LAANC and controlled airspace
Airspace authorizations
Under Part 107, you need prior permission from air traffic control (ATC) before flying a small drone in controlled airspace around airports. The FAA grants that permission as an airspace authorization, either almost instantly through LAANC or through a manual request in FAADroneZone.
This guide covers which airspace needs authorization, how LAANC and the UAS Facility Maps work, when to use FAADroneZone instead, the special cases that catch operators out, and how an authorization differs from a waiver. It reflects the FAA's published process as of October 2026.
Vetted consultants
No vetted consultants are listed for LAANC and controlled airspace yet.
The directory is new and growing. In the meantime, try the consultancies below, or search all consultants.
More consultancies
Firms we've indexed that haven't completed a listing yet. Is one of these yours?
How LAANC works
LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is a collaboration between the FAA and industry. You do not apply to the FAA directly: you use a desktop or mobile app from an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier, and your request is checked automatically against FAA data such as the UAS Facility Maps, special use airspace, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and NOTAMs. The FAA publishes the current list of approved suppliers and which services each offers.
UAS Facility Maps show the maximum altitudes around airports at which the FAA may authorize Part 107 flights without further safety analysis. The maps themselves are for information only and do not authorize anything. Any LAANC request may be submitted up to 90 days before the flight. LAANC offers two kinds of request:
- Near-real-time authorization: at or below the facility map altitude, applied for on the day you fly, with approval typically received in near-real time
- Further coordination: above the facility map altitude but under 400 feet, reviewed by the air traffic manager for that airspace, and available to Part 107 pilots only, not recreational flyers. The FAA says to submit at least 72 hours before the start time and up to 90 days ahead
When to use FAADroneZone instead
LAANC is not available at every airport. FAADroneZone handles authorizations for airports that are not LAANC-enabled, and can also be used at LAANC-enabled ones, but every request is processed manually at FAA Air Traffic Service Centers, so nothing comes back in near-real time. Requests at or below the facility map altitude are approved by the Service Center. Requests above it but at or below 400 feet are coordinated with the facility that manages the airspace.
The FAA warns that FAADroneZone processing times vary with volume and that requests have historically taken up to eight weeks from submission. Apply well ahead of the job: you cannot fly in controlled airspace without the approval in hand.
The FAA's Aviation Safety Hub has taken over only some of FAADroneZone's work. New Part 107 waiver applications now go through the Hub, while waivers already submitted in FAADroneZone continue to be processed there. Airspace authorization requests stay in FAADroneZone until further notice, as do drone registration and safety event reporting. So if a job needs both a waiver and an airspace authorization, apply for the waiver in the Hub and for the authorization through LAANC or FAADroneZone. That could change, so check the FAA's airspace authorizations page before you apply.
Special cases: night, altitude, TFRs and security areas
Night flying in controlled airspace no longer needs a waiver, but it still needs an airspace authorization through LAANC or FAADroneZone, on top of the night rules (recurrent training or the updated knowledge test, and anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles). FAADroneZone authorizations are available for both day and night.
Above facility map altitudes, use a LAANC further coordination request or FAADroneZone. The FAA says LAANC further coordination also covers 0 foot grids, except for submissions for on-airport operations. Facilities can give guidance on denied further coordination requests so you can adjust the operation and resubmit.
An authorization is not a clearance to ignore other restrictions. LAANC provides airspace authorizations only, and pilots must still check NOTAMs and weather and respect all airspace restrictions. TFRs are issued through the NOTAM system, and the FAA warns of substantial penalties for flying in one. It also restricts drones over certain sites, including military installations, using Special Security Instructions, where flights are allowed only in limited circumstances and need permission first.
What a consultant does, and what to ask before hiring
Most single flights inside facility map altitudes need no outside help. A consultant earns their fee on repeat programs, flights above facility map altitudes, airports without LAANC, night work near airports, and operations that combine an authorization with a waiver. They can plan locations and altitudes against the maps, draft clear requests, and set up crew procedures for checking NOTAMs and TFRs. They cannot grant an authorization or promise an outcome: the FAA decides. Operators can compare vetted consultants on DOC, where regulator experience is shown as verified only where it has been evidenced.
- Have you helped operators obtain authorizations above facility map altitudes, and at which kinds of airspace?
- How do you decide between LAANC further coordination and FAADroneZone for our job?
- What lead time should we plan for, given the FAA's published processing times?
- Will our operation also need a waiver, and if so, how will you handle both applications?
- What will our crew need to check on the day, beyond the authorization itself?
Common mistakes
Most problems come from treating the authorization as the whole job. Watch for these:
- Reading a UAS Facility Map altitude as permission to fly (the maps authorize nothing)
- Leaving FAADroneZone requests until a few days before the job
- Assuming night flying near an airport needs only the night rules, not an authorization
- Flying on an authorization without checking NOTAMs, TFRs and security restrictions
- Applying only for an authorization when the operation also breaks a waivable rule
- Assuming every airport supports LAANC
Common questions
Do I need an authorization to fly in Class G airspace?
Not under Part 107 for normal operations. The FAA's guidance says Part 107 remote pilots may fly in Class G airspace up to 400 feet above ground level, and within 400 feet of a structure, without prior coordination with ATC. You still need to follow the other Part 107 rules and check for TFRs, NOTAMs and other restrictions before every flight.
How quickly does a LAANC authorization come through?
For requests at or below the UAS Facility Map altitude, the FAA says approval is typically received in near-real time, and you apply on the day you wish to fly. Further coordination requests above the map altitude are reviewed manually by the air traffic manager, must be submitted at least 72 hours before the start time and can be submitted up to 90 days ahead.
How long does a FAADroneZone airspace authorization take?
The FAA says processing times vary with the number of requests, and that historically processing has taken up to eight weeks from submission. It warns that applying late may mean your request is not processed in time for the operation. Plan your application well in advance and check the FAA's airspace authorizations page for the current notice before you submit.
Do I need to call the control tower before I fly?
Not usually. The FAA says that unless your authorization specifically requires it, drone pilots do not need to notify the tower before flying under a LAANC authorization. Read the conditions on each authorization you receive, because any requirement to contact a facility will be stated there, and you must comply with every condition it sets.
Has airspace authorization moved to the Aviation Safety Hub?
Not as of October 2026. The FAA moved Part 107 waiver applications to the Aviation Safety Hub, but it says the Part 107 airspace authorization application process remains in FAADroneZone until further notice. LAANC is unaffected and still runs through approved UAS Service Suppliers. Check the FAA's Part 107 waivers and airspace authorization pages for any change.