Aloft adds nighttime FAA LAANC requests for leisure drone pilots

Unified drone mission tech and uncrewed traffic management company Aloft says it has updated its eponymous flight app to support requests by recreation pilots for nighttime flight in controlled airspaces to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) program – a service previously limited to professional operators.

Aloft said its mobile app and web platform began offering the option of night LAANC requests by recreational drone fliers today, following the FAA agreeing to extend the program beyond Part 107 operators. But before leisure pilots can start planning after-dark flights in controlled airspaces under 400 feet, they’ll have to put a bit of work in to gain approval.

Aloft notes that recreational users have to comply with the same nighttime LAANC flight rules as professional operators, including completion of the The Recreational UAS Safety Test. They’ll also need to know…