top of page

DRONE AVIATION 101

PHANTOM 4

PHANTOM 4 PRO

FAA RULES FOR DRONE OPERATORS

​

1. Register your drone with the FAA

2. Fly at or below 400 feet

3. Keep the drone within sight

4. Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports

5. Never fly over groups of people

6. Never fly over stadiums or sports events

7. Never fly near emergency response efforts

8. Never fly under the influence

9. Be aware of airspace requirements

AIRPORTS VS AIRSPACE

1. 40% of the U.S. is within 5 miles of an airport

2. It is illegal to fly a drone within 5 miles of an airport without permission

3. The average FAA penalty for operating a drone unsafely is $1,100 per offense.

AVIATION SECTIONAL CHART

AIRSPACE

​

The sectional chart above shows the airspace around Memphis, TN. Special authorization is required from the FAA to fly a drone in controlled air space.  Only certified remote pilots can apply for a special authorization, and it must be obtained in writing from the FAA.  Not even the airports within the controlled airspace can approve this.  Special authorization is not a quick process either.  The FAA currently asks for 90 days advance notice to process the request.

 

The types of controlled airspace, which require special authorization, are classes B, C, D, and E.  Class A is too high to be reached by a drone.  In the chart above, controlled airspace is delineated by the maroon or blue lines.  The type, size and shape of the airspace around an airport are determined by the airport's size and other attributes.  The diagram below illustrates the shape of these classes of airspace.  So where can a drone fly without special authorization?  Class G airspace.  

 

As you can see airspace is a complicated system, and it takes a trained and experienced aviator to truly understand how to operate within it safely.  The majority of FAA drone violations are perpetrated by hobbyists who do not understand airspace and choose to ignore it.

​

AIRPORTS

 

Not every airport falls within controlled airspace, though.  In the chart above you will see a great number of airports (indicated by a maroon dot with a runway in it) that are not inside a ring of controlled airspace.  Additionally, the shape of much of the airspace above will actually allow a drone to operate in the area beneath it.  

 

However, regardless of airspace a remote pilot must still get permission to operate within 5 miles of an airport.  This permission is granted by contacting the controllers at all airports within 5 miles of the drone's operating area directly.  Choosing to operate within 5 miles without approval is a direct violation of FAA rules for both commercial and hobbyist remote pilots as it signifies "reckless operation" (the most commonly cited FAA violation).

 

The 5 mile radius around all airports exists for the safety of the aircraft arriving and departing from the field that must pass through a drone's operating area.  This should be taken with the utmost seriousness.  If an aircraft impacts a drone at a low altitude, and pieces of the drone pass through an engine or windscreen, the likelihood of the aircraft crashing or a fatality is very high.  

bottom of page