USA Airspace questions

[ApiaryPro]

Hello All,

I just wanted to verify that I was correct during our planning phase for operations around Pittburgh and the surrounding areas. On the attached image, I have circled all airspaces that are controlled to the surface. If I'm staying under 400ft AGL in all of the other non-TFR areas, I don't need to request any authorization via the FAA request site (Request a Waiver/Airspace Authorization – Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)). Is that correct? NOTE: I do plan to post NOTAMs for all flights.

Also, I plan to fly a lot of operations during the next few months when the weather allows. They will cover a lot of acreage, do I need to file one for each location (sometimes separated by 1mile or less) or should I just request a COA for a large area of land and the dates?

Thanks for any help!

-Maurice

 

[Colorado Dronography]

Hey Maurice,

You are correct with the airspace, however do not file NOTAM's for UAV flights unless the FAA has instructed you to do so in a written waiver. Airspace waivers are still few and far between and I don't think they have opened Class Bravo to 107 pilots yet. Class Delta waivers have been authorized but only a few and so far I'm pretty sure its on a per flight basis. They will be doing 4 year blanket waivers soon. Your best option is to get the phone numbers for each of the airport managers. Give them a call and ASK NICELY how you can go about flying in their airspace. Most will make you call them right before you take off and after you land. They might have certain time frames for you as well. Some will require you to call in to the tower via VHF. Allegheny control tower would be on 121.1 mhz for example. Others will tell you no and hang up. I know of 1 Class D waiver issued for sure, it had a 1NM radius and was good up to 100' AGL. No NOTAM or call in requested. Good luck!

Bill
Colorado Dronography

 

[Talon Six]

Class Delta waivers have been authorized but only a few and so far I'm pretty sure its on a per flight basis.

Bill
Colorado Dronography

Bill,

Do you have any more info on this statement? I checked the FAA's waiver and approval website and didn't see any airspace waivers: Part 107 Waivers Granted

Reason I ask is because with the airspace approval timelines I've experienced so far, even for Class D, I'm probably going to pursue a waiver. The FAA's process is just too slow. It'd be nice to just copy someone else's approval verbiage.

 

[Colorado Dronography]

Hey Matt,

I'm waiting to see the verbiage myself. The waiver I was talking about was for a CFI/107 Pilot in Ocala, FL. It had a 1NM Radius, 100ft AGL limit and no NOTAM needed to be filed. He didn't need to call or radio in either. It was just for that one flight though, not a blanket waiver which is what we all want. Took 3 weeks to get approved.

Bill
Colorado Dronography

 

[ApiaryPro]

Thanks for the info, Bill.

 

[SanCap]

Bill,

Do you have any more info on this statement? I checked the FAA's waiver and approval website and didn't see any airspace waivers: Part 107 Waivers Granted

Reason I ask is because with the airspace approval timelines I've experienced so far, even for Class D, I'm probably going to pursue a waiver. The FAA's process is just too slow. It'd be nice to just copy someone else's approval verbiage.

I have been granted 2 waivers for Class D airspace, mine are good till June of 2017.

 

[Colorado Dronography]

I have been granted 2 waivers for Class D airspace, mine are good till June of 2017.

View attachment 10830

That's awesome! I would like to know if any 107 ONLY pilots have been given any waivers for airspace. So far all the guys I know of have 333's as well. A .5NM radius is rather limiting though. Is your other one the same? I would need several of those just to cover one city my company operates in. Nice to see more people getting these, thanks for sharing! Don't suppose you can share the application verbiage?

Bill
Colorado Dronography

 

[RMartin]

Bill,

Do you have any more info on this statement? I checked the FAA's waiver and approval website and didn't see any airspace waivers: Part 107 Waivers Granted

Reason I ask is because with the airspace approval timelines I've experienced so far, even for Class D, I'm probably going to pursue a waiver. The FAA's process is just too slow. It'd be nice to just copy someone else's approval verbiage.

Why would you try for a waiver vs. a certificate of authorization? A COA is a request to operate within controlled airspace under ATC control. With a COA you can file an online DROTAM. Also, you are more likely to be approved if you are requesting to operate outside the 1.5 nm bubble around the airport center which can be found under the airport tab/geographical information @ 1800wxbrief.

 

[SanCap]

That's awesome! I would like to know if any 107 ONLY pilots have been given any waivers for airspace. So far all the guys I know of have 333's as well. A .5NM radius is rather limiting though. Is your other one the same? I would need several of those just to cover one city my company operates in. Nice to see more people getting these, thanks for sharing! Don't suppose you can share the application verbiage?

Bill
Colorado Dronography

Apply for as many waivers as you need to to cover the areas you need. Check out this image of the areas I have applied for. The green circles are the only ones that have been approved, but the other red circles are the ones I have applied for.

 

[Frogsby90]

That's awesome! I would like to know if any 107 ONLY pilots have been given any waivers for airspace. So far all the guys I know of have 333's as well. A .5NM radius is rather limiting though. Is your other one the same? I would need several of those just to cover one city my company operates in. Nice to see more people getting these, thanks for sharing! Don't suppose you can share the application verbiage?"

.

You have to pick one or the other to operate under you cannot use both at the same time. COA's were offered under section 333 and you had to have a licensed pilot. Seeing not that part 107 is out unless you have a 333 exemption then you will need to go the part 107 route. We operated under our exemption for a year; however, we now operate under part 107 due to more favorable rules for us to grow our business and pilot base.

 

[Colorado Dronography]

I understand all that. I was asking if any 107 ONLY Pilots as in never had a 333 ever - have been given waivers of airspace. Sorry if I didn't explain that better.

Bill
Colorado Dronography

 

[Frogsby90]

I understand all that. I was asking if any 107 ONLY Pilots as in never had a 333 ever - have been given waivers of airspace. Sorry if I didn't explain that better.

Bill
Colorado Dronography

Gotcha I understand now I have applied for 4 around Bush Intercontinental Airport and haven't heard anything yet, fortunately, we operate many of our projects in East Texas and Louisiana so we don't really have to worry about anything for most flights.

 

[Colorado Dronography]

Cool! Good luck and let us know if/when you hear back and their response.

Thanks,
Bill
Colorado Dronography

 

[Frogsby90]

Cool! Good luck and let us know if/when you hear back and their response.

Thanks,
Bill
Colorado Dronography

Funny from an application I sent in 11/9/16, I actually heard back from the Fort Worth regional FAA office this afternoon and they gave me approval to operate within 1/10 mile surrounding a property approx 2.5nm from Bush Intercontinental Airport with a ceiling of 100 feet. I will have the 30-day approval tomorrow hopefully as he told me verbally today he would email it by the end of the week. One obstacle is going to be getting the DJI GO app to let me fly the inspire there. We tried to see if it would register the other day but we used a non-3g enabled i pad so we didn't have the geotag restriction program working. Going out to the site tomorrow to make sure the inspire will work in the area for sure if I fill the authorization code from DJI GO. I'll Keep you guys posted.

 

[Frogsby90]

Why would you try for a waiver vs. a certificate of authorization? A COA is a request to operate within controlled airspace under ATC control. With a COA you can file an online DROTAM. Also, you are more likely to be approved if you are requesting to operate outside the 1.5 nm bubble around the airport center which can be found under the airport tab/geographical information @ 1800wxbrief.

If I am not mistaken COAs are for a 333 exemption the way part 107 works is you fill out a waiver for airspace authorization via the part 107 portal and then your regional FAA office contacts the controlling tower in question to run it by then they will either reject for change or contact you for more information. I simply informed them I was not operating above a ceiling over 100' approx 2.5nm near Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston and they authorized me to do so as long as I stay within 1/10 of a mile from the facility in question. It was great knowing I could hear back within a month for a job inside 5nm of an airport I thought I was going to never hear back from them. The people at the FAA are always very nice and accommodating as long as you follow procedure and are patient.

 

[ApiaryPro]

Thanks for all of this good information. Let's keep it going!