Drone Airspace Classes Explained: Class B, C, D, E, and G
Updated July 2026 · Part 107 Quiz editorial team
Ask any test-prep instructor which topic sinks the most first-time Part 107 candidates, and airspace comes up almost every time. The FAA Knowledge Test leans heavily on reading a sectional chart, recognizing a symbol, and knowing instantly whether a spot requires authorization before you fly — miss enough of those questions and it can cost you a passing score.
The good news: the system follows a logical pattern once you learn it. Every airspace class has its own line style on a sectional chart that tells you exactly what's required before launch. This guide covers all six classes, authorization, special use airspace, TFRs, and how to read a sectional chart. Browse the rest of our study guide for other high-yield topics.
The Six Airspace Classes
United States airspace is divided into six classes: A, B, C, D, E, and G. For Part 107 purposes, controlled airspace — Classes B, C, D, and the surface areas of Class E — requires authorization before you fly. Class G, uncontrolled airspace, needs no airspace authorization under Part 107. The table below shows how each class is depicted and what it means for a drone pilot.
| Class | Chart depiction | Typical use | Drone authorization needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | No boundary line printed — it sits above all other classes | High-altitude en route airspace, far above any drone operation | Not applicable — drones never operate there |
| B | Solid blue lines, typically shaped like an upside-down wedding cake of stacked shelves | Surrounds the busiest, highest-traffic airports | Yes — LAANC or DroneZone authorization required |
| C | Solid magenta lines, typically a 5 nautical-mile inner core from the surface with an outer shelf | Surrounds mid-size towered airports with radar service | Yes — LAANC or DroneZone authorization required |
| D | Dashed blue line; exact ceiling printed on the chart in a blue box, in hundreds of feet MSL | Surrounds smaller towered airports, typically from the surface up to about 2,500 ft AGL | Yes — LAANC or DroneZone authorization required |
| E | Dashed magenta line where it starts at the surface; fuzzy magenta vignette where it starts at 700 ft AGL (elsewhere it generally starts at 1,200 ft AGL) | Transition airspace, often filling the area around Class D airports or between other classes | Yes, only at the surface (dashed magenta) — the 700/1,200 ft AGL floors matter little below 400 ft |
| G | No boundary lines at all — it's whatever airspace remains below the overlying Class E | Uncontrolled airspace from the surface up to the base of controlled airspace; most rural, low-altitude drone flying happens here | No |
Notice the pattern: solid lines mark the busiest airports (B and C), dashed lines mark smaller towered airports and surface-level E, and no line at all means Class G — the fastest way to work through airspace questions on test day.
How to Get Authorization: LAANC vs. DroneZone
If your flight will take place in Class B, C, D, or the surface area of Class E, you need FAA authorization before you launch. There are two ways to get it:
- LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability): An app-based system that gives near-real-time approval to fly up to the published grid ceiling altitude for that location — the quickest route to authorization.
- FAA DroneZone: Used where LAANC isn't available for a particular location or altitude. It doesn't offer LAANC's near-real-time turnaround, so submit a request well ahead of your planned flight.
Here's a detail the exam likes to test: authorization only clears you to be in that airspace. It doesn't waive any other Part 107 rule. Even with LAANC authorization in hand, you're still bound by the 400 ft AGL altitude limit, the visual-line-of-sight requirement, and everything else in the Part 107 regulations.
Special Use Airspace
Beyond the six standard classes, charts also mark special use airspace — areas where drone flight is restricted, prohibited, or calls for extra caution:
- Prohibited areas ("P-" plus a number): Flight is prohibited entirely, often around national security sites.
- Restricted areas ("R-" plus a number): Hazards to nonparticipating aircraft, such as artillery fire or aerial gunnery. Enter only with permission from the controlling agency while active.
- Warning areas ("W-" plus a number): Similar restricted-area hazards, located offshore.
- Military Operations Areas (MOAs): Not restricted for drones, but military training may be underway — use extreme caution.
- Alert areas ("A-" plus a number): Charted for a high volume of pilot training or other unusual aerial activity.
- Controlled Firing Areas (CFAs): Activities pause whenever an aircraft is spotted approaching, so they aren't considered a hazard to nonparticipants.
The key distinction: "prohibited" means never enter; "restricted" means enter only with the controlling agency's permission.
TFRs and NOTAMs
Even airspace that's normally open to drones can become temporarily off-limits. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is a short-term no-fly zone published as a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), often triggered by wildfires, presidential movement, or major public events. TFRs can appear with little warning, so checking NOTAMs before every flight is non-negotiable. Look up current NOTAMs and TFRs at faa.gov.
One TFR every Part 107 pilot should recognize: the stadium TFR. Flights are restricted within 3 nautical miles of a stadium during MLB games, NFL games, NCAA Division I football games, and major motor speedway races, from one hour before the event until one hour after it ends.
Reading a Sectional Chart
Many airspace questions come down to reading chart symbols correctly, not memorizing trivia:
- Blue vs. magenta airport symbols: Towered airports are printed in blue; non-towered airports are printed in magenta.
- Tower frequency: Text such as "CT - 118.3" next to an airport identifies the control tower's frequency.
- Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF): The large bold number printed in each quadrant of a sectional chart. It represents the highest terrain or obstacle in that quadrant, expressed in thousands and hundreds of feet MSL — for example, "2³" means an MEF of 2,300 ft MSL.
- Obstacle heights: Charted in MSL, with the AGL height shown in parentheses next to it.
Test Yourself
Reading about airspace is one thing; recognizing it instantly in an exam question is another. Work through our 25-question airspace practice test to see how these classes, symbols, and authorization rules show up in real exam questions, then take the full mock exam to see how airspace mixes in with every other Part 107 topic.
FAQ
Do I need airspace authorization to fly in Class G airspace?
No. Class G is uncontrolled airspace, so Part 107 doesn't require authorization to fly there. You still must follow every other Part 107 rule — the 400 ft AGL limit, visual-line-of-sight, and checking for TFRs before every flight, even in Class G.
What's the difference between LAANC and the FAA DroneZone?
LAANC is an app-based system that grants authorization to fly in controlled airspace in near-real time, up to a published grid ceiling altitude. DroneZone is used when LAANC isn't available, and typically takes longer to process.
What does a dashed magenta line mean on a sectional chart?
A dashed magenta line marks Class E airspace that begins at the surface. Because it's controlled airspace down to ground level, it needs the same drone authorization as Class B, C, or D.
If I have LAANC authorization, can I ignore the 400 ft altitude limit?
No. LAANC and DroneZone only authorize you to operate in that airspace — they don't waive any other Part 107 rule. The 400 ft AGL limit, visual-line-of-sight, and every other operating rule still apply.