Airworthy Prep
Get Part 107

Part 107 Airspace Classes Explained for Drone Pilots

Last updated October 4, 2026

Under Part 107 you need prior authorization from air traffic control (ATC) to fly in Class B, Class C or Class D airspace, or inside the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport (14 CFR 107.41). You do not need ATC authorization to fly in Class G airspace (Remote Pilot Study Guide, FAA-G-8082-22, chapter 2, p. 6). When you do need it, you request it through LAANC, which can approve in near-real time, or through FAADroneZone.

The two rules that decide almost everything

Rule 1: the airspace rule. 14 CFR 107.41 names exactly four places that need prior ATC authorization: Class B, Class C, Class D, and the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport. Everywhere else in Class E, and all of Class G, needs no authorization under that rule.

Rule 2: the altitude rule. Your drone may not fly higher than 400 feet above ground level (AGL), unless it stays within a 400-foot radius of a structure and no higher than 400 feet above the structure’s immediate uppermost limit (14 CFR 107.51(b)).

So the real question on any flight is: what airspace sits between the ground and 400 feet AGL where you will fly?

Each airspace class in plain English

Class A

Class A is generally from 18,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) up to and including flight level (FL) 600, and operations there are normally under instrument flight rules (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25C, chapter 15, p. 15-2). Visual charts do not depict it (Aeronautical Chart Users’ Guide, July 9, 2026 edition, p. 16).

Class B

Class B surrounds the nation’s busiest airports. It generally runs from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL, with a surface area and two or more layers (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 5). On a sectional, the MSL ceiling and floor of each sector are printed in solid blue figures with the last two zeros left off (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 16). Authorization is required (14 CFR 107.41).

Class C

Class C surrounds airports that have an operating control tower and radar approach control. It generally runs from the surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation (charted in MSL). It usually has a surface area with a 5 nautical mile (NM) radius and an outer circle with a 10 NM radius that runs from 1,200 feet to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). On a sectional, the ceiling and floor of each sector are printed in solid magenta figures with the last two zeros left off, and “SFC” means the sector starts at the surface (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 16). Authorization is required (14 CFR 107.41).

Class D

Class D surrounds airports with an operating control tower. It generally runs from the surface to 2,500 feet above the airport elevation (charted in MSL) (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). On a sectional it is a blue dashed line, with the ceiling shown in hundreds of feet MSL; a minus sign in front of the figure means “from the surface to, but not including” that altitude (Chart Users’ Guide, pp. 16 and 27). Authorization is required (14 CFR 107.41).

Class E

Class E is all the controlled airspace that is not Class A, B, C or D, and a large amount of US airspace is Class E (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). Its floor varies:

  • Surface area for an airport: a magenta dashed line on the sectional (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 17). This is the only kind of Class E that needs ATC authorization under 14 CFR 107.41.
  • Floor at 700 feet AGL: a magenta shaded band (vignette) along the edge (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 17).
  • Floor at 1,200 feet AGL: where it borders Class G, a blue shaded band (Chart Users’ Guide, pp. 17 and 27). Unless the chart shows otherwise, Class E starts at 1,200 feet AGL (p. 17).

In most cases, a remote pilot will not need ATC authorization in Class E (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). The exception is the surface area.

Class G

Class G is uncontrolled airspace: anything not designated A, B, C, D or E. It runs from the surface up to the base of the overlying Class E airspace (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). So under a 700-foot or 1,200-foot Class E floor, the airspace you fly in is Class G. No ATC authorization is needed in Class G (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6).

Comparison table

Class Where you meet it How it shows on a sectional ATC authorization under Part 107?
A 18,000 ft MSL to FL 600 Not depicted Not relevant below 400 ft AGL
B Busiest airports, surface to about 10,000 ft MSL, in layers Sector floors and ceilings in solid blue figures Yes (107.41)
C Towered airports with radar approach control, surface to about 4,000 ft above the airport Sector floors and ceilings in solid magenta figures Yes (107.41)
D Towered airports, surface to about 2,500 ft above the airport Blue dashed line, ceiling in hundreds of ft MSL Yes (107.41)
E surface area Around some airports, starting at the surface Magenta dashed line Yes (107.41)
E (other) Floor at 700 ft AGL, 1,200 ft AGL, or a charted altitude Magenta or blue shaded band No
G Surface up to the overlying Class E floor No boundary of its own (it is what is left) No

Sources: Study Guide chapter 2, pp. 5-6; PHAK chapter 15, p. 15-2; Chart Users’ Guide, pp. 16-17 and 27; 14 CFR 107.41.

How to get ATC authorization: LAANC and FAADroneZone

The FAA describes two routes (FAA, Part 107 Airspace Authorizations, last updated October 1, 2026):

LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability). You apply through an app from an FAA-approved UAS Service Supplier, and approval can come in near-real time (FAA LAANC page, last updated September 29, 2026).

  • Near-real-time approval only works at or below the altitude shown on the UAS Facility Map for that spot.
  • To fly above the map altitude, up to 400 feet, you submit a “further coordination” request. It is reviewed by the air traffic manager for that airspace, must be submitted at least 72 hours before the start time, and can be submitted up to 90 days ahead.
  • As of September 29, 2026, the FAA lists LAANC as available at 726 airports.

FAADroneZone. This is the manual route, for airports without LAANC (and it can also be used at LAANC airports). Requests are processed by FAA Air Traffic Service Centers, and the FAA says processing has historically taken up to eight weeks, so apply early (Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page). If your operation needs both a waiver and an airspace authorization, apply for both through FAADroneZone (LAANC page).

UAS Facility Maps show the maximum altitudes around airports where the FAA may authorize Part 107 operations without additional safety analysis. They do not authorize anything by themselves (FAA UAS Facility Maps page).

Section 107.41 can also be waived (14 CFR 107.205), and a pilot who wants to rely on extra equipment such as geo-fencing should apply for a certificate of waiver rather than an authorization (Advisory Circular 107-2A, para 5.10.2).

Special use airspace and TFRs

Special use airspace includes prohibited, restricted, warning, military operation (MOA), alert and controlled firing areas (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 7).

  • Prohibited areas (“P” plus a number, such as P-40 at Camp David) and restricted areas (“R” plus a number, with often invisible hazards such as artillery firing) (Study Guide, chapter 2, pp. 7-8): you may not fly in them without permission from the using or controlling agency (14 CFR 107.45).
  • Warning areas (“W”), MOAs (named, not numbered) and alert areas (“A”) mark hazardous activity, military training, or heavy pilot training or unusual aerial activity (Study Guide, chapter 2, pp. 8-9).
  • Controlled firing areas are not charted, because their activity stops when an aircraft might be approaching (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 9).

Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are issued by NOTAM, for reasons such as protecting people from a hazard, disaster relief, crowds of sightseeing aircraft, protecting the President, Vice President or other public figures, and space operations (Study Guide, chapter 2, pp. 10-11). Part 107 requires you to comply with 14 CFR 91.137 through 91.145 and 99.7 (14 CFR 107.47). Only TFRs related to national security appear on charts (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 18), so you must check NOTAMs before each flight (AC 107-2A, para 5.10.3). A LAANC approval does not replace that check: the FAA says LAANC provides airspace authorizations only (LAANC page).

Worked example (original)

Situation: You plan to fly at 300 ft AGL, 3 miles from a towered airport. On the current sectional, the airport is surrounded by a blue dashed line, and your site is inside it. The Class D ceiling figure next to the airport reads 32. The UAS Facility Map square that covers your site shows 200. Do you need authorization, and how do you get it?

Answer:

  1. Identify the airspace. A blue dashed line is Class D (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 16). The 32 is the ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL, so 3,200 feet MSL (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 27). Class D starts at the surface (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6), so at 300 ft AGL you are inside it.
  2. Check the rules. 300 ft AGL is within the 400-foot limit (14 CFR 107.51(b)), but you are in Class D, so you need prior ATC authorization (14 CFR 107.41).
  3. Choose the route. The map shows 200, so LAANC can give near-real-time approval only up to 200 ft. Your options: fly at or below 200 ft with a near-real-time LAANC approval, or submit a LAANC further coordination request for 300 ft at least 72 hours ahead, or apply through FAADroneZone and allow for processing time (FAA Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page).
  4. Before launch: check NOTAMs for TFRs (AC 107-2A, para 5.10.3) and stay clear of the traffic pattern and approach paths (14 CFR 107.43).

Variation: if your site were outside the blue dashed line and inside an area edged by a magenta shaded band (Class E with a floor of 700 feet AGL), with no dashed line around you, then at 300 ft AGL you would be in Class G. No ATC authorization would be needed (Chart Users’ Guide, p. 17; Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6).

Common mistakes

  • Treating all Class E as “needs authorization.” Only the surface area designated for an airport is on the 107.41 list.
  • Mixing up MSL and AGL. Chart altitudes for Class B, C and D are MSL (Chart Users’ Guide, pp. 16 and 27). Your 400-foot limit is AGL (14 CFR 107.51(b)).
  • Forgetting shelves. The outer part of a Class C area starts 1,200 feet above the airport elevation (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6), and each Class B layer has its own charted floor. Below a shelf you are not in that class, so check what lies underneath.
  • Thinking the structure exception beats airspace. The structure exception can take you above 400 ft AGL (14 CFR 107.51(b)), but 107.41 still applies, and both FAA authorization routes describe approvals only up to 400 feet (LAANC page; Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page).

How this is tested

The Remote Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-10B) covers airspace in Area II: classes B, C, D, E and G, special use airspace, other airspace areas such as TFRs and military training routes, ATC authorizations, operations near airports and the NOTAM system (UA.II.A.K1 to K4, UA.II.B.K2, K3 and K5) (Remote Pilot ACS, pp. 9-10). From October 26, 2026, the test adds image-based questions using current sectional chart images rather than only the testing supplement (FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 Special Edition, p. 6). So practice on real, current sectionals.

A short study plan:

  1. Read Study Guide chapter 2.
  2. With the Chart Users’ Guide (pp. 16-17 and 26-27) next to a current sectional, find one example of each line and shaded band.
  3. For five airports near you, name the airspace from the surface to 400 ft AGL and say whether 107.41 applies.
  4. Practice with the airspace topic questions and review the regulations topic for 107.41 to 107.51.

Common questions

Can I fly a drone in Class G airspace without permission?

Yes. Class G needs no ATC authorization (Study Guide, chapter 2, p. 6). All the other Part 107 rules still apply, including the 400-foot limit, and you must check for TFRs and avoid interfering with airport traffic (14 CFR 107.43, 107.47, 107.51).

Do I need authorization for Class D airspace under Part 107?

Yes, before you fly (14 CFR 107.41). Use LAANC where the airport offers it, or FAADroneZone where it does not (FAA Part 107 Airspace Authorizations page).

Can I fly near an airport that has no tower?

If the airport is in Class G with no Class E surface area, no notification or authorization is needed, but you must stay out of the traffic pattern and approach paths (AC 107-2A, para 5.10.1; 14 CFR 107.43). If a magenta dashed line surrounds it, that is a Class E surface area and you need authorization (14 CFR 107.41; Chart Users’ Guide, p. 17).

All study guides