Drone Permission Form (Drone Flight Consent Form)

What is a drone flight and airspace authorization?

A drone permission form, or drone flight consent form, is a formal document that gives a drone operator permission to fly over a specific private property or area. That private-owner consent is separate from FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) airspace authorization, which is required to operate in controlled airspace.

This document template is for drone operators, small business owners, event coordinators, property owners, and individuals who need to obtain or give permission for a proposed operation over private property. This template could be used to obtain permission to fly a drone over a land plot, farm, house. Controlled airspace includes areas such as Class B, Class C, Class D airspace, and Class E airspace, and airspace authorization allows operation in those zones.

The parties involved in a drone flight authorization are

• consent giver, an individual or entity that owns or controls the area where the drone flight will take place.
• operator, an individual or company that will conduct the drone flight.

Why do you need a drone flight consent form in the USA?

Having a drone flight consent form is crucial for several reasons. First, this is a requirement established both at the federal and state levels. For instance, you cannot operate a drone flight in national parks unless permitted for rescue purposes. Or, for example, some cities like Chicago may not allow a drone flight over public or private schools. Second, it proves that the property’s owner consents to the drone operation at their property. Finally, the form ensures protection of privacy of a property owner and third parties.

Part 107 airspace authorization and a Part 107 waiver are different FAA approvals and require separate applications. A Part 107 waiver allows a pilot to deviate from specific regulations for a proposed operation when the standard rules do not apply. Below, you’ll see what a drone flight authorization covers, which terms belong in the form, why consent matters legally, and how to customize and obtain the document online through FasterDraft.

How to draft and obtain consent with a drone flight consent form?

Crafting a drone flight consent form may appear a simple task. Despite the document’s size, there are important requirements without which a document cannot be valid or complete. Below, we made a short summary of all important components so that you can customize your form:

Details of the Parties

The text of a consent form should include the full name, residential address, and contact email of both a consent giver and operator. Apart from that, the flight authorization needs to include the name of a state where the consent giver currently resides. The laws of this state shall automatically apply to the provisions of this form. Finally, it is very important to include details of the operator’s FAA certificate allowing them to operate the drone.

Under Part 107, include the remote pilot certificate details and identify the responsible party, along with the pilot details commonly needed for the form. If the person does not have such a certificate, the drone footage could be performed under the close supervision of a person who has such a certificate. Drones must be registered with the FAA before operation. This registration can be completed online through the FAA Drone Zone website, including for foreign-registered unmanned aircraft where applicable, and failure to register your drone may delay approval. The form should also describe the flight purpose or business purpose of the proposed operation.

Location Details

Another important component of every drone flight authorization document is clear identification of a location. This is the place where the consent giver allows the operator to make the actual drone footage. The consent giver should be an owner of the property or a tenant. The best way to describe a location is to include exact GPS coordinates.

The operator should research the airspace around the property, especially if it is near an airport, before submitting any FAA request.

If the flight is in controlled airspace, the operator may obtain airspace authorization through LAANC for near-instant approval when available, or submit through the FAA website or Drone Zone when LAANC is unavailable.

These requests should be submitted at least 60 days in advance, are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and FAA review may take up to 90 days as part of the process.

Duration of the consent

The text of a form should also provide the period of time for which this consent should be given. It could be one-time consent or consent provided for several days.

Signature and date

Every drone flight consent form should include the date on which the consent giver provides their consent and signature. Fill out the form completely and submit accurate detailed information to comply with applicable FAA requirements.

How to customize a drone flight consent form for controlled airspace online at FasterDraft?

To get a fully customized template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format—drone flight consent form PDF or Word.
4. Make a payment.
5. E-sign the consent form, download, and use instantly.

Where applicable, the FAA requires a Secure Access Washington account for registration, or a similar agency portal before you can submit information online.