Airspace & Rules of Flight: Introduction

Airspace & Rules of Flight

This module will cover where and when to fly. This includes: Airspace Classification. The classification of airspace in the United States. Airspace Identification. The resources available to identify airspace and to determine if UA flight is allowed.

Airports & Communication

The traffic patterns around airports and information communicated by radio by airports and pilots.

Rules of Flight

The FAA rules that govern safe flight and collision avoidance. 

Airspace Classification

There are six types of airspace where operation is either banned, requires authorization, and/or is hazardous:

Controlled Airspace: Class A, B, C, D & E.

Prohibited or banned airspace: Prohibited airspace & FRZ

Airspace that is restricted unless permission can be obtained: Restricted, MTR, ADIZ, and park airspace.

Airspace where temporary flight restrictions are frequent: TFRs, MOAs, Warning Areas, and NSZs.

Hazardous airspace, or other airspace where additional caution is requested: NOAA Airspace, Alert Areas and CFRs.

All other airspace is class G, where flight is allowed under 400 ft.

This will be covered in the first section.

Airspace Identification

There are several means to identify the airspace before flight. These are:

Charts & Chart Supplements, including Terminal Area, IFR Enroute and Sectional Charts.

Of these Sectional Charts are of particular importance in understanding airspace structure. 

LAANC, the primary source of information on airspace is the automated LAANC system which can be accessed from the FAAs website. 

LAANC is composed of a series of collaborating sites such as AirMap which provide near-up-to-date information on airspace status and allow for flight authorization at certain altitudes and locations.

NOTAMs or Notices to AirMen, NOTAMs are available from the FAAs website and provide the only fully up-to-date source on Temporary Flight Restrictions.

These topics will be covered in the second section.

Airports & Communication

When operating in the vicinity of an airport a UV pilot should understand some basics about airports and air traffic.

Airports come in many sizes and forms, some without regular runways and serve both civil and government operations.

Airports may or may not have a control tower to coordinate air traffic.

Radio transmissions are used to coordinate air traffic, provide information and aid in navigation around airports. A UV operator should understand the basics of the air traffic transmissions made by aircraft navigating in patterns above the airport.

General aviation air traffic follows a standard rectangular pattern above most smaller airports. 

Aircraft approaching the airport, landing and advancing through various stages in the pattern typically signal their intentions.

These topics will be covered in the third section.

Rules of Flight

Rules of flight provides guidelines for the safe operation of the unpiloted vehicle (UV) in the context of airspace. Operating the unpiloted vehicle safely requires that:

The airspace of flight must be class G or authorization must be obtained and no temporary flight restrictions may be in place.

Altitude restrictions must be obeyed.

The unmanned aircraft must be operated within VLOS.

The unmanned aircraft must avoid people and other aircraft. 

Rules of Flight will be covered in the fourth section.

Airspace & Rules of Flight

At the end of this module the student should understand how to safely fly a drone without risk of collision with other aircraft, vehicles, vessels or persons which can be accomplished through obeying FAA directives on airspace and collision avoidance.

The next section will begin with Airspace Classification.