Can you help the FAA with LAANC?

The FAA is dedicated to ensuring drones are able to operate safely in the same airspace with manned aircraft. The LAANC capability offers industry the opportunity to work with the agency as we develop a UAS traffic management system. Companies approved to provide LAANC Services are known as Approved UAS Service Suppliers (USS).

How to participate?

The FAA plans to host two USS application periods a year, each consisting of four steps. The entire process takes approximately five months to complete.

Applicants should have a mature product at the time of application or have the capability to develop it before Formal Onboarding.

Before applying respondents must read and understand the following documents:

• How to Apply (PDF)
• LAANC Concept of Operations (PDF)
• USS Operating Rules (PDF)
• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) (PDF)
• USS Onboarding Demonstration and Test Plan (PDF)

Upon successful completion of all onboarding activities, the FAA will sign the MOA and the USS will receive notification that it may begin providing LAANC services.

The winter onboarding application period opens on January 7, 2019.

There will also be a summer onboarding starting on July 8, 2019.

LAANC 5 Month Onboarding Process

January 7, 2019 – February 6, 2019 Application Period

USS onboarding application submission must include:

• Completed USS Application package
• Signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)

February 7, 2019 – March 8, 2019 FAA Submission Review

• FAA has 30 days to respond whether the applicant meets requirements to continue in the process.
• During review, the FAA may ask applicants for additional information based on submitted materials

March 9, 2019 – April 8, 2019 Technical Interviews

• FAA invites applicants that pass the review to demo & discuss their product.
• If product meets the USS operating rules proceed to the formal onboarding phase

May 23, 2019 – July 22, 2019 Formal Onboarding

• Applicants proceed to system integration with the LAANC Automation Platform in a staging environment
• Applicants must demonstrate successful execution of validation scenarios to show compliance with the LAANC USSOperating rules
• Applicants have two attempts to pass the compliance demonstrations/tests
• MOA countersigned by FAA upon successful completion of all onboarding activities

The LAANC capability is in a test phase, prospective applicants should expect changes to the application process, and requirements. Sign up for LAANC related updates.

Interested parties should note:

• Any information pertaining to the application period is hosted on this website, and through the FAA‘s digital channels.
• This is not a regular government acquisition; there is no Screening Information Request (SIR) or Request for Proposals (RFP) related to this effort.
• The FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals outside of this application process.
• The FAA will not pay for any information received or costs incurred at any point in the onboarding process
• Vendor participation in any informational session during the application process is not a promise for future collaboration with the FAA
• Application requirements are available in the USS onboarding document (PDF).