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Operating below a 700-foot Class E floor

Remote Pilot (Part 107) practice question 17 of 31 on Airspace / Operational Requirements. ACS element UA.II.B.K2 · difficulty: applied. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Remote Pilot (Part 107) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONA remote pilot will operate at 300 feet AGL in an area where the Class E airspace base is 700 feet AGL and no airport surface area is designated. Which airspace is the aircraft in, and is ATC authorization required?

  1. AClass G; no ATC authorization is required
  2. BClass E; authorization is required because the area is controlled airspace
  3. CClass E; authorization is required only if the flight climbs above 400 feet AGL
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Class G; no ATC authorization is required

  • A — correct Class G extends from the surface to the base of the overlying Class E. At 300 feet AGL the aircraft is below the 700-foot Class E floor, so it is in Class G, where the study guide says no ATC authorization is needed.
  • B — incorrect The aircraft is 400 feet below the Class E base, so it is not in Class E. Even in Class E, the study guide says a remote pilot in most cases will not need ATC authorization.
  • C — incorrect The Class E floor here is 700 feet AGL, not 400 feet, and below that floor the airspace is Class G, so the 400-foot figure is unrelated to the airspace boundary.

BACKGROUND

The Remote Pilot Study Guide explains that in most areas the Class E airspace base is 1,200 feet above ground level (AGL), and in many other areas the base is either the surface or 700 feet AGL. Class G, the uncontrolled airspace, extends from the surface up to the base of the overlying Class E. Section 107.41 requires prior Air Traffic Control (ATC) authorization only in Class B, Class C, Class D, and the surface area of Class E designated for an airport. A remote pilot flying below a 700-foot Class E floor is therefore in Class G and needs no ATC authorization. The determining step is comparing the planned altitude with the charted Class E base.

STUDY TIP

Work these problems in two steps: first locate the aircraft relative to the Class E floor, then apply § 107.41 to the class you land in.

KEY POINTS

  • Class E bases are commonly the surface, 700 feet AGL, or 1,200 feet AGL.
  • Below the Class E floor the airspace is Class G.
  • Class G requires no ATC authorization; surface-area Class E designated for an airport does.

SOURCES

  • 14 CFR 107.41
  • remote_pilot_study_guide.txt ch2 "Class E Airspace" and "Class G Airspace"
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MORE ON AIRSPACE / OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on 14 CFR part 107, 14 CFR part 89, and the FAA Remote Pilot – Small UAS Study Guide (FAA-G-8082-22). Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.