Part 107 Airspace Authorization: Which Airspace Needs It, and How LAANC and DroneZone Work

Airspace is about 20% of the UAG test under PSI's 2025 specifications, roughly 12 of 60 questions, and most of those come down to one decision: does this flight need ATC authorization, and if so, how do you get it? Reading the chart symbols is covered in the Part 107 sectional chart guide. This guide covers the rule, the shape of each airspace class, and the approval process.

The Part 107 authorization rule in one sentence

14 CFR 107.41 says no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in Class B, Class C or Class D airspace, or "within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport," without prior authorization from ATC.

Everything else follows from knowing where those four areas begin and end. AC 107-2A adds that the FAA may approve or deny an operation based on traffic density, controller workload, communication issues, or anything else that could affect the safe flow of traffic.

How big each airspace class usually is

The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) gives the typical dimensions. Each area is individually tailored, so the chart is what counts for a real flight.

The key word in the table is "inside." Class B and C shelves have floors above the ground. A drone at 300 feet AGL under a shelf whose floor is higher isn't in that airspace, so 107.41 doesn't require a Class B or C authorization there. Shelf floors are printed in MSL, so convert them before deciding: a floor of 2,000 feet MSL over ground at 900 feet MSL sits 1,100 feet above the ground. Boundaries like these are good flashcard material, and the 92 Airspace flashcards planned for full Part 107 prep cover this content area.

Part-time towers change the answer. The AIM says a part-time Class D surface area may revert to a Class E surface area or to Class G when the tower closes, and the Chart Supplement entry says which ("other times CLASS E" or "other times CLASS G"). If it becomes a Class E surface area, authorization is still required. If it becomes Class G, 107.41 no longer applies, though the airport rules below still do.

Rules that apply even where no authorization is needed

No authorization doesn't mean no restrictions. The FAA's Airspace 101 page puts it plainly: there's no such thing as unregulated airspace.

• Airports in uncontrolled airspace. 107.43 bans operating in a way that interferes with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport or seaplane base. AC 107-2A's example: a drone hovering 200 feet above a runway may delay a takeoff or a landing. That is interference with the traffic pattern even without an immediate traffic conflict.
• Right of way. Under 107.37, the drone yields to all aircraft, airborne vehicles and launch and reentry vehicles.
• Prohibited and restricted areas. 107.45 requires permission from the using or controlling agency.
• TFRs and NOTAM restrictions. 107.47 requires compliance with 14 CFR 91.137 to 91.145 and 99.7. AC 107-2A says the remote pilot must check NOTAMs before each flight.
• Stadiums. The FAA prohibits drone flights within 3 nautical miles of a stadium or venue from one hour before to one hour after the scheduled time of Major League Baseball, National Football League and NCAA Division One football games, and NASCAR Sprint Cup, IndyCar and Champ Series races.
• Emergencies. The FAA's Airspace Restrictions page says flying over emergency or rescue operations, such as wildfires and hurricanes, is prohibited.

How LAANC works for Part 107 pilots

LAANC, the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, is a collaboration between the FAA and approved companies called UAS Service Suppliers, whose desktop and mobile applications take your request. The FAA's LAANC page, updated September 29, 2026, says LAANC is available at 726 airports. Requests are checked against UAS Facility Maps, special use airspace data, airports and airspace classes, TFRs and NOTAMs.

What the FAA adds:

• On timing, the FAA's pages don't say quite the same thing. The Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page says LAANC requests may be submitted up to 90 days in advance, but its step-by-step instructions for a near-real-time request say to apply on the date you wish to fly. The LAANC page ties the 90-day window to further coordination requests. Check what your UAS Service Supplier allows.
• To qualify under Part 107, your drone must be registered and you must hold a remote pilot certificate.
• Unless an authorization specifically says so, you don't need to notify the tower before you fly.
• LAANC provides airspace authorizations only. You still check NOTAMs and weather and follow every other restriction.
• If an operation in controlled airspace needs both a waiver and an airspace authorization, both go through FAADroneZone.
• Further coordination can also cover 0-foot grids, except for on-airport operations.

Airspace decisions are a big share of the test, so the 170 Airspace questions planned for Part 107 prep are a natural next step once full prep opens.

Reading UAS Facility Maps

The FAA describes UAS Facility Maps as showing the maximum altitudes around airports where it may authorize Part 107 operations without additional safety analysis. Each grid square carries a maximum altitude, which can be as low as 0 feet. Two points the FAA stresses:

• The maps don't authorize anything. They're informational. You still need a LAANC or FAADroneZone authorization to fly in the controlled airspace they cover.
• Red grids aren't served by LAANC. The FAA's Flying Near Airports page says to use FAADroneZone there.

Requesting authorization through FAADroneZone

FAADroneZone handles airports that aren't LAANC-enabled, and it can also process requests at LAANC airports, though never in near real time. Requests are processed manually at FAA Air Traffic Service Centers. The FAA's Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page, updated October 1, 2026, warns that processing has historically taken up to eight weeks, so apply early.

The FAA's steps, in short: log in, choose "Create Part 107 Waiver/Authorization," pick Airspace Authorization, then give an operation title, the responsible party, dates and times, the location and the maximum altitude AGL. Requests at or below the facility map altitude are approved by the Service Centers. Requests above it, up to 400 feet, are coordinated with the facility that manages the airspace. You get a reference number and can track the request from your Part 107 dashboard. The responsible party doesn't have to be the pilot.

Night flying doesn't remove the requirement. The FAA's page for certificated remote pilots says airspace authorizations are still required for night operations in controlled airspace, and FAADroneZone authorizations cover both day and night.

Part 107 authorization practice decisions written by Passy

These are original practice scenarios, not FAA test items.

1. A roof inspection at 150 feet AGL sits inside the blue dashed line around a towered airport. The facility map grid shows 200. Class D, so authorization is required. If the airport is LAANC-enabled, a near-real-time request at or below 200 feet fits.

2. The same job needs 300 feet. Above the grid value, so it's a LAANC further coordination request, submitted at least 72 hours before the start time.

3. A survey at 350 feet AGL lies under a Class C shelf whose floor is 1,200 feet above the ground there, with no Class E surface area below. The drone isn't inside Class C, so 107.41 doesn't require a Class C authorization. Check for TFRs and other restrictions anyway.

4. The tower at a small airport closes at 9 p.m., and the Chart Supplement says "other times CLASS E." After 9 p.m. it's a Class E surface area, so authorization is still required. If the entry said "other times CLASS G," 107.41 wouldn't apply after closing, but 107.43 still would.

5. An NFL game is scheduled to start in 45 minutes, and a client wants photos of the parking lots from 2 nautical miles away. Not allowed. The stadium restriction covers 3 nautical miles and begins one hour before the scheduled time of the event.

When one class keeps tripping you, Weak Spot, planned for Part 107 prep, drills whichever content area has your lowest accuracy, and today the free Part 107 practice questions include airspace items.

Part 107 airspace authorization compared with recreational flying

Recreational flyers need the same kind of authorization in the same four areas, under 49 U.S.C. 44809, and can use LAANC's near-real-time requests or FAADroneZone. Further coordination is for Part 107 pilots only. The Part 107 or TRUST guide compares the two sets of rules, and the Part 107 numbers guide lists the airspace dimensions with the other figures to memorize.