LAANC: FAA authorization to fly a drone in controlled airspace
LAANC is the FAA's automatic approval, in drone apps, to fly in controlled airspace near airports at or below the altitude on the FAA's UAS Facility Map, usually in near-real time.
- Airports with LAANC, per the FAA
- 726
- Highest request, Part 107
- 400ft
- Ahead, for further coordination
- 72hrs
- Earliest you can apply, ahead
- 90days
What LAANC is: the FAA's Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability
One request in an app, checked against the FAA's maps and restrictions, and an answer usually in near-real time.
LAANC stands for Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, which the FAA says is pronounced “LANCE”. It is a collaboration between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry, and the first partnership under the FAA UAS Data Exchange, which shares airspace data between the FAA and approved UAS Service Suppliers, the companies that build the apps. LAANC gives drone pilots access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet: in the FAA's words, LAANC “automates the application and approval process for airspace authorizations”.
Each request is checked against the UAS Facility Maps, special use airspace data, airports and airspace classes, temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and NOTAMs. If it passes, the pilot gets the authorization in near-real time. The same system shows air traffic professionals where and when drones will fly and passes TFR information and special use airspace schedule updates to pilots. Unless the authorization says so, you do not need to notify the tower before you fly.
Can I fly here?
The airspace, the UAS Facility Map value and temporary no-fly zones for the spot and the hour you pick.
Check your spot in Can I fly here?Do you need a LAANC authorization for this flight?
Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers both use it; Class G, and Class E away from an airport's surface area, need no airspace authorization.
Only in four places, and they are the same four for both kinds of flying: Class B, Class C and Class D airspace, and the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport. The FAA puts it plainly: drone pilots planning to fly under 400 feet in controlled airspace around airports must get an airspace authorization from the FAA before they fly. Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers get it under two different rules, and Part 107 does not apply to a flight under 49 U.S.C. 44809, so the two rule sets stay separate (14 CFR 107.1(b)(2)).
- Part 107 pilots
Ask Air Traffic Control first in Class B, C and D airspace and the surface area of Class E designated for an airport.
Ask firstThe exact rule
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 unless that person has prior authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC).
14 CFR 107.41, Operation in certain airspace (eCFR)What it means: a Part 107 pilot asks before flying in those four areas, through a LAANC app or through FAADroneZone. The section names no other airspace.
- Recreational flyers
Ask the FAA first in the same four areas, and keep to every airspace restriction.
Ask firstThe exact rule
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, the operator obtains prior authorization from the Administrator or designee before operating and complies with all airspace restrictions and prohibitions.
49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(5), Exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraftWhat it means: a recreational flyer gets the same kind of permission, from the FAA, in the same four areas, and still keeps to every airspace restriction, such as a TFR. The FAA tells recreational flyers to use LAANC or FAADroneZone and not to call air traffic control facilities for an authorization.
Class G
No authorization. Recreational flyers stay at or below 400 feet above ground level there (49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(6)); Part 107 pilots stay at or below 400 feet above the ground, or higher only within 400 feet of a structure and not more than 400 feet above its top (14 CFR 107.51(b)).
Class E away from an airport's surface area
No authorization; neither rule names it.
Airports in uncontrolled airspace
The FAA says prior authorization is not required under 400 feet, but keep clear of traffic patterns and takeoff and landing areas.
One FAA fact sheet words it more broadly, as operations in Class B, C, D and E airspace. The rule and the law name only the surface area of Class E designated for an airport, and this page follows them. Which class covers a spot, and how to read it on a chart, is on drone airspace classes.
Airspace authorization is on the Part 107 knowledge test: the FAA's test standards list prior authorization for certain airspace and ATC authorizations. Try the airspace questions in our Part 107 practice test.
UAS Facility Maps: the altitude LAANC can approve
The map value is the most a LAANC app can approve automatically at a spot, in feet above the ground.
UAS Facility Maps show the most altitude, above ground level, at which the FAA may authorize Part 107 flights around an airport without more safety analysis. Local air traffic controllers, staff and managers set the values. The airspace is cut into grid cells of 30 seconds of latitude by 30 seconds of longitude, about 0.25 square mile or 160 acres in most of the 48 contiguous states, and maps exist for all Class B, C and D airspace and every Class E surface area. The recreational authorization page gives recreational flyers the same limit.
- The map is not permission
The FAA says the maps are for information only. They do not authorize a flight at the altitude shown, and being inside a grid does not mean you may fly without an authorization.
Information only - Automatic approval
Pick an altitude at or below the UAS Facility Map value; the LAANC app shows it. If the flight crosses several grids, use the lowest value among them.
At or below - A grid marked 0
No automatic approval. Part 107 pilots may file a further coordination request, except for operations on the airport itself.
No automatic - Red grids
Controlled airspace that LAANC does not serve; apply in FAADroneZone there.
FAADroneZone - Boundaries
Grid cells are rectangles and airspace boundaries are curved. Where a grid reaches past the controlled airspace boundary, the boundary wins and the grid value does not apply outside it. This rule is written for the app makers (LAANC USS Performance Rules v9.0, 3.3.2), so a pilot sees only its result in the app.
Boundary wins - Changes
The values follow the FAA's 56-day aeronautical chart cycle and each map carries an effective date; the same supplier rules (3.3.1) let the FAA change a value from one day to the next to correct a map.
56 days
Can I fly here?
The UAS Facility Map value, the airspace and temporary no-fly zones for the spot and the hour you pick.
See the airspace at your spotHow drone pilots use LAANC, step by step
Six steps, the same for Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers, from the rules you fly under to the flight itself.
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TRUST certificate
Know which rules you fly under
Part 107 or TRUSTUnder Part 107 you register your drone and hold a Remote Pilot Certificate; how to get Part 107 certification is on drone license. Flying only for fun, the FAA says you register your drone and take TRUST, the Recreational UAS Safety Test, before your first flight.
-
Approved apps
Pick an app
FAA-approvedFrom an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier that serves your kind of flying; the supplier table shows the FAA's marks. Every approved app shows the maximum altitude for a spot and whether it is controlled airspace.
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Map value at your spot
Enter the area, the exact time and the altitude
At or below the mapAt or below the UAS Facility Map value, with valid contact information: air traffic control uses it to call you if there is a problem.
-
Above the map
Submit
Up to 90 days aheadThe FAA's steps, for Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers alike, say to apply on the date you wish to fly, and both pages say a request may go in up to 90 days ahead.
-
What it does not cover
Get the answer
12-character codeUsually in near-real time. Every LAANC authorization has a 12-character reference code, and its first three characters name the supplier.
-
Drone weather
Fly inside what was approved
No tower callThe area, the time and the altitude. Unless the authorization says so, you do not call the tower. The FAA can cancel or suspend an approved authorization if conditions change.
Above the map altitude: LAANC further coordination (Part 107 only)
Only Part 107 pilots can ask for more than the map value, up to 400 feet, and a person at the facility reviews it.
- Part 107 pilots
A further coordination request asks for more than the map value, up to 400 feet. The Air Traffic Manager of that airspace reviews it by hand, so it is not near-real time. The FAA's Part 107 page, read again on November 14, 2026, says to submit it at least 72 hours before the requested start time, and up to 90 days before you wish to fly. It covers grids marked 0 too, except for operations on the airport itself. If the facility denies a request, it can give guidance so you can adjust the flight and submit again. The FAA's supplier table shows which apps offer it.
72 hrs ahead - Recreational flyers
Recreational flyers cannot ask for more than the map value, through LAANC or through FAADroneZone. The law gives them one other route: a fixed flying site in controlled airspace whose location the FAA knows and whose operating procedure is agreed with the air traffic control facility, under a process for flights above the map altitude (49 U.S.C. 44809(c)(2)). The FAA says some fixed sites hold written agreements for set altitudes; the site operator knows them.
Not above the map
Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers: every way to an authorization
Each card is one route, with who may use it and how long the FAA says it takes. Part 107 and recreational routes are separate cards because the rules are separate.
6 ways to get permission to fly in controlled airspace, as the FAA and the law describe them, read November 13, 2026. None of the FAA pages read names a fee.
Through a LAANC app
LAANC near-real-time
Near-real time
- When it applies
- Controlled airspace at a LAANC airport, at or below the UAS Facility Map altitude of every grid the flight crosses
- Who may use it
- Part 107 remote pilots (registered drone and Remote Pilot Certificate) and recreational flyers (registered drone and TRUST), through an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier app
- How long, as the FAA says
- Approval typically in near-real time; apply on the day of flight or up to 90 days ahead
The rule and the source
Rule: 14 CFR 107.41 (Part 107); 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(5) (recreational)
Source: FAA, Part 107 Airspace Authorizations (updated October 1, 2026); FAA, UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) (updated September 29, 2026); FAA, Airspace Authorizations for Recreational Flyers (updated May 23, 2023)
LAANC further coordination
Apply 72 hours ahead
- When it applies
- Above the UAS Facility Map altitude up to 400 ft AGL, including 0 ft grids except on-airport operations
- Who may use it
- Part 107 remote pilots only; recreational flyers cannot use it
- How long, as the FAA says
- Submit at least 72 hours before the start and up to 90 days ahead; reviewed manually by the Air Traffic Manager of the facility; no decision time stated
The rule and the source
Rule: 14 CFR 107.41; ceiling 14 CFR 107.51(b)
Source: FAA, Part 107 Airspace Authorizations (updated October 1, 2026); FAA, UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) (updated September 29, 2026)
Part 107 pilots: the other ways
FAADroneZone, Part 107
Historically up to 8 weeks
- When it applies
- Controlled airspace at airports that are not LAANC-enabled (red grids on the UAS Facility Maps; towers run by contractors or the Department of Defense), any LAANC airport if preferred, flights under a Part 107 waiver, at or below the map altitude or above it up to 400 ft
- Who may use it
- Part 107 remote pilots
- How long, as the FAA says
- Not near-real time; processed manually at FAA Air Traffic Service Centers; historically up to eight weeks from submission
The rule and the source
Rule: 14 CFR 107.41
Source: FAA, Part 107 Airspace Authorizations (updated October 1, 2026); FAA, Flying Near Airports (updated April 25, 2024); FAA, Part 107 fact sheet (dated July 6, 2026)
Part 107 waiver (with or instead of an authorization)
FAA aims for 90 days
- When it applies
- A flight that needs a waiver of a Part 107 rule, including 107.41 itself (operation in certain airspace), the night lighting rule (107.29(a)(2) and (b)) or the operating limits of 107.51
- Who may use it
- Part 107 remote pilots only (waivers are issued under 14 CFR 107.200)
- How long, as the FAA says
- FAA aims to approve or disapprove within 90 days of submission
The rule and the source
Rule: 14 CFR 107.200; 107.205(h) lists 107.41
Source: FAA, Part 107 Waiver (updated October 29, 2026); FAA, UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) (updated September 29, 2026); eCFR 14 CFR 107.205
Recreational flyers: the other ways
FAADroneZone, recreational
Apply 90 days ahead
- When it applies
- Controlled airspace at airports that are not LAANC-enabled, only at or below the UAS Facility Map altitude
- Who may use it
- Recreational flyers under 49 U.S.C. 44809
- How long, as the FAA says
- Not near-real time; processed manually at FAA Air Traffic Service Centers; AC 91-57D: submit at least 90 days before the flight
The rule and the source
Rule: 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(5)
Source: FAA, Airspace Authorizations for Recreational Flyers (updated May 23, 2023); FAA Advisory Circular 91-57D (June 24, 2025)
Recreational fixed site
Time not stated
- When it applies
- Recreational flying at an FAA-approved fixed site; the only way for a recreational flyer above the UAS Facility Map altitude
- Who may use it
- Recreational flyers at the site, under its written agreement with the FAA and the ATC facility
- How long, as the FAA says
- Not stated
The rule and the source
Rule: 49 U.S.C. 44809(c)(2)(A) and (B)
Source: 49 U.S.C. 44809 (U.S.C. 2024 ed., govinfo); FAA, Flying Near Airports (updated April 25, 2024)
Waiver applications moved to the FAA's Aviation Integrated Safety (AIS) Services, while airspace authorizations stay in FAADroneZone (FAA Part 107 Waiver page, updated October 29, 2026). The LAANC page still says to apply for both through DroneZone; this page follows the newer waiver page.
Approved LAANC UAS service suppliers
The FAA approves the companies whose apps give LAANC. DJI is not on its list.
The FAA approves the companies that provide LAANC services and lists them on its LAANC page. The FAA marks all 12 for Part 107 near-real-time authorization, 9 for Part 107 further coordination (not AutoPylot, Flightloop and Wing) and 11 for recreational flyers (not Flyfreely). Another 5 approved companies offer no public LAANC service: ANRA Technologies, ATA, AX Enterprize, CAL Analytics and The Longbow Group.
- Not an endorsement
The FAA says naming a company is not an endorsement. This table ranks none and reviews no app.
Not ranked - DJI
Not on either FAA list.
Not listed - Fees
No FAA page read for this page names a fee for a LAANC authorization or calls one free. The apps belong to private companies, which set their own terms.
No fee named - B4UFLY
Since February 1, 2024 it is offered by FAA-approved companies rather than as one FAA app. The FAA's B4UFLY page lists 6 companies: Airspace Link, Aloft, AutoPylot, Avision, Flightloop and UASidekick, though its text says five; every one of them is also a LAANC supplier.
Also LAANC
| Supplier | Part 107, further coordination | Recreational flyers (44809) | iOS app | Android app | Desktop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AirMatrix | Yes | Yes | Not marked | Not marked | Yes |
| Airspace Link | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Aloft | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AstraUTM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not marked |
| AutoPylot | Not marked | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Avision | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flightloop | Not marked | Yes | Not marked | Not marked | Yes |
| FlightReady | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not marked | Not marked |
| Flyfreely | Yes | Not marked | Not marked | Not marked | Yes |
| SkedFlex | Yes | Yes | Not marked | Not marked | Yes |
| UASidekick | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wing | Not marked | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not marked |
Where LAANC is available, and FAADroneZone where it is not
Check the airport near you rather than the total. Where LAANC is not offered, FAADroneZone takes requests by hand.
The FAA gives two different counts and does not say what each one counts. Its LAANC page, updated September 29, 2026, says “LAANC is available at 726 airports”, and its Part 107 fact sheet of July 6, 2026 speaks of more than 530 air traffic facilities covering over 726 airports. Its list of participating airports, updated August 4, 2025, says more than 500 facilities and more than 1,000 airports. Rather than the total, check the airport near you.
LAANC covers only FAA-run air traffic facilities, not towers run by contractors or the Department of Defense. There, and anywhere LAANC is not offered, apply through FAADroneZone, the manual process. FAA Air Traffic Service Centers handle those requests by hand, never in near-real time, and the FAA says processing has historically taken up to eight weeks from submission. A Part 107 request at or below the map value is approved by the Service Center; above it, up to 400 feet, the Service Center coordinates with the facility. Recreational flyers should file at least 90 days before the flight (FAA Advisory Circular 91-57D) and stay at or below the map value. FAADroneZone also works at LAANC airports, and Part 107 pilots use it for controlled airspace under a waiver.
Part-time towers: LAANC apps apply each airspace's published schedule, and when no controlled airspace is active at a spot, it is Class G and needs no authorization (LAANC USS Performance Rules v9.0, 3.4.3).
Can I fly here?
The airspace, the UAS Facility Map value and temporary no-fly zones for the spot and the hour you pick.
Check the airport near youNight drone flights with a LAANC authorization
The LAANC page itself is silent on night; each rulebook sets its own conditions for flying in the dark.
Night is the time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight (14 CFR 1.1). The FAA's LAANC page itself says nothing about night.
- Part 107 pilots
Night flight without a waiver needs the knowledge test or training taken after April 6, 2021 and anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles (14 CFR 107.29(a)). In controlled airspace you also hold a valid airspace authorization from LAANC or FAADroneZone; FAADroneZone authorizations are available for day and night.
Lights, training - Recreational flyers
The FAA's recreational authorization page says you may request night authorization in controlled airspace through LAANC; it gives a start date of February 20 with no year. You may fly at night only if the community-based organization safety guidelines you follow address night flight (FAA Advisory Circular 91-57D).
CBO guidelines
What a LAANC authorization does not cover: TFRs, stadiums, parks and other airspace limits
An authorization opens the controlled airspace only. Every other restriction still applies.
“LAANC provides airspace authorizations only,” the FAA says. You still check NOTAMs and the weather and keep to every airspace restriction. An authorization does not lift any of these:
- Temporary flight restrictions
TFRs reach pilots as NOTAMs; LAANC apps and B4UFLY show them, and the FAA says to check NOTAMs before every flight. To fly inside one, coordinate with the agency named in it, or apply through the Special Governmental Interest process, which needs a current Part 107 certificate or a COA. Part 107 pilots comply with 14 CFR 91.137 through 91.145 and 99.7 (14 CFR 107.47).
Still apply - Special security restrictions
The FAA does not check 99.7 restrictions when it processes an airspace authorization; the operator must (UAS Facility Maps FAQ, question 22). Over designated national security sensitive facilities, drones are prohibited from the ground up to 400 feet above ground level, for every type and purpose of flight.
No-go - Class E surface area under a low ceiling
The FAA's rules for LAANC suppliers (LAANC USS Performance Rules v9.0, 3.4.6) say a LAANC approval is not valid in Class E surface area airspace when the weather ceiling is below 1,000 feet, and the app must tell you when that applies to your flight. No pilot-facing FAA page read for this page says so, so it is a limit you may only see in the app. Our drone weather forecast shows the forecast ceiling for each hour.
Under 1,000 ft - Stadiums
Drone flight is prohibited within 3 nautical miles of a stadium from one hour before to one hour after the scheduled time of MLB, NFL, NCAA Division One football, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Indy Car and Champ Series events.
3 NM - National parks
The National Park Service uses 36 CFR 1.5 to prohibit launching, landing or operating drones on park lands and waters. Its jurisdiction ends at the park boundary, and FAA airspace rules are unchanged.
Park land - Washington, DC
Within 15 miles of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, drone flight is prohibited without specific FAA authorization. Between 15 and 30 miles, recreational flight is allowed under 49 U.S.C. 44809 and the NOTAM, and other flights in compliance with Part 107 or an FAA exemption or waiver.
15 miles
Can I fly here?
Temporary no-fly zones, stadium events and national park areas, read live for the place and the hour you pick.
Check where you can flyRelated pages
Before you fly
The place, the airspace, the weather and the hour.
Rules
Height, parks and the drone itself.
Licenses and tests
What you hold before you ask.
Questions about LAANC authorization
What does LAANC stand for?
Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, pronounced “LANCE”: the FAA's automatic approval, in drone apps, to fly in controlled airspace near airports.
Can recreational flyers use LAANC?
Yes, at or below the UAS Facility Map value, after registering the drone and passing TRUST. Further coordination above the map value is for Part 107 pilots only, and the supplier table shows which apps the FAA marks for recreational flying.
How high can I fly with a LAANC authorization?
Up to the altitude it approves, which is at or below the map value for automatic approval. Part 107 pilots may ask for more, up to 400 feet, through further coordination; recreational flyers cannot go above the map value through LAANC.
Is LAANC free?
The FAA pages read for this page name no fee for a LAANC authorization and do not call it free. The apps belong to private companies, which set their own terms.
What happened to B4UFLY?
Since February 1, 2024 it is offered by FAA-approved companies rather than as one FAA app. It shows recreational flyers where they can and cannot fly; the companies the FAA lists are in the suppliers section.
Do I have to call the tower?
No, unless the authorization says so. The FAA tells recreational flyers not to contact air traffic control facilities for airspace authorizations; they use LAANC or FAADroneZone.
What does a 0 on the UAS Facility Map mean?
No automatic approval at that grid. A Part 107 pilot may file a further coordination request, except for operations on the airport itself; a recreational flyer cannot get an authorization there through LAANC.
Can a LAANC authorization be cancelled?
Yes. The FAA can cancel or suspend an approved authorization if conditions change. If the FAA's LAANC system is down for more than 4 hours, the supplier rules require apps to say that approvals issued with an FAA reference number stay valid and that FAADroneZone is the alternative.
Does the FAA know when and where I fly?
A LAANC request tells the FAA the area, time and altitude you asked for, with your contact information, and LAANC shows air traffic professionals where and when drones will fly. Separately, Remote ID broadcasts a drone's identification and location in flight.
Does DJI offer LAANC?
DJI is not on the FAA's list of LAANC suppliers, read again on November 14, 2026. The companies the FAA lists are in the supplier table.
Sources Named, not linked. Checked November 14, 2026.
Documents are named, not linked. Each was read on November 13, 2026, and the FAA pages, the supplier list and the federal rules that could have moved were read again on November 14, 2026.
Laws and regulations
- 14 CFR 107.41, Operation in certain airspace, and sections 107.1, 107.29, 107.47, 107.51 and 107.205 (eCFR)
- 49 U.S.C. 44809, Exception for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft, subsections (a) and (c)
- 14 CFR 1.1: the definition of night; 36 CFR 1.5: closures in national parks
FAA pages
- FAA “UAS Data Exchange (LAANC)” (last updated September 29, 2026): supplier table and coverage
- FAA “Part 107 Airspace Authorizations” (October 1, 2026) and “Airspace Authorizations for Recreational Flyers” (May 23, 2023)
- FAA “Recreational Flyers & Community-Based Organizations” (October 29, 2026) and “B4UFLY” (August 25, 2026)
- FAA “Airports Participating in LAANC” (August 4, 2025)
- FAA “UAS Facility Maps” (April 12, 2023), its FAQ (June 5, 2025) and Decision Flow Chart (December 6, 2018)
- FAA “Flying Near Airports” (April 25, 2024) and “Part 107 Waiver” (October 29, 2026)
- FAA “Temporary Flight Restrictions” (March 10, 2025), “Stadiums and Sporting Events” (November 19, 2025), “Critical Infrastructure and Public Venues” (February 22, 2023) and “DC Area Prohibited & Restricted Airspace” (September 16, 2026)
- FAA “Remote Identification of Drones” (March 19, 2025) and the FAA fact sheet “Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Regulations (Part 107)” (July 6, 2026)
FAA documents and guidance
- LAANC USS Performance Rules, version 9.0 (April 18, 2025): the FAA's rules for the suppliers
- LAANC Concept of Operations, version 2.1 (March 20, 2020)
- FAA Advisory Circular 91-57D, Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft (June 24, 2025)
- Remote Pilot - Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-10B (April 2021)
Other agencies
- National Park Service “Uncrewed Aircraft in the National Parks” (May 22, 2025)
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