Airspace classes for drone pilots and when you need LAANC
One sentence in Part 107 decides most airspace questions. Under 14 CFR 107.41, you need prior authorization from air traffic control to fly in Class B, Class C or Class D airspace, or within the lateral boundaries of a Class E surface area designated for an airport.
Everything else in this guide is about recognising those areas and getting that authorization. The FAA’s sample questions test the rule directly: two of them ask what a remote pilot needs before flying in Class C.
The classes at a glance
| Class | Typical shape | Authorization for Part 107? |
|---|---|---|
| A | 18,000 ft MSL to FL600 | Far above the 400 ft limit |
| B | Surface to 10,000 ft MSL, layered, around the busiest airports | Yes |
| C | Surface to 4,000 ft above airport elevation; 5 NM core, 10 NM shelf from 1,200 ft | Yes |
| D | Surface to 2,500 ft above airport elevation, towered airports | Yes |
| E surface area | Controlled from the ground up at an airport | Yes |
| E elsewhere | Usually from 1,200 ft AGL, in other areas 700 ft AGL or the surface, up to but not including 18,000 ft MSL | In most cases no |
| G | Surface up to the overlying Class E | No |
The FAA Study Guide gives these shapes as general descriptions and says each Class B, C and D area is individually tailored, so read the actual boundary on the chart instead of assuming a textbook radius.
Class B
Class B surrounds the busiest airports. It usually runs from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL in two or more layers stacked like an upside-down wedding cake. On a sectional, each sector shows its MSL ceiling and floor in solid blue figures with the last two zeros dropped.
The layers matter for a drone pilot because the outer layers start well above the ground. Under an outer shelf, the airspace at your altitude may be Class E or G. Check the floor, convert it to AGL, and compare it with your planned altitude.
The solid magenta line 30 NM from a Class B primary airport marks Mode C required airspace, from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL. It’s a separate symbol, not a Class B boundary.
Class C
Class C generally extends from the surface to 4,000 feet above airport elevation. It has a surface area with a 5 NM radius and a 10 NM shelf from 1,200 to 4,000 feet above the airport. On the chart, each sector’s MSL ceiling and floor appear in solid magenta figures.
Class D
Class D surrounds airports with an operating control tower and generally runs from the surface to 2,500 feet above airport elevation. It’s drawn as a dashed blue line. A ceiling written with a minus, like -25, means up to but not including 2,500 feet MSL.
Some Class D areas operate less than continuously. The chart marks them with a note pointing you to NOTAMs or the Chart Supplement for the effective hours, so check those before assuming the airspace is inactive.
Class E
Class E is controlled airspace that isn’t A, B, C or D, and there’s a lot of it. In most areas it starts at 1,200 feet AGL. In many other areas it starts at the surface or at 700 feet AGL. A 700-foot floor is shown by a magenta vignette.
The surface version, marked with a dashed magenta line around an airport, is the one Part 107 names: flying inside its lateral boundaries needs ATC authorization. Class E that begins at 700 or 1,200 feet sits above a 400-foot flight in most places, and the FAA Study Guide says that in most cases you won’t need authorization for Class E.
Class G
Class G is uncontrolled airspace, running from the surface up to the floor of the overlying Class E. You don’t need ATC authorization to fly there. All the other Part 107 rules still apply.
Being close to an airport doesn’t by itself trigger a requirement. Unless you’re in controlled airspace, AC 107-2A says no notification or authorization is needed to fly near an airport. You must still avoid traffic patterns and approach corridors and must not interfere with airport operations.
How to get authorization
The FAA offers two routes for controlled airspace below 400 feet: LAANC and FAADroneZone.
LAANC
LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) runs through FAA-approved UAS Service Suppliers, which offer desktop and mobile apps. Your request is checked against UAS Facility Maps, special use airspace, TFRs and NOTAMs.
- Near-real-time approval when you ask for an altitude at or below the UAS Facility Map value for that grid.
- Further coordination requests for altitudes above the map value, up to 400 feet. These are for Part 107 pilots only. File them up to 90 days ahead and at least 72 hours before the flight, and the FAA coordinates them manually.
The FAA’s LAANC page listed 726 participating airports when it was last updated on August 25, 2026. LAANC grants airspace authorization only: you still have to check NOTAMs and weather and follow every other restriction.
FAADroneZone
For airports without LAANC, apply through FAADroneZone. Those requests are processed manually, and the FAA asks that you submit them at least 60 days before the operation.
| You want to fly | Route | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| At or below the facility map altitude, LAANC airport | LAANC | Near real time |
| Above the map altitude, up to 400 ft, LAANC airport | LAANC further coordination | 72 hours to 90 days ahead |
| Controlled airspace at a non-LAANC airport | FAADroneZone | At least 60 days ahead |
Airspace that authorization doesn’t cover
Prohibited and restricted areas. Charted as P- and R- plus a number. Part 107 requires permission from the using or controlling agency. ATC authorization isn’t the same thing.
Temporary flight restrictions. A TFR is a type of NOTAM, and you must comply with it. Only national security TFRs appear on the chart, so check NOTAMs before every flight.
Military operations areas and training routes. MOAs are named, not numbered, and military training routes are marked VR or IR. Routes with four-digit numbers have no segment above 1,500 feet AGL, and the military flies them at high speed. A low, fast aircraft there is exactly what the right-of-way rule protects: a small UA must yield to all aircraft.
On the test
Airspace is 20% of the test under PSI’s current weighting, and the ACS lists each class, special use airspace, other airspace areas and ATC authorizations as separate knowledge elements. Expect both rule questions (“what do you need to fly here”) and chart questions (“what airspace is at this point”).
To read the boundaries off a figure, go to how to read a sectional chart. For every limit in one table, see the Part 107 rules cheat sheet. Then try the free practice test to see how airspace questions are worded.