01
Find the airspace
Solid blue = Class B. Solid magenta = Class C. Dashed blue = Class D. Dashed magenta = Class E surface. Open background below the E floor = Class G.
The Authority Suite
CHARTS · ACSDrone Authority · Free Part 107 download
Airspace + airport cheat sheet
The free version that should exist: airspace classes, LAANC, latitude and longitude, airport data, runway clues, CTAF, obstructions, special-use airspace, and the traps that show up in Part 107 prep.
Start here
The 4-question flight decision
Work these in order. Most chart questions are just this sequence wearing different clothes.
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Printable PDF included
Same study scope, compressed into a two-page PDF for printing or saving before the exam.
Save the PDF02
Ask if it reaches the surface
Drone authorization is about the air you are actually in. Class E at 700 or 1,200 ft AGL usually leaves your sub-400 ft drone flight in Class G.
03
Check temporary changes
TFRs, NOTAMs, wildfire activity, VIP movement, stadium events, and runway closures can override what a printed chart seems to say.
04
Look for airport traffic clues
Tower status, runway orientation, CTAF, UNICOM, ATIS, and traffic-pattern calls help you avoid manned aircraft even when you are not transmitting.
Airspace
The chart colors that matter
Memorize these first. Then use the full table below when you need the altitude story and drone authorization rule.
B
Class B
Auth requiredSolid blue rings
100 / 30 = ceiling 10,000 / floor 3,000 ft MSL
Authorization first (LAANC)
C
Class C
Auth requiredSolid magenta rings
41 / 13 = ceiling 4,100 / floor 1,300 ft MSL
Authorization first (LAANC)
D
Class D
Auth requiredDashed blue ring
[ 25 ] = ceiling 2,500 ft MSL
Authorization first (LAANC)
E sfc
Class E to surface
Auth requiredDashed magenta
Controlled from the ground up
Authorization required
E 700
Class E @ 700 ft
No authSoft magenta edge
Floor 700 ft AGL (faded side = lower floor)
No auth below it — you're in Class G
E 1200
Class E @ 1,200 ft
No authSoft blue edge
Floor 1,200 ft AGL
No auth below it — you're in Class G
G
Class G
No authOpen paper, no line
Surface up to the Class E floor
No airspace auth needed
A
Class A
N/A to dronesNot drawn on sectionals
18,000 ft MSL and above
Never a drone layer
Special-use airspace
R / P
Restricted / Prohibited
Auth requiredBlue hatched border
R- / P- with altitudes & times
Prohibited: never. Restricted: only when cold
MOA
Military Ops Area
No authMagenta hatched border
Named, e.g. EAGLE MOA
Allowed, but use caution when active
Colours and line styles match a real VFR sectional so the lesson transfers. Floor/ceiling numbers are MSL unless noted; drone ceilings are 400 ft AGL. Illustrative, not for navigation — confirm your launch spot in an FAA-approved app.
| Class | Drone authorization | Altitude | On the chart | In plain English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AControlled | Not applicable to drones. Class A starts at 18,000 ft MSL, far above the 400 ft ceiling drones fly under, so you will never operate here. | 18,000 ft MSL up to FL600 (60,000 ft). | Not drawn on VFR sectional charts; it sits above the charted VFR structure. | The airline highway in the sky. Way above you. Know it exists for the exam, then forget about it for flying. |
BControlled | FAA authorization required before you fly. Get it instantly through LAANC in an FAA-approved app, up to the altitude the LAANC grid allows for that spot. | Surface up to typically 10,000 ft MSL, built as an upside-down wedding cake of shelves around the airport. | Solid blue lines forming concentric rings, with the floor/ceiling of each shelf printed in blue (e.g. 100 over 30). | Wraps the biggest, busiest airports. Solid blue rings. You can often still fly under it with LAANC, but check the grid altitude. |
CControlled | FAA authorization required before you fly. LAANC usually grants it in seconds up to the grid altitude. | Surface up to typically 4,000 ft above the airport, in a two-tier ring (an inner core and a wider outer shelf). | Solid magenta lines forming a two-ring (inner + outer) pattern around the airport. | Medium-busy airports with radar service. Solid magenta rings. LAANC authorization first. |
DControlled | FAA authorization required before you fly. Available through LAANC at most Class D fields; check the grid for your exact spot. | Surface up to typically 2,500 ft above the airport, a single ring while the control tower is open. | Dashed blue line forming a single ring around a towered airport. | Small towered airports. Dashed blue ring. Get LAANC authorization before launching anywhere inside it. |
EControlled | Authorization is required only where Class E reaches the surface near an airport (the dashed-magenta zones). Where Class E starts at 700 or 1,200 ft AGL, you can fly your drone below it under 400 ft without authorization. | Begins at the surface, 700 ft AGL, or 1,200 ft AGL depending on the area, up to (but not including) Class A. | Dashed magenta line where Class E starts at the surface; a faded/shaded magenta band where it starts at 700 ft AGL. | Controlled airspace that usually floats above you. Watch for the dashed-magenta surface zones near airports; those need authorization. |
GUncontrolled | No FAA airspace authorization needed. Fly up to 400 ft AGL under the standard rules (visual line of sight, daylight or anti-collision lighting, away from people, etc.). | Surface up to the base of the overlying Class E (700 or 1,200 ft AGL in most places). | Not outlined by its own line; it's simply the airspace below the charted Class E floors, away from the airport rings. | Most rural and suburban airspace away from airports. No authorization needed under 400 ft, but the safety rules still apply. |
Coordinates
Latitude and longitude without panic
The FAA study guide covers this in airport operations. On U.S. sectionals, expect north latitude and west longitude.
- Latitude: flat east-west parallels that measure north/south position.
- Longitude: vertical north-south meridians that measure east/west position.
- Minutes: one minute of latitude is about 1 nautical mile.
- Exam move: read the latitude line, read the longitude line, then decide what airspace or hazard contains the point.
Airport operations
Airport data is not optional
The test can ask about tower status, runway numbers, traffic patterns, CTAF, UNICOM, ATIS, and Chart Supplement clues.
Blue airport
Towered airport. Expect tower traffic and controlled airspace if a B/C/D/surface-E area is drawn.
Magenta airport
Non-towered airport. Monitor CTAF for traffic awareness; authorization still depends on airspace.
CTAF
Common Traffic Advisory Frequency. Manned pilots self-announce position and intentions.
UNICOM
Airport advisory station that may provide local airport information at some non-towered fields.
ATIS
Recorded local weather, runway use, and airport notices at many towered airports.
Runway 18/36
Runway numbers approximate magnetic heading divided by 10: 18 = about 180 degrees, 36 = about 360 degrees.
Special use + temporary rules
Do not stop at the colored rings
The chart gives you the baseline. NOTAMs, TFRs, active restricted areas, and security-sensitive areas can change the answer.
Prohibited area
Do not enter. Established for national security or welfare.
Restricted area
Hazardous when active. Entry requires permission from the controlling agency.
MOA
Military training may occur. Not automatically prohibited, but plan with caution.
Alert area
High volume of training or unusual aerial activity. Both pilots share responsibility.
NSA
Security-sensitive area. Avoid when requested; temporary restrictions may be issued by NOTAM.
TFR
Temporary Flight Restriction. Check NOTAMs before every flight.
Exam traps
Six mistakes this sheet is designed to prevent
These are the chart-reading mistakes that make simple Part 107 questions feel slippery.
Dashed magenta vs. faded magenta
Dashed magenta means Class E starts at the surface. Faded magenta means Class E starts at 700 ft AGL.
Blue airport vs. blue airspace
A blue airport symbol means towered airport. Solid blue rings mean Class B. Dashed blue ring means Class D.
MSL vs. AGL
Obstacle labels show top elevation MSL first, then height AGL in parentheses: 1549 (612).
Longitude is not latitude
Latitude lines run east-west and measure north/south. Longitude lines run north-south and measure east/west.
Chart is not enough
Use current charts plus NOTAMs/TFRs. New towers or temporary restrictions may not be obvious on a static chart.
Radio is awareness, not permission
Monitoring CTAF/ATIS helps you stay clear, but controlled airspace still needs LAANC or FAA authorization.
Next drill
Work this visually, then test it.
Use the visual prep lab for coordinate, airport, weather, traffic pattern, and emergency examples, then take the ACS practice bank.
Source notes
Original Drone Authority study material. Current as of June 2026. Educational, not flight navigation or legal advice. Verify real flights with current FAA charts, NOTAMs/TFRs, and an FAA-approved LAANC provider.