Part 107: Introduction to Aeronautical Charts
A critical component of your Part 107 exam and piloting is an understanding of airspace. While in general, the airspace occupied by your drone and other air traffic are very different, there are spaces where collisions are possible or for legal and security reasons the airspace is restricted. To determine where you can legally and safely operate your drone as well as understand what entities may require notification of your drone activity, you will need to consult an aeronautical chart.
These charts contain information that are used by pilots of all kinds flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). For drone pilots, most of the IFR information is unnecessary because it generally applies to navigating across larger distances and landing on an airstrip. Without an understanding of all the symbols in the chart, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all of the provided information.
The information available on these charts includes landscape (topography, tall obstacles, landmarks, roads, waterways, railroads, etc.), airports (radio frequencies and other NAVAIDs, ATC type and info, runway lighting and direction, etc.), and airspace classification. I consult the charts prior to every single flight I do - recreational or professional.
For the state of Colorado, the Department of Transportation (CDOT) will provide you with a free physical copy of the Colorado airspace if you request one on their website here. At the same link you can request an airport directory which provides contact information for all of the airports in the state, which is really helpful if you end up flying near one of the smaller private airports since they generally do not have any airspace restrictions or a staffed ATC. Not only is it polite, it’s much safer to take the time to let them know you’ll be flying nearby and ask if they anticipate any use of the runway on the day of your flight.
I’m one of those people that likes maps and really enjoys having a physical copy, so I order a free copy of the map every year, but there are many apps and online options that are available as well.
For a chart most similar to the paper copy available from CDOT, I prefer VFRmap.com. Despite the title, it actually has several map layers that include both VFR and IFR details. SkyVector is another great resource for all types of pilots. It includes the standard chart but also has optional layers that provide TAF/METAR data, pilot reports, and “DROTAMs” (NOTAMs for drone pilots).
I’ll be posting even more deep dives into the symbology of these charts and what to do with the information when you have it in future posts, so please check back soon!
