Do Part 107 drone pilots need to file a NOTAM before flying near an airport?

Under 14 CFR Part 107, remote pilots operating under a LAANC authorization or an FAA Drone Zone waiver are generally not required to file their own NOTAM, as the authorization itself serves as the coordination mechanism. However, some waivers or facility agreements may specifically require a NOTAM, so remote pilots should always review the conditions of any authorization they receive. The AIM also encourages voluntary notification to local ATC and airport operators to enhance situational awareness for manned aircraft.

How do you notify ATC by radio when flying a drone near a controlled airport as a Part 107 pilot?

A Part 107 remote pilot who chooses or is required to contact ATC should tune the appropriate ground or tower frequency listed in the Chart Supplement and provide a brief advisory including their location, altitude, and intended duration of UAS operations. While Part 107 does not universally mandate a radio call for every authorized operation, ATC expects clear, concise position reports using standard phraseology as outlined in the AIM Chapter 4. Maintaining a listening watch on the relevant frequency during operations is a best practice that supports collision avoidance with manned traffic in the area.

What is the difference between LAANC authorization and a traditional Part 107 waiver for airport airspace access?

LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) is an automated FAA system that grants near-real-time airspace authorization for UAS operations below pre-approved altitude ceilings in controlled airspace around airports, as described in FAA guidance supporting 14 CFR Part 107.41. A traditional Part 107 airspace waiver, submitted through the FAA Drone Zone portal, is required when a remote pilot needs to operate above LAANC ceiling limits or in areas not covered by LAANC, and the review process can take significantly longer. Both pathways satisfy the controlled-airspace authorization requirement of Part 107, but LAANC is faster for routine low-altitude operations while waivers offer flexibility for more complex missions.

Notam Coordination and Radio Notification for UAS Operations Near Airports

Operating an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) near an airport is not simply a matter of having the right airspace authorization. Part 107 remote pilots must also understand how Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) and radio notification procedures fit into the broader safety ecosystem around airports. Whether you are flying under a LAANC authorization near a Class D airport or coordinating a manual waiver near a towered facility, knowing how and when to communicate — and how to ensure other pilots know you are there — is essential both for passing the knowledge test and for keeping the national airspace system (NAS) safe.

This article walks through the regulatory framework, the practical steps for NOTAM coordination, and the radio communication expectations that apply to remote pilots operating in the vicinity of airports under 14 CFR Part 107 and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).

Understanding NOTAMs in the UAS Context

A NOTAM is a notice filed with aviation authorities that contains information about changes or hazards in the NAS that are not already covered by published aeronautical charts or procedures. For manned aviation, NOTAMs have long been the primary mechanism by which temporary flight restrictions, runway closures, and other hazards are communicated to pilots before departure. UAS operations near airports can and do generate NOTAMs, and remote pilots must understand both how to check for them and, in some circumstances, how they are created on behalf of UAS operations.

Under 14 CFR Part 107, a remote pilot certificate holder may not operate a small UAS in Class B, C, D, or E airspace designated for an airport without prior authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC). The authorization — whether obtained through the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) or through the FAA's DroneZone portal — does not itself generate a NOTAM automatically in all cases. However, the FAA may issue a NOTAM based on information provided through the authorization process to alert manned aircraft pilots of UAS activity in the area. This is particularly common for waivers issued under 14 CFR 107.205 that involve operations in controlled airspace at altitudes that could pose a meaningful conflict risk.

How NOTAM Coordination Works for UAS

NOTAM coordination for UAS operations is generally handled at the FAA level rather than by the individual remote pilot. When a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) is issued for UAS operations in controlled airspace — particularly for public aircraft operators or for commercial operations requiring specific waivers — the FAA's Air Traffic Organization may publish a NOTAM describing the operational area, altitude ceiling, and time window of the UAS activity. This gives manned pilots the opportunity to review the NOTAM during preflight planning and adjust their routing or altitude accordingly.

For Part 107 operations using LAANC, the authorization is typically processed automatically and a NOTAM is not always individually issued for each small UAS operation. However, in cases where a UAS operation is planned at a higher altitude within controlled airspace, or where the operation is expected to last for an extended duration in a busy traffic area, the coordinating ATC facility may issue a NOTAM or may coordinate with the terminal facility to make pilots aware. Remote pilots should not assume that simply having a LAANC authorization means all nearby manned pilots have been formally notified.

When a NOTAM is associated with your UAS operation, it will typically describe the geographic area in terms of a defined radius from a landmark or a set of geographic coordinates, the altitude ceiling in feet above ground level (AGL) or mean sea level (MSL), and the time period of the authorization expressed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Remote pilots should always check for NOTAMs relevant to their planned operating area during preflight planning by using resources such as the FAA's NOTAM Search tool at 1800wxbrief.com or through a standard weather and NOTAM briefing service.

Radio Notification Near Airports

Part 107 remote pilots are not required to hold a radio operator's license and are not inherently required by 14 CFR Part 107 to transmit on aviation radio frequencies. However, the AIM and the spirit of Part 107 strongly encourage remote pilots to monitor — and, where appropriate, communicate on — the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) at uncontrolled airports or the appropriate ATC frequency at controlled airports. Understanding radio procedures supports situational awareness and helps remote pilots coordinate effectively with manned aircraft.

At uncontrolled airports (those without an operating control tower), all aircraft — both manned and unmanned — share responsibility for self-separation. Manned pilots use the CTAF to announce their intentions and position. While a remote pilot is not required to broadcast on the CTAF under Part 107 regulations, doing so is recognized as a best practice. A brief, clear radio announcement such as identifying yourself as a UAS operator conducting operations within a specific area at a specific altitude can dramatically reduce the risk of a manned aircraft pilot being surprised by your drone. Remote pilots who choose to transmit on the CTAF should use a hand-held aviation radio and follow standard phraseology as described in the AIM.

At controlled airports — Class B, C, and D airspace facilities with an operating tower — ATC manages traffic separation. If you have received ATC authorization to operate in the controlled airspace, you may be asked by ATC to monitor a specific frequency during your operation so that the controller can issue traffic advisories or coordinate your operation with arriving and departing aircraft. Some ATC facilities will issue specific instructions to remote pilots about when to begin and end operations, what altitude to remain below, and how to respond if a conflict is detected. Following ATC instructions is not optional — remote pilots operating in controlled airspace are subject to ATC authority just as manned pilots are.

Preflight Planning and Coordination Steps

A methodical preflight planning process for UAS operations near airports should include the following steps:

Check NOTAMs: Review all NOTAMs for your operating area, paying attention to temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), other UAS NOTAMs, and any notices affecting nearby airports or airspace.
Confirm your authorization: Verify that your LAANC approval or FAA waiver is current and covers the exact area, altitude, and time window you intend to use. LAANC authorizations are time-limited and may expire if not accepted within a specific window.
Contact ATC if required or advisable: For operations in Class D airspace, it is good practice to call the control tower by telephone prior to the operation to introduce yourself, confirm your authorization, and ask whether ATC has any special instructions. Many tower facilities appreciate this courtesy call and may provide useful local information.
Monitor the appropriate frequency: Whether or not you are required to transmit, having an aviation radio tuned to the CTAF or tower frequency during your operation provides critical situational awareness about nearby manned traffic.
File a voluntary NOTAM if warranted: For extended or high-altitude operations that may not have generated an automatic NOTAM, you can file a voluntary UAS NOTAM through the FAA's NOTAM system to provide advance notice to manned pilots. This is considered a best practice for operations lasting more than a few minutes in areas with significant air traffic.

Key Numbers and Rules

400 feet AGL: The standard altitude limit for Part 107 operations; within 400 feet of a structure, operations may be conducted up to 400 feet above the structure's highest point.
Class G airspace: No ATC authorization is required, but local airport traffic patterns and NOTAMs still apply and should be checked.
Prior authorization for controlled airspace: Under 14 CFR 107.41, remote pilots have always been required to obtain prior authorization from ATC — not merely provide notification — before operating in Class B, C, D, or E surface airspace designated for an airport. LAANC is simply the automated system that provides this required authorization; a separate distance-based 5-statute-mile notification requirement applies to model aircraft operated under the special rule of 49 U.S.C. 44809, not to standard Part 107 operations.
LAANC availability: LAANC is available at hundreds of airports across the U.S. but not all; for airports not covered by LAANC, remote pilots must obtain a manual waiver through FAA DroneZone.
UTC time in NOTAMs: All NOTAM times are expressed in UTC (also called Zulu time). Knowing your local offset from UTC is essential for interpreting when a NOTAM is active.

Common Test Traps

Assuming LAANC authorization equals a NOTAM: A LAANC approval grants you permission to operate in controlled airspace, but it does not guarantee that a NOTAM has been issued to alert manned pilots. Remote pilots should not assume all nearby traffic is aware of their presence.
Ignoring NOTAMs for uncontrolled airspace: Students sometimes focus only on controlled airspace and overlook NOTAMs affecting Class G airspace. TFRs and other restrictions apply in Class G just as they do elsewhere.
Misreading NOTAM times: FAA test questions frequently test whether you can correctly interpret UTC times in NOTAMs and understand whether a restriction is active at your planned operation time.
Confusing notification with authorization: 14 CFR 107.41 has always required prior authorization from ATC, not mere notification — LAANC did not replace a notification rule; it is simply the automated method for obtaining the authorization that 107.41 has always required. Test takers should remember that a courtesy phone call to a tower does not substitute for formal ATC authorization in controlled airspace.
Overlooking the telephone contact option: Some test takers forget that before flying in Class D airspace, telephoning the controlling facility is a recognized and encouraged coordination method, particularly for first-time operations at a given airport.