WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently announced two expansions of the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification 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. These seven companies Airspacelink; Avision; Botlink; Collins Aerospace; Drone Up; Simulyze; and Skygrid are the latest to enter into partnerships with the agency, bringing the total to 21.
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.
