What is an ATIS broadcast and why does it matter for remote pilots?

ATIS, or Automatic Terminal Information Service, is a continuous broadcast of recorded non-control information at busy airports, including current weather conditions, active runways, and NOTAMs. Remote pilots operating under 14 CFR Part 107 near airports benefit from monitoring ATIS because it provides real-time local conditions that can affect safe small unmanned aircraft operations. The FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge notes that ATIS helps reduce controller workload while ensuring pilots and operators have essential aerodrome information before operating.

How do you access an ATIS broadcast as a remote pilot who does not have an aircraft radio?

Remote pilots who do not have access to a traditional VHF aircraft radio can listen to ATIS broadcasts through several alternative methods, including the ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot apps, phone-based services, and websites such as aviationweather.gov that provide current METARs and TAFs for nearby airports. Some ATIS frequencies are also accessible via online audio streaming tools or through the airport's published telephone number for recorded weather. The AIM encourages remote pilots to use all available resources to gather current aeronautical information before and during sUA operations in the vicinity of airports.

What's the difference between ATIS and ASOS or AWOS for a remote pilot checking weather?

ATIS is a recorded broadcast specifically produced by air traffic control at towered airports and includes operational information such as active runway, NOTAMs, and approach in use, in addition to weather. ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) and AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) are automated weather stations that report only meteorological data such as wind, visibility, cloud ceiling, and temperature, without the ATC-specific operational details found in ATIS. For Part 107 remote pilots, understanding this distinction is important because ATIS provides a more complete operational picture near controlled airports, while ASOS and AWOS data remain valuable sources of current conditions at locations without a full ATIS service.

How to Obtain an ATIS Broadcast as a Remote Pilot

Automatic Terminal Information Service, universally known as ATIS, is a continuous, pre-recorded broadcast that delivers essential aeronautical information — current weather conditions, active runways, instrument approaches in use, and important NOTAMs — at airports with a control tower or, at some locations, without one. For manned aircraft pilots, tuning in to ATIS before calling ground or clearance delivery is second nature. But what about a remote pilot operating a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) under 14 CFR Part 107? Understanding ATIS and how to access it is not just a knowledge-test topic — it is a genuine operational safety tool that helps you make smart preflight and in-flight decisions when flying near busy airports.

ATIS broadcasts are updated at least once an hour, or whenever there is a significant change in conditions. Each new broadcast is assigned a sequential phonetic alphabet identifier — Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and so on — so that controllers and pilots can quickly confirm they have the same current information. When a manned pilot contacts the tower, they say something like, "Information Delta, request taxi." As a remote pilot, you won't be talking to the tower for routine sUAS flights in uncontrolled airspace, but if you are operating near or within Class B, C, or D airspace where you need ATC authorization, familiarity with current ATIS information is operationally important and is tested on the Part 107 aeronautical knowledge exam.

What ATIS Contains

A standard ATIS broadcast is carefully structured so that a pilot can extract the most critical information quickly. A typical broadcast will include, in rough order:

Airport identification and phonetic code letter — e.g., "Denver International Airport information Foxtrot."
Time of the weather observation (Zulu time, i.e., UTC)
Sky condition — cloud layers and heights in feet above ground level (AGL)
Visibility — reported in statute miles or fractions thereof
Temperature and dew point — in degrees Celsius
Wind — direction in degrees magnetic and speed in knots, including gusts if applicable
Altimeter setting — in inches of mercury (e.g., 29.92)
Active runways — which runways are in use for arrivals and departures
Instrument approach in use (if applicable)
NOTAMs or special notices — such as taxiway closures, equipment outages, or bird activity
Reminder to acknowledge receipt — the broadcast ends by telling pilots to advise on initial contact that they have the current information

For a remote pilot, the most immediately useful elements are wind speed and direction, visibility, cloud ceilings, temperature, and any NOTAMs affecting the airspace or airport environment. These directly inform whether your sUAS operation is legal and safe.

How to Access an ATIS Broadcast

The traditional method for manned pilots is to tune a VHF radio receiver to the published ATIS frequency, which appears on sectional charts and in the Chart Supplement (formerly the Airport/Facility Directory). ATIS frequencies are typically found in the 108.0–136.975 MHz range and are listed in the airport data block on sectional charts alongside the tower, approach, and ground frequencies. The frequency is published so that any pilot — in the air or on the ground — can receive it with standard aviation radio equipment.

As a remote pilot, you almost certainly do not carry a dedicated aviation VHF radio in your pocket. However, the FAA and the broader aviation community have made ATIS information accessible through several practical, legal, and free channels:

Method 1: Phone-based ATIS (D-ATIS or Telephone)

Many major airports offer D-ATIS (Digital ATIS), which distributes the same ATIS content digitally. More practically for remote pilots, some airports publish a dedicated telephone number that plays the current ATIS recording. You can call this number from your cell phone just as a pilot would tune to the frequency. Telephone ATIS numbers are listed in the Chart Supplement for the applicable airport.

Method 2: Online and App-Based Sources

Several free, FAA-recognized tools provide current ATIS and weather data derived from the same sources that feed ATIS broadcasts:

1800wxbrief.com (Leidos Flight Service) — the official FAA flight service weather briefing website. Remote pilots can create a free account and access METARs, TAFs, PIREPs, and NOTAMs — the same underlying data used to generate an ATIS broadcast.
aviationweather.gov — the National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center's free portal for METARs, TAFs, winds aloft, SIGMETs, and AIRMETs. METARs are the official hourly (or more frequent) surface weather observations that directly feed ATIS.
FAA B4UFLY and DroneZone apps — while these tools focus on airspace authorization, they also incorporate current weather data and NOTAM information relevant to sUAS operations.
ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, or similar EFB apps — many commercial electronic flight bag apps display current ATIS text or audio, often via D-ATIS datalink, and are widely used by both manned and unmanned pilots.

Method 3: Handheld Aviation Radio

A remote pilot who regularly operates near towered airports may choose to carry an inexpensive handheld aviation transceiver. This allows direct reception of the ATIS frequency broadcast in real time. While Part 107 does not require remote pilots to monitor any radio frequency (unless specifically required by ATC authorization conditions), having a radio is a best practice near busy airspace and enables the remote pilot to hear live ATIS updates, tower communications, and traffic advisories that manned aircraft pilots are acting on.

Why ATIS Matters for Remote Pilots

Part 107 imposes specific weather and visibility minimums: 3 statute miles of visibility and operation no closer than 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds in most airspace classes. Checking ATIS — or the equivalent METAR data that feeds it — lets you confirm you meet these minimums before launching. Wind information from ATIS is equally critical: a 25-knot gusting surface wind may exceed your aircraft's performance envelope or significantly affect battery life and controllability.

ATIS also alerts you to NOTAMs that might prohibit or restrict sUAS operations in your planned area. For example, an airport ATIS might announce a TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) in effect over a nearby area, or broadcast a NOTAM about a parachute jump operation that directly affects your airspace. By monitoring ATIS, you catch these dynamic changes that a static preflight check completed hours earlier might have missed.

When you have received ATC authorization to operate in Class B, C, D, or E surface airspace under the FAA's LAANC system or a specific Part 107 waiver, controllers expect you to be situationally aware of airport operations. Knowing the ATIS information in use — especially the current altimeter setting, active runways, and any special notices — allows you to communicate more effectively with ATC if contact becomes necessary.

Key Numbers and Rules

ATIS is updated at least once per hour, or sooner when conditions change significantly
Each new ATIS is identified by the next phonetic alphabet letter (Alpha through Zulu, then cycling back to Alpha)
ATIS frequencies are published on sectional aeronautical charts and in the Chart Supplement
Part 107 requires a minimum of 3 statute miles visibility for sUAS operations
sUAS must remain at least 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds, except in Class G airspace at or below 1,200 feet AGL, where the requirement is to remain clear of clouds
METARs — the data behind ATIS — are updated every hour (at :53–:58 minutes past the hour) and as special observations when conditions change rapidly (SPECI)
The phonetic identifier resets to Alpha after Zulu if the airport cycles through all 26 letters in one day (rare but possible at very busy airports)

Common Test Traps

Confusing ATIS with ATC clearance: Receiving ATIS is an information-gathering step, not a clearance. A remote pilot must still obtain ATC authorization separately through LAANC or manual waiver before operating in controlled airspace — ATIS listening alone does not grant any permissions.
Assuming ATIS is real-time: ATIS is updated hourly or upon significant changes, but it can be up to 59 minutes old. In rapidly changing weather, always verify current conditions with a METAR or SPECI in addition to ATIS.
Forgetting cloud clearance minimums: The exam often asks about cloud clearance. In Class G airspace at or below 1,200 feet AGL during the day, the requirement is clear of clouds and 3 statute miles visibility — different from the standard 500-foot-below/2,000-foot-horizontal cloud clearance rules that apply above 1,200 feet AGL and in other airspace classes. Know which airspace you are in.
Misidentifying the ATIS frequency source: ATIS frequencies appear in the airport data block on sectional charts. Students sometimes confuse the ASOS/AWOS automated weather frequency with the ATIS frequency — they are different. ASOS/AWOS provides raw automated weather only, while ATIS is recorded and includes NOTAMs and operational information compiled by ATC personnel.
Overlooking D-ATIS and online equivalents: The Part 107 exam may reference the availability of digital and phone-based ATIS. Remote pilots are not expected to own a radio, and the FAA explicitly recognizes multiple channels for obtaining required weather data.