Rules around non-controlled aerodromes and SLZ fields
Drone pilots increasingly choose locations near airports or even the airports themselves for their flights. Not everyone knows that there are several types of airports, and the rules for flying a drone at or around them vary.
Non-controlled aerodromes
Flying in the vicinity of sports aerodromes
At sports aerodromes where the conventional air traffic control service is not provided, a so-called Aerodrome Traffic Zone - ATZ is established, which serves to protect local aerodrome air traffic, and AFIS or RADIO information service is usually provided here. Sports aerodromes and ATZs are graphically represented in DroneMap application. The ATZ is defined horizontally by a circle with a radius of 5.5 km from the airport reference point and vertically by the earth's surface and an altitude of 1200 m. Some ATZs may be reduced in shape and height, depending on whether they extend into another type of airspace.
An ATZ is an airspace of specified dimensions that serves to protect aerodrome traffic. If the dimensions of the ATZ interfere with the space with a higher priority (CTR, TMA, TRA, TSA, ...), the ATZ is limited by this space.
Information on individual ATZs of non-controlled aerodromes in the Czech Republic can be found in the VFR Manual of the Czech Air Traffic Control Service; the link to the information on a specific aerodrome can be found directly in DroneMap application.
Flying within the ATZ is permitted without coordination up to the altitude shown in the grid in the DroneMap application. Flying above the altitude specified in the grid is only possible after coordination with the so-called “control tower” (AFIS/RADIO service). If this service is not provided, coordination is only possible with the aerodrome operator, and only up to a maximum of 120 m.
The grids for individual ATZ aerodromes can be found in DroneMap or you can download the complete maps with grids for all ATZ aerodromes.
Certain controlled airports (e.g. Karlovy Vary Airport or Kunovice Airport) have their own operating hours. Outside these operating hours the adjacent area switches from CTR to ATZ mode.
SLZ fields
Flying on SLZ fields
A special type of airfield is the so-called field of Sports Flying Equipment (SLZ). It is not directly an aerodrome in the true sense of the word, but a field used for take-offs and landings of SLZ, which are e.g. ultralight aircraft or powered hang gliders. SLZ fields are divided into registered and unregistered, as well as public and non-public.
The list of registered SLZ fields can be found in the VFR manual (section VFR-SLZ). They are then shown graphically in the DroneMap application. However, in addition to the registered SLZ fields, there are also unregistered fields, which are shown in AisView as non-guaranteed SLZ fields.
Drone operations within 1.5 km of the ARP of a SLZ field are permitted after coordination with the operator. Contact details can be found in the VFR Manual. A link to the VFR Manual is also available in DroneMap.
The Aviation Amateur Association of the Czech Republic sets the conditions for the use of SLZ fields, registers the fields, keeps records of registered fields, their operating rules and approves the eligibility of registered fields.