

Traffic at these airports is virtually always commercial, with the occasional private jet. However, you can unlock the zone by confirming you have authorization and getting a confirmation text on your phone. There will also be a ~5-mile radius of an "authorization zone," where your DJI drone will also not take off. There will be restricted zones around every runway and approach path, meaning your DJI drone will not take off there unless you submit written approval from the airport to DJI to unlock the drone (it is virtually impossible to get this approval and for good reason). This means that you will have to get FAA authorization to operate within the airspace through LAANC (via Kittyhawk or AirMap), or manually via the FAA Drone Zone online.ĭJI Geofencing will also be in play around these airports, in much more restrictive regard. UAS Operating Restrictionsĭue to controlled airspace reaching the ground near class B airports, the FAA's grid blocks will be in existence in a 5-7 mile radius around them. Class B airspace extends to the ground around the busiest airports.

The nation's highest traffic airports fall under Class B airspace. Large airports almost always fall under Class B Airspace, which is the most restrictive type of low altitude airspace for manned aviation. This article will examine different sized airports (as a function of air traffic, not landmass) and some of the unique risks involved at each. Different airports have different risk factors. While both GA and commercial operations have to follow FAA regulations, GA aircraft can be much more unpredictable due to less experienced pilots and a higher number of low altitude operations. Most of these aircraft are small, single-engine airplanes or helicopters, and they operate at much lower altitudes than commercial aircraft. Non-commercial flights include student flights, hobbyists, and anyone who is using an aircraft for personal use. General aviation encompasses all non-commercial flights. General aviation (GA) traffic, which accounts for virtually all of French Valley's air traffic, is a bit more of a grab bag.

Of those commercial flights, the majority of them are airliners, which are the most predictable of all air traffic, flown by the most seasoned pilots. This equates to almost 250 non-commercial flights per day.Ĭommercial versus non-commercial matters because commercially operated flights follow much more stringent regulations than general aviation and are therefore vastly more predictable than general aviation. In contrast, over 99% of daily traffic at French Valley is general aviation (GA). This equates to around 45 non-commercial flights per day at LAX. 97% of LAX's 1,500 flights per day are commercial operations, with the other 3% consisting of general aviation and military. When operating a drone, is it riskier to fly near LAX or French Valley?įirst, it is essential to understand the different operations that take place at each airport. That's around 1 flight, taking off or landing every 10 minutes. In contrast, French Valley Airport in Temecula, CA, sees roughly 250 flights on any given day. There is constant aircraft movement at LAX on any given day. That equates to one plane taking off or landing every minute of every day. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) sees at least 1,500 takeoffs and landings every day. But, there are other risk factors to consider. So in almost all cases, the answer is "yes," it's legal to fly there, and it is much easier to get approval than it once was.
Faa drone zone airspace authorization manual#
Non-participating airports can still grant authorization through a manual filing if needed.

Of those, 600 airports participate in the FAA's LAANC program, which provides near real-time access to controlled airspace near airports. Of the 15,000 airports in the US, fewer than 900 are in controlled airspace that requires authorization. You can operate near an airport, in most cases. Drone Operations Near Airports Knowing the Risks in these Dynamic Environments
