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There has been some confusion on how approval is granted for flights in controlled airspace.
Part of the confusion is with the new Air Traffic Organization Policy FAA Order JO 7200.23 just published August 19, 2016. Note: This new order does NOT go into effect until October 3, 2016.
I just talked to our tower chief at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport regarding the current and new procedures. While she had some of the dates wrong (10/31 rather than 10/3 and 8/31 instead of 8/29 for Part 107) and regulation references wrong (133 instead of 333 for the old waivers), she was able to confirm what I have stated in another thread.
If you have a flight prior to 10/03 you will just need to call the tower at least 30 minutes before the flight with the location and the altitudes you would like to fly. Once you are onsite you just call the tower and let them know you are ready to start. If traffic permits you will then be granted authorization for your flight, of course all of the other requirements for Part 107 still apply. It is possible they could give you a delay if there is traffic.
After 10/3 the process will be different. You will need to make your airspace authorization request through the FAA uas website: Request a Waiver/Airspace Authorization – Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) It is this new process that has created the most confusion. This is the same webpage and request form that is used for requesting a waiver from some of the Part 107 regulations. It does state that the request for waiver/airspace authorization can take 90 days and that you should make your request at least 90 days in advance.
What they will do with your request is compare the request to the airspace map that the airport has already prepared called the UAS Facility Maps (UASFM) to evaluate Part 107 requests based on the location and altitudes authorized by the facility. If requests are authorized using the UASFM, no facility coordination is required and the airspace authorization will be granted. This will most likely be fully automated and you should receive your authorization quickly. Probably within a couple of days if not sooner. With authorization you will still call the tower and they can still reject your request if traffic does not allow it. If Headquarters is unable to authorize the request using the UASFM, they must coordinate with the facility. I am also under the impression that they will do this coordination for you, but of course their could be some additional questions, comments or suggestion, which is likely to delay the approval.
While the UASFM map is not available to us (it is mainly electronic) Sarasota tower chief explained that she mapped it based on distance from the airport and in 100' increments. I specifically asked her if it was completed as I intended to request a meeting prior to her finalizing the map. Unfortunately this has already been done.
I also asked her about operation on the airport itself. (I would like to video some of my school's aircraft as they taxi out and take off.) This too was not a problem, prior to 10/03 I just need to call the tower for approval. After 10/03 I need to go through the web site and the procedures.
Why the new procedures? Simple, they are expecting a lot of requests and they are doing their best at streamlining and automating the process. I am very optimistic about the current and new process and encourage others to give it a try rather than a cry.
The biggest problem I see is not the FAA approval process, it is DJI mapping that does not take into consider airspace at all or the UASFM map. While I would like to film my school's aircraft taxiing and taking off, I know that DJI will not allow me to even take off. I fear they will be far less responsive than the FAA.
Part of the confusion is with the new Air Traffic Organization Policy FAA Order JO 7200.23 just published August 19, 2016. Note: This new order does NOT go into effect until October 3, 2016.
I just talked to our tower chief at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport regarding the current and new procedures. While she had some of the dates wrong (10/31 rather than 10/3 and 8/31 instead of 8/29 for Part 107) and regulation references wrong (133 instead of 333 for the old waivers), she was able to confirm what I have stated in another thread.
If you have a flight prior to 10/03 you will just need to call the tower at least 30 minutes before the flight with the location and the altitudes you would like to fly. Once you are onsite you just call the tower and let them know you are ready to start. If traffic permits you will then be granted authorization for your flight, of course all of the other requirements for Part 107 still apply. It is possible they could give you a delay if there is traffic.
After 10/3 the process will be different. You will need to make your airspace authorization request through the FAA uas website: Request a Waiver/Airspace Authorization – Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) It is this new process that has created the most confusion. This is the same webpage and request form that is used for requesting a waiver from some of the Part 107 regulations. It does state that the request for waiver/airspace authorization can take 90 days and that you should make your request at least 90 days in advance.
What they will do with your request is compare the request to the airspace map that the airport has already prepared called the UAS Facility Maps (UASFM) to evaluate Part 107 requests based on the location and altitudes authorized by the facility. If requests are authorized using the UASFM, no facility coordination is required and the airspace authorization will be granted. This will most likely be fully automated and you should receive your authorization quickly. Probably within a couple of days if not sooner. With authorization you will still call the tower and they can still reject your request if traffic does not allow it. If Headquarters is unable to authorize the request using the UASFM, they must coordinate with the facility. I am also under the impression that they will do this coordination for you, but of course their could be some additional questions, comments or suggestion, which is likely to delay the approval.
While the UASFM map is not available to us (it is mainly electronic) Sarasota tower chief explained that she mapped it based on distance from the airport and in 100' increments. I specifically asked her if it was completed as I intended to request a meeting prior to her finalizing the map. Unfortunately this has already been done.
I also asked her about operation on the airport itself. (I would like to video some of my school's aircraft as they taxi out and take off.) This too was not a problem, prior to 10/03 I just need to call the tower for approval. After 10/03 I need to go through the web site and the procedures.
Why the new procedures? Simple, they are expecting a lot of requests and they are doing their best at streamlining and automating the process. I am very optimistic about the current and new process and encourage others to give it a try rather than a cry.
The biggest problem I see is not the FAA approval process, it is DJI mapping that does not take into consider airspace at all or the UASFM map. While I would like to film my school's aircraft taxiing and taking off, I know that DJI will not allow me to even take off. I fear they will be far less responsive than the FAA.