Unmanned Aircraft / Drone Notification

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently established requirements to register drones as well as a notification process to contact airports before operating a drone within a five nautical mile radius of an airport. In the Salt Lake valley, this includes the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and South Valley Regional Airport (SVRA) in West Jordan, as well as Tooele Valley Airport (TVA) in Erda.

Facilities in the restricted areas include the Utah State Capitol, Utah State Offices, West High School, Vivint Arena and Jordan Landing. Click here for an interactive map of restricted areas. Click here for the commercial UAS operations map. The white area around SLC is an automatic no-fly zone. The allowable UAS altitude increases as the distance from SLC broadens.

Recreational owners who plan to fly drones within a five-mile radius of SLC, SVRA, or TVA must contact the Salt Lake City Department of Airports Operations Division at 801-531-4777 and provide the following information at least 24 hours in advance of operation:

Registration information for the device
Type of device
Time, date and duration of flight
Location (GPS coordinates) and altitude of operation

For more information about the FAA's unmanned aircraft systems requirements and to register your device, visit https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/UA/. Registration for drones between .55 and 55 pounds is required by February 19, 2016.

Click here for more information on laws all drone flyers should know.