FAA clarifies how airports must request drone authorisation for emergency exercises

TLDR

• The FAA issued guidance on 9 October on how airports request airspace access for drone flights in emergency exercises.¹²
• A clear Part 107 versus Part 91 reference removes friction for a use the FAA signals it wants to expand.¹
• It creates no new operating rules and does not change existing Part 107 regulations.¹

The Federal Aviation Administration issued updated guidance on 9 October 2026, spelling out how airport operators must request airspace access when flying drones during emergency-response training exercises.¹² The clarification sits within the FAA's On Airport Unmanned Aircraft System Operations guidance and applies to drills conducted under 14 CFR 139.325(h), the regulation covering airport emergency plan exercises.¹

The agency laid out two distinct application paths depending on which rules govern the drone flight. Airport sponsors running Part 107 operations in controlled airspace must request authorisation through the FAA's DroneZone portal, while sponsors operating under Part 91 need a Certificate of Authorization obtained through CAPS, regardless of what class of airspace the exercise takes place in.¹² The FAA emphasised that sponsors need to file early enough to leave sufficient processing time before an exercise is scheduled to run.¹

Drones can give emergency-response teams aerial views of simulated incidents during airport drills, helping assess conditions without putting crewed aircraft into the exercise airspace.¹ The 9 October update does not establish new operating rules or alter existing Part 107 regulations; it only clarifies the process airport sponsors already had to follow.¹ The FAA said it continues to study other airport drone applications, including aircraft rescue and firefighting support, accident documentation, and airport inspections.¹

Why it matters: airports already relied on drones for emergency drills, but inconsistent understanding of which authorisation track applied could slow down planning; a clear, single reference point for Part 107 versus Part 91 requests removes friction for a use case the FAA is signalling it wants to keep expanding.