In an attempt to improve the quality of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 107 airspace authorization requests, the FAA will release facility maps for the first set of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) on April 27.
The maps will show areas and altitudes near airports where UAS are allowed to safely operate. UAS users will be able to access the maps and submit authorization applications on the FAA website: http://www.faa.gov/uas.
After reviewing the maps, UAS remote pilots will be able to tailor specific requests based on location and altitude analysis. While the maps will be informational only and will not automatically authorize flights, the tailored requests will simplify the process of Part 107 airspace authorization requests, making them more likely to be approved by the FAA.
The agency plans to release the maps in phases over the next year, with the first installment including approximately 200 facility maps.