FAA Okays Airspace Link to Offer Civilian Drone Flyers Online Info on Safe Flight Paths

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Airspace Link to provide its B4UFLY service to inform commercial and recreational drone pilots where their flights would be safe and allowed to operate. 

The free service, which the FAA started Thursday, is available via desktop and mobile applications, according to the agency’s B4UFLY website. The FAA has also authorized three other companies – AutoPylot, Avision and UASidekick – to offer B4UFLY access. 

The service is a partnership between the FAA and private industry to ensure drone operation safety through information sharing and airspace awareness, Airspace Link said.  

Airspace Link offers B4UFLY via its free AirHub Portal, which enables drone pilots to plan and visualize flights before launch and follow FAA rules when flying in regulated airspace below 400 feet. B4UFLY’s integration into AirHub allows users to have a clear indication of whether flying is safe or unsafe through such features as informative and interactive maps and direct links to FAA drone resources, Airspace Link noted.

Besides B4UFLY, AirHub also features the FAA’s Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, another agency collaboration with industry to safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the airspace.