Understanding Airport Operations Near sUAS Flights
An airport is where manned aviation's low-altitude, high-density traffic overlaps most directly with the exact altitude band a small unmanned aircraft normally flies in. This lesson explains the two regulations that govern that overlap — 14 CFR 107.43's prohibition on interfering with airport operations, and 14 CFR 107.37's right-of-way and collision-hazard rules — in full, and builds the basic mental picture of an airport's operating environment that makes both regulations possible to actually comply with.
14 CFR 107.43: the no-interference rule
14 CFR 107.43 is short and absolute: no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in a manner that interferes with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport, or seaplane base. Notice what this rule does not say — it doesn't specify a minimum distance, a specific altitude ceiling, or a list of prohibited maneuvers. It's a functional, outcome-based rule: whatever the operation actually does, it must not interfere with airport operations or traffic patterns, however close or far the sUAS happens to be flying.
14 CFR 107.37: the right-of-way and collision-hazard rules
14 CFR 107.37 has two parts. Under 107.37(a), a small unmanned aircraft must yield the right of way to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch and reentry vehicles — yielding means the sUAS must give way and may not pass over, under, or ahead of the other aircraft or vehicle unless well clear of it. This is an absolute rule with no exceptions by category: unlike manned aviation's more layered right-of-way hierarchy under 14 CFR 91.113 (where, for example, a glider generally has right-of-way over a powered airplane), a small UAS under Part 107 always yields, regardless of what kind of aircraft it encounters. Under 107.37(b), separately, no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard — this clause can be violated even if the sUAS technically "yielded" in some sense but still came dangerously close in the process.
How these two rules work together near an airport
107.43 and 107.37 overlap heavily but aren't identical. 107.43 is specifically about airport operations and traffic patterns — it applies even if no other aircraft happens to be nearby at the exact moment, because interfering with the pattern itself (for example, by operating in a location and altitude that would force an arriving aircraft to alter its planned approach even before any close encounter occurs) can violate 107.43 on its own. 107.37 is broader and applies anywhere, to any aircraft encounter, not just at airports — but it becomes most operationally relevant exactly at and near airports, precisely because that's where manned aircraft are most concentrated and flying at the lowest, most sUAS-relevant altitudes.
Why airports concentrate collision risk for sUAS specifically
A manned aircraft cruising at 5,000 feet AGL on a cross-country flight is well above where almost any Part 107 operation legally flies (recall the 400-foot AGL structural exception aside, most sUAS operations stay well under that). But that same aircraft, during takeoff and landing, spends significant time within a few hundred feet of the ground — directly inside the altitude band where sUAS operations are common. This is precisely why airports receive their own dedicated regulation (107.43) on top of the general right-of-way rule (107.37): the altitude overlap between manned aircraft near an airport and typical sUAS operations is much greater than it is almost anywhere else.
Manned aircraft concentrate at low altitude directly around an airport's traffic pattern, which is exactly why 107.43 and 107.37 matter most in this specific environment.
View LargerWorked scenario: a building inspection near a small non-towered airport
You're hired to inspect a grain elevator located a mile from a small, non-towered general aviation airport. Before launching, you should identify the airport's runway orientation and typical traffic flow so you can predict where light aircraft are likely to be during takeoff and landing, and plan your flight path and altitude to stay clear of that flow, not just clear of the airport's physical footprint. Even though your operation isn't "at" the airport, if your planned flight path would put you in the path of aircraft on departure or approach, you could still violate 107.43's no-interference rule and 107.37's right-of-way requirement.
Worked scenario: an unexpected aircraft during a mission
Mid-mission, you notice a small aircraft approaching from a distance, evidently inbound to a nearby airstrip you hadn't specifically planned around. Under 107.37(a), the obligation to yield is yours, unconditionally — you must maneuver to give way and avoid passing over, under, or ahead of the aircraft unless well clear, regardless of who arrived in the area "first" or which operation was planned in advance. Waiting to see whether the manned aircraft will alter course is not compliant; the yielding obligation is entirely on the sUAS.
Interference doesn't require an actual near-collision
A common misunderstanding is treating 107.43 as only relevant if an actual close call or near-miss occurs. The regulation is about interference with operations and traffic patterns broadly — a sUAS operating in a position that causes an air traffic controller to delay a departure, or causes a pilot on approach to go around, has interfered with airport operations under 107.43 even if no aircraft ever came within a genuinely hazardous distance of the drone.
These rules apply regardless of airspace authorization status
Having a valid LAANC or DroneZone airspace authorization for controlled airspace around an airport does not exempt an operation from 107.43 or 107.37 — an authorization addresses airspace access, not the separate, independent obligations to avoid interfering with traffic patterns and to yield right-of-way. A fully authorized flight can still violate 107.43 or 107.37 if it's flown in a way that interferes with traffic or creates a collision hazard.
| Element | 14 CFR 107.43 | 14 CFR 107.37 |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Interference with airport operations and traffic patterns | Yielding right-of-way and avoiding collision hazards |
| Where it applies | Any airport, heliport, or seaplane base | Anywhere, in any encounter with another aircraft |
| Does it require another aircraft to be nearby? | No — interfering with the pattern itself is enough | Yes — applies specifically to encounters with other aircraft |
| Exceptions by aircraft category | None | None — sUAS always yields regardless of the other aircraft's type |
| Mistake | Why it happens | Correct understanding | Regulation / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Believing 107.43 only applies to operations physically located on airport property | "Airport operations" sounds like it means being at the airport itself | 107.43 covers interference with traffic patterns broadly, which can extend well beyond the airport's physical boundary. | 14 CFR 107.43 |
| Assuming a valid airspace authorization satisfies the right-of-way and no-interference rules too | Authorization feels like a complete "permission" to operate | An authorization addresses airspace access only; 107.43 and 107.37 are separate, independent obligations that still apply. | 14 CFR 107.37, 14 CFR 107.43 |
| Believing 107.37's yield requirement only applies to conventional airplanes | "Aircraft" is often used casually to mean airplanes specifically | 107.37 covers all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch/reentry vehicles — a broad scope, not limited to airplanes. | 14 CFR 107.37(a) |
Does 107.43 specify a minimum distance to stay away from an airport?
No. 107.43 is an outcome-based rule about not interfering with operations and traffic patterns, not a specific distance requirement. A drone could technically be quite close to an airport without interfering, or comparatively far away and still interfere, depending on the specific traffic flow and flight path involved.
Does the sUAS ever have the right-of-way over a manned aircraft under Part 107?
No. Under 14 CFR 107.37(a), a small unmanned aircraft must always yield to all aircraft, airborne vehicles, and launch/reentry vehicles — there is no scenario under standard Part 107 rules where the sUAS has priority.
If I have LAANC authorization to fly near a towered airport, do I still need to worry about 107.43 and 107.37?
Yes. LAANC and DroneZone authorizations address airspace access under 14 CFR 107.41 (operation in certain airspace); they do not exempt the operation from the separate no-interference and right-of-way obligations under 107.43 and 107.37.
Test Your Knowledge
Answer the questions below to check your understanding. Every answer can be found in the lesson above.