LAANC Approval

[D Greg]

Did a search and no results. I use an old phone connected to my P4 that has no cell service. I do have another phone with cell service that I would use to request LAANC approval. I know I get a text from LAANC with approval data, but does it have to be on the device connected to my Phantom 4 for approval if transmitted to the aircraft?

 

[mossphotography]

LAANC does not talk to the drone, so you don't need to be wifi connected. If you're flying a DJI product and need to have the bird unlocked, then you need wifi.

 

[D Greg]

Thanks. Did not know if the LAANC approval was needed to "unlock" the drone. Dont know what you mean about unlocking the P4 with wi-fi. When out in the boonies, there is no wi-fi.
I should have also asked: When getting LAANC approval, what next? In the past, I had to accept responsibility for the flight, so guess that has gone away now with LAANC approval.
I sometimes fly from my backyard; under 200', which is 3 miles from a Class C airspace, and a Helo port, (hospital) a mile away. It would ask if I will take responsibility for my flight. I answer yes, and fly. Will just go out and see what happens.

 

[BigAl07]

If you want to fly "legally" in Controlled Airspace you have a 2-step process:

A) FAA Approval request via a LAANC accessible application. This is the LEGAL aspect of flying
B) Then you'll probably need to actually UNLOCK the airspace within the DJI FlySafe system. You submit your information (will require an internet access device as well) and you get approval. It depends on exactly where you're requesting as to how you request. There is a Self Unlock procedure (the easy places) and a Custom Unlock procedure (these can be tougher and not instantaneous).

 

[MapMaker53]

Just to add... If you know you will be flying without a wifi connection, you can unlock a geozone ahead of time via the DJI Fly Safe website. You can watch the video on that page for instructions on how to do it.

 

[Razoraerial]

The LAANC system is just that airports got sick of the calls. So now you have to use that system. To basically call in. Still have to get the drone to fly through either website or through drone and an internet connection.

 

[D Greg]

Decided to try flying in my backyard and got a pleasant surprise. I am inside of 3 miles in a Class C airspace, and < than 1 mile from a hospital helopad. In the past I had to agree to height/distance/time to even start the motors. Since my local Regional airport; BMI, is not on the LAANC list, Kittyhawk only showed stay below 200', no stipulations. I started the motors and took off. No warnings....just flew. Life is good!

 

[Ansia]

Decided to try flying in my backyard and got a pleasant surprise. I am inside of 3 miles in a Class C airspace, and < than 1 mile from a hospital helopad. In the past I had to agree to height/distance/time to even start the motors. Since my local Regional airport; BMI, is not on the LAANC list, Kittyhawk only showed stay below 200', no stipulations. I started the motors and took off. No warnings....just flew. Life is good!

If LAANC isn't available for the airport near you, then you still must get authorization to fly there and follow the rules. I am unaware if you are Part 107 or RePL, but in case LAANC is not available, you will have to go to the link below and ask for a waiver.

FAADroneZone

faadronezone.faa.gov

 

[D Greg]

I'm recreational. The link you sent is to register..did that a few years ago. After further checking, according to Kittyhawk and AIRMAP, where I live is "under" Class C airspace, so it is Class G since the controlled airspace does not begin until 200' AGL. So it is my understanding I am legal to fly without authorization: as long as I stay under 200'.
Am I missing something??

 

[Weston Ney]

Decided to try flying in my backyard and got a pleasant surprise. I am inside of 3 miles in a Class C airspace, and < than 1 mile from a hospital helopad. In the past I had to agree to height/distance/time to even start the motors. Since my local Regional airport; BMI, is not on the LAANC list, Kittyhawk only showed stay below 200', no stipulations. I started the motors and took off. No warnings....just flew. Life is good!

Since your house is in controlled airspace of that airport you do need LAANC approval before flying there. You will need to wait until your airport gets the LAANC before you can legally fly there. But the fact that Kitty hawk shows the height limits tells me that your airport probably does have LAANC authorization.

 

[Weston Ney]

I'm recreational. The link you sent is to register..did that a few years ago. After further checking, according to Kittyhawk and AIRMAP, where I live is "under" Class C airspace, so it is Class G since the controlled airspace does not begin until 200' AGL. So it is my understanding I am legal to fly without authorization: as long as I stay under 200'.
Am I missing something??

Those squares with the numbers are showing you how high you can fly before hitting non class g airspace. So you are correct there. But, you still need laanc approval to fly there, because you are within the lateral boundaries of class c airspace. What is the name of your airport, city and State?

 

[D Greg]

BMI airport in Bloomington, IL and is not in LAANC.( I hit the wrong button...I"m under Class D airspace, not C). I live in Class G airspace up to but not including 200'. So do I still need to get permission? Who from? Cant call the tower now. Why would it be a "no fly zone"? If an aircraft is that low, I will be calling 911.

 

[Weston Ney]

BMI airport in Bloomington, IL and is not in LAANC.( I hit the wrong button...I"m under Class D airspace, not C). I live in Class G airspace up to but not including 200'. So do I still need to get permission? Who from? Cant call the tower now. Why would it be a "no fly zone"? If an aircraft is that low, I will be calling 911.

All I know is that if you are within the lateral boundaries of any class of airspace other than class g you must get laanc approval. Many of the airports near you have laanc approval, and I'm pretty sure your airport will get it soon as well. you used to have to call the tower to fly there, and the new law is that if you are within the circle of the airport you must get laanc approval to fly there. It's confusing but that's what the law says.

Also lots of aircraft fly under 200 feet, such as emergency helicopters and crop dusters etc. That is why we uAS operators are told to always give the right of way to manned aircraft, because sometimes manned aircraft do fly under 400 feet.


The 200 foot you see is the limit on how high you are allowed to fly in class d airspace, it is not saying where class d airspace starts and class g airspace stops. Laanc is there to help a person fly legally in controlled airspace.

 

[Weston Ney]

I just checked Kittyhawk one more time and i saw where it says class d airspace at the bmi airport. If you read what it says it tells you that "the permissible altitude for authorization is 200 feet." But it says that LAANC isn't available yet. Airmap says the same thing. In order to fly there you will need a waiver. But I suggest just to wait for laanc to become available at that airport. Many airports are still working on adopting the system, but it will be available soon enough.

 

[BigAl07]

Those squares with the numbers are showing you how high you can fly before hitting non class g airspace. So you are correct there. But, you still need laanc approval to fly there, because you are within the lateral boundaries of class c airspace. What is the name of your airport, city and State?

If you're talking about the FAA Facility Map Grids those are NOT a change in airspace. Those are the "estimated" heights you MIGHT get approval to fly in that sector if you apply. Consider it a "Guideline for applying". For instance:

A) You want to fly in a square with a 300 in it..... when applying it's much more efficient and likely to get approval if your request if for 300>. Ask for up to 300' AGL and if you meet all the other criteria and they do not have any other conflicting activities your odds are good for an approval. Ask for 400' AGL and you'll get an immediate denial and will need to submit with DroneZone for a manual approval.

B)You want to fly in a square with a ZERO in it.. no need to apply via LAANC as it will get denied. If you genuinely have a NEED to fly in a ZERO (and I have and got approved to 100'AGL) you'll need to submit to the DroneZone and try to convince them you CAN do this and do it as to NOT cause a safety problem with other air operations.


You CAN fly under an airspace and not be in it. For instance Class DELTA starting at 700'AGL (hypothetical only). There could be a shelf under DELTA from SFC to 699'AGL that is Class G. If it's indeed Class G you are legal to fly (with no authorization) up to 400'AGL.

 

[Weston Ney]

If you're talking about the FAA Facility Map Grids those are NOT a change in airspace. Those are the "estimated" heights you MIGHT get approval to fly in that sector if you apply. Consider it a "Guideline for applying". For instance:

A) You want to fly in a square with a 300 in it..... when applying it's much more efficient and likely to get approval if your request if for 300>. Ask for up to 300' AGL and if you meet all the other criteria and they do not have any other conflicting activities your odds are good for an approval. Ask for 400' AGL and you'll get an immediate denial and will need to submit with DroneZone for a manual approval.

B)You want to fly in a square with a ZERO in it.. no need to apply via LAANC as it will get denied. If you genuinely have a NEED to fly in a ZERO (and I have and got approved to 100'AGL) you'll need to submit to the DroneZone and try to convince them you CAN do this and do it as to NOT cause a safety problem with other air operations.


You CAN fly under an airspace and not be in it. For instance Class DELTA starting at 700'AGL (hypothetical only). There could be a shelf under DELTA from SFC to 699'AGL that is Class G. If it's indeed Class G you are legal to fly (with no authorization) up to 400'AGL.

But where he is trying to fly class d goes to ground level but 200 feet is as high as laanc will let him fly in class d airspace. Sorry I didn't quite get the map grids right. Butif class d stops at 700 AGL then that is what the upside down wedding cake is representing, and all 400 feet under that airspace is class g correct? But if Kitty hawk or airmap show that you are trying to fly in class d airspace or whatever airspace it is besides class g, then you are in the part of the upside down wedding cake that fully goes to ground level correct?

 

[BigAl07]

But where he is trying to fly class d goes to ground level but 200 feet is as high as laanc will let him fly in class d airspace. Sorry I didn't quite get the map grids right. Butif class d stops at 700 AGL then that is what the upside down wedding cake is representing, and all 400 feet under that airspace is class g correct? But if Kitty hawk or airmap show that you are trying to fly in class d airspace or whatever airspace it is besides class g, then you are in the part of the upside down wedding cake that fully goes to ground level correct?

I'm not fully following you but I'll give this a try...

The Aps are not yet perfect (Which should be very worrisome to all of us using them). You need to be able to look at and read a sectional to make your very own determination. Regardless what the AP says you, are the operator of the controls is ultimately responsible if there is an incident. The FAA Sectional is the ONLY thing I would fully trust.

If Class D starts at 700'AGL and the sectional does NOT denote any other airspace from 699' down then yes it's Class G.

 

[Ansia]

BMI airport in Bloomington, IL and is not in LAANC.( I hit the wrong button...I"m under Class D airspace, not C). I live in Class G airspace up to but not including 200'. So do I still need to get permission? Who from? Cant call the tower now. Why would it be a "no fly zone"? If an aircraft is that low, I will be calling 911.

The link I sent you, you register or login to get a waiver to fly in that area. You may have a ceiling up to 200', but it is still considered as Class D up to 5 miles from the airport and requires authorization. For those who LAANC won't cover, you have to use the slow up to 90 days waiver system from the FAA.

If you cannot get the waiver, then I suggest you fly at a local AMA field.

 

[Weston Ney]

I'm not fully following you but I'll give this a try...

The Aps are not yet perfect (Which should be very worrisome to all of us using them). You need to be able to look at and read a sectional to make your very own determination. Regardless what the AP says you, are the operator of the controls is ultimately responsible if there is an incident. The FAA Sectional is the ONLY thing I would fully trust.

If Class D starts at 700'AGL and the sectional does NOT denote any other airspace from 699' down then yes it's Class G.

Ok, maybe I should stick to giving advice on how to get good photography and cinematography, that is what I am most proficient in.

 

[D Greg]

Wow...so many views. It can be confusing. I just looked at AIRMAP; and it shows me just outside of the 5 miles....strange. Kittyhawk shows Class D airspace over my head starts at 200'. It also states in the next line that authorization for flight below 200' will be coming soon. Still don't get it....if it shows Class D starts at 200', then below that should be Class G.
Look at any sectional chart and the farther you are from the airfield, the higher the start of the Class airspace. Upside down wedding cake
Bottom line...I'm going out in the country to fly! Better scenery anyway.
Thanks for all the input!!!