By Fall 2017, fifty U.S. airports swill start allowing unmanned aircraft systems’ (UAS or drone) operators apply for automated authorizations to fly in controlled airspace around those airports. Specifically, these airports will roll out a Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) with all other airports following that lead in 2018. Normally UAS airspace authorization requests are normally subject to long waiting periods of up to 90 days and labor-intensive manual approvals. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently gathered 12 private companies to figure out how third-parties can assist the FAA with an automated authorization process for drones to fly in airport air space where safe and approved. The LAANC system will enable drone operators to apply for instant, digital approval to fly in airport controlled airspace making many commercial operations much more streamlined. This follows after the FAA released UAS facility maps earlier this year to show areas and altitudes near airports where drone operators would be able to fly safely and thus improve the quality of their airspace authorization requests.
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