LAANC autoroizations -Airmap problems

jephoto · Sep 21, 2021

Two days ago, September 19, I needed to fly for a school within the O’Hare airport class B air space. It’s legal to fly with authorization up to 200 feet there. I tried using AirMap like I usually do and kept getting an error message “LAANC authorizations not available at this time try again later“
Couldn’t figure out what the problem was. There were no TFRs, and I couldn’t see any other reason or activity that would prohibit and authorization. This morning I found this on YouTube
Anyway it seems that air map has at least temporarily, lost its approved status with the FAA to do LAANC authorizations.
I found another vendor it was very easy to use and I’m very happy with it I think I’ll stick with it for a while.

Airspace Link

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Adamborz · Sep 22, 2021

I had the same issue. Used aloft (kitty hawk). Didn’t realize it was a permanent problem.

jephoto · Sep 22, 2021

Adamborz said:
I had the same issue. Used aloft (kitty hawk). Didn’t realize it was a permanent problem.

Well, Airmap says it isn't. And should be fixed by end of month.We will see.

I tried using Aloft yesterday. Found it more complicated than it needed to be - and then after going through all the steps, got error messages that 'some data was wrong" but nothing telling me how to fix it or where to look.
I signed onto the Airspace link and got my authorization way easier. YMMV....

Adamborz · Sep 22, 2021

kitty hawk was my fall back, but I’ll check out airspace too. I just checked airmap and still down. Although nothing on the site says it’s down. Crazy.

DC Steve · Sep 25, 2021

Had same issue in KIAD airspace. Can’t verify 100% but a trusted peer advised me of a software bug that causes AirMap to process requests as “swarms” which of course can’t be authorized by LANCC.

AeroMechAZ · Sep 26, 2021

I use both B4UFLY and ALOFT (they're connected, so when you look at an area on B4UFLY and it says you need LAANC, when you tap the "Get LAANC" button for that area, it automatically opens ALOFT and you submit your request there. I've had no problems with either app (I do have AirMap as well, but haven't used it for LAANC) and get the authorizations within 4-5 seconds after hitting the "Submit" button (sometimes quicker).
I occasionally fly within KPRC (Prescott Regional Airport) airspace.

Douggieboy · Sep 27, 2021

Airmap is no longer authorized by the FAA to grant permission to fly in restricted airspace. That error message is the FAA’s way of telling you this.
Use another app until this is fixed.

AeroMechAZ · Sep 27, 2021

Douggieboy said:
Airmap is no longer authorized by the FAA to grant permission to fly in restricted airspace. That error message is the FAA’s way of telling you this.
Use another app until this is fixed.

What they're NOT saying is WHY it's no longer on their 'approved' list; could be that they're going thru the reapproval process or something else entirely.

Douggieboy · Sep 28, 2021

AeroMechAZ said:
What they're NOT saying is WHY it's no longer on their 'approved' list; could be that they're going thru the reapproval process or something else entirely.

Only God and perhaps the FAA knows the answer to this. I told DJI about it yesterday, and they said their team of experts would look into it.
Chances are, it’s some kind of recertification— but it has been out for weeks. I flew a mission on August 27, and it went well, without incident.
This must be affecting people all over the country. I wonder if the government is cracking down on Chinese snooping

into what people in this country are doing.

DJI drones have improved over the past few years. I bought my first drone, a Phantom 3 Pro, as a wreck, and rebuilt it. The cost for a new one then was $1,000. As I dismantled it to replace the shell, the thing was as brittle as the cheap toys I played with as a kid. Tiny little hex key screws in bolts set into the plastic were so feeble, they snapped if I looked at them too hard. I put it all back together— it worked, but there’s no way that thing would ever be like new again. With all the guts inside, those tiny screws, cheap plastic snap tabs holding it into one piece, and wires routed like a skyscraper’s junction boxes, I found myself using clear Gorilla

tape in places where things just didn’t fit properly. I still fly that drone today, though I had to buy two new batteries this year.
It’s one thing to have cheap toys
break, but 5 years ago this co$t a thousand bucks!

If Airmap is no more, DJI has to buddy up with another provider of LAANC authorizations. It will be an enormous job to retool the respective apps to work as they once did, and it’s going to take a lot of time to make it right.

I’ll post here again if I hear

anything from the constituents in this whole bloody mess….

God bless, and happy droning

AeroMechAZ · Sep 28, 2021

Douggieboy said:
Only God and perhaps the FAA knows the answer to this. I told DJI about it yesterday, and they said their team of experts would look into it.
Chances are, it’s some kind of recertification— but it has been out for weeks. I flew a mission on August 27, and it went well, without incident.
This must be affecting people all over the country. I wonder if the government is cracking down on Chinese snooping into what people in this country are doing.

DJI drones have improved over the past few years. I bought my first drone, a Phantom 3 Pro, as a wreck, and rebuilt it. The cost for a new one then was $1,000. As I dismantled it to replace the shell, the thing was as brittle as the cheap toys I played with as a kid. Tiny little hex key screws in bolts set into the plastic were so feeble, they snapped if I looked at them too hard. I put it all back together— it worked, but there’s no way that thing would ever be like new again. With all the guts inside, those tiny screws, cheap plastic snap tabs holding it into one piece, and wires routed like a skyscraper’s junction boxes, I found myself using clear Gorilla tape in places where things just didn’t fit properly. I still fly that drone today, though I had to buy two new batteries this year.
It’s one thing to have cheap toys
break, but 5 years ago this co$t a thousand bucks!

If Airmap is no more, DJI has to buddy up with another provider of LAANC authorizations. It will be an enormous job to retool the respective apps to work as they once did, and it’s going to take a lot of time to make it right.

I’ll post here again if I hear anything from the constituents in this whole bloody mess….

God bless, and happy droning

Douggieboy - yeah, in that PI video, they seemed to be infering that Airmap was having some sort of financial problems (and that might be true).