The Federal Aviation Administration has commenced the beta phase of the nationwide test of its automated authorization platform for operators of unmanned aircraft systems.The Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability will be deployed in increments at up to 300 air traffic facilities that manage around 500 airports with the final fielding to begin by Sep. 13, the FAA said Monday.
Initial facilities for the beta test can be viewed on the FAA’s website.
An assessment of the LAANC systems’ prototype was conducted in November.
The FAA collaborated with the industry for the development and deployment of LAANC systems and the agency opened applications for additional LAANC services suppliers on April 16 with a submissions deadline slated on May 16.
The call for LAANC services suppliers does not implement a standard government acquisition and will not include a screening information request and a request for proposal.
LAANC is designed to use airspace data from Notice to Airmen, provisional flight restrictions and UAS facility maps that reflect the ceiling altitude of airports potentially covered by the FAA’s Part 107 authorization for operations.
The authorization platform will be used for the development of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management System.
