Reminder: Airspace, local laws, and more are subject to change at any time. It is best to stay diligent about checking these things, especially airspace, prior to any UAS operation.
All sUAS operations take place in federally regulated airspace. When operating in controlled airspace like Class D airspace, you will need to check if the airspace is under Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC). LAANC is a collaboration between FAA and industry that 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 will operate.
If you are operating in uncontrolled airspace, you do not need to worry about LAANC. However, you still must follow all Part 107 rules and regulations. This includes operating no higher than 400ft above the nearest obstacle without entering into controlled airspace, maintaining visual line of sight (VLOS), and giving right of way to any manned aircraft.
Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other means. It states the abnormal status of a component of the National Airspace System (NAS) – not the normal status.
NOTAMs indicate the real-time and abnormal status of the NAS impacting every user.
NOTAMs concern the establishment, condition, or change of any facility, service, procedure or hazard in the NAS.
NOTAMs have a unique language using special contractions to make communication more efficient.
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are communicated to pilots through NOTAMs. They restrict aircraft (including drones) from operating without permission in a certain area for a limited time. You must always check NOTAMs prior to your flight for this reason. TFRs are issued for some of the following reasons:
Natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes
Emergency or national security situations
The Aloft Air Control app can be used to apply for LAANC authorization, view NOTAMs, TFRs, and more, easily while in the field.
While the FAA is the authority on matters of federal airspace regulations, local authorities can pass rules around the already standing Part 107 rules and regulations. These local authorities are limited in what they can legally enforce, however things like requiring notice to local authorities about your sUAS operations, and restricting sUAS operations around sensitive locations. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with any and all local laws. If you believe there to be an overreach of local laws, you can contact the FAA to investigate.
Before you head out to conduct your first operations at a site there are some important things you can do in order to avoid potential operational issues. These are just a few things you can do in addition to checking on the airspace of the location.
If you have never physically been to the site you plan to conduct a sUAS operation it can be useful to evaluate the area using Google Maps & Google Earth. Using these sites allows you to identify potential obstacles and hazards like trees, powerlines, and more. Understanding what hazards exist before arriving can be very beneficial for planning your operation.
Weather can impact all parts of your sUAS operation. It is important to assess the weather forecast prior to your operation. You may choose to select a different day, depending on the objectives you hope to complete. Weather can be checked through a variety of ways, but GRYFN recommends NOAA's National Weather Service.
Before heading to a location to conduct operations you should get in touch with any site administrators if this is a controlled location. This is because there could be site specific rules you need to follow, or other operations going on that cannot happen simultaneously with your operations.
Before any operation you should evaluate any obstructions or hazards in your operating area. These could be the same or different as the ones you identified prior to arrival.
Weather can be a very localized phenomenon, and what is forecasted may not be exactly accurate. You should carefully assess what the weather conditions are currently upon arrival, and how it will appear to change over the course of your operation.
Identifying emergency landing locations is important for the safety of all operations. Having these in mind prior to starting your operation can help keep everyone safe and minimize damage to other equipment.
If there are other people around your operation that are not directly participating, it is ideal to have a clearly defined takeoff/landing area, so that those people do not interfere.
If there are other people around your operation that are not directly participating, you need to clearly define verbally and with some sort of identifier what you are doing.
If there are other people around your operation that are not directly participating, you should identify where and how those people are moving about to help ensure they will not be at risk of interfering with the operation or at risk of being injured in the event of an emergency.
Risk should be assessed specifically based upon your operating environment.
Certain locations you operate at may have their own rules regarding safety and other operation aspects. For example, if you are operating on a construction site, they may require you to where a high-visibility vest, safety helmet, and safety glasses. You should follow these rules while operating in such areas, at all times. It is also your responsibility to inquire about such rules prior to arriving to conduct your sUAS operations.
