Most drone pilots learn about controlled airspace the hard way: they arrive at a great location, open their flight app, and find the whole area locked behind a red geofence. Controlled airspace surrounds airports, and flying there without permission can bring fines of up to $250,000 in the United States. The good news is that permission is usually fast and free. The FAA's Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, known as LAANC, lets pilots request authorization in seconds through an approved app, and most requests are approved automatically. This guide explains how LAANC works, who can use it, and how to plan a legal flight near an airport.

LAANC is a system the FAA built with private app providers so drone pilots can get airspace authorization without filing paperwork weeks in advance. When you submit a request through an app such as Aloft, AirMap, or the DJI Fly app, the system checks your location against the FAA's UAS Facility Maps, which show the maximum altitude allowed in each grid square near an airport. If your requested altitude is at or below the grid maximum, approval is usually automatic and arrives in under a minute. Requests above the grid maximum go to a human reviewer and can take days. LAANC covers controlled airspace around roughly 800 airports in the United States, and it is available to both recreational pilots and Part 107 commercial pilots.

Start by opening a LAANC-enabled app and searching for your flight location on the map. The app will show whether the area is controlled airspace and what the maximum altitude is for that grid square, often between 100 and 400 feet. Enter your flight details: the date and time, the maximum altitude you need, and the radius of your flight area. Keep the radius small and the altitude at or below the grid limit, and submit. Approval typically arrives as a text message or in-app notification within seconds. Save a screenshot of the approval and your registration number, and carry them during the flight. You can file a request up to 90 days in advance, which is useful for planning a shoot around a specific date.

The key number in any LAANC request is the grid maximum altitude. Near a busy airport the limit may be zero, meaning no drone flights are allowed in that square at all, while a few miles out it may be 200 or 400 feet. These limits exist because manned aircraft fly low during takeoff and landing, and the FAA sets the ceiling so drones stay well clear of their paths. Always check the map before you travel, because the limit can change from one street to the next. If the grid maximum is lower than the altitude you need, either move your takeoff point to a higher-limit grid or file a manual authorization request through FAADroneZone, which can take up to 90 days. Never simply fly higher than your approval allows.

The most common mistake is requesting an altitude above the grid maximum and expecting an instant approval; those requests go to manual review and are often denied. Another is forgetting that LAANC authorization only covers airspace, not the ground below it. You still need permission from the landowner to take off and land, and national parks, military bases, and temporary flight restrictions are off-limits even with LAANC approval. Pilots also forget to check for TFRs, which can appear with little notice around stadiums, wildfires, and presidential visits. Finally, remember that LAANC approvals are usually valid for one day only, so a multi-day shoot needs a separate request for each day.

Do I need LAANC for recreational flying? Yes, if you fly in controlled airspace. Recreational pilots must get authorization the same way commercial pilots do, and the process is identical. Is LAANC free? Yes, there is no fee for a LAANC authorization. Can I fly above 400 feet with LAANC? No, 400 feet above ground level is the general ceiling for drones, and LAANC cannot authorize higher flights. What if LAANC is not available at my airport? File a manual airspace authorization through FAADroneZone, but allow up to 90 days for a decision.