In multiple discussions over the past year or so, the question of the Mode C veil around a Class B airport applies to “drones” has come up. With a lack of an ability to definitively<\/p>\n
Here is what was asked: (Click Here to See the Full Letter that Was Sent to the FAA Chief Legal Counsel)<\/a><\/p>\n Interpretation is requested on the following:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAre small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or \u201cdrones\u201d) exempted in hobby or commercial use from the requirement to operate with a Mode C transmitting transponder when operating within the lateral limits of Mode C veil requirements around Class B airspaces without prior approval, coordination with, or authorization from the supervising ATC facility?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n In consideration of the following:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n One FAA FAQ document notes the following, \u201cthe FAA notes that operations conducted under part 107 do not need to comply with part 91 unless explicitly directed by part 107. The transponder requirement in the mode C veil (14 CFR part 91.215(b)(2)) is not required of part 107 operations.\u201d However, current regulatory guidance I have been able to find does not support that statement at this time.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n In response to these questions, the FAA provided an answer that highlighted the following\u00a0(Click Here to See the Full Letter the FAA Chief Legal Counsel representative Provided for Response)<\/a>:<\/p>\n “Section 91.1(f) is explicit in its treatment of Part 107:<\/em><\/p>\n Except as provided in\u00a0\u00a7 107.13, 107.27, 107.47, 107.57, and 107.59 of this chapter, this part does not apply to any aircraft governed by part 107 of this chapter.”<\/em><\/p>\n With this note, it appears that the FAA considers all Part 91 requirements for flight operations for UAS aircraft to be exempt except those few exceptions.<\/p>\n *Note – Now, in an effort to ensure I wasn’t crazy, because I did research this before sending in the interpretation request, I did go back to my copy of the 2016 FARs that were in place when I wrote the originally letter in August of 2016. At that time, there was no \u00a7 <\/span><\/em>91.1 (f). In the seven months this intepretation was floating around the FAA Legal Counsel offices, the regulation changed, so when they issued their interpretation it was now in place and could be referenced.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In multiple discussions over the past year or so, the question of the Mode C veil around a Class B airport applies to “drones” has come up. With a lack of an ability to definitively Here is what was asked: … Continue reading \n
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