FAA UAS facility maps - can you get authorization to fly in the ”0 feet” grids?

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Ok now I’m confused. I’m looking to do a commercial flight at this particular address and on the official UAS facility maps it’s in a 200 ft grid. However if I go to AirMap, Skyward, or Kittyhawk to get a LAANC authorization, that same exact location is shown outside of controlled airspace and it won’t allow me to get authorization. If I try to submit to LAANC It just says “The planned operation falls outside of controlled airspace”. Any ideas?

images? lat/lon?

 

[Moosewax]

Ok now I’m confused. I’m looking to do a commercial flight at this particular address and on the official UAS facility maps it’s in a 200 ft grid. However if I go to AirMap, Skyward, or Kittyhawk to get a LAANC authorization, that same exact location is shown outside of controlled airspace and it won’t allow me to get authorization. If I try to submit to LAANC It just says “The planned operation falls outside of controlled airspace”. Any ideas?

Post the location if you can.

Otherwise it sounds like you may be outside controlled airspace.

Something to look out for is that the UASFM are square tiles that are trying to cover often times circular airspace delineations.

Basically check where the controlled airspace is, if you are outside controlled airspace but still within a UASFM grid you do not need LAANC/COA authorization.

 

[RickMC]

Heres two pics, first one is UAS facility map, location is the small black dot in the 200 grid on the right. Second pic is the same location, marked with the location marker near the top of the pic.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

So a mapping discrepancy is the problem. But if you are outside controlled airspace why are you requesting a LAANC? Or am I confused? Have you mapped this on a sectional?

 

[RickMC]

So a mapping discrepancy is the problem. But if you are outside controlled airspace why are you requesting a LAANC? Or am I confused?

I first looked at the location in the UAS map and throught it was in controlled airspace, then looked at AirMap, etc and it was showing it outside controlled airspace but I just attempted a LAANC to see what it would say because I figured the UAS map would be more accurate than AirMap.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

I first looked at the location in the UAS map and throught it was in controlled airspace, then looked at AirMap, etc and it was showing it outside controlled airspace but I just attempted a LAANC to see what it would say because I figured the UAS map would be more accurate than AirMap.

Seems to me you are under class B airspace (or class G) since you can only go to 400 AGL by law and at your location class B begins at 1,500 MSL. If I'm all wet I'm sure someone will say so.

 

[RickMC]

Seems to me you are under class B airspace (or class G) since you can only go to 400 AGL by law and at your location class B begins at 1,500 MSL. If I'm all wet I'm sure someone will say so.

View attachment 1124

Thanks. I wonder why the UAS map is showing that location in a 200 ft grid.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

As an old aviator, I'm obsessed with Sectionals, never use apps.

 

[Russ Still]

Hi, Rick. Regardless of the grid system limits, if a grid is in Class G airspace no Authorization is needed.

 

[Moosewax]

Thanks. I wonder why the UAS map is showing that location in a 200 ft grid.

Look at your first photo, there is a tiny sliver of controlled airspace inside that 200ft UASFM grid. That's why there is that grid tile. All the tiles are the same size no matter what.

The only reason that the UASFM grid extends outside of controlled airspace while at the edges of controlled airspace is because the grid system the FAA uses can not perfectly mirror the boundaries of controlled airspace which is often circular in nature or in the case of Class B they typically have a unique polygon shape.

The UASFM is just too create a guide as to what altitudes can likely gain an easy authorization. The UASFM grid is to be used in conjunction with controlled airspace. When the UASFM grid/tile covers areas outside of controlled airspace, so long as that airspace is Class Golf/uncontrolled that UASFM suggested altitude limit does not apply.

 

[RickMC]

If the airspace is outside controlled airspace, you just need to follow the altitude restriction of 200' AGL max.

But if it’s not controlled airspace, why would I need to follow a 200 ft max?

 

[RickMC]

Look at your first photo, there is a tiny sliver of controlled airspace inside that 200ft UASFM grid. That's why there is that grid tile. All the tiles are the same size no matter what.

The only reason that the UASFM grid extends outside of controlled airspace while at the edges of controlled airspace is because the grid system the FAA uses can not perfectly mirror the boundaries of controlled airspace which is often circular in nature or in the case of Class B they typically have a unique polygon shape.

The UASFM is just too create a guide as to what altitudes can likely gain an easy authorization. The UASFM grid is to be used in conjunction with controlled airspace. When the UASFM grid/tile covers areas outside of controlled airspace, so long as that airspace is Class Golf/uncontrolled that UASFM suggested altitude limit does not apply.

Thanks. That makes sense to me. I didn’t even notice that small sliver of airspace going through that grid!

 

[Russ Still]

But if it’s not controlled airspace, why would I need to follow a 200 ft max?

If it truly isn't controlled airspace, i.e it's Class G, then you are not limited by the numbers in a grid cell and you should not seek an Authorization.

 

[RickMC]

My request through LAANC to operate in a zero grid was cancelled automatically 24 hours before proposed start time as “no definitive response was received from the FAA”. I guess that means no one even looked at my request? How does it work for the 0 grids? Does the FAA contact the ATC or vice-versa?

 

[Russ Still]

What altitude did you request? What airspeed? For all of these questions, the lower the better.

0' grid approvals do happen occasionally, but at this point, we have no reason to believe there is any "special sauce" available to ensure that any particular one is given. Right now it appears to be simply a toss of the dice.

 

[RickMC]

What altitude did you request? What airspeed? For all of these questions, the lower the better.

0' grid approvals do happen occasionally, but at this point, we have no reason to believe there is any "special sauce" available to ensure that any particular one is given. Right now it appears to be simply a toss of the dice.

I requested 200 ft. There wasn’t any option for me to select airspeed.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

I requested 200 ft. There wasn’t any option for me to select airspeed.

Like Russ said, try lower. I was able to get a 75' out of them in a -0- grid once. 200' in a -0- grid is highly unlikely, even 100' is iffy.

 

[Russ Still]

200 feet might have been just too much. If you saw the webinar we did, Robert Wilhite asked for 75 feet in a 0' grid and got it. I thought there was a field for airspeed, but I could be mistaken about that.

 

[RickMC]

I submitted another request, this time for 75 feet. I’m just curious what the process is for this. Does FAA review the request first and then coordinate with the airport or is it the other way around?

 

[Telecam]

I submitted another request, this time for 75 feet. I’m just curious what the process is for this. Does FAA review the request first and then coordinate with the airport or is it the other way around?

I have been wondering about this too. Surprisingly, I asked ATC at a local airport, a class B LAANC airport... and they had no clue how the process works.