[Rupprecht Law]-FAA clarified which Class E airspace requires a COA.

[AH-1G]

Section 107.41 says, "No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC)."


There was some confusion as to which Class E airspace the FAA was talking about. It's important to know which Class E at the surface airspace applies because NOT all Class E airspace requires a COA. The FAA clarified this in an internal memo.


https://jrupprechtlaw.com/section-107-41-operation-in-certain-airspace

 

[Phaedrus]

Yep. Just the E2 within the closed area around an airport. But interestingly enough around some E airports the LAANC system will indicate authorization needed, but show a 400-foot cap, outside the actual E2 airspace. Kind of weird. Artifact of the way the LAANC boxes are drawn I think.

This is a nice E airspace article:

Class E Airspace, Explained

Class E is the most common type of airspace in the United States, but it's often the least understood.

www.boldmethod.com

BTW - for those that don't follow Jonathon Rupprecht his blog is great stuff for the legal side of the industry.

 

[PatR]

That outside 400’ cap makes sense as LAANC as currently used is designed around commercial sUAS operations. Since commercial operators have a 400’ cap, unless a structural inspection gives cause for modification, that “outside” cap is just repeating what a commercial operator should already know.

 

[Phaedrus]

I was talking about in other than E2 airspace, LAANC will sometimes show authorization needed. The 400-foot cap was sort saying it was redundant because once outside the surface area of E airspace airports the altitude cap is 400 feet anyhow.