We’re proud to announce that Kittyhawk has completed the official FAA onboarding process to offer the latest features of LAANC 2.0 to our enterprise customers and mobile app users across our platform. LAANC 2.0 means it has all the latest FAA data sources, rules and requirements packaged into one seamless workflow.
Welcome Desktop and Android LAANC Flows
Our enterprise customers have shown us that compliance and safety never take a break, whether you’re working behind a desk or out in the field. We listened and starting today, Kittyhawk offers LAANC authorizations from our desktop web application and from our Android application, including Crystal Sky.
The introduction of LAANC to Android is a major milestone for us. We’ve taken UX and design insights gained from thousands of iOS LAANC authorizations and applied them to the Android platform that is popular with many of our public safety and energy customers. It’s the same flow you use in iOS, interfacing with the same powerful API, but now available to you on any device you prefer. And of course, they’ll all tie in with Kittyhawk Dynamic AirspaceTM to show all of your active and scheduled authorizations across your team.
LAANC in Advance for All
Now, anyone on the platform can once again apply for auto-approval of LAANC authorizations up to 90 days in advance, whether you’re an app store user or an enterprise customer. We consulted with our partners at the FAA and together decided that planning flights as far as possible in advance is in the best interest of safe operations in the NAS. Advanced operations that require “Further Coordination” will continue to be an enterprise-only feature.
Refined Processes
During our time as a UAS Service Supplier, Kittyhawk has been working closely with the FAA to better understand and solve for unique issues, corner cases, and new challenges. Though refinement is a continuous work in progress, we’ve seen tremendous improvements in reliability and dependability. In addition, we’ve worked to improve the ways that Kittyhawk is able to notify operators of LAANC service issues and updates. Visit https://status.www.aloft.ai/ and subscribe to receive updates on our LAANC service status.
Over a Hundred New Airports
In May, the FAA enabled LAANC authorizations at over 100 new airports. All of those are available on the Kittyhawk platform today, and offer lots of new airspace that was previously unavailable to our enterprise customers. We’ve also created a handy tool to search through the 600 airports where LAANC is now available. Check it out here: https://www.aloft.ai/laanc-locator/
Airport Splitting
In addition to more airports, you can now request authorizations that span multiple airports. This includes the ability to submit for LAANC where part of your intended flight area is available for auto-approval and another section requires further coordination.
Recreational LAANC
Since the FAA announced new rules for recreational pilots, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about hobbyist pilots getting authorization to fly in controlled airspace. For now, the LAANC program is only available to commercial operations, but stay tuned for more information regarding recreational authorizations from the FAA and participating UAS Services Suppliers.
If you have questions about how to start or scale an enterprise drone program, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here or writing at sales@www.aloft.ai.
Thanks,
Team Kittyhawk