FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot (UAG)Airspace and Operating RequirementsMedium
A remote pilot plans to fly near a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) depicted on a sectional chart with a solid blue and magenta banded border. What must the pilot understand about operations within this airspace?
- ASFRAs affect only fixed-wing manned aircraft and impose no requirements on UAS.
- BSFRAs completely prohibit all UAS operations without exception.
- CSpecial operating rules established by the FAA apply within the SFRA in addition to the normal rules for the underlying airspace class.
- DAn SFRA automatically converts the underlying airspace to Class A airspace.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Special operating rules established by the FAA apply within the SFRA in addition to the normal rules for the underlying airspace class.
A Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) imposes additional FAA-established operating rules — such as specific procedures, equipment, or reporting requirements — layered on top of the normal rules for the underlying airspace class. It does not automatically prohibit flight or change the airspace classification.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. UAS pilots must also comply with SFRA procedures, as they apply to all aircraft.
- B. Some SFRAs allow operations with proper authorization or procedures; not all flight is banned outright.
- D. An SFRA does not reclassify the underlying airspace; it layers additional rules onto it.
Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA)
Airspace where the FAA has established special operating rules that apply in addition to the standard rules of the underlying airspace class.
- Depicted with a distinctive charted border
- Adds procedures/equipment requirements, not a new airspace class
- Best-known example is the Washington D.C. SFRA (surrounds the FRZ)
- Applies to all aircraft, including UAS
Memory trick: 'SFRA stacks extra rules on top' — like icing on an airspace cake.