Sectional Chart Reading
Sectional charts were designed for manned aircraft, but Part 107 requires remote pilots to read them fluently because the airspace boundaries, airport traffic areas, and controlled-zone dimensions shown on those charts directly determine where a drone may legally fly without prior authorization. Misreading a magenta vignette, a Mode C ring, or a class-surface depiction can put an operation in violation before the sUAS ever leaves the ground. These articles break down every symbol, color, and notation a Part 107 applicant needs to decode sectionals with confidence. Work through our 13 in-depth, ACS-aligned sectional chart reading articles below, or return to the Part 107 (Drone) library.
Sectional Chart Scale and Legend Overview
Sectional aeronautical charts use a 1:500,000 scale and a standardized legend to depict airspace, terrain, and obstacles—skills every Part 107 remote pilot must master for safe, legal drone operations.
Airspace Class Boundaries on Sectional Charts
Learn to identify every airspace class on a sectional chart by its unique symbology, colors, and altitudes — essential knowledge for any Part 107 remote pilot planning a legal sUAS flight.
VFR Sectional Chart Symbols for Airports
Sectional chart airport symbols reveal class, services, and traffic pattern altitude at a glance — mastering them is essential for safe drone operations and the Part 107 knowledge test.
Topographic Shading and Terrain Features on Sectional Charts
Sectional aeronautical charts use color-coded elevation tinting, contour lines, and terrain symbols to give pilots an immediate visual picture of the ground below — essential knowledge for safe low-altitude drone operations under Part 107.
Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) on Sectional Charts
The Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) on a sectional chart shows the highest obstacle or terrain in each quadrangle, helping drone pilots quickly assess the minimum safe altitude above ground-level hazards.
Controlled vs Uncontrolled Airspace Identification on Sectional Charts
Learn how to identify and distinguish controlled from uncontrolled airspace on sectional charts, a critical skill for Part 107 remote pilots navigating the NAS safely and legally.
Special Use Airspace Symbols on Sectional Charts
Special use airspace appears on VFR sectional charts with distinct boundaries, colors, and labels that remote pilots must decode to plan safe and legal sUAS operations.
Mode C Veil Depiction on Sectional Charts
The Mode C Veil is a 30 NM ring around major airports where all aircraft must have an operating transponder with altitude encoding; knowing how to identify it on a sectional chart is a critical skill for Part 107 drone pilots.
Navigational Aid (NAVAID) Symbols on Sectional Charts
Learn to identify and interpret NAVAID symbols on VFR sectional charts — including VORs, NDBs, and waypoints — so you can read airspace and plan safe drone operations under Part 107.
Obstacle and Tower Symbols on Sectional Charts
Sectional charts mark obstacles and towers with distinct symbols, elevations, and lighting codes that drone pilots must read accurately to avoid controlled airspace and collision hazards.
Latitude and Longitude Grid Lines on Sectional Charts
Latitude and longitude grid lines divide sectional charts into a precise coordinate system that remote pilots use to locate airspace, report positions, and comply with Part 107 operational requirements.
UAS Facility Map vs Sectional Chart Comparison for Part 107
Part 107 remote pilots must understand both UAS Facility Maps and sectional charts to safely operate in controlled airspace — each tool serves a distinct purpose and together they define where and how drones may legally fly.
Class B Airspace Shelf Depiction on Sectional Charts
Class B airspace is depicted on sectional charts as solid blue lines forming stacked shelf segments; each segment is labeled with a ceiling/floor fraction that student pilots and remote pilots must read correctly to determine where authorization is required.
More Part 107 (Drone) subjects
Articles are original summaries grounded in the public-domain FAA handbooks and cite their source. ACS-aligned study aids — not a substitute for the official handbooks or regulations.