Drone pilots are increasingly choosing locations near airports or even airports themselves for their flights. However, not everyone is aware that there are different types of airports, and the rules for flying drones at or near them vary.

Operation of drones near controlled airports

At controlled airports, Air traffic control service is provided and they are located within a controlled zone – CTR (for military airports MCTR). All these controlled airports are shown in the DronView application, which also integrates the GRID map layer - a grid network in a predefined area.

This map layer introduces users to the protective zones in the specific location within the controlled zone in a simplified graphical form. The grids do not take into account the risks of drone operation relative to people, buildings, infrastructure, etc., on the ground in the General Measure (LKR10-UAS). More about ground risks and buffer zones can be found here: Buffer Zones.

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For a basic overview, color maps with the maximum heights of the grids of controlled airports are available for download here: Controlled Airport Maps with Grids.

Rules for drones weighing up to 0.9 kg near the airport:

• Flying inside the circle (distance <5,5 km from the ARP) is only possible up to the height indicated in the grid. There is no need to coordinate the flight with the airport operator and Air traffic control.
• In case you want to fly over grids within the CTR in distance less than 5,5 km from the ARP, flight coordination with the airport operator and Air traffic control is required.
• Flying outside the circle (distance >5,5 km from the ARP) is possible up to the height indicated in the grid. There is no need to coordinate the flight with the airport operator or Air traffic control.
• In case you want to fly over grids within CTR in distance more than 5,5 km from the ARP, flight coordination with the Air traffic control is required.
• Coordination follows the steps described here: Procedure for Coordinating a Drone Flight with the Airport.

Flight rules for UAS over 0,9 kg in the vicinity of aerodromes

• Flying inside the circle (distance <5,5 km from the ARP) is only possible if the flight is coordinated with the airport operator and Air traffic control.
• Flying outside the circle (distance >5,5 km from the ARP) is possible up to the height indicated in the grid. There is no need to coordinate the flight with the Air traffic control.
• In case you want to fly over grids within CTR in distance more than 5,5 from the ARP, flight coordination with the Air traffic control is required.
• Coordination follows the steps described here: Procedure for Coordinating a Drone Flight with the Airport.

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Aiport reference point (ARP)

A designated geographical location of the airport, marked near the original or planned geometric center of the airport, which usually does not change even with subsequent airport development

Flying Near Uncontrolled Airports

At airports where classic Air traffic control services are not provided, an Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ) is established to protect local airport traffic, and usually, information services such as AFIS or RADIO are provided... ATZ is horizontally defined by a circle with a radius of 5.5 km from the airport reference point (ARP) and vertically by the ground surface and an altitude of 1200 meters. Some ATZs may be smaller in shape and height depending on whether they intersect with other types of airspace. Uncontrolled airports and ATZ zones are graphically represented in the DronView application

A decision-making diagram can assist pilots in planning the operation of an unmanned aircraft near an uncontrolled airport.

Flying in the ATZ is only allowed based on:

• Meeting the conditions set by the airport operator, and
• Coordination with the aerodrome flight information service (AFIS) or the station providing information on known traffic, or with the airport operator (if neither of the previous services is provided).

Conditions set by each airport operator can be found in the VFR manual (part VFR AD) or by contacting the selected airport by phone. Contacts are also listed in the VFR manual. A link to specific airport information is available directly in DronView. If you want to fly a drone weighing less than 0.91 kg in the airport traffic zone, the flight can be performed without prior coordination, but only up to a height of 100 meters above the ground and outside the protective zones with height restrictions of buildings at the given airport. The course of the protective zones can be found with the airport operator. In practice, this requirement can most easily be met by flying at a maximum height of the surrounding obstacles (e.g., trees or buildings). Unless otherwise specified, drone operations in ATZ at heights greater than 120 meters above the ground are only possible if AFIS service is provided or information on known traffic is ensured. For such a flight, however, no operating license from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is needed.

Flying at SLZ Sites

A special type of airport is the operational area for sports flying devices (SLZ). This is not a classic airport in the true sense but an area used for the takeoff and landing of SLZs, such as ultralight aircraft or motorized hang gliders. SLZ areas are divided into registered and unregistered, and further into public and non-public.

A list of registered SLZ areas can be found in the VFR manual (part VFR-SLZ). They are graphically represented in the DronView application. In addition to registered SLZ areas, there are also unregistered areas depicted in AisView as non-guaranteed SLZ areas.

Drone operations in the space around a registered SLZ area are only possible based on meeting the conditions set by the operator of such an area. To use non-public areas, remotely piloted drone operators must obtain the operator's consent.