FAA Airspace Classes Explained Simply (A Through G)

If you've started studying for the Part 107 exam, you've already noticed that airspace keeps showing up. There's a reason: it's the single most-tested topic on the FAA Airman Knowledge Test, accounting for roughly 15–25% of the questions. Get airspace right and you're most of the way to a passing score. Miss it and you'll be paying the $175 retest fee.

The good news: there are only six airspace classes you need to know in the US, and once you understand the underlying logic, the rules click into place. Here's the simplest possible breakdown.

What airspace even is

Airspace is the air above the ground, divided into invisible blocks by the FAA. Each block has its own rules about who can fly there, when, and with what equipment. The classes are named with letters — A, B, C, D, E, and G — and they're stacked and shaped like cake layers and upside-down wedding cakes around airports.

The Six Classes, From Highest to Lowest

Class A — The high-altitude jet world

Class A starts at 18,000 ft MSL and goes up to FL600 (60,000 ft). This is where commercial airliners cruise. As a drone pilot, you will literally never enter Class A — your Part 107 ceiling is 400 ft AGL. Just know it exists and goes up very high.

Class B — The busiest airports

Class B surrounds the country's busiest airports — Atlanta, LAX, JFK, Chicago O'Hare, that tier. It looks like an upside-down wedding cake on a sectional chart, with the heaviest ring closest to the airport. Surface up to typically 10,000 ft MSL.

For drones: You absolutely cannot fly here without ATC authorization. Most pilots get this through LAANC (more on that below).

Class C — The medium-busy airports

Class C airports are mid-sized regional ones with a control tower and radar. Think Dayton, Birmingham, Tucson. The airspace extends from surface to about 4,000 ft AGL, in a cleaner shape than Class B.

For drones: ATC authorization required. LAANC usually works.

Class D — Small airports with a control tower

Class D is what surrounds your local airport that has a control tower but isn't huge. Surface up to about 2,500 ft AGL.

For drones: ATC authorization required. LAANC almost always works here.

Class E — Everything else that's controlled

Class E is the "fill-in" controlled airspace. It exists in two flavors you need to recognize:

• Class E surface airspace — found around non-towered airports that have instrument approach procedures. Drawn as a dashed magenta circle on a sectional chart. This goes all the way down to the surface, so you need ATC authorization to fly here.
• Class E starting at 700 ft AGL — drawn as shaded magenta ring on sectional charts. Below 700 ft AGL is Class G (uncontrolled), so as a Part 107 pilot operating at 400 ft AGL, you are in Class G and don't need authorization.
• Class E starting at 1,200 ft AGL — drawn as shaded blue. Below it is Class G.

This is the class that trips up the most students. Memorize: dashed magenta = bad, shaded magenta = fine if you're below 700 ft, shaded blue = fine if you're below 1,200 ft.

Class G — Uncontrolled (your default)

Class G is uncontrolled airspace and it's where the vast majority of drone flying happens. No ATC authorization needed. You can fly here freely under Part 107 as long as you follow the other rules (400 ft ceiling, daylight unless waivered, VLOS, etc.).

So when do you actually need authorization?

The simple rule that summarizes 90% of what you need to know:

• Class A — N/A (you're never going there)
• Class B, C, D — Authorization required, every time
• Surface Class E (dashed magenta) — Authorization required
• Class E above 700 ft (shaded magenta) — Not required (you're in G below 700 ft)
• Class G — Not required

That's it. If you remember that table, you've passed the airspace section of the exam.

How to identify airspace on a sectional chart

The FAA loves to give you a sectional chart on the exam and ask "what airspace is the drone operating in?" Here's the visual code:

• Solid blue ring → Class B
• Solid magenta ring → Class C
• Dashed blue ring → Class D
• Dashed magenta ring → Class E to the surface (need authorization)
• Shaded magenta → Class E starting at 700 ft AGL (Class G below)
• Shaded blue → Class E starting at 1,200 ft AGL (Class G below)

Practice this until you can identify them on sight. The FAA will absolutely test this.

LAANC — your shortcut to legal flying

LAANC stands for Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability. It's an FAA program that gives you near-instant authorization to fly in controlled airspace (B, C, D, surface E) via apps like Aloft, AirMap, or Skyward. You request, the system checks the airspace ceiling for your location, and approves you in seconds.

Without LAANC, you'd have to call the FAA's manual waiver process, which can take 90 days. LAANC made commercial drone work practical. Most controlled airspace around airports is LAANC-enabled — but not all. Always check before you fly.

Common exam gotchas

A few traps that the FAA writes into the exam:

• "The drone is at 350 ft AGL near a non-towered airport with a 700 ft AGL Class E floor. What airspace is it in?" → Class G (Class E doesn't start until 700 ft).
• "What does a dashed magenta circle mean?" → Class E to the surface. Authorization required.
• "Maximum altitude in Class A?" → FL600 (Flight Level 600 = 60,000 ft).
• "You want to fly over a Class D airport tower at 200 ft AGL. What's required?" → ATC authorization (any Class D, regardless of how low you are inside it).

The shortcut for the test

If you can confidently:

1. Identify each airspace class by its sectional chart color and line style
2. Know that Class G needs no authorization and B/C/D/surface-E do
3. Remember the floors and ceilings of each class

…you've nailed the airspace section. Everything else is detail. Spend an hour with a sectional chart this week — Skyvector.com has a free interactive one — and you'll feel it click.