D; smaller fields may sit under a Class E surface ring. Class G (uncontrolled) needs no LAANC at all.
Read the UASFM grid ceiling for your operating area
The map overlays a grid of squares, each with a maximum altitude (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, or 400 ft AGL) that LAANC will auto-approve. Your planned altitude must be at or below that number for the specific grid your flight sits in.
Pick your provider app and create the request
Use any FAA-approved LAANC provider — Aloft, AutoPylot, Airmap, Skyward, UASidekick, or AirHub. Sign in with your Part 107 certificate number, draw the operating area as a polygon (not just a point), and select the date.
Set altitude at or below the grid ceiling
Request the lowest altitude that lets you do the job. If you need to exceed the grid ceiling, switch the request type to Further Coordination — it will route to ATC for manual review (days to weeks, not guaranteed).
Pick a tight time window
Request only the window you actually need (typical max is 12 hours). A tighter window is friendlier to ATC, easier to re-file if weather shifts, and gives you a clean operating envelope to document.
Submit and save the confirmation
Auto-approval usually returns in seconds. Save the confirmation PDF — authorization number, approved altitude, operating window, airspace class — to the job folder. You'll want it if anything is questioned later.
Pre-flight: re-check NOTAMs and TFRs
LAANC approval is not a TFR check. Before you launch, look at active NOTAMs and TFRs along the flight area. A stadium event, VIP movement, or wildfire TFR can override your LAANC authorization.
Fly the approved envelope, then log it
Stay inside the polygon, at or below the approved altitude, within the time window. Maintain visual line of sight and yield to manned aircraft. After the flight, log the LAANC reference number alongside the rest of your job notes.
Example scenario
Worked example — real estate shoot, 1.2 miles from a Class D field
You're shooting a $1.4M listing 1.2 miles east of a Class D airport. The agent wants exterior aerials at 180 ft AGL on Saturday between 9–10 AM. You open Aloft, tap the property — Class D, UASFM grid ceiling 200 ft. That covers your 180 ft request, so it's an auto-approval. You draw a tight polygon around the lot, request 200 ft from 8:45–10:15 AM (90-minute buffer for setup and weather), and submit. Auto-approved in 12 seconds. You save the confirmation PDF to the job folder, check NOTAMs the morning of the shoot (clear), and bill the standard real estate rate + 15 minutes of airspace planning. Total LAANC overhead on the quote: about $20.
What LAANC actually is
A partnership between the FAA and approved providers (Aloft, Airmap, Skyward, AutoPylot, and others) that lets Part 107 pilots request authorization to fly in controlled airspace at or below the published UAS Facility Map (UASFM) ceiling. Most requests come back in seconds.
When you need it
Anywhere inside controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, or surface E around an airport). Class G — uncontrolled airspace — does not require LAANC. If the UASFM ceiling for your grid is 0 ft, LAANC won't auto-approve and you'll need a Further Coordination request, which can take weeks.
How it changes your quote
Add planning time for any controlled-airspace job. A standard LAANC request is fast, but you still need to verify the grid, file at the right altitude, and brief the client. Further Coordination jobs warrant a meaningful surcharge and a longer lead time on the contract.
Document everything
Keep your LAANC confirmation, the altitude approved, and the operating window with the job file. If something goes wrong, that record is what protects your certificate and your insurance.
What is LAANC?
LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is an FAA program that lets Part 107 drone pilots get near-instant authorization to fly in controlled airspace. Instead of waiting weeks for a manual FAA approval, you submit your flight area, altitude, and time window through an approved app and usually receive auto-approval in seconds — provided you're at or below the published ceiling on the UAS Facility Map for that grid.
How do I get LAANC authorization?
Download an FAA-approved LAANC provider app (Aloft, AutoPylot, Airmap, Skyward, UASidekick, or AirHub). Create an account with your Part 107 certificate number, draw the operating area on the map, pick a date, time window, and requested altitude at or below the UASFM grid ceiling, and submit. Auto-approvals come back in seconds; if your altitude exceeds the grid ceiling, the system files a Further Coordination request that goes to manual ATC review and can take days to weeks.
When do I need LAANC authorization?
You need LAANC any time you fly under Part 107 inside controlled airspace — Class B, C, D, or the surface ring of Class E around an airport. Class G (uncontrolled) airspace does not require LAANC. Recreational pilots flying under the exception for limited recreational operations also need LAANC in controlled airspace, but use a separate recreational LAANC pathway.
What's the difference between LAANC and a Part 107 waiver?
LAANC is an authorization for controlled airspace at or below the published grid ceiling, processed automatically in seconds. A waiver is a formal FAA exemption from a specific Part 107 rule — flying at night before 2021, over people, beyond visual line of sight, above 400 ft AGL, or multiple aircraft from one pilot. Waivers go through DroneZone, require a detailed safety case, and typically take 60–90 days. Rule of thumb: LAANC unlocks airspace; a waiver unlocks an operating limit.
How do I fly a drone near an airport legally?
First check what airspace surrounds the airport — most towered airports are inside Class B, C, or D and require LAANC authorization. Use B4UFLY or your LAANC provider's map to see the airspace class and UASFM grid ceiling. If the grid shows a ceiling above zero, file a LAANC request for an altitude at or below that ceiling. If the grid shows 0 ft, you'll need a Further Coordination request approved by ATC before you can fly. Always stay below 400 ft AGL, maintain visual line of sight, and yield to manned aircraft.
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