Airspace
Background
The National Airspace System (NAS) contains many different categories, types, and designations of airspace. Not all are relevant for UAV operations, but a full understanding of the whole NAS is useful. Your best references are these two FAA publications:
Your concerns as related to airspace will be “am I legally allowed to be here?”, and “is it safe for me to be here?”. DFlight API provides the relevant information you need. In this tutorial we’ll walk through the process of making calls to the airspace endpoints and understanding the results returned to you.
The airspace request body
As with all information categories available in DFlight there are three endpoints for airspace, one for each way you can define your geographic area of interest. We’ll be using the route-query option for this example. The request body has two required elements:
- route: GeoJSON Linestring defining the route
- asptypes: list of one or more airspace types you wish to retrieve. Allowed values are “CAS”, “SUA”, “MAA”, and “MTR” where
-
- CAS – Controlled Airspace
- SUA – Special Use Airspace
- MAA – Miscellaneous Activity Areas
- MTR – Military Training Routes
In order to discuss every airspace type available we include all types in the asptypes list and have chosen a route that traverses at least one of example each. Here is our request body:
{
"route": {
"type": "LineString",
"coordinates": [[-77.419999, 34.564914], [-77.603671, 34.432356], [-77.851233, 34.292991]]
},
"asptypes": ["SUA","MTR","MAA","CAS"]
}
and we’ll send our POST request to the /airspace/route-query endpoint.
Response JSON
{
"found": [
{
"type": "FeatureCollection",
"features": [
{
"type": "Feature",
"geometry": {
"type": "Polygon",
"coordinates": [
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],
[
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],
[
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],
[
-77.316389,
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],
[
-77.263611,
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],
[
-77.269167,
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],
[
-77.271944,
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],
[
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],
[
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],
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],
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],
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],
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],
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]
]
]
},
"properties": {
"airspace_type": "SUA",
"name": "HATTERAS F MOA, NC",
"sua_type": "MOA",
"floor": 3000,
"floor_uom": "FT",
"floor_ref": "MSL",
"ceiling": 13000,
"ceiling_uom": "FT",
"ceiling_ref": "MSL"
}
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"geometry": {
"type": "Polygon",
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],
[
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]
]
]
},
"properties": {
"airspace_type": "SUA",
"name": "R-5304A CAMP LEJEUNE, NC",
"sua_type": "RA",
"floor": 0,
"floor_uom": "FT",
"floor_ref": "AGL",
"ceiling": 7000,
"ceiling_uom": "FT",
"ceiling_ref": "AGL"
}
}
]
},
{
"type": "FeatureCollection",
"features": [
{
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"geometry": {
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],
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],
[
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],
[
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]
]
},
"properties": {
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"name": "012IR",
"use_times": "CONTINUOUS",
"terrain_following": true,
"max_extent_nm": 5
}
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"geometry": {
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]
]
},
"properties": {
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"name": "035IR",
"use_times": "0600-2200 LOCAL, DAILY",
"terrain_following": true,
"max_extent_nm": 5
}
},
{
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},
"properties": {
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}
},
{
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},
"properties": {
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}
},
{
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},
"properties": {
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}
}
]
},
{
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},
"properties": {
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"name": "OWL DROP ZONE",
"maa_type": "PARACHUTE JUMP AREA",
"use_times": "UNKNOWN"
}
}
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},
"properties": {
"airspace_type": "CAS",
"name": "WILMINGTON CLASS D",
"cas_class": "D",
"floor": 0,
"ceiling": 2500,
"laanc": true
}
}
]
}
]
}
As noted in the API specification, for airspace requests the found element will be a list of GeoJSON FeatureCollections, one for each Airspace type requested. Below shows the entirety of returned results, with the dashed black line indicating the requested route.
Let’s look at each airspace type we requested, and interpret the results.
Special Use Airspace (SUA)
First in our asptypes list was “SUA”. The feature properties given for SUA are:
- name: name of the area
- sua_type: one of
- AA = Alert Area
- MOA = Military Operations Area
- NSA = National Security Area
- PA = Prohibited Area
- RA = Restricted Area
- WA = Warning Area
- floor: lower limit of the airspace
- floor_uom: unit of measure used for the numeric floor value: FT (feet) or FL (flight level)
- floor_ref: reference level used for the numeric floor value: AGL, MSL, or STD (standard atmosphere, used for flight level values)
- ceiling: upper limit of the airspace
- ceiling_uom: unit of measure used for the numeric ceiling value: FT (feet) or FL (flight level)
- ceiling_ref: reference level used for the numeric ceiling value: AGL, MSL, or STD (standard atmosphere, used for flight level values)
The first is a MOA (Military Operations Area), and you can see that the floor is 3000 FT MSL. If you’re flying below that altitude you can safely ignore it’s presence.
The second is a RA (Restricted Area), and the floor is at the surface. What exactly is a Restricted Area? Read the FAA’s full definition. You are legally allowed to penetrate this airspace (the restrictions apply to ATC issuing clearances through the space), but is it safe? Maybe?
Military Training Routes (MTR)
Next we have several crossing MTR (Military Training Routes). The feature properties given for MTR are:
- name: name of the route
- use_times: textual description of days/times when the MTR is active
- terrain_following: boolean value indicating whether terrain following activity occurs on the route
- max_extent_nm: maximum distance in nautical miles that aircraft can deviate from the route centerline
Military Training Routes need to be taken seriously. Unlike most airspace where manned aircraft are generally operating well above the altitudes where UAVs fly, on MTRs you have military jets skimming the tree tops and operating at speeds that can approach Mach 1. Pay particular attention when you see MTR which have terrain_following = True. In those cases, these aircraft can be down at 200 FT AGL or lower. The probability of your UAV being in the same place at the same time as one of these aircraft may be small, but the consequences would be serious. When in doubt, contact the closest Flight Service Station for more information (1-800-992-7433).
Miscellaneous Activity Areas (MAA)
Third in the asptypes list we have MAA (Miscellaneous Activity Areas). Per the FAA, these are areas which are “published and/or charted to advise pilots of activity that may affect flight operations”. Feature properties given for MAA are:
- name: name of the area
- maa_type: one of the six categories of activity which the FAA charts
- AEROBATIC PRACTICE
- GLIDER
- HANG GLIDER
- PARACHUTE JUMP AREA
- SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITY
- ULTRALIGHT
- use_times: textual description of the times when area is used for the designated activity (if known)
In all cases, it is up to the organization conducting these activities to report them to the FAA for charting/reporting. As a UAV operator you need to be aware of these areas due to the fact that these activities might occur at same altitudes in which you are flying. You need to be prepared to avoid conflict with any such activity.
If you are lucky, the use_times field will give concrete days/times when activities will take place. In our example however, the operator reporting the area has specified UNKNOWN, meaning parachute jumping might be in progress at any time.
Controlled Airspace (CAS)
Finally, we have CAS (Controlled Airspace). The feature properties given for CAS are:
- name: name of the airspace
- cas_class: B, C, D, or E2
- floor: integer value in FT MSL
- ceiling: integer value in FT MSL
- laanc: boolean value indicating whether or not authorization for this airspace may be obtained via LAANC
We do not return results for Class A airspace (it begins at 18,000 FT MSL and you won’t be up there) or Class E airspace other than type E2 (because you are fine to operate in those other E-type areas without prior authorization). Below shows the Classified Airspace traversed by our route.
Looking back to the overview map, you only see the gray circle for Wilmington Class D. That’s because the Class E2 airspace has the exact same geometry and they’re on top of each other. In both cases we see laanc = True meaning you can make an automated LAANC request for authorization through the service provider of your choice.