The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced two important expansions of the Low Altitude Authorization and Capability (LAANC), which automates the application and approval process for drone operators to obtain airspace authorizations.
Four airports – Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Dulles International Airport, William P. Hobby Airport in Houston and Newark Liberty International Airport – joined the list of approximately 400 air traffic facilities covering about 600 airports where LAANC is available.
Access to the service is provided through one of the FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers. The seven companies listed below are the latest to enter into partnerships with the agency, bringing the total to 21.
- Airspacelink
- Avision
- Botlink
- Collins Aerospace
- Drone Up
- Simulyze
- Skygrid
LAANC, a collaboration between the FAA and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry that directly supports the safe integration of UAS into the nation’s airspace, expedites the time it takes for drone pilots to receive authorizations to fly under 400 feet in controlled airspace. The service is accessible to all pilots who operate under the FAA’s small drone rule (PDF) (Part 107).
LAANC began as a prototype in 2017. To date, there have been more than 170,000 approved authorizations through LAANC. The program was expanded in July to provide near real-time airspace authorizations to recreational flyers.
The program’s continued expansion further increases the ability of drone pilots to gain safe and efficient access to controlled airspace nationwide.
Source: Press Release